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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/44411-0.txt b/44411-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..02bb9fd --- /dev/null +++ b/44411-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5729 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44411 *** + +Transcriber's note: + +Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). + +Small capital text has been replaced with all capitals. + + * * * * * + +[Illustration: Cover] + +[Illustration: titlepage] + + + + +_The World's Great Sermons_ + +VOLUME IV + +L. BEECHER TO BUSHNELL + + + + + THE + WORLD'S + GREAT + SERMONS + + COMPILED BY + GRENVILLE KLEISER + Formerly of Yale Divinity School Faculty; + Author of "How to Speak + in Public," Etc. + + With Assistance from Many of the Foremost + Living Preachers and Other Theologians + + INTRODUCTION BY + LEWIS O. BRASTOW, D.D. + Professor Emeritus of Practical Theology + in Yale University + + IN TEN VOLUMES + + VOLUME IV L. BEECHER TO BUSHNELL + + FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY + NEW YORK and LONDON + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1908, BY + FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY + _Printed in the United States of America_ + + + + +CONTENTS + + + VOLUME IV + + LYMAN BEECHER (1775-1863). _Page_ + The Government of God Desirable 1 + + CHANNING (1780-1842). + The Character of Christ 27 + + CHALMERS (1780-1847). + The Expulsive Power of a New Affection 53 + + ALEXANDER CAMPBELL (1788-1866). + The Missionary Cause 79 + + IRVING (1792-1834). + Preparation for Consulting the Oracles + of God 101 + + ARNOLD (1795-1842). + Alive in God 131 + + WAYLAND (1796-1865). + A Day in the Life of Jesus of Nazareth 145 + + VINET (1797-1847). + The Mysteries of Christianity 171 + + SUMMERFIELD (1798-1825). + The Heavenly Inheritance 189 + + NEWMAN (1801-1890). + God's Will the End of Life 207 + + BUSHNELL (1802-1876). + Unconscious Influence 233 + + + + +LYMAN BEECHER + +THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD DESIRABLE + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +LYMAN BEECHER was born in New Haven, Conn., in 1775. He graduated +from Yale in 1797, and in 1798 took charge of the Presbyterian +Church at Easthampton, Long Island. He first attracted attention +by his sermon on the death of Alexander Hamilton, and in 1810 +became pastor of the Congregational Church at Litchfield, Conn. In +the course of a pastorate of 16 years, he preached a remarkable +series of sermons on temperance and became recognized as one of +the foremost pulpit orators of the country. In 1826 he went to +Boston as pastor of the Hanover Street Congregational Church. Six +years later he became president of the Lane Theological Seminary in +Ohio, an office he retained for twenty years. In 1852 he returned +to Boston and subsequently retired to the house of his son, Henry +Ward Beecher, where he died in 1863. His public utterances, whether +platform or pulpit, were carefully elaborated. They were delivered +extemporaneously and sparkled with wit, were convincing by their +logic, and conciliating by their shrewd common sense. + + + + +LYMAN BEECHER + +1775-1863 + +THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD DESIRABLE + +_Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven_.--Matthew vi., 10. + + +In this passage we are instructed to pray that the world may be +governed, and not abandoned to the miseries of unrestrained sin; +that God Himself would govern, and not another; and that God would +administer the government of the world, in all respects, according +to His own pleasure. The passage is a formal surrender to God of +power and dominion over the earth, as entire as His dominion is in +His heaven. The petition, therefore, "Thy will be done," contains +the doctrine: + +That it is greatly to be desired that God should govern the world, +and dispose of men, in all respects, entirely according to His own +pleasure. + +The truth of this doctrine is so manifest, that it would seem to +rank itself in the number of self-evident propositions, incapable of +proof clearer than its own light, had not experience taught that, of +all truths, it is the most universally and bitterly controverted. +Plain as it is, it has occasioned more argument than any other +doctrine, and, by argument merely, has gained fewer proselytes; for +it is one of those controversies in which the heart decides wholly, +and argument, strong or feeble, is alike ineffectual. + +This consideration would present, on the threshold, a hopeless +impediment to further progress, did we not know, also, that +arguments a thousand times repeated, and as often resisted, may +at length become mighty through God, to the casting down of +imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against +the knowledge of God. I shall, therefore, suggest several +considerations, to confirm this most obvious truth, that it is +desirable that God should govern the world entirely according to His +own good pleasure. + +1. It is desirable that God should govern the world, and dispose of +all events, according to His pleasure, because He knows perfectly in +what manner it is best that the world should be governed. + +The best way of disposing of men and their concerns is that which +will effectually illustrate the glory of God. The glory of God is +His benevolence, and His natural attributes for the manifestation +of it, and sun of the moral universe, the light and life of His +kingdom. All the blessedness of the intelligent creation arises, +and ever will arise, from the manifestation and apprehension of the +glory of God. It was to manifest this glory that the worlds were +created. It was that there might be creatures to behold and enjoy +God, that His dominions were peopled with intelligent beings. And +it is that His holy subjects may see and enjoy Him, that He upholds +and governs the universe. The entire importance of our world, +therefore, and of men and their concerns, is relative, and is great +or small only as we are made to illustrate the glory of God. How +this important end shall be most effectually accomplished none but +Himself is able to determine. He, only, knows how so to order things +as that the existence of every being, and every event, shall answer +the purpose of its creation, and from the rolling of a world to the +fall of a sparrow shall conspire to increase the exhibitions of the +divine character, and expand the joy of the holy universe. + +An inferior intelligence at the helm of government might conceive +very desirable purposes of benevolence, and still be at a loss +as to the means most fit and effectual to accomplish them. But, +with God, there is no such deficiency. In Him, the knowledge which +discovered the end discovers also, with unerring wisdom, the most +appropriate means to bring it to pass. He is wise in heart; He hath +established the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by +His discretion. And is He not wise enough to be intrusted with the +government of the world? Who, then, shall be His counsellor? Who +shall supply the deficiencies of His skill? Oh, the presumption of +vain man! and, oh! the depths both of the wisdom and knowledge of +God! + +2. It is desirable that God should govern the world according to His +own pleasure, because He is entirely able to execute His purposes. + +A wise politician perceives, often, both the end and the means; and +is still unable to bring to pass his counsels, because the means, +though wise, are beyond his control. But God is as able to execute +as He is to plan. Having chosen the end, and selected the means, his +counsels stand. He is the Lord God omnipotent. The whole universe +is a storehouse of means; and when He speaks every intelligence +and every atom flies to execute His pleasure. The omnipotence of +God, in giving efficacy to His government, inspires and perpetuates +the ecstasy of heaven. "And a voice came out from the throne, +saying, Praise our God. And I heard as it were the voice of a great +multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of many +thunderings, saying Alleluia, the Lord God omnipotent reigneth." +What will that man do in heaven, who is afraid and reluctant to +commit to God the government of the earth? And what will become +of those who, unable to frustrate His counsels, murmur and rebel +against His providence? + +3. It is desirable that God should govern the world according to His +pleasure, because the pleasure of God is always good. + +The angels who kept not their first estate, and many wicked men, +have great knowledge, and skill, and power: and yet, on these +accounts, are only the more terrible; because they employ these +mighty faculties to do evil. And the government of God, were He a +being of malevolence, armed as He is with skill and power, would +justly fill the universe with dismay. But, as it is, brethren, "let +not your hearts be troubled." With God there is no perversion of +attributes. He is as good as He is wise and powerful. God is love! +Love is that glory of God which He has undertaken to express to His +intelligent creation in His works. The sole object of the government +of God, from beginning to end, is, to express His benevolence. +His eternal decrees, of which so many are afraid, are nothing +but the plan which God has devised to express His benevolence, +and to make His kingdom as vast and as blest as His own infinite +goodness desires. It was to show His glory--to express, in action, +His benevolence--that He created all the worlds that roll, and +rejoice, and speak His name, through the regions of space. It is to +accomplish the same blest design, that He upholds, and places under +law, every intelligent being, and directs every event, causing every +movement, in every world, to fall in, in its appointed time and +place, and to unite in promoting the grand result--the glory of God, +and the highest good of His kingdom. And is there a mortal, who, +from this great system of blest government, would wish this earth to +be an exception? What sort of beings must those be who are afraid of +a government administered by infinite benevolence, to express, so +far as it can be expressed, the infinite goodness of God? I repeat +the question,--What kind of characters must those be who feel as if +they had good reason to fear a government the sole object of which +is to express the immeasurable goodness of God? + +4. It is greatly to be desired that God should govern the world +according to His pleasure, because it is His pleasure to rule as a +moral governor. + +A moral government is a government exercised over free agents, +accountable beings; a government of laws, administered by motives. + +The importance of such a government below is manifest from the +consideration, that it is in His moral government, chiefly, that the +glory of God is displayed. + +The superintendence of an empty world, or a world of mere animals, +would not exhibit, at all, the moral character of God. The glory +of God, shining in His law, could never be made manifest, and the +brighter glory of God, as displayed in the gospel, must remain +forever hid; and all that happiness of which we are capable, as +moral beings, the joys of religion below, and the boundless joys of +heaven above, would be extinguished, in a moment, by the suspension +of the divine moral government. + +Will any pretend that the Almighty cannot maintain a moral +government on earth, if He governs according to His own pleasure? +Can He wield the elements, and control, at His pleasure, every work +of His hands, but just the mind of man? Is the most noble work of +God--that which is the most worthy of attention, and in reference to +which all beside is upheld and governed--itself wholly unmanageable? +Has Omnipotence formed minds, which, the moment they are made, +escape from His hands, and defy the control of their Maker? Has the +Almighty erected a moral kingdom which He cannot govern without +destroying its moral nature? Can He only watch, and mend, and +rectify, the lawless wanderings of mind? Has He filled the earth +with untamed and untamable spirits, whose wickedness and rebellion +He can merely mitigate, but cannot control? Does He superintend a +world of madmen, full of darkness and disorder, cheered and blest by +no internal pervading government of His own? Are we bound to submit +to all events, as parts of the holy providence of God; and yet, is +there actually no hand of God controlling the movements of the moral +world? But if the Almighty can, and if he does, govern the earth as +a part of His moral kingdom, is there any method of government more +safe and wise than that which pleases God? Can there be a better +government? We may safely pray, then, "Thy will be done in earth as +it is in heaven," without fearing at all the loss of moral agency; +for all the glory of God, in His Law and Gospel, and all the eternal +manifestations of glory to principalities and powers in heavenly +places, depend wholly upon the fact, that men, though living under +the government of God, and controlled according to His pleasure, are +still entirely free, and accountable for all the deeds done in the +body. There could be no justice in punishment and no condescension, +no wisdom, no mercy, in the glorious gospel, did not the government +of God, though administered according to His pleasure, include and +insure the accountable agency of man. + +Seeing, therefore, that all the glory of God, which He ever proposes +to manifest to the intelligent creation, is to be made known by +the Church, and is to shine in the face of Jesus Christ, and is to +depend upon the perfect consistency of the moral government of God +with human freedom, we have boundless assurance that, among His +absolute, immutable, eternal purposes, one, and a leading one, is, +so to govern the world according to His counsels, that, if men sin, +there shall be complete desert of punishment, and boundless mercy +in their redemption. + +5. It is greatly to be desired that God should rule in the earth +according to His pleasure, because it is His pleasure to govern the +world in mercy, by Jesus Christ. + +The government is in the hand of a Mediator, by whom God is +reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses +to them that believe. Mercy is the bestowment of pardon upon the +sinful and undeserving. Now, mankind are so eminently sinful, that +no government but one administered in infinite mercy, could afford +the least consolation. Had any being but the God of mercy sat upon +the throne, or any will but His will prevailed, there would have +been no plan of redemption, and no purposes of election, to perplex +and alarm the wicked. There would have been but one decree, and +that would have been, destruction to the whole race of man. Are +any reluctant to be entirely in the hands of God? Are they afraid +to trust Him to dispose of soul and body, for time and eternity? +Let them surrender their mercies, then, and go out naked from that +government which feeds, protects and comforts them. Let them give +up their Bibles, and relinquish the means of grace, and the hopes +of glory, and descend and make their bed in hell, where they have +long since deserved to be, and where they long since would have +been, if God had not governed the world according to His own good +pleasure. If they would escape the evils which they fear from the +hand of God, let them abandon the blessings they receive from it, +and they will soon discover whether the absolute dominion of God, +and their dependence upon Him, be, in reality, a ground of murmuring +and alarm. Our only hope of heaven arises from being entirely in +the hands of God. Our destruction could not be made more certain +than it would be were we to be given up to our own disposal, or +to the disposal of any being but God. Would sinful mortals change +their own hearts? Could the combined universe, without God, change +the depraved affections of men? Surely, then, we have cause for +unceasing joy, that we are in the hands of God; seeing He is a +God of mercy, and has decreed to rule in mercy, and actually is +administering the government of the world in mercy, by Jesus Christ. + +We have nothing to fear, from the entire dominion of God, which we +should not have cause equally to fear, as outcasts from the divine +government; but we have everything to hope, while He rules the earth +according to His most merciful pleasure. The Lord reigneth; let the +earth rejoice, let the multitude of the isles be glad. It is of the +Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions +fail not. + +6. It is greatly to be desired that God should dispose of mankind +according to His pleasure, because, if He does so, it is certain +that there will be no injustice done to anyone. + +He will do no injustice to His holy kingdom by any whom He saves. +He will bring none to heaven who are not holy, and prepared for +heaven. He will bring none there in any way not consistent with His +perfections, and the best good of His kingdom; none in any way but +that prescribed in the gospel, the way of faith in Jesus Christ, of +repentance for sin, and of good works as the constituted fruit and +evidence of faith. + +Earthly monarchs have their favorites, whom, if guilty of a +violation of the laws, they will often interpose to save, although +the welfare of the kingdom requires their punishment. But God has +no such favorites--He is no respecter of persons: He spared not the +angels: and upon the earth distinctions of intellect, or wealth, or +honor, will have no effect; he only that believeth shall be saved. +The great and the learned shall not be obtruded upon heaven without +holiness because they are great or learned; and the humble and +contrite shall not be excluded because they are poor, or ignorant, +or obscure. God has provided a way for all men to return to Him. +He has opened the door of their prison, and set open before them a +door of admission into the kingdom of His dear Son; and commanded +and entreated them to abandon their dreary abode, and come into +the glorious liberty of the sons of God. But all, with one consent, +refuse to comply. Each prefers his own loathsome dwelling to the +building of God, and chooses, stedfastly, the darkness of his own +dungeon, to the light of God's kingdom. But, as God has determined +that the redemption of His Son shall not be unavailing through human +obstinacy, so He hath chosen, in Christ, multitudes which no man +can number, that they should be holy and without blame before Him +in love. And in bringing these sons and daughters to glory, through +sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, He will +introduce not one whom all the inhabitants of heaven will not hail +joyfully, as the companion of their glory. And if God does in the +earth just as He pleases, He will make willing, and obedient, and +bring to heaven, just those persons who it was most desirable should +come. And He will bring just as many obstinate rebels to abandon +their prison, and enter cheerfully His kingdom, as infinite wisdom, +goodness, and mercy, see fit and desire. He will not mar His glory, +or the happiness of His kingdom, by bringing in too many, nor by +omitting to bring in enough. His redeemed kingdom, as to the number +and the persons who compose it, and the happiness included in it, +will be such as shall be wholly satisfactory to God, and to every +subject of His kingdom. + +And if God governs according to His pleasure, He will do no +injustice to His impenitent enemies. He will send to misery no +harmless animals without souls--no mere machines--none who have +done, or even attempted to do, as well as they could. He will leave +to walk in their own way none who do not deserve to be left; and +punish none for walking in it who did not walk therein knowingly, +deliberately and with wilful obstinacy. He will give up to death +none who did not choose death, and choose it with as entire freedom +as Himself chooses holiness; and who did not deserve eternal +punishment as truly as Himself deserves eternal praise. He will +send to hell none who are not opposed to Him, and to holiness, +and to heaven; none who are not, by voluntary sin and rebellion, +unfitted for heaven, and fitted for destruction, as eminently as +saints are prepared for glory. He will consign to perdition no poor, +feeble, inoffensive beings, sacrificing one innocent creature to +increase the happiness of another. He will cause the punishment of +the wicked to illustrate His glory, and thus indirectly to promote +the happiness of heaven. But God will not illumine heaven with His +glory, and fill it with praise, by sacrificing helpless, unoffending +creatures to eternal torment; nor will He doom to hell one whom +He will not convince also, that he deserves to go thither. The +justice of God, in the condemnation of the impenitent, will be as +unquestionable, as His infinite mercy will be in the salvation of +the redeemed. + +If the will of God is done on earth, among men, there will be no +more injustice done to the inhabitants of the earth than there is +done to the blessed in heaven. Was it ever known--did any ever +complain--was it ever conceived--that God was a tyrant, in heaven? +Why, then, should we question the justice of His government on +earth? Is He not the same God below as above? Are not all His +attributes equally employed? Does He not govern for the same end, +and will not His government below conspire to promote the same +joyful end as His government above? + +7. It is greatly to be desired that God should govern the world +according to His pleasure, because His own infinite blessedness, as +well as the happiness of His kingdom, depends upon His working all +things according to the counsel of His own will. + +Could the Almighty be prevented from expressing the benevolence +of His nature, according to His purposes, His present boundless +blessedness would become the pain of ungratified desire. God is +love, and His happiness consists in the exercise and expression +of it, according to His own eternal purpose, which He purposed in +Christ Jesus before the world began. It is therefore declared, +"The Lord hath made all things for himself;" that is, to express +and gratify His infinite benevolence. The moral excellence of God +does not consist in quiescent love, but in love active, bursting +forth, and abounding. Nor does the divine happiness arise from +the contemplation of idle perfections, but from perfections which +comprehend boundless capacity, and activity in doing good. + +From what has been said, we may be led to contemplate with +satisfaction the infinite blessedness of God. + +God is love! This is a disposition which, beyond all others, is +happy in its own nature. He is perfect in love; there is, therefore, +in His happiness no alloy. His love is infinite; and, of course, +His blessedness is unbounded. If the little holiness existing in +good men, though balanced by remaining sin, occasions, at times, +unutterable joy, how blessed must God be, who is perfectly and +infinitely holy! It is to be remembered, also, that the benevolence +of God is at all times perfectly gratified. The universe which God +has created and upholds, including what He has done, and what He +will yet do, will be brought into a condition which will satisfy His +infinite benevolence. The great plan of government which God has +chosen, and which His power and wisdom will execute, will embrace as +much good as in the nature of things is possible. He is not, like +erring man, straitened and perplexed, through lack of knowledge or +power. There is in His plan no defect, and in His execution no +failure. God, therefore, is infinitely happy in His holiness, and in +the expression of it which it pleases Him to make. + +The revolt of angels, the fall of man, and the miseries of sin, +do not, for a moment, interrupt the blessedness of God. They +were not, to Him, unexpected events, starting up suddenly while +the watchman of Israel slumbered. They were foreseen by God as +clearly as any other events of His government, and have occasioned +neither perplexity nor dismay. With infinite complacency He beholds +still His unshaken counsels, and with almighty hand rolls on His +undisturbed decrees. Surrounded by unnumbered millions, created +by His hand, and upheld by His power, He shines forth, God over +all, blest for ever. What an object of joyful contemplation, then, +is the blessedness of God! It is infinite; His boundless capacity +is full. It is eternal; He is God blest forever. The happiness of +the created universe is but a drop--a drop to the mighty ocean of +divine enjoyment. How delightful the thought, that in God there is +such an immensity of joy, beyond the reach of vicissitude! When we +look around below, a melancholy sensation pervades the mind. What +miserable creatures! What a wretched world! But when, from this +scene of darkness and misery, we look up to the throne of God, and +behold Him, high above the darkness and miseries of sin, dwelling +in light inaccessible and full of glory, the prospect brightens. If +a few rebels, who refuse to love and participate in His munificence, +are groping in darkness on His footstool, God is light, and in Him +there is no darkness at all. + +Those who are opposed to the decrees of God, and to His sovereignty, +as displayed in the salvation of sinners, are enemies of God. + +They are unwilling that His will should be done in earth as it is +in heaven; for the decrees of God are nothing but His choice as +to the manner in which He will govern His own kingdom. He did not +enter upon His government to learn wisdom by experience. Before +they were yet formed, His vast dominion lay open to His view; and +before He took the reins of created empire, He saw in what manner it +became Him to govern. His ways are everlasting. Known unto God are +all His works from the beginning. To be opposed to the decrees of +God, therefore, is to be unwilling that God should have any choice +concerning the government of the world. And can those be willing +that God should govern the world entirely according to His pleasure +who object to His having any pleasure upon the subject? To object +to the choice of God, with respect to the management of the world, +because it is eternal, is to object to the existence of God. A God +of eternal knowledge, without an eternal will or choice, would be a +God without moral character. + +To suppose that God did not know what events would exist in +His kingdom, is to divest Him of omniscience. To suppose that +He did know, and did not care,--had no choice, no purpose,--is +to blot out His benevolence, to nullify His wisdom and convert +His power into infinite indolence. To suppose that He did know, +and choose, and decree, and that events do not accord with His +purposes, is to suppose that God has made a world which He can +not govern; has undertaken a work too vast; has begun to build, +but is not able to finish. But to suppose that God did, from the +beginning, behold all things open and naked before Him, and that +He did choose, with unerring wisdom and infinite goodness, how to +govern His empire,--and yet at the same time, to employ heart, +and head, and tongue, in continual opposition to this great and +blessed truth,--is, most clearly, to cherish enmity to God and His +government. + +To object to the choice of God because it is immutable, is to cavil +against that which constitutes its consummating excellence. Caprice +is a most alarming feature in a bad government; but in a government +absolutely perfect, none, surely, can object to its immutability, +but those, who, if able, would alter it for the worse. + +To say that, if God always knew how to govern so as to display His +glory, and bless His kingdom, and always chooses thus to govern, +there can be, therefore, no accountable agency in the conduct of +His creatures, is to deny the possibility of a moral government, +to contradict the express testimony of God; and this, too, at the +expense of common sense, and the actual experience of every subject +of His moral government on earth. + +From the character of God, and the nature of His government, as +explained in this discourse, may be inferred, the nature and +necessity of unconditional submission to God. + +Unconditional submission is an entire surrender of the soul to +God, to be disposed of according to His pleasure,--occasioned by +confidence in His character as God. + +There are many who would trust the Almighty to regulate the rolling +of worlds, and to rule in the armies of heaven, just as He pleases; +and devils they would consign to His disposal, without the least +hesitation; and their own nation, if they were sure that God would +dispose of it according to their pleasure; even their own temporal +concerns they would risk in the hands of God, could they know that +all things would work together for their good; their souls, also, +they would cheerfully trust to His disposal, for the world to come, +if God would stipulate, at all events, to make them happy. + +And to what does all this amount? Truly, that they care much about +their own happiness, and their own will, but nothing at all about +the will of God, and the welfare of His kingdom. He may decree, +and execute His decrees, in heaven, and may turn its inhabitants +into machines, or uphold their freedom, as He pleases; and apostate +spirits are relinquished to their doom, whether just or unjust. It +is only when the government of God descends to particulars, and +draws near and enters their own selfish enclosures, and claims a +right to dispose of them, and extends its influence to the unseen +world, that selfishness and fear take the alarm. Has God determined +how to dispose of my soul? Ah! that alters the case. If He can, +consistently with freedom, govern angels, and devils, and nations, +how can He govern individuals? How can He dispose of me according to +His eternal purpose and I be free? Here reason, all-penetrating, and +all-comprehensive, becomes weak; the clouds begin to collect, and +the understanding, veiled by the darkness of the heart, can "find no +end, in wandering mazes lost." + +But if God has purposes of mercy in reserve for the sinner, he is +convinced, at length, of his sin, and finds himself in an evil case. +He reforms, prays, weeps, resolves, and re-resolves, regardless +of the righteousness of Christ, and intent only to establish a +righteousness of his own. But, through all his windings, sin cleaves +to him, and the law, with its fearful curse, pursues him. Whither +shall he flee? What shall he do? A rebel heart, that will not bow, +fills him with despair. An angry God, who will not clear the guilty, +fills him with terror. His strength is gone, his resources fail, +his mouth is stopped. With restless anxiety, or wild amazement, +he surveys the gloomy prospect. At length, amidst the wanderings +of despair, the character of God meets his eye. It is new, it is +amiable, and full of glory. Forgetful of danger, he turns aside +to behold this great sight; and while he gazes, new affections +awake in his soul, inspiring new confidence in God, and in His +holy government. Now God appears qualified to govern, and now he +is willing that He should govern, and willing himself to be in the +hands of God, to be disposed of according to His pleasure. What is +the occasion of this change? Has the divine character changed? There +is no variableness with God. Did he, then, misapprehend the divine +character? Was all this glory visible before? Or has a revelation +of new truth been granted? There has been no new revelation. The +character now admitted is the same which just before appeared so +gloomy and terrible. What, then, has produced this alteration? Has +a vision of angels appeared, to announce that God is reconciled? +Has some sudden light burst upon him, in token of forgiveness? Has +Christ been seen upon the cross, beckoning the sinner to come +to Him? Has heaven been thrown open to his admiring eyes? Have +enrapturing sounds of music stolen upon the ear, to entrance the +soul? Has some text of Scripture been sent to whisper that his +sins are forgiven, tho no repentance, nor faith, nor love, has +dawned in his soul? And does he now submit, because God has given +him assurance of personal safety? None of these. Considerations of +personal safety are, at the time, out of the question. It is the +uncreated, essential excellence of God, shining in upon the heart, +which claims the attention, fixes the adoring eye, and fills the +soul with love, and peace, and joy; and the act of submission is +past, before the subject begins to reflect upon his altered views, +with dawning hope of personal redemption. + +The change produced, then, is the effect of benevolence, raising +the affections of the soul from the world, and resting them upon +God. Holiness is now most ardently loved. This is seen to dwell in +God and His kingdom, and to be upheld and perfected by His moral +government. It is the treasure of the soul, and all the attributes +of God stand pledged to protect it. The solicitude, therefore, is +not merely, What will become of me? but, What, O Lord, will become +of Thy glory, and the glory of Thy kingdom? And in the character +of God, these inquiries are satisfactorily answered. If God be +glorified, and His kingdom upheld and made happy, the soul is +satisfied. There is nothing else to be anxious about; for individual +happiness is included in the general good, as the drop is included +in the ocean. + + + + +CHANNING + +THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +WILLIAM ELLERY CHANNING, the famous Unitarian divine, was born +at Newport, R. I., in 1780. He took his degree at Harvard in +1798, studied theology and was ordained pastor of the Federal +Street Church in Boston, 1803. He has been called the Apostle of +Unitarianism, because he was first among the orthodox divines of +New England to give Unitarianism a clear, dogmatic expression, as +he did in a sermon preached at the ordination of Jared Sparks, in +opposition to the current Calvinism of the day. But he hated the +controversy in which the publication of his views involved him and +professed in 1841, "I am little of a Unitarian and stand aloof +from all but those who strive and pray for clearer light." He had +made the acquaintance of Wordsworth and Coleridge on his visit to +England, and the latter justly described him as one who had "the +love of wisdom and the wisdom of love." He was a voluminous writer +on theological and literary subjects and what he wrote was vigorous, +of fastidious taste and fired with moral earnestness. He died in +1842. + + + + +CHANNING + +1780-1842 + +THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST + +_This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased_.--Matthew xvii., +5. + + +The character of Christ may be studied for various purposes. It +is singularly fitted to call forth the heart, to awaken love, +admiration, and moral delight. As an example it has no rival. As +an evidence of His religion perhaps it yields to no other proof; +perhaps no other has so often conquered unbelief. It is chiefly to +this last view of it that I now ask your attention. The character +of Christ is a strong confirmation of the truth of His religion. +As such I would now place it before you. I shall not, however, +think only of confirming your faith; the very illustrations which I +shall adduce for this purpose will show the claims of Jesus to our +reverence, obedience, imitation, and fervent love. + +The more we contemplate Christ's character as exhibited in the +gospel, the more we shall be impressed with its genuineness and +reality. It was plainly drawn from the life. The narratives of +the evangelists bear the marks of truth perhaps beyond all other +histories. They set before us the most extraordinary being who ever +appeared on earth, and yet they are as artless as the stories of +childhood. The authors do not think of themselves. They have plainly +but one aim, to show us their Master; and they manifest the deep +veneration which He inspired by leaving Him to reveal Himself, by +giving us His actions and sayings without comment, explanation, or +eulogy. + +You see in these narratives no varnishing, no high coloring, no +attempts to make His actions striking or to bring out the beauties +of His character. We are never pointed to any circumstance as +illustrative of His greatness. The evangelists write with a calm +trust in His character, with a feeling that it needed no aid from +their hands, and with a deep veneration, as if comment or praise of +their own were not worthy to mingle with the recital of such a life. + +It is the effect of our familiarity with the history of Jesus that +we are not struck by it as we ought to be. We read it before we are +capable of understanding its excellence. His stupendous works become +as familiar to us as the events of ordinary life, and His high +offices seem as much matters of course as the common relations which +men bear to each other. + +On this account it is fit for the ministers of religion to do what +the evangelists did not attempt, to offer comments on Christ's +character, to bring out its features, to point men to its higher +beauties, to awaken their awe by unfolding its wonderful majesty. +Indeed, one of our most important functions as teachers is to +give freshness and vividness to truths which have become worn, I +had almost said tarnished, by long and familiar handling. We have +to fight with the power of habit. Through habit men look on this +glorious creation with insensibility, and are less moved by the +all-enlightening sun than by a show of fireworks. It is the duty of +a moral and religious teacher almost to create a new sense in men, +that they may learn in what a world of beauty and magnificence they +live. And so in regard to Christ's character; men become used to it +until they imagine that there is something more admirable in a great +man of their own day, a statesman or a conqueror, than in Him the +latchet of whose shoes statesmen and conquerors are not worthy to +unloose. + +In this discourse I wish to show that the character of Christ, taken +as a whole, is one which could not have entered the thoughts of man, +could not have been imagined or feigned; that it bears every mark of +genuineness and truth; that it ought therefore to be acknowledged as +real and of divine origin. + +It is all-important, my friends, if we would feel the force of this +argument, to transport ourselves to the times when Jesus lived. We +are very apt to think that He was moving about in such a city as +this, or among a people agreeing with ourselves in modes of thinking +and habits of life. But the truth is, he lived in a state of society +singularly remote from our own. + +Of all the nations the Jewish was the most strongly marked. The Jew +hardly felt himself to belong to the human family. He was accustomed +to speak of himself as chosen by God, holy, clean; whilst the +Gentiles were sinners, dogs, polluted, unclean. His common dress, +the phylactery on his brow or arm, the hem of his garment, his food, +the ordinary circumstances of his life, as well as his temple, his +sacrifices, his ablutions, all held him up to himself as a peculiar +favorite of God, and all separated him from the rest of the world. +With other nations he could not eat or marry. They were unworthy +of his communion. Still, with all these notions of superiority he +saw himself conquered by those whom he despised. He was obliged to +wear the shackles of Rome, to see Roman legions in his territory, a +Roman guard near his temple, and a Roman tax-gatherer extorting, for +the support of an idolatrous government and an idolatrous worship, +what he regarded as due only to God. The hatred which burned in the +breast of the Jew toward his foreign oppressor perhaps never glowed +with equal intenseness in any other conquered state. + +He had, however, his secret consolation. The time was near, the +prophetic age was at hand, when Judea was to break her chains and +rise from the dust. Her long-promised king and deliverer was near, +and was coming to wear the crown of universal empire. From Jerusalem +was to go forth His law, and all nations were to serve the chosen +people of God. To this conqueror the Jews indeed ascribed the office +of promoting religion; but the religion of Moses, corrupted into +an outward service, was to them the perfection of human nature. +They clung to its forms with the whole energy of their souls. To +the Mosaic institution they ascribed their distinction from all +other nations. It lay at the foundation of their hopes of dominion. +I believe no strength of prejudice ever equalled the intense +attachment of the Jew to his peculiar national religion. You may +judge of its power by the fact of its having been transmitted +through so many ages, amidst persecution and sufferings which would +have subdued any spirit but that of a Jew. You must bring these +things to your mind. You must place yourselves in the midst of this +singular people. + +Among this singular people, burning with impatient expectation, +appeared Jesus of Nazareth. His first words were, "Repent, for +the kingdom of heaven is at hand." These words we hear with little +emotion; but to the Jews, who had been watching for this kingdom for +ages, and who were looking for its immediate manifestation, they +must have been awakening as an earthquake. Accordingly we find Jesus +thronged by multitudes which no building could contain. He repairs +to a mountain, as affording him advantages for addressing the crowd. +I see them surrounding Him with eager looks, and ready to drink in +every word from His lips. And what do I hear? Not one word of Judea, +of Rome, of freedom, of conquest, of the glories of God's chosen +people, and of the thronging of all nations to the temple on Mount +Zion. + +Almost every word was a death-blow to the hopes and feelings +which glowed through the whole people, and were consecrated under +the name of religion. He speaks of the long-expected kingdom of +heaven; but speaks of it as a felicity promised to, and only to be +partaken of by, the humble and pure in heart. The righteousness of +the Pharisees, that which was deemed the perfection of religion, +and which the new deliverer was expected to spread far and wide, +He pronounces worthless, and declares the kingdom of heaven, or of +the Messiah, to be shut against all who do not cultivate a new, +spiritual, and disinterested virtue. + +Instead of war and victory He commands His impatient hearers to +love, to forgive, to bless their enemies; and holds forth this +spirit of benignity, mercy, peace, as the special badge of the +people of the true Messiah. Instead of national interests and +glories, he commands them to seek first a spirit of impartial +charity and love, unconfined by the bounds of tribe or nation, and +proclaims this to be the happiness and honor of the reign for which +they hoped. Instead of this world's riches, which they expected +to flow from all lands into their own, He commands them to lay up +treasures in heaven, and directs them to an incorruptible, immortal +life, as the true end of their being. + +Nor is this all. He does not merely offer himself as a spiritual +deliverer, as the founder of a new empire of inward piety and +universal charity; He closes with language announcing a more +mysterious office. "Many will say unto Me in that day, Lord, +Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name, and in Thy name done +many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never +knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity." Here I meet +the annunciation of a character as august as it must have been +startling. I hear Him foretelling a dominion to be exercised in the +future world. He begins to announce, what entered largely into His +future teaching, that His power was not bounded to this earth. These +words I better understand when I hear Him subsequently declaring +that, after a painful death, He was to rise again and ascend to +heaven, and there, in a state of preeminent power and glory, was to +be the advocate and judge of the human race. + +Such are some of the views given by Jesus, of His character and +reign, in the Sermon on the Mount. Immediately afterwards I hear +another lesson from Him, bringing out some of these truths still +more strongly. A Roman centurion makes application to Him for the +cure of a servant whom he particularly valued; and on expressing, +in a strong manner, his conviction of the power of Jesus to heal at +a distance, Jesus, according to the historian, "marvelled, and said +to those that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so +great faith in Israel; and 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; but the children of the kingdom" +(that is, the Jews) "shall be cast out." + +Here all the hopes which the Jews had cherished of an exclusive or +peculiar possession of the Messiah's kingdom were crushed; and the +reception of the despised Gentile world to all His blessings, or, in +other words, the extension of His pure religion to the ends of the +earth, began to be proclaimed. + +Here I pause for the present, and I ask you whether the character +of Jesus be not the most extraordinary in history, and wholly +inexplicable on human principles. Review the ground over which we +have gone. Recollect that He was born and grew up a Jew in the midst +of Jews, a people burning with one passion, and throwing their whole +souls into the expectation of a national and earthly deliverer. +He grew up among them in poverty, seclusion, and labors fitted to +contract His thoughts, purposes, and hopes; and yet we find Him +escaping every influence of education and society. We find Him as +untouched by the feelings which prevailed universally around Him, +which religion and patriotism concurred to consecrate, which the +mother breathed into the ear of the child, and which the teacher of +the synagog strengthened in the adult, as if He had been brought up +in another world. We find Him conceiving a sublime purpose, such +as had never dawned on sage or hero, and see Him possessed with a +consciousness of sustaining a relation to God and mankind, and of +being invested with powers in this world and the world to come, such +as had never entered the human mind. Whence now, I ask, came the +conception of this character? + +Will any say it had its origin in imposture; that it was a +fabrication of a deceiver? I answer, the character claimed by Christ +excludes this supposition by its very nature. It was so remote +from all the ideas and anticipations of the times, so unfit to +awaken sympathy, so unattractive to the heathen, so exasperating +to the Jew, that it was the last to enter the mind of an impostor. +A deceiver of the dullest vision must have foreseen that it would +expose him to bitter scorn, abhorrence, and persecution, and that he +would be left to carry on his work alone, just as Jesus always stood +alone and could find not an individual to enter into His spirit and +design. What allurements an unprincipled, self-seeking man could +find to such an enterprise, no common ingenuity can discover. + +I affirm next that the sublimity of the character claimed by +Christ forbids us to trace it to imposture. That a selfish, +designing, depraved mind could have formed the idea and purpose +of a work unparalleled in beneficence, in vastness, and in moral +grandeur, would certainly be a strange departure from the laws of +the human mind. I add, that if an impostor could have lighted on +the conception of so sublime and wonderful a work as that claimed +by Jesus, he could not, I say, he could not have thrown into his +personation of it the air of truth and reality. The part would have +been too high for him. He would have overacted it or fallen short +of it perpetually. His true character would have rebelled against +his assumed one. We should have seen something strained, forced, +artificial, awkward, showing that he was not in his true sphere. To +act up to a character so singular and grand, and one for which no +precedent could be found, seems to me utterly impossible for a man +who had not the true spirit of it, or who was only wearing it as a +mask. + +Now, how stands the case with Jesus? Bred a Jewish peasant or +carpenter, He issues from obscurity, and claims for Himself a divine +office, a superhuman dignity, such as had not been imagined; and in +no instance does He fall below the character. The peasant, and still +more the Jew, wholly disappears. + +We feel that a new being, of a new order of mind, is taking a part +in human affairs. There is a native tone of grandeur and authority +in His teaching. He speaks as a being related to the whole human +race. His mind never shrinks within the ordinary limits of human +agency. A narrower sphere than the world never enters His thoughts. +He speaks in a natural, spontaneous style, of accomplishing the most +arduous and important change in human affairs. This unlabored manner +of expressing great thoughts is particularly worthy of attention. +You never hear from Jesus that swelling, pompous, ostentatious +language, which almost necessarily springs from an attempt to +sustain a character above our powers. He talks of His glories as one +to whom they were familiar, and of His intimacy and oneness with God +as simply as a child speaks of his connection with his parents. +He speaks of saving and judging the world, of drawing all men to +Himself, and of giving everlasting life, as we speak of the ordinary +powers which we exert. He makes no set harangues about the grandeur +of His office and character. His consciousness of it gives a hue to +His whole language, breaks out in indirect, undesigned expressions, +showing that it was the deepest and most familiar of His convictions. + +This argument is only to be understood by reading the Gospels with +a wakeful mind and heart. It does not lie on their surface, and it +is the stronger for lying beneath it. When I read these books with +care, when I trace the unaffected majesty which runs through the +life of Jesus, and see him never falling below His sublime claims +amidst poverty, and scorn, and in His last agony, I have a feeling +of the reality of His character which I can not express. I feel that +the Jewish carpenter could no more have conceived and sustained this +character under motives of imposture than an infant's arm could +repeat the deeds of Hercules, or his unawakened intellect comprehend +and rival the matchless works of genius. + +Am I told that the claims of Jesus had their origin not in +imposture, but in enthusiasm; that the imagination, kindled by +strong feeling, overpowered the judgment so far as to give Him the +notion of being destined to some strange and unparalleled work? I +know that enthusiasm, or a kindled imagination, has great power; +and we are never to lose sight of it, in judging of the claims of +religious teachers. But I say first, that, except in cases where it +amounts to insanity, enthusiasm works, in a greater or less degree, +according to a man's previous conceptions and modes of thought. + +In Judea, where the minds of men were burning with feverish +expectation of a messiah, I can easily conceive of a Jew imagining +that in himself this ardent conception, this ideal of glory, was to +be realized. I can conceive of his seating himself in fancy on the +throne of David, and secretly pondering the means of his appointed +triumphs. But that a Jew should fancy himself the Messiah, and at +the same time should strip that character of all the attributes +which had fired his youthful imagination and heart--that he should +start aside from all the feelings and hopes of his age, and should +acquire a consciousness of being destined to a wholly new career, +and one as unbounded as it was now--this is exceedingly improbable; +and one thing is certain that an imagination so erratic, so +ungoverned, and able to generate the conviction of being destined to +work so immeasurably disproportioned to the power of the individual, +must have partaken of insanity. + +Now, is it conceivable that an individual, mastered by so wild and +fervid an imagination, should have sustained the dignity claimed by +Christ, should have acted worthily the highest part ever assumed on +earth? Would not his enthusiasm have broken out amidst the peculiar +excitements of the life of Jesus, and have left a touch of madness +on his teaching and conduct? Is it to such a man that we should look +for the inculcation of a new and perfect form of virtue, and for the +exemplification of humanity in its fairest form? + +The charge of an extravagant, self-deluding enthusiasm is the last +to be fastened on Jesus. Where can we find the traces of it in His +history? Do we detect them in the calm authority of His precepts; in +the mild, practical and beneficial spirit of His religion; in the +unlabored simplicity of the language with which He unfolds His high +powers and the sublime truths of religion; or in the good sense, the +knowledge of human nature, which He always discovers in His estimate +and treatment of the different classes of men with whom He acted? +Do we discover this enthusiasm in the singular fact that, whilst He +claimed power in the future world, and always turned men's minds to +Heaven, He never indulged His own imagination or stimulated that of +His disciples by giving vivid pictures or any minute description of +that unseen state? + +The truth is, that, remarkable as was the character of Jesus, it was +distinguished by nothing more than by calmness and self-possession. +This trait pervades His other excellences. How calm was His piety! +Point me, if you can, to one vehement, passionate expression of +His religious feelings. Does the Lord's Prayer breathe a feverish +enthusiasm? The habitual style of Jesus on the subject of religion, +if introduced into many churches of His followers at the present +day, would be charged with coldness. The calm and the rational +character of His piety is particularly seen in the doctrine which He +so earnestly inculcates, that disinterested love and self-denying +service to our fellow creatures are the most acceptable worship we +can offer to our Creator. + +His benevolence, too, tho singularly earnest and deep, was composed +and serene. He never lost the possession of Himself in His sympathy +with others; was never hurried into the impatient and rash +enterprises of an enthusiastic philanthropy; but did good with the +tranquility and constancy which mark the providence of God. The +depth of this calmness may best be understood by considering the +opposition made to His claims. + +His labors were everywhere insidiously watched and industriously +thwarted by vindictive foes who had even conspired to compass, +through His death, the ruin of His cause. Now, a feverish +enthusiasm which fancies itself to be intrusted with a great work of +God is singularly liable to impatient indignation under furious and +malignant opposition. Obstacles increase its vehemence; it becomes +more eager and hurried in the accomplishment of its purposes, in +proportion as they are withstood. + +Be it therefore remembered that the malignity of Christ's foes, +tho never surpassed, and for the time triumphant, never robbed +Him of self-possession, roused no passion, and threw no vehemence +or precipitation into His exertions. He did not disguise from +Himself or His followers the impression made on the multitude by +His adversaries. He distinctly foresaw the violent death towards +which He was fast approaching. Yet, confiding in God and in the +silent progress of His truth, He possest His soul in peace. Not +only was He calm, but His calmness rises into sublimity when we +consider the storms which raged around Him and the vastness of the +prospects in which His spirit found repose. I say then that serenity +and self-possession were peculiarly the attributes of Jesus. I +affirm that the singular and sublime character claimed by Jesus +can be traced neither to imposture nor to an ungoverned, insane +imagination. It can only be accounted for by its truth, its reality. + +I began with observing how our long familiarity with Jesus blunts +our minds to His singular excellence. We probably have often +read of the character which He claimed, without a thought of its +extraordinary nature. But I know nothing so sublime. The plans and +labors of statesmen sink into the sports of children when compared +with the work which Jesus announced, and to which He devoted Himself +in life and death with a thorough consciousness of its reality. + +The idea of changing the moral aspect of the whole earth, of +recovering all nations to the pure and inward worship of one God +and to a spirit of divine and fraternal love, was one of which we +meet not a trace in philosopher or legislator before Him. The human +mind had given no promise of this extent of view. The conception of +this enterprise, and the calm, unshaken expectation of success in +one who had no station and no wealth, who cast from Him the sword +with abhorrence, and who forbade His disciples to use any weapons +but those of love, discover a wonderful trust in the power of God +and the power of love; and when to this we add that Jesus looked not +only to the triumph of His pure faith in the present world, but to +a mighty and beneficent power in Heaven, we witness a vastness of +purpose, a grandeur of thought and feeling so original, so superior +to the workings of all other minds, that nothing but our familiarity +can prevent our contemplation of it with wonder and profound awe. * +* * + +Here is the most striking view of Jesus. This combination of the +spirit of humanity, in its lowliest, tenderest form, with the +consciousness of unrivaled and divine glories, is the most wonderful +distinction of this wonderful character. Here we learn the chief +reason why He chose poverty and refused every peculiarity of manner +and appearance. He did this because He desired to come near to the +multitude of men, to make Himself accessible to all, to pour out +the fulness of His sympathy upon all, to know and weep over their +sorrows and sins, and to manifest His interest in their affections +and joys. + +I can offer but a few instances of this sympathy of Christ with +human nature in all its varieties of character and condition. But +how beautiful are they! At the very opening of His ministry we find +Him present at a marriage to which He and His disciples had been +called. Among the Jews this was an occasion of peculiar exhilaration +and festivity; but Jesus did not therefore decline it. He knew what +affections, joys, sorrows, and moral influences are bound up in this +institution, and He went to the celebration, not as an ascetic, to +frown on its bright hopes and warm congratulations, but to sanction +it by His presence and to heighten its enjoyments. + +How little does this comport with the solitary dignity which we +should have pronounced most accordant with His character, and what +a spirit of humanity does it breathe! But this event stands almost +alone in His history. His chief sympathy was not with them that +rejoice, but with the ignorant, sinful, sorrowful; and with these we +find Him cultivating an habitual intimacy. Tho so exalted in thought +and purpose, He chose uneducated men to be His chief disciples; and +He lived with them, not as a superior, giving occasional and formal +instruction, but became their companion traveled with them on foot, +slept in their dwellings, sat at their tables, partook of their +plain fare, communicated to them His truth in the simplest form; and +tho they constantly misunderstood Him and never perceived His full +meaning, He was never wearied with teaching them. + +So familiar was His intercourse that we find Peter reproving Him +with an affectionate zeal for announcing His approaching death, and +we find John leaning on His bosom. Of His last discourse to these +disciples I need not speak. It stands alone among all writings for +the union of tenderness and majesty. His own sorrows are forgotten +in His solicitude to speak peace and comfort to His humble followers. + +The depth of His human sympathies was beautifully manifested when +children were brought Him. His disciples, judging as all men would +judge, thought that He was sent to wear the crown of universal +empire, had too great a work before Him to give His time and +attention to children, and reproved the parents who brought them; +but Jesus, rebuking His disciples, called to Him the children. +Never, I believe, did childhood awaken such deep love as at that +moment. He took them in His arms and blest them, and not only said +that "of such was the kingdom of heaven," but added, "He that +receiveth a little child in My name, receiveth Me;" so entirely did +He identify Himself with this primitive, innocent, beautiful form of +human nature. + +There was no class of human beings so low as to be beneath His +sympathy. He not merely taught the publican and sinner, but, with +all His consciousness of purity, sat down and dined with them, and, +when reproved by the malignant Pharisee for such companionship, +answered by the touching parables of the Lost Sheep and the Prodigal +Son, and said, "I am come to seek and to save that which was lost." + +No personal suffering dried up this fountain of love in His breast. +On His way to the cross He heard some women of Jerusalem bewailing +Him, and at the sound, forgetting His own grief, He turned to +them and said, "Women of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for +yourselves and your children." On the cross, whilst His mind was +divided between intense suffering and the contemplation of the +infinite blessings in which His sufferings were to issue, His eye +lighted on His mother and John, and the sensibilities of a son and +a friend mingled with the sublime consciousness of the universal +Lord and Savior. Never before did natural affection find so tender +and beautiful an utterance. To His mother He said, directing her to +John, "Behold thy son; I leave My beloved disciple to take My place, +to perform My filial offices, and to enjoy a share of that affection +with which you have followed Me through life;" and to John He said, +"Behold thy mother; I bequeath to you the happiness of ministering +to My dearest earthly friend." Nor is this all. The spirit of +humanity had one higher triumph. Whilst His enemies surrounded +Him with a malignity unsoftened by His last agonies, and, to give +the keenest edge to insult, reminded Him scoffingly of the high +character and office which He had claimed, His only notice of them +was the prayer, "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do." + +Thus Jesus lived with men; with the consciousness of unutterable +majesty He joined a lowliness, gentleness, humanity, and sympathy, +which have no example in human history. I ask you to contemplate +this wonderful union. In proportion to the superiority of Jesus to +all around Him was the intimacy, the brotherly love, with which He +bound Himself to them. I maintain that this is a character wholly +remote from human conception. To imagine it to be the production +of imposture or enthusiasm shows a strange unsoundness of mind. I +contemplate it with a veneration second only to the profound awe +with which I look up to God. It bears no mark of human invention. It +was real. It belonged to and it manifested the beloved Son of God. + +But I have not done. May I ask your attention a few moments more? +We have not yet reached the depth of Christ's character. We have +not touched the great principle on which His wonderful sympathy was +founded, and which endeared to Him His office of universal Savior. +Do you ask what this deep principle was? I answer, it was His +conviction of the greatness of the human soul. He saw in man the +impress and image of the Divinity, and therefore thirsted for his +redemption, and took the tenderest interest in him, whatever might +be the rank, character, or condition in which he was found. This +spiritual view of man pervades and distinguishes the teaching of +Christ. + +Jesus looked on men with an eye which pierced beneath the material +frame. The body vanished before Him. The trappings of the rich, the +rags of the poor, were nothing to Him. He looked through them, as +tho they did not exist, to the soul; and there, amidst clouds of +ignorance and plague-spots of sin, He recognized a spiritual and +immortal nature, and the germs of power and perfection which might +be unfolded forever. In the most fallen and depraved man He saw a +being who might become an angel of light. + +Still more, He felt that there was nothing in Himself to which men +might not ascend. His own lofty consciousness did not sever Him from +the multitude; for He saw in His own greatness the model of what men +might become. So deeply was He thus imprest that, again and again, +in speaking of His future glories, He announced that in these His +true followers were to share. They were to sit on His throne and +partake of His beneficent power. + +Here I pause, and indeed I know not what can be added to heighten +the wonder, reverence, and love which are due to Jesus. When I +consider Him, not only as possest with the consciousness of an +unexampled and unbounded majesty, but as recognizing a kindred +nature in human beings, and living and dying to raise them to a +participation of His divine glories; and when I see Him under these +views allying Himself to men by the tenderest ties, embracing them +with a spirit of humanity which no insult, injury, or pain could +for a moment repel or overpower, I am filled with wonder as well +as reverence and love. I feel that this character is not of human +invention, that it was not assumed through fraud, or struck out +by enthusiasm; for it is infinitely above their reach. When I add +this character of Jesus to the other evidences of His religion, it +gives to what before seemed so strange a new and a vast accession of +strength; I feel as if I could not be deceived. + +The Gospels must be true; they were drawn from a living original; +they were founded on reality. The character of Jesus is not a +fiction; He was what He claimed to be, and what His followers +attested. Nor is this all. Jesus not only was, He is still the Son +of God, the Savior of the world. He exists now; He has entered +that heaven to which He always looked forward on earth. There He +lives and reigns. With a clear, calm faith I see Him in that state +of glory; and I confidently expect, at no distant period, to see +Him face to face. We have indeed no absent friend whom we shall so +surely meet. + +Let us then, my hearers, by imitation of His virtues and obedience +to His word, prepare ourselves to join Him in those pure mansions +where He is surrounding Himself with the good and pure of our race, +and will communicate to them forever His own spirit, power, and joy. + + + + +CHALMERS + +THE EXPULSIVE POWER OF A NEW AFFECTION + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + +THOMAS CHALMERS, theologian, preacher and philanthropist, was +born at Anstruther, near St. Andrews, Scotland, in 1780. In his +thirty-fifth year he experienced a profound religious change and +became a pronounced, tho independent, evangelical preacher. On being +appointed to the Tron Church in Glasgow, he set about to face what +he called "the home heathenism." During the week days he delivered +his series of "Astronomical Discourses," in which he endeavored +to bring science into harmony with Christianity. His "Commercial +Discourses" were designed to Christianize the principles of trade. +But he reduced pauperism chiefly by fighting against intemperance in +Glasgow. On being transferred to St. John's Parish, the largest, but +poorest in the city, he made Edward Irving his assistant. In 1828 he +was called to the chair of theology in Edinburgh University. + +But it was as a preacher that he exerted most influence by bringing +the evangelical message into relations with the science, the +culture, the thinking of his age. In doing this he carried his +hearers away by the blazing force of his eloquence. Many times in +his preaching he was "in an agony of earnestness," and one of his +hearers speaks of "that voice, that face, those great, simple, +living thoughts, those floods of resistless eloquence, that +piercing, shattering voice!" He died in 1847. + + + + +CHALMERS + +1780-1847 + +THE EXPULSIVE POWER OF A NEW AFFECTION + +_Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If +any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him_.--1 +John ii., 15. + + +There are two ways in which a practical moralist may attempt to +displace from the human heart its love of the world; either by a +demonstration of the world's vanity, so as that the heart shall +be prevailed upon simply to withdraw its regards from an object +that is not worthy of it; or, by setting forth another object, +even God, as more worthy of its attachment; so as that the heart +shall be prevailed upon, not to resign an old affection which +shall have nothing to succeed it, but to exchange an old affection +for a new one. My purpose is to show, that from the constitution +of our nature, the former method is altogether incompetent and +ineffectual--and that the latter method will alone suffice for the +rescue and recovery of the heart from the wrong affection that +domineers over it. After having accomplished this purpose, I shall +attempt a few practical observations. + +Love may be regarded in two different conditions. The first is when +its object is at a distance, and when it becomes love in a state of +desire. The second is when its object is in possession, and then it +becomes love in a state of indulgence. Under the impulse of desire, +man feels himself urged onward in some path or pursuit of activity +for its gratification. The faculties of his mind are put into busy +exercise. In the steady direction of one great and engrossing +interest, his attention is recalled from the many reveries into +which it might otherwise have wandered; and the powers of his body +are forced away from an indolence in which it else might have +languished; and that time is crowded with occupation, which but for +some object of keen and devoted ambition, might have driveled along +in successive hours of weariness and distaste--and tho hope does +not always enliven, and success does not always crown the career +of exertion, yet in the midst of this very variety, and with the +alternations of occasional disappointment, is the machinery of the +whole man kept in a sort of congenial play, and upholden in that +tone and temper which are most agreeable to it; insomuch that, if +through the extirpation of that desire which forms the originating +principle of all this movement, the machinery were to stop, and to +receive no impulse from another desire substituted in its place, the +man would be left with all his propensities to action in a state of +most painful and unnatural abandonment. A sensitive being suffers, +and is in violence, if, after having thoroughly rested from his +fatigue, or been relieved from his pain, he continue in possession +of powers without any excitement to these powers; if he possess a +capacity of desire without having an object of desire; or if he have +a spare energy upon his person, without a counterpart, and without a +stimulus to call it into operation. The misery of such a condition +is often realized by him who is retired from business, or who is +retired from law, or who is even retired from the occupations of the +chase, and of the gaming-table. Such is the demand of our nature for +an object in pursuit, that no accumulation of previous success can +extinguish it--and thus it is, that the most prosperous merchant, +and the most victorious general, and the most fortunate gamester, +when the labor of their respective vocations has come to a close, +are often found to languish in the midst of all their acquisitions, +as if out of their kindred and rejoicing element. It is quite in +vain, with such a constitutional appetite for employment in man, to +attempt cutting away from him the spring or the principle of one +employment, without providing him with another. The whole heart +and habit will rise in resistance against such an undertaking. The +else unoccupied female, who spends the hours of every evening at +some play of hazard, knows as well as you, that the pecuniary gain, +or the honorable triumph of a successful contest, are altogether +paltry. It is not such a demonstration of vanity as this that will +force her away from her dear and delightful occupation. The habit +can not so be displaced as to leave nothing but a negative and +cheerless vacancy behind it--tho it may be so supplanted as to be +followed up by another habit of employment, to which the power of +some new affection has constrained her. It is willingly suspended, +for example, on any single evening, should the time that is wont to +be allotted to gaming be required to be spent on the preparations of +an approaching assembly. + +The ascendant power of a second affection will do what no +exposition, however forcible, of the folly and worthlessness of the +first, ever could effectuate. And it is the same in the great world. +You never will be able to arrest any of its leading pursuits by a +naked demonstration of their vanity. It is quite in vain to think of +stopping one of these pursuits in any way else but by stimulating +to another. In attempting to bring a worthy man, intent and busied +with the prosecution of his objects, to a dead stand, you have not +merely to encounter the charm which he annexes to these objects, +but you have to encounter the pleasure which he feels in the very +prosecution of them. It is not enough, then, that you dissipate +the charm by your moral and eloquent and affecting exposure of +its illusiveness. You must address to the eye of his mind another +object, with a charm powerful enough to dispossess the first of its +influence, and to engage him in some other prosecution as full of +interest and hope and congenial activity as the former. It is this +which stamps an impotency on all moral and pathetic declamation +about the insignificance of the world. A man will no more consent +to the misery of being without an object, because that object is +a trifle, or of being without a pursuit, because that pursuit +terminates in some frivolous or fugitive acquirement, than he will +voluntarily submit himself to the torture, because that torture +is to be of short duration. If to be without desire and without +exertion altogether is a state of violence and discomfort, then the +present desire, with its correspondent train of exertion, is not to +be got rid of simply by destroying it. It must be by substituting +another desire, and another line or habit of exertion in its place, +and the most effectual way of withdrawing the mind from one object +is not by turning it away upon desolate and unpeopled vacancy, but +by presenting to its regards another object still more alluring. + +These remarks apply not merely to love considered in its state of +desire for an object not yet obtained. They apply also to love +considered in its state of indulgence, or placid gratification, +with an object already in possession. It is seldom that any of +our tastes are made to disappear by a mere process of natural +extinction. At least, it is very seldom that this is done through +the instrumentality of reasoning. It may be done by excessive +pampering, but it is almost never done by the mere force of +mental determination. But what can not be thus destroyed, may be +dispossest--and one taste may be made to give way to another, and +to lose its power entirely as the reigning affection of the mind. +It is thus that the boy ceases, at length, to be the slave of his +appetite; but it is because a manlier taste has now brought it into +subordination, and that the youth ceases to idolize pleasure; but +it is because the idol of wealth has become the stronger and gotten +the ascendency, and that even the love of money ceases to have +the mastery over the heart of many a thriving citizen; but it is +because, drawn into the whirl of city politics, another affection +has been wrought into his moral system, and he is now lorded over +by the love of power. There is not one of these transformations +in which the heart is left without an object. Its desire for one +particular object may be conquered; but as to its desire for having +some one object or other, this is unconquerable. Its adhesion to +that on which it has fastened the preference of its regards, can not +willingly be overcome by the rending away of a simple separation. +It can be done only by the application of something else, to which +it may feel the adhesion of a still stronger and more powerful +preference. Such is the grasping tendency of the human heart, that +it must have a something to lay hold of--and which, if wrested away +without the substitution of another something in its place, would +leave a void and a vacancy as painful to the mind as hunger is to +the natural system. It may be dispossest of one object, or of any, +but it can not be desolated of all. Let there be a breathing and +a sensitive heart, but without a liking and without affinity to +any of the things that are around it, and in a state of cheerless +abandonment, it would be alive to nothing but the burden of its +own consciousness, and feel it to be intolerable. It would make no +difference to its owner, whether he dwelt in the midst of a gay and +a goodly world, or, placed afar beyond the outskirts of creation, he +dwelt a solitary unit in dark and unpeopled nothingness. The heart +must have something to cling to--and never, by its own voluntary +consent, will it so denude itself of all its attachments that there +shall not be one remaining object that can draw or solicit it. + +The misery of a heart thus bereft of all relish for that which is +wont to minister enjoyment, is strikingly exemplified in those +who, satiated with indulgence, have been so belabored, as it were, +with the variety and the poignancy of the pleasurable sensations +that they have experienced, that they are at length fatigued out +of all capacity for sensation whatever. The disease of ennui is +more frequent in the French metropolis, where amusement is more +exclusively the occupation of higher classes, than it is in the +British metropolis, where the longings of the heart are more +diversified by the resources of business and politics. There are the +votaries of fashion, who, in this way, have at length become the +victims of fashionable excess; in whom the very multitude of their +enjoyments has at last extinguished their power of enjoyment; who, +with the gratifications of art and nature at command, now look upon +all that is around them with an eye of tastelessness; who, plied +with the delights of sense and of splendor even to weariness, and +incapable of higher delights, have come to the end of all their +perfection, and, like Solomon of old, found it to be vanity and +vexation. The man whose heart has thus been turned into a desert +can vouch for the insupportable languor which must ensue, when one +affection is thus plucked away from the bosom, without another +to replace it. It is not necessary that a man receive pain from +anything, in order to become miserable. It is barely enough that he +looks with distaste to everything, and in that asylum which is the +repository of minds out of joint, and where the organ of feeling +as well as the organ of intellect has been impaired, it is not in +the cell of loud and frantic outcries where you will meet with the +acme of mental suffering; but that is the individual who outpeers +in wretchedness all his fellows, who throughout the whole expanse +of nature and society meets not an object that has at all the power +to detain or to interest him; who neither in earth beneath, nor in +heaven above, knows of a single charm to which his heart can send +forth one desirous or responding movement; to whom the world, in +his eye a vast and empty desolation, has left him nothing but his +own consciousness to feed upon, dead to all that is without him, +and alive to nothing but to the load of his own torpid and useless +existence. + +We know not a more sweeping interdict upon the affections of nature, +than that which is delivered by the apostle in the verse before +us. To bid a man into whom there is not yet entered the great +and ascendant influence of the principle of regeneration, to bid +him withdraw his love from all the things that are in the world, +is to bid him give up all the affections that are in his heart. +The world is the all of a natural man. He has not a taste, nor a +desire, that points not to a something placed within the confines +of its visible horizon. He loves nothing above it, and he cares for +nothing beyond it; and to bid him love not the world is to pass a +sentence of expulsion on all the inmates of his bosom. To estimate +the magnitude and the difficulty of such a surrender, let us only +think that it were just as arduous to prevail on him not to love +wealth, which is but one of the things in the world, as to prevail +on him to set wilful fire to his own property. This he might do +with sore and painful reluctance, if he saw that the salvation of +his life hung upon it. But this he would do willingly if he saw +that a new property of tenfold value was instantly to emerge from +the wreck of the old one. In this case there is something more than +the mere displacement of an affection. There is the overbearing of +one affection by another. But to desolate his heart of all love +for the things of the world without the substitution of any love +in its place, were to him a process of as unnatural violence as to +destroy all the things he has in the world, and give him nothing in +their room. So if to love not the world be indispensable to one's +Christianity, then the crucifixion of the old man is not too strong +a term to mark that transition in his history, when all old things +are done away, and all things are become new. + +The love of the world can not be expunged by a mere demonstration +of the world's worthlessness. But may it not be supplanted by +the love of that which is more worthy than itself? The heart can +not be prevailed upon to part with the world, by a simple act of +resignation. But may not the heart be prevailed upon to admit into +its preference another, who shall subordinate the world, and bring +it down from its wonted ascendency? If the throne which is placed +there must have an occupier, and the tyrant that now reigns has +occupied it wrongfully, he may not leave a bosom which would rather +detain him than be left in desolation. But may he not give way to +the lawful Sovereign, appearing with every charm that can secure +His willing admittance, and taking unto Himself His great power to +subdue the moral nature of man, and to reign over it? In a word, if +the way to disengage the heart from the positive love of one great +and ascendant object is to fasten it in positive love to another, +then it is not by exposing the worthlessness of the former, but by +addressing to the mental eye the worth and excellence of the latter, +that all old things are to be done away, and all things are to +become new. + +This, we trust, will explain the operation of that charm which +accompanies the effectual preaching of the gospel. The love of +God, and the love of the world, are two affections, not merely +in a state of rivalship, but in a state of enmity, and that so +irreconcilable that they can not dwell together in the same bosom. +We have already affirmed how impossible it were for the heart, +by any innate elasticity of its own, to cast the world away from +it, and thus reduce itself to a wilderness. The heart is not so +constituted, and the only way to dispossess it of an old affection +is by the expulsive power of a new one. Nothing can exceed the +magnitude of the required change in a man's character--when bidden, +as he is in the New Testament, to love not the world; no, nor any +of the things that are in the world--for this so comprehends all +that is dear to him in existence as to be equivalent to a command +of self-annihilation. But the same revelation which dictates so +mighty an obedience places within our reach as mighty an instrument +of obedience. It brings for admittance, to the very door of our +heart, an affection which, once seated upon its throne, will either +subordinate every previous inmate, or bid it away. Beside the world +it places before the eye of the mind Him who made the world, and +with this peculiarity, which is all its own--that in the gospel do +we so behold God as that we may love God. It is there, and there +only, where God stands revealed as an object of confidence to +sinners--and where our desire after Him is not chilled into apathy +by that barrier of human guilt which intercepts every approach +that is not made to Him through the appointed Mediator. It is the +bringing in of this better hope, whereby we draw nigh unto God--and +to live without hope is to live without God, and if the heart be +without God the world will then have all the ascendency. It is God +apprehended by the believer as God in Christ who alone can dispost +it from this ascendency. It is when He stands dismantled of the +terrors which belong to Him as an offended lawgiver, and when we +are enabled by faith, which is His own gift, to see His glory in +the face of Jesus Christ, and to hear His beseeching voice, as it +protests good-will to men, and entreats the return of all who will +to a full pardon, and a gracious acceptance--it is then that a love +paramount to the love of the world, and at length expulsive of it, +first arises in the regenerating bosom. It is when released from +the spirit of bondage, with which love can not dwell, and when +admitted into the number of God's children, through the faith that +is in Christ Jesus, the spirit of adoption is poured upon us--it +is then that the heart, brought under the mastery of one great and +predominant affection, is delivered from the tyranny of its former +desires, and in the only way in which deliverance is possible. And +that faith which is revealed to us from heaven, as indispensable to +a sinner's justification in the sight of God, is also the instrument +of the greatest of all moral and spiritual achievements on a +nature dead to the influence, and beyond the reach of every other +application. + +Let us not cease then to ply the only instrument of powerful and +positive operation, to do away from you the love of the world. Let +us try every legitimate method of finding access to your hearts for +the love of Him who is greater than the world. For this purpose +let us, if possible, clear away that shroud of unbelief which so +hides and darkens the face of Deity. Let us insist on His claims to +your affection; and whether in the shape of gratitude, or in the +shape of esteem, let us never cease to affirm that in the whole of +that wondrous economy, the purpose of which is to reclaim a sinful +world unto Himself, He, the God of love, so sets Himself forth in +characters of endearment that naught but faith, and naught but +understanding are wanting, on your part, to call forth the love of +your hearts back again. + +And here let me advert to the incredulity of a worldly man when +he brings his own sound and secular experience to bear upon the +high doctrines of Christianity, when he looks on regeneration as +a thing impossible, when, feeling, as he does, the obstinacies +of his own heart on the side of things present, and casting an +intelligent eye, much exercised perhaps in the observation of +human life, on the equal obstinacies of all who are around him, he +pronounces this whole matter about the crucifixion of the old man, +and the resurrection of a new man in his place, to be in downright +opposition to all that is known and witnessed of the real nature of +humanity. We think that we have seen such men, who, firmly trenched +in their own vigorous and home-bred sagacity, and shrewdly regardful +of all that passes before them through the week, and upon the +scenes of ordinary business, look on that transition of the heart +by which it gradually dies unto time, and awakens in all the life +of a new-felt and ever-growing desire toward God, as a mere Sabbath +speculation; and who thus, with all their attention engrossed upon +the concerns of earthliness, continue unmoved, to the end of their +days, among the feelings, and the appetites, and the pursuits of +earthliness. If the thought of death, and another state of being +after it, comes across them at all, it is not with a change so +radical as that of being born again that they ever connect the idea +of preparation. They have some vague conception of its being quite +enough that they acquit themselves in some decent and tolerable +way of their relative obligations; and that, upon the strength of +some such social and domestic moralities as are often realized by +him in whose heart the love of God has never entered, they will be +transplanted in safety from this world, where God is the Being with +whom, it may almost be said that, they have had nothing to do, to +that world where God is the Being with whom they will have mainly +and immediately to do throughout all eternity. They will admit all +that is said of the utter vanity of time, when taken up with as +a resting-place. But they resist every application made upon the +heart of man, with the view of so shifting its tendencies that it +shall not henceforth find in the interests of time all its rest +and all its refreshment. They, in fact, regard such an attempt as +an enterprise that is altogether aerial--and with a tone of secular +wisdom, caught from the familiarities of every day of experience, +do they see a visionary character in all that is said of setting +our affections on the things that are above; and of walking by +faith; and of keeping our hearts in such a love of God as shall shut +out from them the love of the world; and of having no confidence +in the flesh; and of so renouncing earthly things as to have our +conversation in heaven. + +Now, it is altogether worthy of being remarked of those men who +thus disrelish spiritual Christianity, and, in fact, deem it an +impracticable acquirement, how much of a piece their incredulity +about the demands of Christianity, and their incredulity about the +doctrines of Christianity, are with one another. No wonder that they +feel the work of the New Testament to be beyond their strength, so +long as they hold the words of the New Testament to be beneath their +attention. Neither they nor anyone else can dispossess the heart +of an old affection, but by the impulsive power of a new one--and, +if that new affection be the love of God, neither they nor anyone +else can be made to entertain it, but on such a representation of +the Deity as shall draw the heart of the sinner toward Him. Now +it is just their belief which screens from the discernment of +their minds this representation. They do not see the love of God +in sending His Son into the world. They do not see the expression +of His tenderness to men, in sparing Him not, but giving Him up +unto the death for us all. They do not see the sufficiency of the +atonement, or of the sufferings that were endured by Him who bore +the burden that sinners should have borne. They do not see the +blended holiness and compassion of the Godhead, in that He passed +by the transgressions of His creatures, yet could not pass them by +without an expiation. It is a mystery to them how a man should pass +to the state of godliness from a state of nature--but had they only +a believing view of God manifest in the flesh, this would resolve +for them the whole mystery of godliness. As it is, they can not get +quit of their old affections, because they are out of sight from +all those truths which have influence to raise a new one. They are +like the children of Israel in the land of Egypt, when required to +make bricks without straw they cannot love God, while they want the +only food which can aliment this affection in a sinner's bosom--and +however great their errors may be, both in resisting the demands of +the gospel as impracticable, and in rejecting the doctrines of the +gospel as inadmissible, yet there is not a spiritual man (and it is +the prerogative of him who is spiritual to judge all men) who will +not perceive that there is a consistency in these errors. + +But if there be a consistency in the errors, in like manner, is +there a consistency in the truths which are opposite to them? The +man who believes in the peculiar doctrines will readily bow to +the peculiar demands of Christianity. When he is told to love God +supremely, this may startle another, but it will not startle him +to whom God has been revealed in peace, and in pardon, and in all +the freeness of an offered reconciliation. When told to shut out +the world from his heart, this may be impossible with him who has +nothing to replace it--but not impossible with him who has found +in God a sure and satisfying portion. When told to withdraw his +affections from the things that are beneath, this were laying +an order of self-extinction upon the man, who knows not another +quarter in the whole sphere of his contemplation to which he could +transfer them, but it were not grievous to him whose view had been +opened to the loveliness and glory of the things that are above, +and can there find, for every feeling of his soul, a most ample and +delighted occupation. When told to look not to the things that are +seen and temporal, this were blotting out the light of all that is +visible from the prospect of him in whose eye there is a wall of +partition between guilty nature and the joys of eternity--but he who +believes that Christ has broken down this wall finds a gathering +radiance upon his soul, as he looks onward in faith to the things +that are unseen and eternal. Tell a man to be holy--and how can he +compass such a performance, when his fellowship with holiness is a +fellowship of despair? It is the atonement of the cross reconciling +the holiness of the lawgiver with the safety of the offender, that +hath opened the way for a sanctifying influence into the sinner's +heart, and he can take a kindred impression from the character of +God now brought nigh, and now at peace with him. Separate the demand +from the doctrine, and you have either a system of righteousness +that is impracticable, or a barren orthodoxy. Bring the demand and +the doctrine together, and the true disciple of Christ is able to +do the one, through the other strengthening him. The motive is +adequate to the movement; and the bidden obedience to the gospel is +not beyond the measure of his strength, just because the doctrine of +the gospel is not beyond the measure of his acceptance. The shield +of faith, and the hope of salvation, and the Word of God, and the +girdle of truth, these are the armor that he has put on; and with +these the battle is won, and the eminence is reached, and the man +stands on the vantage ground of a new field and a new prospect. The +effect is great, but the cause is equal to it, and stupendous as +this moral resurrection to the precepts of Christianity undoubtedly +is, there is an element of strength enough to give it being and +continuance in the principles of Christianity. + +The object of the gospel is both to pacify the sinner's conscience +and to purify his heart; and it is of importance to observe, that +what mars the one of these objects mars the other also. The best +way of casting out an impure affection is to admit a pure one; and +by the love of what is good to expel the love of what is evil. Thus +it is, that the freer gospel, the more sanctifying is the gospel; +and the more it is received as a doctrine of grace, the more will +it be felt as a doctrine according to godliness. This is one of the +secrets of the Christian life, that the more a man holds of God as +a pensioner, the greater is the payment of service that He renders +back again. On the venture of "Do this and live," a spirit of +fearfulness is sure to enter; and the jealousies of a legal bargain +chase away all confidence from the intercourse between God and man; +and the creature striving to be square and even with his creator +is, in fact, pursuing all the while his own selfishness instead +of God's glory; and with all the conformities which he labors to +accomplish, the soul of obedience is not there, the mind is not +subject to the law of God, nor indeed under such an economy ever can +be. It is only when, as in the gospel, acceptance is bestowed as a +present, without money and without price, that the security which +man feels in God is placed beyond the reach of disturbance, or that +he can repose in Him as one friend reposes in another; or that any +liberal and generous understanding can be established betwixt them, +the one party rejoicing over the other to do him good, the other +finding that the truest gladness of his heart lies in the impulse +of a gratitude by which it is awakened to the charms of a new moral +existence. Salvation by grace--salvation by free grace--salvation +not of works, but according to the mercy of God, salvation on such a +footing is not more indispensable to the deliverance of our persons +from the hand of justice than it is to the deliverance of our hearts +from the chill and the weight of ungodliness. Retain a single shred +or fragment of legality with the gospel, and you raise a topic of +distrust between man and God. You take away from the power of the +gospel to melt and to conciliate. For this purpose the freer it is +the better it is. That very peculiarity which so many dread as the +germ of Antinomianism, is, in fact, the germ of a new spirit and a +new inclination against it. Along with the lights of a free gospel +does there enter the love of the gospel, which, in proportion as you +impair the freeness, you are sure to chase away. And never does the +sinner find within himself so mighty a moral transformation as when, +under the belief that he is saved by grace, he feels constrained +thereby to offer his heart a devoted thing, and to deny ungodliness. + +To do any work in the best manner, you would make use of the fittest +tools for it. And we trust that what has been said may serve in +some degree for the practical guidance of those who would like to +reach the great moral achievement of our text, but feel that the +tendencies and desires of nature are too strong for them. We know +of no other way by which to keep the love of the world out of our +heart than to keep in our hearts the love of God--and no other way +by which to keep our hearts in the love of God, than by building +ourselves on our most holy faith. That denial of the world which +is not possible to him that dissents from the gospel testimony, is +possible, even as all things are possible, to him that believeth. +To try this without faith is to work without the right tool or +the right instrument. But faith worketh by love; and the way of +expelling from the heart the love that transgresseth the law is to +admit into its receptacles the love which fulfilleth the law. + +Conceive a man to be standing on the margin of this green world, and +that, when he looked toward it, he saw abundance smiling upon every +field, and all the blessings which earth can afford scattered in +profusion throughout every family, and the light of the sun sweetly +resting upon all the pleasant habitations, and the joys of human +companionship brightening many a happy circle of society; conceive +this to be the general character of the scene upon one side of his +contemplation, and that on the other, beyond the verge of the goodly +planet on which he was situated, he could descry nothing but a dark +and fathomless unknown. Think you that he would bid a voluntary +adieu to all the brightness and all the beauty that were before +him upon earth, and commit himself to the frightful solitude away +from it? Would he leave its peopled dwelling places, and become a +solitary wanderer through the fields of nonentity? If space offered +him nothing but a wilderness, would he for it abandon the home-bred +scenes of life and cheerfulness that lay so near, and exerted such +a power of urgency to detain him? Would not he cling to the regions +of sense, and of life, and of society? Shrinking away from the +desolation that was beyond it, would not he be glad to keep his firm +footing on the territory of this world, and to take shelter under +the silver canopy that was stretched over it? + +But if, during the time of his contemplation, some happy island of +the blest had floated by, and there had burst upon his senses the +light of surpassing glories, and its sounds of sweeter melody, and +he clearly saw there a purer beauty rested upon every field, and a +more heartfelt joy spread itself among all the families, and he +could discern there a peace, and a piety, and a benevolence which +put a moral gladness into every bosom, and united the whole society +in one rejoicing sympathy with each other, and with the beneficent +Father of them all. Could he further see that pain and mortality +were there unknown, and above all, that signals of welcome were hung +out, and an avenue of communication was made before him--perceive +you not that what was before the wilderness, would become the land +of invitation, and that now the world would be the wilderness? +What unpeopled space could not do, can be done by space teeming +with beatific scenes, and beatific society. And let the existing +tendencies of the heart be what they may to the scene that is near +and visible around us, still if another stood revealed to the +prospect of man, either through the channel of faith or through +the channel of his senses--then, without violence done to the +constitution of his moral nature, may he die unto the present world, +and live to the lovelier world that stands in the distance away from +it. + + + + +CAMPBELL + +THE MISSIONARY CAUSE + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + +ALEXANDER CAMPBELL, prominent in the body known as Disciples or +Christians, was born in Ireland in 1788, and received his education +in Glasgow University. In 1809 he emigrated to the United States +and took charge of a Presbyterian congregation in Bethany, Va. He +did not long remain in this pastorate, but proceeded to institute a +society based upon the abolition of all confessions and formularies +and the acknowledgment of the text of the Holy Scriptures as the +sole creed of the Church. In 1841 he founded Bethany College +(Bethany, Va.), and remained its president until his death in 1866. +In 1823 he founded the _Christian Baptist_, changed its name in 1829 +to the _Millennial Harbinger_, but abandoned it three years before +his death. He was a prolific controversial writer and published over +fifty volumes, among which were hymn books and a translation of the +New Testament. + + + + +CAMPBELL + +1788-1866 + +THE MISSIONARY CAUSE[1] + + [1] Delivered to the American Christian Missionary Society, + Cincinnati, October, 1860. + +_He that winneth souls is wise._--Prov. xi., 30. + + +The missionary cause is older than the material universe. It was +celebrated by Job--the oldest poet on the pages of time. + +Jehovah challenges Job to answer Him a few questions on the +institutions of the universe. "Gird up now thy loins," said He; "and +I will demand of thee a few responses. Where wast thou when I laid +the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding. +Who has fixt the measure thereof? Or who has stretched the line upon +it? What are the foundations thereof? Who has laid the corner-stone +thereof when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of +God shouted for joy? Who shut up the sea with doors when it burst +forth issuing from the womb of eternity--when I made a cloud its +garment, and thick darkness its swaddling band? I appointed its +limits, saying, Thus far shalt thou come, but no farther; and here +shall the pride of thy waves be stayed. + +"Has the rain a father? Who has begotten the drops of the dew? Who +was the mother of the ice? And the hoar-frost of heaven, who has +begotten it? Can mortal man bind the bands of the Seven Stars, or +loose the cords of Orion? Can he bring forth and commission the +twelve signs of the Zodiac, or bind Arcturus with his seven sons? + +"Knowest thou, oh man, the missionaries of the starry heavens? Canst +thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may +cover thee? Canst thou command the lightnings, so that they may say +to thee, Here we are? Who can number the clouds in wisdom? Or who +can pour out the bottles of heaven upon the thirsty fields?" + +If such be a single page in the volume of God's physical +missionaries, what must be its contents could we, by the telescope +of an angel, survey one single province of the universe, of +universes, which occupy topless, bottomless, boundless space! + +We have data in the Bible, and, in the phenomena of the material +universe, sufficient to authorize the assumption that the missionary +idea circumscribes and permeates the entire area of creations. + +Need we inquire into the meaning of a celestial title given to the +tenantries of the heaven of heavens? But you all, my Christian +brethren, know it. You anticipate me. The sweet poet of Israel told +you long since, in his sixty-eighth ode, that the chariots of God +are about twenty thousand of angels.[2] + + [2] This is an exact literal version of _Rebotayim alphey shenan_. + The Targum says, "The chariots of God are two myriads--and two + thousand angels draw them." A myriad is 10,000--two myriads 20,000. + "To know this," Adam Clarke says, "we must die." + +And what is an angel but a messenger, a missionary? Hence the seven +angels of the seven churches in Asia were seven missionaries, or +messengers, sent to John in his exile; and by these John wrote +letters to the seven congregations in Asia. + +Figuratively, God makes the winds and lightnings his angels, his +messengers of wrath or of mercy, as the case may be. + +But we are a missionary society--a society assembled from all points +of the compass, assembled, too, we hope, in the true missionary +spirit, which is the spirit of Christianity in its primordial +conception. God Himself instituted it. Moses is the oldest +missionary whose name is inscribed on the rolls of time. + +He was the first divine missionary, and, if we except John the +Baptist, he was the second in rank and character to the Lord Messiah +Himself. + +Angels and missionaries are rudimentally but two names for the same +officers. But of the incarnate Word, God's only begotten Son, He +says, "Thou art my son, the beloved, in whom I delight." And He +commands the world of humanity to hearken to Him. He was, indeed, +God's own special ambassador, invested with all power in heaven +and on earth--a true, a real, an everlasting plenipotentiary, +having vested in Him all the rights of God and all the rights of +man. And were not all the angels of heaven placed under Him as His +missionaries, sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation? + +His commission, given to the twelve apostles, is a splendid and +glorious commission. Its preamble is wholly unprecedented--"All +authority in heaven and on earth is given to me." In pursuance +thereof, he gave commission to His apostles, saying, "Go, convert +all the nations, immersing them into the name of the Father, and +of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all +things whatever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you always, +even to the end of the world." Angels, apostles and evangelists +were placed under this command, and by Him commissioned as His +ambassadors to the world. + +The missionary institution, we repeat, is older than Adam--older +than our earth. It is coeval with the origin of angels. + +Satan had been expelled from heaven before Adam was created. His +assault upon our mother Eve, by an incarnation in the most subtle +animal in Paradise, is positive proof of the intensity of his +malignity to God and to man. He, too, has his missionaries in the +whole area of humanity. Michael and his angels, or missionaries, +are, and long have been, in conflict against the devil and his +missionaries. The battle, in this our planet, is yet in progress, +and therefore missionaries are in perpetual demand. Hence the +necessity incumbent on us to carry on this warfare as loyal subjects +of the Hero of our redemption. + +The Christian armory is well supplied with all the weapons essential +to the conflict. We need them all. "We wrestle not against flesh +and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the +rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in the +regions of the air." Hence the need of having our "loins girded with +the truth"; having on the breastplate of righteousness, our feet +shod with the preparation to publish the gospel of peace, taking +the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the +Spirit, the Word of God, always praying and making supplication for +our fellow-missionaries and for all saints. + +The missionary fields are numerous and various. They are both +domestic and foreign. The harvest is great in both. The laborers are +still few, comparatively very few, in either of them. + +The supply is not a tithe of the demand. The Macedonians cry, "Come +over and help us;" "Send us an evangelist;" "Send us missionaries;" +"The fields are large, the people are desirous, anxious, to hear +the original gospel. What can you do for us?" Nothing! Nothing! My +brethren, ought this so to be? + +Schools for the prophets are wanting. But there is a too general +apathy or indifference on the subject. We pray to the Lord of the +harvest to send our reapers to gather it into His garner. But what +do we besides praying for it? Do we work for it? Suppose a farmer +should pray to the Lord for an abundant harvest next year, and +should never, in seed-time, turn over one furrow or scatter one +handful of seed: what would we think of him? Would not his neighbors +regard him as a monomaniac or a simpleton? And wherein does he excel +such a one in wisdom or in prudence who prays to the Lord to send +out reapers--missionaries, or evangelists--to gather a harvest of +souls, when he himself never gives a dollar to a missionary, or the +value of it, to enable him to go into the field? Can such a person +be in earnest, or have one sincere desire in his heart to effect +such an object or purpose? We must confess that we could have no +faith either in his head or in his heart. + +The heavenly missionaries require neither gold nor silver, neither +food nor raiment. Not so the earthly missionaries. They themselves, +their wives and children, demand both food and clothing, to say +nothing of houses and furniture. Their present home is not + + "The gorgeous city, garnish'd like a bride, + Where Christ for spouse expected is to pass, + The walls of jasper compass'd on each side, + And streets all paved with gold, more bright than glass." + +If such were the missionary's home on earth, he might, indeed, +labor gratuitously all the days of his life. In an humble +cottage--rather an unsightly cabin--we sometimes see the wife of +his youth, in garments quite as unsightly as those of her children, +impatiently waiting "their sire's return, to climb to his knees the +envied kiss to share." But, when the supper table is spread, what a +beggarly account of almost empty plates and dishes! Whose soul would +not sicken at such a sight? I have twice, if not thrice, in days +gone by, when travelling on my early missionary tours--over not the +poorest lands nor the poorest settlements, either--witnessed some +such cases, and heard of more. + +I was then my own missionary, with the consent, however, of one +church. I desired to mingle with all classes of religious society, +that I might personally and truthfully know, not the theories, but +the facts and the actualities, of the Christian ministry and the +so-called Christian public. I spent a considerable portion of my +time during the years 1812, '13, '14, '15, '16, traveling throughout +western Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. + +I then spent seven years in reviewing my past studies, and in +teaching the languages and the sciences--after which I extended my +evangelical labors into other States and communities, that I might +still more satisfactorily apprehend and appreciate the _status_, +or the actual condition, of the nominally and profest religious or +Christian world. + +Having shortly after my baptism connected myself with the Baptist +people, and attending their associations as often as I could, I +became more and more penetrated with the conviction that theory +had usurped the place of faith, and that consequently, human +institutions had been, more or less, substituted for the apostolic +and the divine. + +During this period of investigation I had the pleasure of forming an +intimate acquaintance with sundry Baptist ministers, East and West, +as well as with the ministry of other denominations. Flattering +prospects of usefulness on all sides began to expand before me +and to inspire me with the hope of achieving a long-cherished +object--doing some good in the advocacy of the primitive and +apostolic gospel--having in the year 1820 a discussion on the +subject of the first positive institution enacted by the Lord +Messiah, and in A. D. 1823 another on the same subject--the former +more especially on the subject and action of Christian baptism, +the latter more emphatically on the design of that institution tho +including the former two. + +These discussions, more or less, embraced the rudimental elements +of the Christian institution, and gave to the public a bold relief +outline of the whole genius, spirit, letter and doctrine of the +gospel. + +Its missionary spirit, tho not formally propounded, was yet +indicated, in these discussions; because this institution was the +terminus of the missionary work. It was a component element of +the gospel, as clearly seen in the commission of the enthroned +Messiah. Its preamble is the superlative fact of the whole Bible. +We regret, indeed, that this most sublime preamble has been so much +lost sight of even by the present living generation. If we ask when +the Church of Jesus Christ began or when the reign of the Heavens +commenced, the answer, in what is usually called Christendom, will +make it either to be contemporaneous with the ministry of John the +Harbinger, or with the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. We will +find one of these two opinions almost universally entertained. +The Baptists are generally much attached to John the Baptist; the +Pedobaptists, to the commencement of Christ's public ministry. +John the Baptist was the first Christian missionary with a very +considerable class of living Baptists; the birth of Christ is the +most popular and orthodox theory at the respective meridians of +Lutheranism, Calvinism, and Arminianism. + +But, by the more intelligent, the resurrection, or the ascension +of the Lord Jesus Christ, is generally regarded as the definite +commencement of the Christian age or institution. + +Give us Paul's or Peter's testimony, against that of all +theologians, living or dead. Let us look at the facts. + +Did not the Savior teach His personal pupils, or disciples, to +pray, "Thy kingdom"--more truthfully, "Thy reign--come"? Does any +king's reign or kingdom commence with his birth? Still less with his +death? Did not our Savior Himself, in person, decline the honors of +a worldly or temporal prince? Did He not declare that His kingdom +"is not of this world"? Did He not say that He was going hence, or +leaving this world, to receive or obtain a kingdom? And were not the +keys of the kingdom first given to Peter to open, to announce it? +And did he not, when in Jerusalem, on the first Pentecost, after the +ascension of the Lord Jesus, make a public proclamation, saying, +"Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made (or +constituted) the identical Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Mary, both +the Lord and the Christ, or the anointed Lord"? + +Do kings reign before they are crowned? Before they are anointed? +There was not a Christian Church on earth, or any man called a +Christian, until after the consecration and coronation of Jesus of +Nazareth as the Christ of God. + +The era of a son's birth was never, since the world began, the era +of his reign or of the commencement of it. It is a strange fact, +to me a wonderful fact, and, considering the age in which we live, +an overwhelming fact, that we, as a community, are the only people +on the checkered map of all Christendom, Greek, Roman, Anglican or +American, that preach and teach that the commonly called Christian +era is not the era or the commencement of the Christian Church or +kingdom of the Lord Jesus the Christ. + +The kingdom of the Christ could not antedate His coronation. +Hence Peter, in announcing His coronation, after His ascension, +proclaimed, saying, "Let all the house of Israel know assuredly +that God has made--_touton ton Ieesoun_--the same, the identical +Jesus whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ"; or, in other +words, has crowned Him the legitimate Lord of all. Then indeed His +reign began. Then was verified the oracle uttered by the royal +bard of Israel, "Jehovah said to my Jehovah"--or, "the Lord said +to my Lord,"--"Sit thou on my right hand till I make thy foes thy +footstool." + +Hence He could say, and did say, to His apostles, "All authority in +the heavens and on the earth is given to me." In pursuance thereof, +"Go you into all the world, proclaim the gospel to the whole +creation; assuring them that everyone who believes this proclamation +and is immersed into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of +the Holy Spirit, shall be saved." + +Here, then, the missionary field is declared to be the whole +world--the broad earth. They were, as we are afterwards informed, +to begin at the first capital in the land of Judea, then to proceed +to Samaria, the capital of the ten tribes, and thence to the last +domicile of man on earth. + +There was, and there is still, in all this arrangement, a gracious +and a glorious propriety. + +The Jews had murdered the Messiah under the false charge of an +impostor. Was it not, then, divinely grand and supremely glorious to +make this awfully bloodstained capital the beginning, the fountain, +of the gospel age and mission? Hence it was decreed that all the +earth should be the parish, and all the nations and languages +of earth the objects, and millions of them the subjects, of the +redeeming grace and tender mercies of our Savior and our God. + +What an extended and still extending area is the missionary field! +There are the four mighty realms of Pagandom, of Papaldom, of +Mohammedandom and of ecclesiastic Sectariandom. These are, one and +all, essentially and constitutionally, more or less, not of the +apostolic Christendom. + +The divinely inspired constitution of the Church contains only +seven articles. These are the seven hills, not of Rome, but of the +true Zion of Israel's God. Paul's summary of them is found in the +following words: "One body, one spirit, one hope, one Lord, one +faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all." + +The clear perception, the grateful reception, the cordial +entertainment of these seven divinely constructed and instituted +pillars, are the alone sufficient, and the all-sufficient, +foundation--the indestructible basis--of Christ's kingdom on this +earth, and of man's spiritual and eternal salvation in the full +enjoyment of himself, his Creator, his Redeemer, and the whole +universe of spiritual intelligence through all the circles and +the cycles of an infinite, an everlasting future of being and of +blessedness. + +The missionary spirit is, indeed, an emanation of the whole Godhead. +God the Father sent His Son, His only begotten Son, into our world. +The Son sent the Holy Spirit to bear witness through His twelve +missionaries, the consecrated and Heaven-inspired apostles. They +proclaimed the glad tidings of great joy to all people--to the +Jews, to the Samaritans, to the Gentiles, of all nations, kindreds +and tongues. They gave in solemn charge to others to sound out and +proclaim the glad tidings of great joy to all people. And need we +ask, is not the Christian Church itself, in its own institution and +constitution, virtually and essentially a missionary institution? +Does not Paul formally state to the Thessalonians in his first +epistle that from them sounded out the Word of the Lord not only in +Macedonia and in Achaia, but in every place? + +No man can really or truthfully enjoy the spiritual, the +soul-stirring, the heart-reviving honors and felicities of the +Christian institution and kingdom, who does not intelligently, +cordially and efficiently espouse the missionary cause. + +In other words, he must feel, he must have compassion for his +fellow man; and, still further, he must practically sympathize +with him in communicating to his spiritual necessities as well +as to his physical wants and infirmities. The true ideal of all +perfection--our blest and blissful Redeemer--went about continually +doing good--to both the souls and the bodies of his fellow men; +healing all that were, in body, soul or spirit, opprest by Satan, +the enemy of God and of man. + +To follow his example is the grand climax of humanity. It is not +necessary to this end that he should occupy the pulpit. There are, +as we conceive, myriads of Christian men in the private walks +of life, who never aspired to the "sacred desk," that will far +outshine, in eternal glory and blessedness, hosts of the reverend, +the boasted and the boastful right reverend occupants of the sacred +desks of this our day and generation. + +But Solomon has furnished our motto:--"He that winneth" or taketh +"souls is wise" (Prov. xi. 30). Was he not the wisest of men, the +most potent and the richest of kings, that ever lived? He had, +therefore, all the means and facilities of acquiring what we call +knowledge--the knowledge of men and things; and, consequently, the +value of men and things was legitimately within the area of his +understanding; or, in this case, we might prefer to say, with all +propriety, within the area of his comprehension. + +Need I say that comprehension incomparably transcends apprehension? +Simpletons may apprehend, but only wise men can comprehend +anything. Solomon's rare gift was, that both his apprehension and +his comprehension transcended those of all other men, and gave him +a perspicacity and promptitude of decision never before or since +possest by any man. His oracles, indeed, were the oracles of God. +But God especially gave to him a power and opportunity of making +one grand experiment and development for the benefit of his living +contemporaries, and of all posterity, to whom God presents his +biography, his Proverbs and his Ecclesiastes. + +"The winning of souls" is, therefore, the richest and best +business, trade or calling, according to Solomon, ever undertaken +or prosecuted by mortal man. Paul was fully aware of this, and +therefore had always in his eye a "triple crown"--"a crown of +righteousness," a "crown of life," a "crown of glory." And even in +this life he had "a crown of rejoicing," in prospect of an exceeding +and eternal weight of glory, imperishable in the heavens. + +There is, too, a present reward, a present pleasure, a present joy +and peace which the wisdom, and the riches, and the dignity, and +the glory, and the honors of this world never did, never can, and +consequently never will, confer on its most devoted and persevering +votaries. + +There is, indeed, a lawful and an honorable covetousness, which any +and every Christian, man and woman, may cultivate and cherish. + +Paul himself justifies the poetic license, when he says, "Covet +earnestly the best gifts." + +The best gifts in his horizon, however, were those which, when +duly cultivated and employed, confer the greatest amount of profit +and felicity upon others. We should, indeed, desire, even covet, +the means and the opportunities of beatifying and aggrandizing one +another with the true riches, the honors and the dignities that +appertain to the spiritual, the heavenly and the eternal inheritance. + +But we need not propound to your consideration or inquiry the +claims--the paramount, the transcendent claims--which our +enjoyment of the gospel and its soul-cheering, soul-animating, +soul-enrapturing influences present to us as arguments and motives +to extend and to animate its proclamation by every instrumentality +and means which we can legitimately employ, to present it in all its +attractions and claims upon the understanding, the conscience and +the affections of our contemporaries, in our own country and in all +others, as far as our most gracious and bountiful Benefactor affords +the means and the opportunities of co-operating with Him, in the +rescue and recovery of our fellow men, who, without such means and +efforts, must forever perish, as aliens and enemies, in heart and +in life, to God and to His divinely-commissioned ambassador, the +glorious Messiah. + +We plead for the original apostolic gospel and its positive +institutions. If the great apostles Peter and Paul--the former to +the Jews and the latter to the Gentiles--announced the true gospel +of the grace of God, shall we hesitate a moment on the propriety +and the necessity, divinely imposed upon us, of preaching the same +gospel which they preached, and in advocating the same institutions +which they established, under the plenary inspiration and direction +of the Holy Spirit? Can we improve upon their institutions and +enactments? What means that singular imperative enunciated by the +evangelical prophet Isaiah (Isa. viii.), "Bind up the testimony, +seal the law among my disciples?" What were its antecedents? +Hearken! The prophet had just foretold. He, the subject of this +oracle, viz: "The desire of all nations," was coming to be a +sanctuary; but not a sanctuary alone, but for a stone of stumbling +and a rock of offense (as at this day) to both the houses of +Israel--for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. + +The Church, therefore, of right is, and ought to be, a great +missionary society. Her parish is the whole earth, from sea to sea, +and from the Euphrates to the last domicile of man. + +But the crowning and consummating argument of the missionary +cause has not been fully presented. There is but one word, in the +languages of earth, that fully indicates it. And that word indicates +neither less nor more than what is represented--literally, exactly, +perspicuously represented--by the word philanthropy. But this being +a Greek word needs, perhaps in some cases, an exact definition. +And to make it memorable we will preface it with the statement of +the fact that this word is found but twice in the Greek original +New Testament (Acts xxviii., 2, and Titus iii., 4.). In the first +passage this word is, in the common version, translated "kindness," +and in the second, "love toward man." Literally and exactly, it +signifies the love of man, objectively; but, more fully exprest, the +love of one to another. + +The love of God to man is one form of philanthropy; the love of +angels to one man is another form of philanthropy; and the love of +man to man, as such, is the true philanthropy of the law. It is +not the love of one man to another man, because of favors received +from him; this is only gratitude. It is not the love of one man to +another man, because of a common country: this is mere patriotism. +It is not the love of man to man, because of a common ancestry: +this is mere natural affection. But it is the love of man to man, +merely because he is a man. This is pure philanthropy. Such was the +love of God to man as exhibited in the gift of His dearly beloved +Son as a sin-offering for him. This is the name which the inspired +writers of the New Testament give it. So Paul uses it, Titus iii. +and iv. It should have been translated, "After that the kindness and +philanthropy of God our Savior appeared." Again, Acts xxviii., 2, +"The barbarous people of the Island of Melita showed us no little +philanthropy.[3] They kindled a fire for us on their island, +because of the impending rain and the cold." + + [3] So we have always translated this term, in this passage. + +There are, indeed, many forms and demonstrations of philanthropy. +For one good man another good man might presume to die. But the +philanthropy of God to man incomparably transcends all other forms +of philanthropy known on earth or reported from heaven. + +While we were sinners, in positive and actual rebellion against our +Father and our God, He freely gave up His only begotten and dearly +beloved Son, as a sin-offering for us, and laid upon Him, or placed +in His account, the sin, the aggregate sin, of the world. He became +in the hand of His Father and our Father a sin-offering for us. He +took upon Himself, and His Father "laid upon him, the iniquity of us +all." Was ever love like this? Angels of all ranks, spirits of all +capacities, still contemplate it with increasing wonder and delight. + +This gospel message is to be announced to all the world, to men of +every nation under heaven. And this, too, with the promise of the +forgiveness of sins and of a life everlasting in the heavens, to +everyone who will cordially accept and obey it. + + + + +IRVING + +PREPARATION FOR CONSULTING THE ORACLES OF GOD + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + +EDWARD IRVING was born at Annan, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, in 1792. +He was an early friend and lover of Jane Welsh, who afterwards +married Thomas Carlyle. He showed ability at school, but had also a +taste for the preaching of extreme Presbyterian seceders from the +Church of Scotland. After graduating at the University of Edinburgh, +in 1809, he began life by teaching school, but obtained a license +to preach in 1815. He became assistant to Chalmers at Glasgow in +1819, where, great preacher as he was, he felt himself eclipsed by +Chalmers, and in 1822 accepted the pulpit at a chapel in Hatton +Garden, London. Here he leapt into fame. His melodious and resonant +voice, his noble presence and the beauty of his features, enhanced +the eloquence of his language. Eventually he became unbalanced +by the adulation of the aristocratic and intellectual crowd that +listened to him. They, however, grew tired of his prophecies and +denunciations, and his eccentricities of judgment finally led +to disruption, and "after a few years of futile but splendid +evangelization, he died a broken-hearted man, tender and true to the +last, altho the victim of unsubstantial religious vagaries." Carlyle +wrote a touching memoir of his life. He died in 1834. + + + + +IRVING + +1792-1834 + +PREPARATION FOR CONSULTING THE ORACLES OF GOD + +_Search the scriptures._--John v., 39. + + +There was a time when each revelation of the word of God had an +introduction into this earth, which neither permitted men to doubt +whence it came, nor wherefore it was sent. If at the giving of each +several truth a star was not lighted up in heaven, as at the birth +of the Prince of Truth, there was done upon the earth a wonder, to +make her children listen to the message of their Maker. The Almighty +made bare His arm; and, through mighty acts shown by His holy +servants, gave demonstration of His truth, and found for it a sure +place among the other matters of human knowledge and belief. + +But now the miracles of God have ceased, and nature, secure and +unmolested, is no longer called on for testimonies to her Creator's +voice. No burning bush draws the footsteps to His presence chamber; +no invisible voice holds the ear awake; no hand cometh forth from +the obscurity to write His purposes in letters of flame. The vision +is shut up, and the testimony is sealed, and the Word of the Lord is +ended, and this solitary volume, with its chapters and verses, is +the sum total of all for which the chariot of heaven made so many +visits to the earth, and the Son of God Himself tabernacled and +dwelt among us. + +The truth which it contains once dwelt undivulged in the bosom of +God; and, on coming forth to take its place among things revealed, +the heavens and the earth, and nature, through all her chambers, +gave reverent welcome. Beyond what it contains, the mysteries of the +future are unknown. To gain it acceptation and currency, the noble +company of martyrs testified unto the death. The general assembly of +the first-born in heaven made it the day-star of their hopes, and +the pavilion of their peace. Its every sentence is charmed with the +power of God, and powerful to the everlasting salvation of souls. + +Having our minds filled with these thoughts of the primeval divinity +of revealed wisdom when she dwelt in the bosom of God, and was of +His eternal Self a part, long before He prepared the heavens, or +set a compass upon the face of the deep; revolving also how, by +the space of four thousand years, every faculty of mute nature did +solemn obeisance to this daughter of the Divine mind, whenever He +pleased to commission her forth to the help of mortals; and further +meditating upon the delights which she had of old with the sons of +men, the height of heavenly temper to which she raised them, and the +offspring of magnanimous deeds which these two--the wisdom of God, +and the soul of man--did engender between themselves--meditating, I +say, upon these mighty topics, our soul is smitten with grief and +shame to remark how in this latter day she hath fallen from her high +estate; and fallen along with her the great and noble character of +men. Or, if there be still a few names, as of the missionary martyr, +to emulate the saints of old--how to the commonalty of Christians +her oracles have fallen into a household commonness, and her visits +into a cheap familiarity; while by the multitude she is mistaken +for a minister of terror sent to oppress poor mortals with moping +melancholy, and inflict a wound upon the happiness of human kind. + +For there is now no express stirring up the faculties to meditate +her high and heavenly strains--there is no formal sequestration +of the mind from all other concerns, on purpose for her special +entertainment--there is no house of solemn seeking and solemn +waiting for a spiritual frame, before entering and listening to +the voice of the Almighty's wisdom. Who feels the sublime dignity +there is in a saying, fresh descended from the porch of heaven? Who +feels the awful weight there is in the least iota that hath dropped +from the lips of God? Who feels the thrilling fear or trembling +hope there is in words whereon the destinies of himself do hang? +Who feels the swelling tide of gratitude within his breast, for +redemption and salvation, instead of flat despair and everlasting +retribution? Yea, that which is the guide and spur of all duty, +the necessary aliment of Christian life, the first and the last +of Christian knowledge and Christian feeling, hath, to speak the +best, degenerated in these days to stand, rank and file, among +those duties whereof it is parent, preserver, and commander. And, +to speak not the best, but the fair and common truth, this book, +the offspring of the Divine mind, and the perfection of heavenly +wisdom, is permitted to lie from day to day, perhaps from week to +week, unheeded and unperused, never welcome to our happy, healthy, +and energetic moods; admitted, if admitted at all, in seasons of +sickness, feeble-mindedness, and disabling sorrow. Yes, that which +was sent to be a spirit of ceaseless joy and hope within the heart +of man, is treated as the enemy of happiness, and the murderer of +enjoyment; and eyed askance, as the remembrancer of death, and the +very messenger of hell. + +Oh! if books had but tongues to speak their wrongs, then might this +book well exclaim: Hear, O heavens! and give ear, O earth! I came +from the love and embrace of God, and mute nature, to whom I brought +no boon, did me rightful homage. To men I come, and my words were +to the children of men. I disclosed to you the mysteries hereafter, +and the secrets of the throne of God. I set open to you the gates +of salvation, and the way of eternal life, hitherto unknown. +Nothing in heaven did I withhold from your hope and ambition; and +upon your earthly lot I poured the full horn of Divine providence +and consolation. But ye requited me with no welcome, ye held no +festivity on my arrival; ye sequester me from happiness and heroism, +closeting me with sickness and infirmity: ye make not of me, nor use +me for, your guide to wisdom and prudence, but put me into a place +in your last of duties, and withdraw me to a mere corner of your +time; and most of ye set me at naught and utterly disregard me. I +come, the fulness of the knowledge of God; angels delighted in my +company, and desired to dive into my secrets. But ye, mortals, place +masters over me, subjecting me to the discipline and dogmatism of +men, and tutoring me in your schools of learning. I came, not to be +silent in your dwellings, but to speak welfare to you and to your +children. I came to rule, and my throne to set up in the hearts of +men. Mine ancient residence was the bosom of God; no residence will +I have but the soul of an immortal; and if you had entertained me, +I should have possest you of the peace which I had with God, "when +I was with Him and was daily His delight, rejoicing always before +Him. Because I have called you and ye have refused, I have stretched +out my hand and no man regarded; but ye have set at naught all my +counsel and would none of my reproof; I also will laugh at your +calamity, and mock when your fear cometh as desolation, and your +destruction cometh as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish cometh +upon you. Then shall they cry upon me, but I will not answer; they +shall seek me early, but they shall not find me." + +From this cheap estimation and wanton neglect of God's counsel, +and from the terror of the curse consequent thereon, we have +resolved, in the strength of God, to do our endeavor to deliver this +congregation of His intelligent and worshiping people--an endeavor +which we make with a full perception of the difficulties to be +overcome on every side, within no less than without the sacred pale; +and upon which we enter with the utmost diffidence of our powers, +yet with the full purpose of straining them to the utmost, according +to the measure with which it hath pleased God to endow our mind. And +do Thou, O Lord, from whom cometh the perception of truth, vouchsafe +to Thy servant an unction from Thine own Spirit, who searcheth all +things, yes, the deep things of God; and vouchsafe to Thy people +"the hearing ear and the understanding heart, that they may hear +and understand, and their souls may live!" + +Before the Almighty made His appearance upon Sinai, there were +awful precursors sent to prepare His way; while He abode in sight, +there were solemn ceremonies and a strict ritual of attendance; +when He departed, the whole camp set itself to conform unto His +revealed will. Likewise, before the Savior appeared, with His +better law, there was a noble procession of seers and prophets, who +decried and warned the world of His coming; when He came there were +solemn announcements in the heavens and on the earth; He did not +depart without due honors; and then followed, on His departure, a +succession of changes and alterations which are still in progress, +and shall continue in progress till the world's end. This may serve +to teach us, that a revelation of the Almighty's will makes demand +for these three things, on the part of those to whom it is revealed: +A due preparation for receiving it; a diligent attention to it while +it is disclosing; a strict observance of it when it is delivered. + +In the whole book of the Lord's revelations you shall search in +vain for one which is devoid of these necessary parts. Witness the +awestruck Isaiah, while the Lord displayed before him the sublime +pomp of His presence; and, not content with overpowering the frail +sense of the prophet, dispatched a seraph to do the ceremonial of +touching his lip with hallowed fire, all before He uttered one word +into his astonished ear. Witness the majestic apparition to Saint +John, in the Apocalypse, of all the emblematical glory of the Son of +Man, allowed to take silent effect upon the apostle's spirit, and +prepare it for the revelation of things to come. These heard with +all their absorbed faculties, and with all their powers addrest them +to the bidding of the Lord. But, if this was in aught flinched from, +witness, in the persecution of the prophet Jonah, the fearful issues +which ensued. From the presence of the Lord he could not flee. Fain +would he have escaped to the uttermost parts of the earth; but in +the mighty waters the terrors of the Lord fell upon him; and when +engulfed in the deep, and entombed in the monster of the deep, still +the Lord's word was upon the obdurate prophet, who had no rest, +not the rest of the grave, till he had fulfilled it to the very +uttermost. + +Now, judging that every time we open the pages of this holy book, we +are to be favored with no less than a communication from on high, +in substance the same as those whereof we have detailed the three +distinct and several parts, we conceive it due to the majesty of Him +who speaks, that we, in like manner, discipline our spirits with a +due preparation, and have them in proper frame, before we listen +to the voice; that, while it is disclosing to us the important +message, we be wrapt in full attention; and that, when it hath +disburdened itself into our opened and enlarged spirits, we proceed +forthwith to the business of its fulfilment, whithersoever and to +whatsoever it summon us forth. Upon each of these three duties, +incumbent upon one who would not forego the benefit of a heavenly +message, we will discourse apart, addressing ourselves in this +discourse to the first-mentioned of the three. + +The preparation for the announcement.--"When God uttereth His +voice," says the Psalmist, "coals of fire are kindled; the hills +melt down like wax; the earth quakes; and deep proclaims itself +unto hollow deep." These sensible images of the Creator have now +vanished, and we are left alone, in the deep recesses of the +meditative mind, to discern His coming forth. No trump of heaven +now speaketh in the world's ear. No angelic conveyance of Heaven's +will taketh shape from the vacant air; and having done his errand, +retireth into his airy habitation. No human messenger putteth forth +his miraculous hand to heal nature's unmedicable wounds, winning +for his words a silent and astonished audience. Majesty and might +no longer precede the oracles of Heaven. They lie silent and +unobtrusive, wrapt up in their little compass, one volume among +many, innocently handed to and fro, having no distinction but that +in which our mustered thoughts are enabled to invest them. The want +of solemn preparation and circumstantial pomp, the imagination +of the mind hath now to supply. The presence of the Deity, and +the authority of His voice, our thoughtful spirits must discern. +Conscience must supply the terrors that were wont to go before Him; +and the brightness of His coming, which the sense can no longer +behold, the heart, ravished with His word, must feel. + +For the solemn vocation of all her powers, to do her Maker honor and +give Him welcome, it is, at the very least, necessary that the soul +stand absolved from every call. Every foreign influence or authority +arising out of the world, or the things of the world, should be +burst when about to stand before the fountain of all authority; +every argument, every invention, every opinion of man forgot, when +about to approach to the Father and oracle of all intelligence. +And as subjects, when their honors, with invitations, are held +disengaged, tho preoccupied with a thousand appointments, so, upon +an audience, fixt and about to be holden with the King of Kings, it +will become the honored mortal to break loose from all thraldom of +men and things, and be arrayed in liberty of thought and action to +drink in the rivers of His pleasure, and to perform the mission of +His lips. + +Now far otherwise it hath appeared to us, that Christians as well +as worldly men come to this most august occupation of listening +to the word of God; preoccupied and prepossest, inclining to it a +partial ear, and straitened understanding, and a disaffected will. + +The Christian public are prone to preoccupy themselves with the +admiration of those opinions by which they stand distinguished as +a Church or sect from other Christians, and instead of being quite +unfettered to receive the whole counsel of the Divinity, they are +prepared to welcome it no further than it bears upon, and stands +with opinions which they already favor. To this pre-judgment +the early use of catechisms mainly contributes, which, however +serviceable in their place, have the disadvantage of presenting +the truth in a form altogether different from what it occupies +in the world itself. In the one it is presented to the intellect +chiefly (and in our catechisms to an intellect of a very subtle +order), in the other it is presented more frequently to the heart, +to the affections, to the emotions, to the fancy, and to all the +faculties of the soul. In early youth, which is so applied to +those compilations, an association takes place between religion +and intellect, and a divorcement of religion from the other powers +of the inner man. This derangement, judging from observation +and experience, it is exceedingly difficult to put to rights in +afterlife; and so it comes to pass, that in listening to the +oracles of religion, the intellect is chiefly awake, and the +better parts of the message--those which address the heart and its +affections, those which dilate and enlarge our admiration of the +Godhead, and those which speak to the various sympathies of our +nature--we are, by the injudicious use of these narrow epitomes, +disqualified to receive. + +In the train of these comes controversy with its rough voice and +unmeek aspect, to disqualify the soul for a full and fair audience +of its Maker's word. The points of the faith we have been called +on to defend, or which are reputable with our party, assume, in +our esteem, an importance disproportionate to their importance +in the Word, which we come to relish chiefly when it goes to +sustain them, and the Bible is hunted for arguments and texts +of controversy, which are treasured up for future service. The +solemn stillness which the soul should hold before his Maker, so +favorable to meditation and rapt communion with the throne of God, +is destroyed at every turn by suggestions of what is orthodox and +evangelical--where all is orthodox and evangelical; the spirit of +such readers becomes lean, being fed with abstract truths and formal +propositions; their temper uncongenial, being ever disturbed with +controversial suggestions; their prayers undevout recitals of their +opinions; their discourse technical announcements of their faith. +Intellect, old intellect, hath the sway over heavenward devotion +and holy fervor. Man, contentious man, hath the attention which the +unsearchable God should undivided have; and the fine, full harmony +of heaven's melodious voice, which, heard apart, were sufficient +to lap the soul in ecstasies unspeakable, is jarred and interfered +with, and the heavenly spell is broken by the recurring conceits, +sophisms, and passions of men. Now truly an utter degradation it is +of the Godhead to have His word in league with that of man, or any +council of men. What matter to me whether the Pope, or any work of +any mind, be exalted to the quality of God? If any helps are to be +imposed for the understanding, or safeguarding, or sustaining of +the word, why not the help of statues and pictures of my devotions? +Therefore, while the warm fancies of the Southerns have given their +idolatry to the ideal forms of noble art, let us Northerns beware we +give not our idolatry to the cold and coarse abstractions of human +intellect. + +For the preoccupations of worldly minds, they are not to be reckoned +up, being manifold as their favorite passions and pursuits. One +thing only can be said, that before coming to the oracles of God +they are not preoccupied with the expectation and fear of Him. No +chord in their heart is in unison with things unseen; no moments are +set apart for religious thought and meditation; no anticipations +of the honored interview; no prayer of preparation like that of +Daniel before Gabriel was sent to teach him; no devoutness like +that of Cornelius before the celestial visitation; no fastings like +that of Peter before the revelation of the glory of the Gentiles! +Now to minds which are not attuned to holiness, the words of God +find no entrance, striking heavy on the ear, seldom making way +to the understanding, almost never to the heart. To spirits hot +with conversation, perhaps heady with argument, uncomposed by +solemn thought, but ruffled and in uproar from the concourse of +worldly interests, the sacred page may be spread out, but its +accents are drowned in the noise which hath not yet subsided in +the breast. All the awe, and pathos, and awakened consciousness +of a Divine approach, imprest upon the ancients by the procession +of solemnities, is to worldly men without a substitute. They have +not yet solicited themselves to be in readiness. In a usual mood +and vulgar frame they come to God's word as to other compositions, +reading it without any active imaginations about Him who speaks; +feeling no awe of a sovereign Lord, nor care of a tender Father, +nor devotion to a merciful Savior. Nowise deprest themselves out +of their wonted dependence, nor humiliated before the King of +Kings--no prostrations of the soul, nor falling at His feet as +dead--no exclamation, as of Isaiah, "Wo is me, for I am of unclean +lips!"--no request "Send me"--nor fervent ejaculation of welcome, as +of Samuel, "Lord, speak, for Thy servant heareth!" Truly they feel +toward His word much as to the word of an equal. No wonder it shall +fail of happy influence upon the spirits which have, as it were, on +purpose, disqualified themselves for its benefits by removing from +the regions of thought and feeling which it accords with, into other +regions, which it is of too severe dignity to affect, otherwise +than with stern menace and direful foreboding! If they would have +it bless them and do them good, they must change their manner of +approaching it, and endeavor to bring themselves into that prepared, +and collected, and reverential frame which becomes an interview with +the High and Holy One who inhabiteth the praises of eternity. + +Having thus spoken without equivocation, and we hope without +offense, to the contradictoriness and preoccupation with which +Christians and worldly men are apt to come to the perusal of the +Word of God, we shall now set forth the two master-feelings under +which we shall address ourselves to the sacred occupation. + +It is a good custom, inherited from the hallowed days of Scottish +piety, and in our cottages still preserved, tho in our cities +generally given up, to preface the morning and evening worship of +the family with a short invocation of blessing from the Lord. This +is in unison with the practise and recommendation of pious men, +never to open the Divine Word without a silent invocation of the +Divine Spirit. But no address to heaven is of any virtue, save as +it is the expression of certain pious sentiments with which the +mind is full and overflowing. Of those sentiments which befit the +mind that comes into conference with its Maker, the first and most +prominent should be gratitude for His ever having condescended to +hold commerce with such wretched and fallen creatures. Gratitude +not only expressing itself in proper terms, but possessing the mind +with one abiding and over-mastering mood, under which it shall sit +imprest the whole duration of the interview. Such an emotion as +can not utter itself in language--tho by language it indicates its +presence--but keeps us in a devout and adoring frame, while the Lord +is uttering His voice. + +Go visit a desolate widow with consolation, and help, and fatherhood +of her orphan children--do it again and again--and your presence, +the sound of your approaching footstep, the soft utterance of +your voice, the very mention of your name, shall come to dilate +her heart with a fulness which defies her tongue to utter, but +speaking by the tokens of a swimming eye, and clasped hands, and +fervent ejaculations to heaven upon your head! No less copious +acknowledgment of God, the author of our well-being, and the Father +of our better hopes, ought we to feel when His Word discloseth to +us the excess of His love. Tho a veil be now cast over the Majesty +which speaks, it is the voice of the Eternal which we hear, coming +in soft cadences to win our favor, yet omnipotent as the voice of +the thunder, and overpowering as the rushing of many waters. And tho +the evil of the future intervene between our hand and the promised +goods, still are they from His lips who speaks, and it is done, +who commands, and all things stand fast. With no less emotion, +therefore, should this book be opened, than if, like him in the +Apocalypse, you saw the voice which spake; or, like him in the +trance, you were into the third heaven translated, companying and +communing with the realities of glory which the eye hath not seen, +nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived. + +Far and foreign from such an opened and awakened bosom is that cold +and formal hand which is generally laid upon the sacred volume; +that unfeeling and unimpressive tone with which its accents are +pronounced; and that listless and incurious ear into which its +blessed sounds are received. How can you, thus unimpassioned, +hold communion with themes in which everything awful, vital, and +endearing meet together? Why is not curiosity, curiosity ever +hungry, on edge to know the doings and intentions of Jehovah, King +of Kings? Why is not interest, interest ever awake, on tip-toe +to hear the future destiny of itself? Why is not the heart, that +panteth over the world after love and friendship, overpowered with +the full tide of the divine acts and expressions of love? Where is +nature gone when she is not moved with the tender mercy of Christ? +Methinks the affections of men are fallen into the yellow leaf. Of +the poets which charm the world's ear, who is he that inditeth a +song unto his God? Some will tune their harps to sensual pleasure, +and by the enchantment of their genius well-nigh commend their +unholy themes to the imagination of saints. Others, to the high +and noble sentiments of the heart, will sing of domestic joys and +happy unions, casting around sorrow the radiancy of virtue, and +bodying forth, in undying forms, the short-lived visions of joy! +Others have enrolled themselves the high-priests of mute nature's +charms, enchanting her echoes with their minstrelsy, and peopling +her solitudes with the bright creatures of their fancy. But when, +since the days of the blind master of English song, hath any poured +forth a lay worthy of the Christian theme? Nor in philosophy, "the +palace of the soul," have men been more mindful of their Maker. +The flowers of the garden and the herbs of the field have their +unwearied devotees, crossing the ocean, wayfaring in the desert, and +making devout pilgrimages to every region of nature for offerings +to their patron muse. The rocks, from their residences among the +clouds to their deep rests in the dark bowels of the earth, have +a bold and most venturous priesthood, who see in their rough and +flinty faces a more delectable image to adore than in the revealed +countenance of God. And the political warfare of the world is a very +Moloch, who can at any time command his hecatomb of human victims. +But the revealed suspense of God, to which the harp of David, and +the prophetic lyre of Isaiah were strung, the prudence of God, which +the wisest of men coveted after, preferring it to every gift which +heaven could confer, and the eternal intelligence Himself in human +form, and the unction of the Holy One which abideth--these the +common heart of man hath forsaken, and refused to be charmed withal. + +I testify, that there ascendeth not from earth a hosanna of her +children to bear witness in the ear of the upper regions to the +wonderful manifestations of her God! From a few scattered hamlets +in a small portion of her territory a small voice ascendeth, like +the voice of one crying in the wilderness. But to the service of our +general Preserver there is no concourse, from Dan unto Beersheba, +of our people, the greater part of whom, after two thousand years +of apostolic commission, have not the testimonials of our God; and +the multitude of those who disrespect or despise them! + +But, to return from this lamentation, which may God hear, who +doth not disregard the cries of His afflicted people! With the +full sense of obligation to the giver, combine a humble sense of +your own incapacity to value and to use the gift of His oracles. +Having no taste whatever for the mean estimates which are made, +and the coarse invectives that are vented, against human nature, +which, tho true in the main, are often in the manner so unfeeling +and triumphant, as to reveal hot zeal rather than tender and deep +sorrow, we will not give in to this popular strain. And yet it is a +truth by experience, revealed, that tho there be in man most noble +faculties, and a nature restless after the knowledge and truth of +things, there are toward God and His revealed will an indisposition +and a regardlessness, which the most tender and enlightened +consciences are the most ready to acknowledge. Of our emancipated +youth, who, bound after the knowledge of the visible works of God, +and the gratification of the various instincts of nature, how few +betake themselves at all, how few absorb themselves with the study +and obedience of the Word of God! And when, by God's visitation, we +address ourselves to the task, how slow is our progress and how +imperfect our performance! It is most true that nature is unwilling +to the subject of the Scriptures. The soul is previously possest +with adverse interests; the world hath laid an embargo on her +faculties, and monopolized them to herself; old habit hath perhaps +added to his almost incurable callousness; and the enemy of God and +man is skilful to defend what he hath already won. So circumstanced, +and every man is so circumstanced, we come to the audience of +the Word of God, and listen in the worse tune than a wanton to a +sermon, or a hardened knave to a judicial address. Our understanding +is prepossest with a thousand idols of the world--religious or +irreligious--which corrupt the reading of the Word into a straining +of the text to their service, and when it will not strain, cause it +to be skimmed, and perhaps despised or hated. Such a thing as a free +and unlimited reception of all parts of the Scripture into the mind, +is a thing most rare to be met with, and when met with will be found +the result of many a sore submission of nature's opinions as well as +of nature's likings. + +But the Word, as hath been said, is not for the intellect alone, +but for the heart, and for the will. Now if any one be so wedded +to his own candor as to think he doth accept the divine truth +unabated, surely no one will flatter himself into the belief that +his heart is attuned and enlarged for all divine commandments. +The man who thus misdeems of himself must, if his opinions were +just, be like a sheet of fair paper, unblotted and unwritten on; +whereas all men are already occupied, to the very fulness, with +other opinions and attachments and desires than the Word reveals. +We do not grow Christians by the same culture by which we grow men, +otherwise what need of divine revelation, and divine assistance? +But being unacquainted from the womb with God, and attached to what +is seen and felt, through early and close acquaintance, we are +ignorant and detached from what is unseen and unfelt. The Word is +a novelty to our nature, its truths fresh truths, its affections +fresh affections, its obedience gathered from the apprehension +of nature and the commerce of the worldly life. Therefore there +needeth, in one that would be served from this storehouse opened +by heaven, a disrelish of his old acquisitions, and a preference +of the new, a simple, child-like teachableness, an allowance of +ignorance and error, with whatever else beseems an anxious learner. +Coming to the Word of God, we are like children brought into the +conversations of experienced men; and we should humbly listen and +reverently inquire; or we are like raw rustics introduced into high +and polished life, and we should unlearn our coarseness, and copy +the habits of the station; nay we are like offenders caught, and +for the moment committed to the bosom of honorable society, with +the power of regaining our lost condition and inheriting honor and +trust--therefore we should walk softly and tenderly, covering our +former reproach with modesty and humbleness, hasting to redeem our +reputation by distinguished performances, against offense doubly +guarded, doubly watchful for dangerous and extreme positions to +demonstrate our recovered goodness. + +These two sentiments--devout veneration of God for His unspeakable +gift, and deep distrust of our capacity to estimate and use it +aright--will generate in the mind a constant aspiration after the +guidance and instruction of a higher power; the first sentiment of +goodness remembered, emboldening us to draw near to Him who first +drew near to us, and who with Christ will not refuse us any gift; +the second sentiment, of weakness remembered, teaching us our need, +and prompting us by every interest of religion and every feeling of +helplessness to seek of Him who hath said, "If any one lack wisdom +let him ask God, who giveth liberally and upbraideth not." The soul +which under these two master-feelings cometh to read, shall not +read without profit. Every new revelation, feeding his gratitude +and nourishing his former ignorance, will confirm the emotions he +is under, and carry them onward to an unlimited dimension. Such +a one will prosper in the way; enlargement of the inner man will +be his portion and the establishment in the truth his exceeding +great reward. "In the strength of the Lord shall his right hand get +victory--even in the name of the Lord of Hosts. His soul shall also +flourish with the fruits of righteousness from the seed of the word, +which liveth and abideth forever." + +Thus delivered from prepossessions of all other masters, and arrayed +in the raiment of humility and love, the soul should advance to the +meeting of her God; and she should call a muster of her faculties +and have all her poor grace in attendance, and anything she knows +of His excellent works and exalted ways she should summon up to +her remembrance; her understanding she should quicken, her memory +refresh, her imagination stimulate, her affections cherish, and her +conscience arouse. All that is within her should be stirred up, her +whole glory should awake and her whole beauty display itself for the +meeting of her King. As His hand-maiden she should meet Him; His own +handiwork, tho sore defaced, yet seeking restoration; His humble, +because offending, servant--yet nothing slavish, tho humble--nothing +superstitious, tho devout--nothing tame, tho modest in her demeanor; +but quick and ready, all addrest and wound up for her Maker's will. + +How different the ordinary proceeding of Christians, who, with +timorous, mistrustful spirits, with an abeyance of intellect, and a +dwarfish reduction of their natural powers, enter to the conference +of the Word of God! The natural powers of man are to be mistrusted, +doubtless, as the willing instruments of the evil one; but they +must be honored also as the necessary instruments of the Spirit of +God, whose operation is a dream, if it be not through knowledge, +intellect, conscience, and action. Now Christians, heedless of the +grand resurrection of the mighty instruments of thought and action, +at the same time coveting hard after holy attainment, do often +resign the mastery of themselves, and are taken into the counsel +of the religious world--whirling around the eddy of some popular +leader--and so drifted, I will not say from godliness, but drifted +certainly from that noble, manly and independent course, which, +under steerage of the Word of God, they might safely have pursued +for the precious interests of their immortal souls. Meanwhile these +popular leaders, finding no necessity for strenuous endeavors +and high science in the ways of God, but having a gathering host +to follow them, deviate from the ways of deep and penetrating +thought--refuse the contest with the literary and accomplished +enemies of the faith--bring a contempt upon the cause in which +mighty men did formerly gird themselves to the combat--and so cast +the stumbling-block of a mistaken paltryness between enlightened +men and the cross of Christ! So far from this simple-mindedness (but +its proper name is feeble-mindedness), Christians should be--as +aforetime in this island they were wont to be--the princes of human +intellect, the lights of the world, the salt of the political and +social state. Till they come forth from the swaddling-bands, in +which foreign schools have girt them, and walk boldly upon the +high places of human understanding, they shall never obtain that +influence in the upper regions of knowledge and power, of which, +unfortunately, they have not the apostolic unction to be in quest. +They will never be the master and commanding spirit of the time, +until they cast off the wrinkled and withered skin of an obsolete +old age, and clothe themselves with intelligence as with a garment, +and bring forth the fruits of power and love and of a sound mind. + +Mistake us not, for we steer in a narrow, very narrow channel, with +rocks of popular prejudice on every side. While we thus invocate +to the reading of the Word, the highest strains of the human soul, +mistake us not as derogating from the office of the Spirit of God. +Far be it from any Christian, much further from any Christian +pastor, to withdraw from God the honor which is everywhere His due; +but there most of all His due where the human mind labored alone +for thousands of years, and labored with no success--viz., the +regeneration of itself, and its restoration to the last semblance +of the divinity! Oh! let him be reverently inquired after, +devoutly meditated on, and most thankfully acknowledged in every +step of progress from the soul's fresh awakening out of her dark, +oblivious sleep--even to her ultimate attainment upon earth and +full accomplishment for heaven. And there may be a fuller choir +of awakened men to advance His honor and glory here on earth, and +hereafter in heaven above; let the saints bestir themselves like +angels and the ministers of religion like archangels strong! And +now at length let us have a demonstration made of all that is +noble in thought, and generous in action, and devoted in piety, +for bestirring this lethargy, and breaking the bonds of hell, and +redeeming the whole world to the service of its God and King! + + + + +ARNOLD + +ALIVE IN GOD + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +Thomas Arnold, schoolmaster and preacher, was born at West Cowes, +Isle of Wight, in 1795. He was educated at Oxford, and after his +graduation taught as fellow of Oriel College, until in 1820 he +removed to Laleham near Haines and took pupils to prepare for the +universities. In 1827 he was elected to the head mastership of +Rugby, and took priest's orders before entering upon his duties. +At Rugby he remained till his death in 1842. His great work as an +educator consisted in teaching boys the duty of self-government, +self-control and freedom of intellectual judgement. His sermons in +the school chapel were distinguished by simplicity and profound +moral and religious earnestness. + + + + +ARNOLD + +1795-1842 + +ALIVE IN GOD + +_God is not the God of the dead, but of the living._--Matt. xxii., +32. + + +We hear these words as a part of our Lord's answer to the Sadducees; +and as their question was put in evident profaneness, and the answer +to it is one which to our minds is quite obvious and natural, so we +are apt to think that in this particular story there is less than +usual that particularly concerns us. But it so happens that our Lord +in answering the Sadducees has brought in one of the most universal +and most solemn of all truths,--which is indeed implied in many +parts of the Old Testament, but which the Gospel has revealed to us +in all its fulness,--the truth contained in the words of the text, +that "God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." + +I would wish to unfold a little what is contained in these words +which we often hear, even, perhaps, without quite understanding +them, and many times oftener without fully entering into them. And +we may take them, without fully entering into them. And we may take +them, first, in their first part, where they say that "God is not +the God of the dead." + +The word "dead," we know, is constantly used in Scripture in a +double sense, as meaning those who are dead spiritually as well as +those who are dead naturally. And in either sense the words are +alike applicable: "God is not the God of the dead." + +God's not being the God of the dead signifies two things: that they +who are without Him are dead, as well as that they who are dead are +also without Him. So far as our knowledge goes respecting inferior +animals they appear to be examples of this truth. They appear to +us to have no knowledge of God; and we are not told that they have +any other life than the short one of which our senses inform us. +I am well aware that our ignorance of their condition is so great +that we may not dare to say anything of them positively; there may +be a hundred things true respecting them which we neither know nor +imagine. I would only say that according to that most imperfect +light in which we see them the two points of which I have been +speaking appear to meet in them: we believe that they have no +consciousness of God, and we believe that they will die. And so far, +therefore, they afford an example of the agreement, if I may so +speak, between these two points; and were intended, perhaps, to be +to our view a continual image of it. But we had far better speak of +ourselves. And here, too, it is the case that "God is not the God of +the dead." If we are without Him we are dead, and if we are dead we +are without Him; in other words, the two ideas of death and absence +from God are in fact synonymous. + +Thus, in the account given of the fall of man, the sentence of death +and of being cast out of Eden go together; and if any one compares +the description of the second Eden in the Revelation, and recollects +how especially it is there said that God dwells in the midst of it, +and is its light by day and night, he will see that the banishment +from the first Eden means a banishment from the presence of God. +And thus, in the day that Adam sinned he died; for he was cast out +of Eden immediately, however long he may have moved about afterward +upon the earth where God was not. And how very strong to the same +point are the words of Hezekiah's prayer, "The grave cannot praise +Thee, Death cannot celebrate Thee; they that go down into the pit +cannot hope for Thy truth"; words which express completely the +feeling that God is not the God of the dead. This, too, appears to +be the sense generally of the expression used in various parts of +the Old Testament, "Thou shalt surely die." + +It is, no doubt, left purposely obscure; nor are we ever told in +so many words all that is meant by death; but, surely, it always +implies a separation from God, and the being--whatever the notion +may extend to--the being dead to Him. + +Thus, when David had committed his great sin and had expressed his +repentance for it, Nathan tells him, "The Lord also hath put away +thy sin; thou shalt not die"; which means most expressively, thou +shalt not die to God. + +In one sense David died, as all men die; nor was he by any means +freed from the punishment of his sin; he was not, in that sense, +forgiven, but he was allowed still to regard God as his God; and +therefore his punishments were but fatherly chastisements from God's +hand, designed for his profit that he might be partaker of God's +holiness. + +And thus altho Saul was sentenced to lose his kingdom, and altho he +was killed with his sons on Mount Gilboa, yet I do not think that +we find the sentence passed upon him, "Thou shalt surely die"; and +therefore we have no right to say that God had ceased to be his God +altho He visited him with severe chastisements and would not allow +him to hand down to his sons the crown of Israel. Observe also the +language of the eighteenth chapter of Ezekiel, where the expressions +occur so often, "He shall surely live," and "He shall surely die." + +We have no right to refer these to a mere extension on the one +hand, or a cutting short on the other, of the term of earthly +existence. The promise of living long in the land or, as in +Hezekiah's case, of adding to his days fifteen years, is very +different from the full and unreserved blessing, "Thou shalt surely +live." And we know, undoubtedly, that both the good and the bad to +whom Ezekiel spoke died alike the natural death of the body. But +the peculiar force of the promise and of the threat was, in the +one case, Thou shalt belong to God; in the other, Thou shalt cease +to belong to Him; although the veil was not yet drawn up which +concealed the full import of those terms, "belonging to God," and +"ceasing to belong to Him": nay, can we venture to affirm that it is +fully drawn aside even now? + +I have dwelt on this at some length, because it really seems to +place the common state of the minds of too many amongst us in a +light which is exceedingly awful; for if it be true, as I think +the Scripture implies, that to be dead and to be without God are +precisely the same thing, then can it be denied that the symptoms of +death are strongly marked upon many of us? Are there not many who +never think of God or care about His service? Are there not many +who live, to all appearance, as unconscious of His existence, as we +fancy the inferior animals to be? + +And is it not quite clear that to such persons God cannot be said +to be their God? He may be the God of heaven and earth, the God of +the universe, the God of Christ's Church; but He is not their God, +for they feel to have nothing at all to do with Him; and therefore, +as He is not their God, they are, and must be according to the +Scripture, reckoned among the dead. + +But God is the God "of the living." That is, as before, all who are +alive live unto Him; all who live unto Him are alive. "God said, I +am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob"; +and therefore, says our Lord, "Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob are not +and cannot be dead." They cannot be dead, because God owns them: He +is not ashamed to be called their God; therefore they are not cast +out from Him; therefore, by necessity, they live. + +Wonderful, indeed, is the truth here implied, in exact agreement, as +we have seen, with the general language of Scripture; that, as she +who but touched the hem of Christ's garment was in a moment relieved +from her infirmity, so great was the virtue which went out from Him; +so they who are not cast out from God, but have anything whatever to +do with Him, feel the virtue of His gracious presence penetrating +their whole nature; because He lives, they must live also. + +Behold, then, life and death set before us; not remote (if a few +years be, indeed, to be called remote), but even now present before +us; even now suffered or enjoyed. Even now, we are alive unto God, +or dead unto God; and, as we are either the one or the other, so we +are, in the highest possible sense of the terms, alive or dead. In +the highest possible sense of the terms; but who can tell what that +highest possible sense of the terms is? So much has, indeed, been +revealed to us, that we know now that death means a conscious and +perpetual death, as life means a conscious and perpetual life. + +But greatly, indeed, do we deceive ourselves, if we fancy that, +by having thus much told us, we have also risen to the infinite +heights, or descended to the infinite depths, contained in those +little words, life and death. They are far higher, and far deeper, +than ever thought or fancy of man has reached to. But, even on the +first edge of either, at the visible beginnings of that infinite +ascent or descent, there is surely something which may give us a +foretaste of what is beyond. Even to us in this mortal state, even +to you, advanced but so short a way on your very earthly journey, +life and death have a meaning: to be dead unto God, or to be alive +to Him, are things perceptibly different. + +For, let me ask of those who think least of God, who are most +separate from Him, and most without Him, whether there is not now +actually, perceptibly, in their state, something of the coldness, +the loneliness, the fearfulness of death? I do not ask them whether +they are made unhappy by the fear of God's anger; of course they are +not: for they who fear God are not dead to Him, nor He to them. + +The thought of Him gives them no disquiet at all; this is the very +point we start from. But I would ask them whether they know what +it is to feel God's blessing. For instance: we all of us have our +troubles of some sort or other, our disappointments, if not our +sorrows. In these troubles, in these disappointments,--I care not +how small they may be,--have they known what it is to feel that +God's hand is over them; that these little annoyances are but +His fatherly correction; that He is all the time loving us, and +supporting us? In seasons of joy, such as they taste very often, +have they known what it is to feel that they are tasting the +kindness of their heavenly Father, that their good things come from +His hand and are but an infinitely slight foretaste of His love? +Sickness, danger; I know that they come to many of us but rarely; +but if we have known them, or at least sickness, even in its lighter +form, if not in its graver,--have we felt what it is to know that we +are in our Father's hands, that He is with us, and will be with us +to the end; that nothing can hurt those whom He loves? + +Surely, then, if we have never tasted anything of this: if in +trouble, or in joy, or in sickness, we are left wholly to ourselves +to bear as we can and enjoy as we can; if there is no voice that +ever speaks out of the heights and the depths around us to give any +answer to our own; if we are thus left to ourselves in this vast +world,--there is in this a coldness and a loneliness; and whenever +we come to be, of necessity, driven to be with our own hearts alone, +the coldness and the loneliness must be felt. But consider that the +things which we see around us cannot remain with us nor we with +them. The coldness and loneliness of the world, without God, must +be felt more and more as life wears on; in every change of our own +state, in every separation from or loss of a friend, in every more +sensible weakness of our own bodies, in every additional experience +of the uncertainty of our own counsels,--the deathlike feeling will +come upon us more and more strongly: we shall gain more of that +fearful knowledge which tells us that "God is not the God of the +dead." + +And so, also, the blessed knowledge that He is the God "of the +living" grows upon those who are truly alive. Surely He "is not far +from every one of us." No occasion of life fails to remind those who +live unto Him that He is their God and that they are His children. +On light occasions or on grave ones, in sorrow and in joy, still the +warmth of His love is spread, as it were, all through the atmosphere +of their lives; they forever feel His blessing. And if it fills +them with joy unspeakable even now, when they so often feel how +little they deserve it; if they delight still in being with God, and +in living to Him, let them be sure that they have in themselves the +unerring witness of life eternal: God is the God of the living, and +all who are with Him must live. + +Hard it is, I well know, to bring this home in any degree to the +minds of those who are dead; for it is of the very nature of the +dead that they can hear no words of life. But it has happened that, +even whilst writing what I have just been uttering to you, the news +reached me that one who two months ago was one of your number, who +this very half-year has shared in all the business and amusements of +this place, is passed already into that state where the meanings of +the terms life and death are become fully revealed. He knows what it +is to live unto God and what it is to die to Him. Those things which +are to us unfathomable mysteries are to him all plain: and yet but +two months ago he might have thought himself as far from attaining +this knowledge as any of us can do. Wherefore it is clear that these +things, life and death, may hurry their lesson upon us sooner than +we deem of, sooner than we are prepared to receive it. And that +were indeed awful, if, being dead to God, and yet little feeling it +because of the enjoyments of our worldly life, those enjoyments +were on a sudden to be struck away from us, and we should find then +that to be dead to God was death indeed, a death from which there is +no waking, and in which there is no sleeping forever. + + + + +WAYLAND + +A DAY IN THE LIFE OF JESUS OF NAZARETH + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +Francis Wayland, preacher and philosopher, was born in New York, +in 1796. He graduated at Union College in 1813 and in 1816 entered +Hudson Theological Seminary. His first charge was the First +Baptist Church in Boston. Here he established his reputation as an +able and vigorous pulpit orator. Five years later he accepted a +chair in Union College, but in 1827 entered upon an incumbency of +twenty-eight years as President of Brown University, Providence. +This institution he built up on a broad and liberal basis, quite +emancipating it from narrow sectarianism. In 1855 he became pastor +of the First Baptist Church in Providence and died in 1865. + + + + +WAYLAND + +1796-1865 + +A DAY IN THE LIFE OF JESUS OF NAZARETH + +_And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they +had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert +place, belonging to the city called Bethsaida. And the people +when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake +unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of +healing. And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, +and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into +the towns and country round about, and lodge and get victuals: for +we are here in a desert place. But he said unto them, Give ye them +to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two +fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people. For +they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, +Make them sit down by fifties in a company. And they did so, and +made them all sit down. Then he took the five loaves and the two +fishes and looking up to heaven, he blessed them and brake, and gave +to the disciples to set before the multitude. And they did eat, and +were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained +to them twelve baskets._--Luke ix., 10-17. + + +It was the sagacious opinion of, I think, the late Professor +Porson, that he would rather see a single copy of a daily newspaper +of ancient Athens, than read all the commentaries upon the +Grecian tragedies that have ever been written. The reason for +this preference is obvious. A single sheet, similar to our daily +newspapers, published in the time of Pericles, would admit us at +once to a knowledge of the habits, manners, modes of opinion, +political relations, social condition, and moral attainments of +the people, such as we never could gain from the study of all the +writers that have ever attempted to illustrate the nature of Grecian +civilization. + +The same remark is true in respect to our knowledge of the character +of individuals who have lived in a former age. What would we not, +at the present day, give for a few pages of the private diary of +Julius Cesar, or Cicero, or Brutus, or Augustus; or for the minute +reminiscences of any one who had spent a few days in the company of +either of these distinguished men? What a flood of life would the +discovery of such a manuscript throw upon Roman life, but especially +upon the private opinions, the motives, the aspirations, the moral +estimates of the men whose names have become household words +throughout the world! A few such pages might, perchance, dissipate +the authority of many a bulky folio on which we now rely with +implicit confidence. Not only would the characters of these heroes +of antiquity stand out in bolder relief than they have ever done +before, but the individuals themselves would be brought within the +range of our personal sympathy; and we should seem to commune with +them as we do with an intimate acquaintance. + +It is worthy of remark, that we are favored with a larger portion +of this kind of information, respecting Jesus of Nazareth, than +almost any other distinguished person that has ever lived. He left +no writings Himself; hence all that we know of Him has been written +by others. The narrators, however, were the personal attendants, and +not the mere auditors or pupils of their master. The apostles were +members of the family of Jesus; they traveled with Him, on foot, +throughout the length and breadth of Palestine; they partook with +Him of his frugal meals, and bore with Him the trial of hunger, +weariness, and want of shelter; they followed Him through the lonely +wilderness and the crowded street; they saw His miracles in every +variety of form, and listened to His discourses in public as well +as to His explanations in private. Hence their whole narrative is +instinct with life; a vivid picture of Jewish manners and customs, +rendered more definite and characteristic by the moral light which +then, for the first time, shone upon it. Hence it is that these few +pages are replete with moral lessons that never weary us in the +perusal, and which have been the source of unfailing illumination to +all succeeding ages. + +The verses which I have read, as the text of this discourse, may +well be taken as an illustration of all that I have here said. They +may, without impropriety, be styled a day in the life of Jesus of +Nazareth. By observing the manner in which our blessed Lord spent a +single day, we may form some conception of the kind of life which +He ordinarily led; and we may, perchance, treasure up some lessons +which it were well if we should exemplify in our daily practice. + +The place at which these events occurred was near the head of the +Sea of Galilee, where it receives the waters of the upper Jordan. +This was one of the Savior's favorite places of resort. Capernaum, +Chorazin, and Bethsaida, all in this immediate vicinity, are always +spoken of in the gospels as towns which enjoyed the largest share of +His ministerial labors, and were distinguished most frequently with +the honor of His personal presence. The scenery of the neighborhood +is wild and romantic. To the north and west, the eye rests on the +lofty summits of Lebanon and Hermon. To the south, there opens upon +the view the blue expanse of the lake, enclosed by frowning rocks, +which here and there jut over far into the waters, and then again +retire towards the land, leaving a level beach to invite the labors +of the fishermen. The people, removed at a considerable distance +from the metropolis of Judea, cultivated those rural habits with +which the simple tastes of the Savior would most readily harmonize. +Near this spot was also one of the most frequented fords of the +Jordan, on the road from Damascus to Jerusalem; and thus, while +residing here, He enjoyed unusual facilities for disseminating +throughout this whole region a knowledge of those truths which He +came on earth to promulgate. + +Some weeks previous to the time in which the events spoken of in +the text occurred, our Lord had sent His disciples to announce the +approach of the kingdom of heaven, in all the cities and villages +which He Himself proposed to visit. He conferred on them the power +to work miracles, in attestation of their authority, and of the +divine character of Him by whom they were sent. He imposed upon them +strict rules of conduct, and directed them to make known to every +one who would hear them the good news of the coming dispensation. +As soon as He sent them forth, He Himself went immediately abroad +to teach and to preach in their cities. As their Master and Lord, +He might reasonably have claimed exemption from the personal +toil and the rigid self-denials to which they were by necessity +subjected. But He had laid no claim to such exemption. He commenced +without delay the performance of the very same duties which He +had imposed upon them. He felt himself under obligation to set an +example of obedience to His own rules. "The Son of Man," said He, +"came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His +life a ransom for many." "Which," said He, "is greater, he that +sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? but I am among you as He that +serveth." Would it not be well, if, in this respect, we copied more +minutely the example of our Lord, and held ourselves responsible +for the performance of the very same duties which we so willingly +impose upon our brethren? We best prove that we believe an act +obligatory, when we commence the performance of it ourselves. Many +zealous Christians employ themselves in no other labor than that +of urging their brethren to effort. Our Savior acted otherwise. +In this respect, His example is specially to be imitated by His +ministers. When they urge upon others a moral duty, they must be +the first to perform it. When they inculcate an act of self-denial, +they themselves must make the noblest sacrifice. Can we conceive +of anything which could so much increase the moral power of the +ministry, and rouse to a flame the dormant energy of the churches, +as obedience to this teaching of Christ by the preachers of His +gospel? + +It seems that the Savior had selected a well-known spot, at the +head of the lake, for the place of meeting for his apostles, after +this their first missionary tour had been completed. "The apostles +gathered themselves unto Jesus, and told Him all things, both +what they had done, and what they had taught." There is something +delightful in this filial confidence which these simple-hearted +men reposed in their almighty Redeemer. They told Him of their +success and their failure, of their wisdom and their folly, of +their reliance and their unbelief. We can almost imagine ourselves +spectators of this meeting between Christ and them, after this +their first separation from each other. The place appointed was +most probably some well-known locality on the shore of the lake, +under the shadow of its overhanging rocks, where the cool air from +the bosom of the water refreshed each returning laborer, as he came +back beaten out with the fatigues of travel, under the burning sun +of Syria. You can imagine the joy with which each drew near to the +Master, after this temporary absence; and the honest greetings with +which every newcomer was welcomed by those who had chanced to arrive +before him. We can seem to perceive the Savior of men listening with +affectionate earnestness to the recital of their various adventures; +and interposing, from time to time, a word either of encouragement +or of caution, as the character and circumstances of each narrator +required it. The bosom of each was unveiled before the Searcher of +Hearts, and the consolation which each one needed was bestowed upon +him abundantly. The toilsomeness of their journey was no longer +remembered, as each one received from the Son of God the smile +of His approbation. That was truly a joyful meeting. Of all that +company there is not one who has forgotten that day; nor will he +forget it ever. With unreserved frankness they told Jesus of all +that they had done, and what they had taught; of all their acts, +and all their conversations. Would it not be better for us, if we +cultivated more assiduously this habit of intimate intercourse with +the Savior? Were we every day to tell Jesus of all that we have +done and said; did we spread before Him our joys and our sorrows, +our faults and our infirmities, our successes and our failures, we +should be saved from many an error and many a sin. Setting the Lord +always before us, He would be on our right hand, and we should not +be moved. "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High +shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." + +The Savior perceived that the apostles needed much instruction which +could not be communicated in a place where both He and they were so +well known. They had committed many errors, which He preferred to +correct in private. By doing His will, they had learned to repose +greater confidence in His wisdom, and were prepared to receive from +Him more important instruction. But these lessons could not be +delivered in the hearing of a promiscuous audience. Nor was this +all. He perceived that the apostles were worn out with their labors, +and needed repose. Surrounded as they were by the multitude, which +had already begun to collect about them, rest and retirement were +equally impossible. "There were many coming and going, and they had +no leisure, even so much as to eat." He therefore said to them, +"Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while." +For this purpose, He "took ship, and crossed over with his disciples +alone, and went into a desert place belonging to Bethsaida." + +The religion of Christ imposes upon us duties of retirement, as +well as duties of publicity. The apostles had been for some time +past before the eyes of all men, preaching and working miracles. +Their souls needed retirement. "Solitude," said Cecil, "is my great +ordinance." They would be greatly improved by private communion both +with Him and with each other. It was for the purpose of affording +them such a season of moral recreation, that our Lord withdrew them +from the public gaze into a desert place. Nor was this all. Their +labor for some weeks past had been severe. They had traveled on foot +under a tropical sun, reasoning with unbelievers, instructing the +ignorant, and comforting the cast-down. Called upon, at all hours, +both of the day and night, to work cures on those that were opprest +with diseases, their bodies, no less than their spirits, needed +rest. Our Lord saw this, and He made provision for it. He withdrew +them from labor, that they might find, tho it were but for a day, +the repose which their exhausted natures demanded. The religion of +Christ is ever merciful, and ever consistent in its benevolence. +It is thoughtful of the benefactor as well as the recipient. It +requires of us all labor and self-sacrifice, but to these it affixes +a limit. It never commands us to ruin our health and enfeeble our +minds by unnatural exhaustion. It teaches us to obey the laws of +our physical organization, and to prepare ourselves for the labors +of to-morrow by the judiciously conducted labors of to-day. It was +on this principle that our Lord conducted His intercourse with His +disciples. "He knew their frame, and remembered that they were dust." + +May we not from this incident derive a lesson of practical +instruction? I well know that there are persons who are always +sparing themselves, who, while it is difficult to tell what they do, +are always complaining of the crushing weight of their labors, and +who are rather exhausted with the dread of what they shall do, than +with the experience of what they have actually done. It is not of +those that we speak. Those who do not labor have no need of rest. It +is to the honest, the painstaking, the laborious, that we address +the example in the text. We sometimes meet with the industrious, +self-denying servant of Christ, in feeble health, and with an +exhausted nature, bemoaning his condition, and condemning himself +because he can accomplish no more, while so much yet remains to be +done. To such a one we may safely present the example of the blessed +Savior. When His apostles had done to the utmost of their strength, +altho the harvest was great, and the laborers few, He did not urge +upon them additional labor, nor tell them that because there was so +much to be done they must never cease from doing. No; He tells them +to turn aside and rest for a while. It is as tho He had said, "Your +strength is exhausted; you cannot be qualified for subsequent duty +until you be refreshed. Economize, then, your power, that you may +accomplish the more." The Savior addresses the same language to us +now. When we are worn down in His service, as in any other, He would +have us rest, not for the sake of self-indulgence, but that we may +be the better prepared for future effort. We do nothing at variance +with His will, when we, with a good conscience, use the liberty +which he has thus conceded to us. + +Jesus, with His disciples, crossed the water, and entered the +desert; that is, the sparsely inhabited country of Bethsaida. +Desert, or wilderness, in the New Testament, does not mean an arid +waste, but pasture land, forest, or any district to which one could +retire for seclusion. Here, in the cool and tranquil neighborhood +of the lake, he began to instruct His disciples, and, without +interruption, make known to them the mysteries of the kingdom. It +was one of those seasons that the Savior Himself rarely enjoyed. +Everything tended to repose: the rustling leaves, the rippling +waves, the song of the birds, heard more distinctly in this rural +solitude, all served to calm the spirit ruffled by the agitations of +the world, and prepared it to listen to the truths which unveil to +us eternity. Here our Lord could unbosom Himself, without reserve, +to His chosen few, and hold with them that communion which He was +rarely permitted to enjoy during His ministry on earth. + +Soon, however, the whole scene is changed. The multitude, whom he +had so recently left, having observed the direction in which He had +gone, have discovered the place of His retreat. An immense crowd +approaches, and the little company is surrounded by a dense mass of +human beings pressing upon them on every side. These are, however, +only the pioneers. At last, five thousand men, besides women and +children, are beheld thronging around them. + +Some of these suitors present most importunate claims. They are in +search of cure for diseases which have baffled the skill of the +medical profession, and, as a last resort, they have come to the +Messiah for aid. Here was a parent bringing a consumptive child. +There were children bearing on a couch a paralytic parent. Here +was a sister leading a brother blind from his birth, while her +supplications were drowned by the shout of a frenzied lunatic who +was standing by her side. Every one, believing his own claim to be +the most urgent, prest forward with selfish importunity. Each one, +caring for no other than himself, was striving to attain the front +rank, while those behind, disappointed, and fearing to lose this +important opportunity, were eager to occupy the places of those more +fortunate than themselves. The necessary tumult and disorder of such +a scene you can better imagine than I can describe. + +This was, doubtless, by no means a welcome interruption. The +apostles needed the time for rest; for they were worn out in +the public service. They wanted it for instruction; for such +opportunities of intercourse with Christ were rare. But what did +they do? Did our Lord inform the multitude that this day was set +apart for their own refreshment and improvement, and that they could +not be interrupted? As He beheld them approaching, did He quietly +take to His boat, and leave them to go home disappointed? Did He +plead His own convenience, or His need of repose, as any reason for +not attending to the pressing necessities of His fellow men? + +No, my brethren, very far from it. That providence of God had +brought these multitudes before Him, and that same providence +forbade Him to send them away unblest. He at once broke up the +conference with His disciples and addrest Himself to the work +before Him. His instructions were of inestimable importance; but +I doubt if even they were as important as the example of deep +humility, exhaustless kindness, and affecting compassion which He +here exhibited. When the Master places work before us which can be +done at no other time, our convenience must yield to other men's +necessities. "The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but +to minister." You can imagine to yourself the Savior rising from +His seat, in the midst of His disciples, and presenting Himself +to the approaching multitudes. His calm dignity awes into silence +this tumultuous gathering of the people. Those who came out to +witness the tricks of an empiric, or listen to the ravings of a +fanatic, find themselves, unexpectedly, in a presence that repels +every emotion but that of profound veneration. The light-hearted +and frivolous are awestruck by the unearthly majesty that seems +to clothe the Messiah as with a garment. And yet it was a majesty +that shone forth conspicuous, most of all, by the manifestation of +unparalleled goodness. Every eye that met the eye of the Savior +quailed before Him; for it looked into a soul that had never +sinned; and the spirit of the sinner felt, for the first time, the +full power of immaculate virtue. + +Thus the Savior passed among the crowd, and "healed all that had +need of healing." The lame walked, the lepers were cleansed, +the blind received their sight, the paralytic were restored to +soundness, and the bloom of health revisited the cheeks of those +that but just now were sick unto death. + +The work to be done for the bodies of men was accomplished, and +there yet remained some hours of the summer's day unconsumed. The +power and goodness displayed in this miraculous healing would +naturally predispose the people to listen to the instructions of +the Savior. This was too valuable an opportunity to be lost. Our +Lord therefore proceeded to speak to them of the things concerning +the kingdom of God. We can seem to perceive the Savior seeking +an eminence from whence He could the more conveniently address +this vast assembly. You hear Him unfold the laws of God's moral +government. He unmasks the hypocrisy of the Pharisees; He rebukes +the infidelity of the Sadducees; He exposes the folly of the +frivolous, as well as of the selfish worldling; He speaks peaceably +to the humble penitent; He encourages the meek, and comforts those +that be cast down. The intellect and the conscience of this vast +assembly are swayed at His will. The soul of man bows down in +reverence in the presence of its Creator. "He stilleth the noise of +the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people." +As He closes His address, every eye is moistened with compunction +for sin. Every soul cherishes the hope of amendment. Every one is +conscious that a new moral light has dawned upon his soul, and that +a new moral universe has been unveiled to his spiritual vision. As +the closing words of the Savior fell upon their ears, the whole +multitude stood for a while unmoved, as tho transfixt to the earth +by some mighty spell; until, at last, the murmur is heard from +thousands of voices, "Never man spake like this man." + +But the shades of evening are gathering around them. The multitude +have nothing to eat. To send them away fasting would be inhuman, +for divers of them came from far, and many were women and children, +who could not perform their journey homeward without previous +refreshment. To purchase food in the surrounding towns and villages +would be difficult; but even were this possible, whence could +the necessary funds be provided? A famishing multitude was thus +unexpectedly cast upon the bounty of our Lord. He had not tempted +God by leading them into the wilderness. They came to Him of +themselves, to hear His words and to be healed of their infirmities. +He could not "send them away fasting, lest they should faint by the +way." In this dilemma, what was to be done? He puts this question to +His disciples, and they can suggest no means of relief. The little +stock of provisions which they had brought with them was barely +sufficient for themselves. They can perceive no means whatever by +which the multitude can be fed, and they at once confess it. + +The Savior, however, commands the twelve to give them to eat. They +produce their slender store of provisions, amounting to five loaves +and two small fishes. He commands the multitude to sit down by +companies on the grass. As soon as silence is obtained, He lifts +up His eyes to heaven, and supplicates the blessing of God upon +their scanty meal. He begins to break the loaves and fishes, and +distribute them to His disciples, and His disciples distribute them +to the multitude. He continues to break and distribute. Basket after +basket is filled and emptied, yet the supply is undiminished. Food +is carried in abundance to the famishing thousands. Company after +company is supplied with food, but the five loaves and two fishes +remain unexhausted. At last, the baskets are returned full, and +it is announced that the wants of the multitude are supplied. The +miracle then ceases, and the multiplication of food is at an end. + +But even here the provident care of the Savior is manifested. Altho +this food has been so easily provided, it is not right that it be +lightly suffered to perish. Christ wrought no miracles for the +sake of teaching men wastefulness. That food, by what means soever +provided, was a creature of God, and it were sin to allow it to +decay without accomplishing the purposes for which it was created. +"Gather up the fragments," said the Master of the feast, "that +nothing be lost." "And they gathered up the fragments that remained, +twelve baskets full." + +Dissimilar as are our circumstances to those of our Lord, we may +learn from this latter incident a lesson of instruction. + +In the first place, as I have remarked, the Savior did not lead +the multitude into the wilderness without making provision for +their sustenance. This would have been presumption. They followed +Him without His command, and He found Himself with them in this +necessity. He had provided for His own wants, but they had not +provided for theirs. The providence of God had, however, placed +Him in His present circumstances, and He might therefore properly +look to providence for deliverance. This event, then, furnishes +the rule by which we are to be governed. When we plunge ourselves +into difficulty, by a neglect of the means or by a misuse of the +faculties which God has bestowed upon us, it is to be expected +that He will leave us to our own devices. But when, in the honest +discharge of our duties, we find ourselves in circumstances beyond +the reach of human aid, we may then confidently look up to God for +deliverance. He will always take care of us while we are in the +spot where He has placed us. When He appoints for us trials, He +also appoints for us the means of escape. The path of duty, tho it +may seem arduous, is ever the path of safety. We can more easily +maintain ourselves in the most difficult position, God being our +helper, than in apparent security relying on our own strength. + +The Savior, in full reliance upon God, with only five loaves and +two fishes, commenced the distribution of food amongst the vast +multitude. Tho His whole store was barely sufficient to supply +the wants of His immediate family, He began to share it with the +thousands who surrounded Him. Small as was His provision at the +commencement, it remained unconsumed until the deed of mercy was +done, and the wants of the famished host supplied. Nor were the +disciples losers by this act of charity. After the multitude had +eaten and were satisfied, twelve baskets full of fragments remained, +a reward for their deed of benevolence. + +From this portion of the narrative, we may, I think, learn that +if we act in faith, and in the spirit of Christian love, we may +frequently be justified in commencing the most important good +work, even when in possession of apparently inadequate means. If +the work be of God, He will furnish us with helpers as fast as they +are needed. In all ages, God has rewarded abundantly simple trust +in Him, and has bestowed upon it in the highest honor. We must, +however, remember the conditions upon which alone we may expect His +aid, lest we be led into fanaticism. The service which we undertake +must be such as God has commanded, and His providence must either +designate us for the work, or, at least, open the door by which we +shall enter upon it. It must be God's work, and not our own; for the +good of others, and not for the gratification of our own passions; +and, in the doing of it, we must, first of all, make sacrifice of +ourselves, and not of others. Under such circumstances, there is +hardly a good design which we may not undertake with cheerful hopes +of success, for God has promised us His assistance. "If God be for +us, who can be against us?" The calculations of the men of this +world are of small account in such a matter. It would have provoked +the smile of an infidel to behold the Savior commencing the work +of feeding five thousand men with a handful of provisions. But the +supply increased as fast as it was needed, and it ceased not until +all that He had prayed for was accomplished. + +Perhaps, also, we may learn from this incident another lesson. If +I mistake not, it suggests to us that in works of benevolence we +are accustomed to rely too much on human, and too little on divine, +aid. When we attempt to do good, we commence by forming large +associations, and suppose that our success depends upon the number +of men whom we can unite in the promotion of our undertaking. Every +one is apt thus to forget his own personal duty, and rely upon the +labor of others, and it is well if he does not put his organization +in the place of God Himself. Would it not be better if we made +benevolence much more a matter between God and our own souls, each +one doing with his own hands, in firm reliance on divine aid, the +work which Providence has placed directly before him? Our Lord did +not send to the villages round to organize a general effort to +relieve the famishing. In reliance upon God, He set about to work +Himself, with just such means as God had afforded Him. All the +miracles of benevolence have, if I mistake not, been wrought in the +same manner. The little band of disciples in Jerusalem accomplished +more for the conversion of the world than all the Christians of the +present day united. And why? Because every individual Christian felt +that the conversion of the world was a work for which he himself, +and not an abstraction that he called the Church, was responsible. +Instead of relying on man for aid, every one looked up directly to +God, and went forth to the work. God was thus exalted, the power +was confest to be His own, and, in a few years, the standard of the +Cross was carried to the remotest extremities of the then known +world. + +Such has, I think, been the case ever since. Every great moral +reformation has proceeded upon principles analogous of these. It +was Luther, standing up alone in simple reliance upon God, that +smote the Papal hierarchy; and the effects of that blow are now +agitating the nations of Europe. Roger Williams, amid persecution +and banishment, held forth that doctrine of soul-liberty which, +in its onward march, is disenthralling a world. Howard, alone, +undertook the work of showing mercy to the prisoner, and his example +is now enlisting the choicest minds in Christendom in this labor of +benevolence. Clarkson, unaided, a young man, and without influences, +consecrated himself to the work of abolishing the slave trade; and, +before he rested from his labor, his country had repented of and +forsaken this atrocious sin. Raikes saw the children of Gloucester +profaning the Sabbath day; he set on foot a Sabbath school on his +own account, and now millions of children are reaping the benefit of +his labors, and his example has turned the attention of the whole +world to the religious instruction of the young. With such facts +before us, we surely should be encouraged to attempt individually +the accomplishment of some good design, relying in humility and +faith upon Him who is able to grant prosperity to the feeblest +effort put forth in earnest reliance on His almightiness. + +Such were the occupations that filled up a day in the life of Jesus +of Nazareth. There was not an act done for Himself; all was done +for others. Every hour was employed in the labor which that hour +set before Him. Private kindness, the relief of distress, public +teaching, and ministration to the wants of the famishing, filled +up the entire day. Let His disciples learn to follow His example. +Let us, like Him, forget ourselves, our own wants, and our own +weariness, that we may, as he did, scatter blessings on every side, +as we move onward in the pathway of our daily life. If such were the +occupations of the Son of God, can we do more wisely than to imitate +His example? Every disciple would then be as a city set upon a hill, +and men, seeing our good works, would glorify our Father who is in +heaven. "Then would our righteousness go forth as brightness, and +our salvation as a lamp that burneth." + + + + +VINET + +THE MYSTERIES OF CHRISTIANITY + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +ALEXANDER VINET, the eminent Swiss divine and author, was born at +Ouchy, Canton, in 1797. He was professor of theology at Lausanne +(1837-45), where he gained reputation as a preacher, a philosopher, +and a writer. He was tolerant tho critical, and many of his +utterances are marked by rare brilliancy. His supreme and intense +faith led him to say: "The gospel is believed when it has ceased +to be to us an external and has become an internal truth, when it +has become a fact in our consciousness. Christianity is conscience +raised to its highest exercise." He died in 1847. + + + + +VINET + +1797-1847 + +THE MYSTERIES OF CHRISTIANITY + +_Things which have not entered into the heart of man._--1 Cor. ii., +9. + + +"I do not comprehend, therefore I do not believe." "The gospel is +full of mysteries, therefore I do not receive the gospel:"--such is +one of the favorite arguments of infidelity. To see how much is made +of this, and what confidence it inspires, we might believe it solid, +or, at least, specious; but it is neither the one nor the other; +it will not bear the slightest attention, the most superficial +examination of reason; and if it still enjoys some favor in the +world, this is but a proof of the lightness of our judgments upon +things worthy of our most serious attention. + +Upon what, in fact, does this argument rest? Upon the claim of +comprehending every thing in the religion which God has offered or +could offer us--a claim equally unjust, unreasonable, useless. This +we proceed to develop. + +1. In the first place, it is an unjust claim. It is to demand of God +what He does not owe us. To prove this, let us suppose that God has +given a religion to man, and let us further suppose that religion to +be the gospel: for this absolutely changes nothing to the argument. +We may believe that God was free, at least, with reference to us, +to give us or not to give us a religion; but it must be admitted +that in granting it He contracts engagements to us, and that the +first favor lays Him under a necessity of conferring other favors. +For this is merely to say that God must be consistent, and that He +finishes what He has begun. Since it is by a written revelation +He manifests His designs respecting us, it is necessary He should +fortify that revelation by all the authority which would at least +determine us to receive it; it is necessary He should give us the +means of judging whether the men who speak to us in His name are +really sent by Him; in a word, it is necessary we should be assured +that the Bible is truly the Word of God. + +It would not indeed be necessary that the conviction of each of +us should be gained by the same kind of evidence. Some shall be +led to Christianity by the historical or external arguments; they +shall prove to themselves the truth of the Bible as the truth of +all history is proved; they shall satisfy themselves that the +books of which it is composed are certainly those of the times and +of the authors to which they are ascribed. This settled, they +shall compare the prophecies contained in these ancient documents +with the events that have happened in subsequent ages; they shall +assure themselves of the reality of the miraculous facts related in +these books, and shall thence infer the necessary intervention of +divine power, which alone disposes the forces of nature, and can +alone interrupt or modify their action. Others, less fitted for +such investigations, shall be struck with the internal evidence +of the Holy Scriptures. Finding there the state of their souls +perfectly described, their wants fully exprest, and the true +remedies for their maladies completely indicated; struck with a +character of truth and candor which nothing can imitate; in fine, +feeling themselves in their inner nature moved, changed, renovated, +by the mysterious influence of these holy writings, they shall +acquire, by such means, a conviction of which they can not always +give an account to others, but which is not the less legitimate, +irresistible, and immovable. Such is the double road by which an +entrance is gained into the asylum of faith. But it was due from the +wisdom of God, from His justice, and, we venture to say it, from +the honor of His government, that He should open to man this double +road; for, if He desired man to be saved by knowledge, on the same +principle He engaged Himself to furnish him the means of knowledge. + +Behold, whence come the obligations of the Deity with reference +to us, which obligations He has fulfilled. Enter on this double +method of proof. Interrogate history, time and places, respecting +the authenticity of the Scriptures; grasp all the difficulties, +sound all the objections; do not permit yourselves to be too easily +convinced; be the more severe upon that book, as it professes to +contain the sovereign rule of your life, and the disposal of your +destiny; you are permitted to do this, nay, you are encouraged +to do it, provided you proceed to the investigation with the +requisite capacities and with pure intentions. Or, if you prefer +another method, examine, with an honest heart, the contents of the +Scriptures; inquire, while you run over the words of Jesus, if ever +man spake like this Man; inquire if the wants of your soul, long +deceived, and the anxieties of your spirit, long cherished in vain, +do not, in the teaching and work of Christ, find that satisfaction +and repose which no wisdom was ever able to procure you; breathe, +if I may thus express myself, that perfume of truth, of candor and +purity, which exhales from every page of the gospel; see, if, in all +these respects, it does not bear the undeniable seal of inspiration +and divinity. Finally, test it, and if the gospel produces upon you +a contrary effect, return to the books and the wisdom of men, and +ask of them what Christ has not been able to give you. + +But if, neglecting these two ways, made accessible to you, +and trodden by the feet of ages, you desire, before all, that +the Christian religion should, in every point, render itself +comprehensible to your mind, and complacently strip itself of all +mysteries; if you wish to penetrate beyond the veil, to find there, +not the aliment which gives life to the soul, but that which would +gratify your restless curiosity, I maintain that you raise against +God a claim the most indiscreet, the most rash and unjust; for He +has never engaged, either tacitly or expressly, to discover to you +the secret which your eye craves; and such audacious importunity is +fit to excite His indignation. He has given you what He owed you, +more indeed than He owed you; the rest is with Himself. + +If a claim so unjust could be admitted, where, I ask you, would be +the limit of your demands? Already you require more from God than He +has accorded to angels; for these eternal mysteries which trouble +you, the harmony of the divine prescience with human freedom, the +origin of evil and its ineffable remedy, the incarnation of the +eternal Word--the relations of the God-man with His Father--the +atoning virtue of His sacrifice, the regenerating efficacy of the +Spirit-comforter, all these things are secrets, the knowledge of +which is hidden from angels themselves, who, according to the word +of the Apostle, stoop to explore their depths, and can not. + +If you reproach the Eternal for having kept the knowledge of +these divine mysteries to Himself, why do you not reproach Him +for the thousand other limits He has prescribed for you? Why not +reproach Him for not having given you wings like a bird, to visit +the regions, which, till now, have been scanned only by your eyes? +Why not reproach Him for not giving you, besides the five senses +with which you are provided, ten other senses which He has perhaps +granted to other creatures, and which procure for them perceptions +of which you have no idea? Why not, in fine, reproach Him for having +caused the darkness of night to succeed the brightness of day +invariably on the earth? Ah! you do not reproach Him for that. You +love that night which brings rest to so many fatigued bodies and +weary spirits; which suspends in so many wretches, the feeling of +grief; that night, during which orphans, slaves, and criminals cease +to be, because over all their misfortunes and sufferings it spreads, +with the opiate of sleep, the thick veil of oblivion; you love that +night which, peopling the deserts of the heavens with ten thousand +stars, not known to the day, reveals the infinite to our ravished +imagination. + +Well, then, why do you not, for a similar reason, love the night +of divine mysteries, night, gracious and salutary, in which reason +humbles itself, and finds refreshment and repose; where the darkness +even is a revelation; where one of the principal attributes of God, +immensity, discovers itself much more fully to our mind; where, in +fine, the tender relations He has permitted us to form with Himself, +are guarded from all admixture of familiarity by the thought that +the Being who has humbled Himself to us, is, at the same time, +the inconceivable God who reigns before all time, who includes in +Himself all existences and all conditions of existence, the center +of all thought, the law of all law, the supreme and final reason +of every thing! So that, if you are just, instead of reproaching +Him for the secrets of religion, you will bless Him that He has +enveloped you in mysteries. + +2. But this claim is not only unjust toward God; it is also in +itself exceedingly unreasonable. + +What is religion? It is God putting Himself in communication with +man; the Creator with the creature, the infinite with the finite. +There already, without going further, is a mystery; a mystery +common to all religions, impenetrable in all religions. If, then, +every thing which is a mystery offends you, you are arrested on the +threshold, I will not say of Christianity, but of every religion; +I say, even of that religion which is called natural, because it +rejects revelation and miracles; for it necessarily implies, at +the very least, a connection, a communication of some sort between +God and man--the contrary being equivalent to atheism. Your claim +prevents you from having any belief; and because you have not been +willing to be Christians, it will not allow you to be deists. + +"It is of no consequence," you say, "we pass over that difficulty; +we suppose between God and us connections we can not conceive; we +admit them because they are necessary to us. But this is the only +step we are willing to take: we have already yielded too much to +yield more." Say more, say you have granted too much not to grant +much more, not to grant all! You have consented to admit, without +comprehending it, that there may be communications from God to you, +and from you to God. But consider well what is implied in such a +supposition. It implies that you are dependent, and yet free: this +you do not comprehend; it implies that the Spirit of God can make +itself understood by your spirit: this you do not comprehend; it +implies that your prayers may exert an influence on the will of +God: this you do not comprehend. It is necessary you should receive +all these mysteries, in order to establish with God connections the +most vague and superficial, and by the very side of which atheism +is placed. And when, by a powerful effort with yourselves you have +done so much as to admit these mysteries, you recoil from those +of Christianity! You have accepted the foundation, and refuse the +superstructure! You have accepted the principle and refuse the +details! You are right, no doubt, so soon as it is proved to you, +that the religion which contains these mysteries does not come from +God; or rather, that these mysteries contain contradictory ideas. +But you are not justified in denying them, for the sole reason that +you do not understand them; and the reception you have given to the +first kind of mysteries compels you, by the same rule, to receive +the others. + +This is not all. Not only are mysteries an inseparable part, nay, +the very substance of all religion, but it is absolutely impossible +that a true religion should not present a great number of mysteries. +If it is true, it ought to teach more truths respecting God and +divine things than any other, than all others together; but each +of these truths has a relation to the infinite, and by consequence +borders on a mystery. How should it be otherwise in religion, when +it is thus in nature itself? Behold God in nature! The more He +gives us to contemplate, the more He gives to astonish us. To each +creature is attached some mystery. A grain of sand is an abyss! +Now, if the manifestations which God has made of Himself in nature +suggest to the observer a thousand questions which can not be +answered, how will it be, when to that first revelation, another +is added; when God the Creator and Preserver reveals Himself under +new aspects as God the Reconciler and Savior? Shall not mysteries +multiply with discoveries? With each new day shall we not see +associated a new night? And shall we not purchase each increase of +knowledge with an increase of ignorance? Has not the doctrine of +grace, so necessary, so consoling, alone opened a profound abyss, +into which, for eighteen centuries, rash and restless spirits have +been constantly plunging? + +It is, then, clearly necessary that Christianity should, more +than any other religion, be mysterious, simply because it is +true. Like mountains, which, the higher they are, cast the larger +shadows, the gospel is the more obscure and mysterious on account +of its sublimity. After this, will you be indignant that you do +not comprehend every thing in the gospel? It would, forsooth, be +a truly surprising thing if the ocean could not be held in the +hollow of your hand, or uncreated wisdom within the limits of your +intelligence! It would be truly unfortunate if a finite being could +not embrace the infinite, and that, in the vast assemblage of things +there should be some idea beyond its grasp! In other words, it would +be truly unfortunate if God Himself should know something which man +does not know! + +Let us acknowledge, then, how insensate is such a claim when it is +made with reference to religion. + +But let us also recollect how much, in making such a claim, we +shall be in opposition to ourselves; for the submission we dislike +in religion, we cherish in a thousand other things. It happens to us +every day to admit things we do not understand, and to do so without +the least repugnance. The things, the knowledge of which is refused +us, are much more numerous than we perhaps think. Few diamonds are +perfectly pure; still fewer truths are perfectly clear. The union +of our soul with our body is a mystery--our most familiar emotions +and affections are a mystery--the action of thought and of will is +a mystery--our very existence is a mystery. Why do we admit these +various facts? Is it because we understand them? No, certainly, but +because they are self-evident, and because they are truths by which +we live. In religion we have no other course to take. We ought to +know whether it is true and necessary; and once convinced of these +two points, we ought, like the angels, to submit to the necessity of +being ignorant of some things. And why do we not submit cheerfully +to a privation which, after all, is not one? + +3. To desire the knowledge of mysteries is to desire what is utterly +useless; it is to raise, as I have said before, a claim the most +vain and idle. What in reference to us is the object of the gospel? +Evidently to regenerate and save us. But it attains this end wholly +by the things it reveals. Of what use would it be to know those it +conceals from us? We possess the knowledge which can enlighten our +consciences, rectify our inclinations, renew our hearts; what should +we gain if we possest other knowledge? It infinitely concerns us to +know that the Bible is the Word of God; does it equally concern us +to know in what way the holy men that wrote it were moved by the +Holy Ghost? It is of infinite moment to us to know that Jesus Christ +is the Son of God; need we know precisely in what way the divine and +human natures are united in His adorable person? It is of infinite +importance for us to know that unless we are born again we can not +enter the kingdom of God, and that the Holy Spirit is the author of +the new birth; shall we be further advanced if we know the divine +process by which that wonder is performed? Is it not enough for us +to know the truths that save? Of what use, then, would it be to know +those which have not the slightest bearing on our salvation? "Tho +I know all mysteries," says St. Paul, "and have not charity, I am +nothing." St. Paul was content not to know, provided he had charity; +shall not we, following his example, be content also without +knowledge, provided that, like him, we have charity, that is to say, +life? + +But some one will say "If the knowledge of mysteries is really +without influence on our salvation, why have they been indicated to +us at all?" What if it should be to teach us not to be too prodigal +of our "wherefores!" if it should be to serve as an exercise of our +faith, a test of our submission! But we will not stop with such a +reply. + +Observe, I pray you, in what manner the mysteries of which you +complain have taken their part in religion. You readily perceive +they are not by themselves, but associated with truths which have +a direct bearing on your salvation. They contain them, they serve +to develop them; but they are not themselves the truths that save. +It is with these mysteries as it is with the vessel that contains +a medicinal draft--it is not the vessel that cures, but the draft; +yet the draft could not be presented without the vessel. Thus each +truth that saves is contained in a mystery, which, in itself, has +no power to save. So the great work of expiation is necessarily +attached to the incarnation of the Son of God, which is a mystery; +so the sanctifying graces of the new covenant are necessarily +connected with the effluence of the Holy Spirit, which is a mystery; +so, too, the divinity of religion finds a seal and an attestation +in the miracles, which are mysteries. Everywhere the light is born +from darkness, and darkness accompanies the light. These two orders +of truths are so united, so interlinked, that you can not remove +the one without the other, and each of the mysteries you attempt to +tear from religion would carry with it one of the truths which bear +directly on your regeneration and salvation. Accept the mysteries, +then, not as truths that can save you, but as the necessary +conditions of the merciful work of the Lord in your behalf. + +The true point at issue in reference to religion is this:--Does +the religion which is proposed to us change the heart, unite to +God, prepare for heaven? If Christianity produces these effects, +we will leave the enemies of the cross free to revolt against its +mysteries, and tax them with absurdity. The gospel, we will say to +them, is then an absurdity; you have discovered it. But behold what +a new species of absurdity that certainly is which attaches man to +all his duties, regulates human life better than all the doctrines +of sages, plants in his bosom harmony, order, and peace, causes +him joyfully to fulfil all the offices of civil life, renders him +better fitted to live, better fitted to die, and which, were it +generally received, would be the support and safeguard of society! +Cite to us, among all human absurdities, a single one which produces +such effects. If that "foolishness" we preach produces effects like +these, is it not natural to conclude that it is truth itself? And if +these things have not entered the heart of man, it is not because +they are absurd, but because they are divine. + +Make but a single reflection. You are obliged to confess that none +of the religions which man may invent can satisfy his wants, or +save his soul. Thereupon you have a choice to make. You will either +reject them all as insufficient and false, and seek for nothing +better, since man can not invent better, and then you will abandon +to chance, to caprice of temperament or of opinion, your moral life +and future destiny; or you will adopt that other religion which some +treat as folly, and it will render you holy and pure, blameless in +the midst of a perverse generation, united to God by love, and to +your brethren by charity, indefatigable in doing good, happy in +life, happy in death. Suppose, after all this, you shall be told +that this religion is false; but meanwhile, it has restored in you +the image of God, reestablished your primitive connections with +that great Being, and put you in a condition to enjoy life and the +happiness of heaven. By means of it you have become such that at the +last day, it is impossible that God should not receive you as His +children and make you partakers of His glory. You are made fit for +paradise, nay, paradise has commenced for you even here, because you +love. This religion has done for you what all religions propose, and +what no other has realized. Nevertheless, by the supposition, it is +false! And what more could it do, were it true? Rather do you not +see that this is a splendid proof of its truth? Do you not see that +it is impossible that a religion which leads to God should not come +from God, and that the absurdity is precisely that of supposing that +you can be regenerated by a falsehood? + +Suppose that afterward, as at the first, you do not comprehend. It +seems necessary, then, you should be saved by the things you do not +comprehend. Is that a misfortune? Are you the less saved? Does it +become you to demand from God an explanation of an obscurity which +does not injure you, when, with reference to every thing essential, +He has been prodigal of light? The first disciples of Jesus, men +without culture and learning, received truths which they did not +comprehend, and spread them through the world. A crowd of sages and +men of genius have received, from the hands of these poor people, +truths which they comprehended no more than they. The ignorance of +the one, and the science of the other, have been equally docile. +Do, then, as the ignorant and the wise have done. Embrace with +affection those truths which have never entered into your heart, +and which will save you. Do not lose, in vain discussions, the time +which is gliding away, and which is bearing you into the cheering +or appalling light of eternity. Hasten to be saved. Love now; one +day you will know. May the Lord Jesus prepare you for that period of +light, of repose, and of happiness! + + + + +SUMMERFIELD + +THE HEAVENLY INHERITANCE + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +JOHN SUMMERFIELD was born in England in 1798, and came to New York +in 1821, where he soon became one of the most popular and eloquent +preachers of that day. He belonged to the Methodist Communion +and his name is still perpetuated in the names of many Methodist +churches. He was unusually simple and modest in his tastes and +habits, but when he spoke from the pulpit he produced a great +impression by the force and daring of his style. He gave promise +of equaling Whitefield as a pulpit orator, but he was subject to +delicate health and prematurely died in 1825, twenty-seven years of +age. + + + + +SUMMERFIELD + +1798-1825 + +THE HEAVENLY INHERITANCE + +_For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the +everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ._--2 Peter +i., 11. + + +Of all the causes which may be adduced to account for the +indifference which is so generally manifested toward those great +concerns of eternity, in which men are so awfully interested, none +appears to me so likely to resolve the mystery, as that unbelief +which lies at the core of every heart, hindering repentance, and +so making faith impossible. Men hear that there is a hell to shun, +a heaven to win; and, though they give their assent to both these +truths, they never impress them on their mind. It is plain that, +whatever their lips may confess, they never believed with the +heart, otherwise some effect would have been produced in the life. +The germ of unbelief lies within, and discovers itself in all that +indifference which is displayed, in the majority of that class of +beings whose existence is to be perpetuated throughout eternity. +If these thoughts do sometimes obtrude themselves on their serious +attention, they are immediately banished from their minds; and the +dying exclamation of Moses may be taken up with tears by every lover +of perishing sinners: "O! that they were wise, that they understood +this, that they would consider their latter end!" When God, by His +prophet Isaiah, called the Israelites to a sense of their awful +departure from Him, His language was, "My people do not know: My +people do not consider." How few are there like Mary, who "ponder +those things in their heart," who are willing to look at themselves, +to pry into eternity, to put the question home, + + "Shall I be with the damn'd cast out, + Or numbered with the bless'd?" + +This question must sooner or later have a place in your minds, or +awful will be your state indeed; let it reach your hearts to-day; +and if you pray to the Father of light, you will soon be enabled in +His light to discern so much of yourselves as will cause you to cry, +"What shall I do to be saved?" While we shall this morning attempt +to point out some of the privileges of the sons of God, oh! may your +hearts catch the strong desire to be conformed to the living Head, +that so an abundant entrance may be administered unto you also, into +the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. + +The privilege to which our text leads us, is exclusively applicable +to those to whom that question has been solved by the Spirit of +God; those who have believed to the saving of their souls; who have +experienced redemption through His blood, and the forgiveness of +sins; and who are walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort +of the Holy Ghost. + +I. The state to which we look forward: the "everlasting kingdom of +our Lord and Savior." + +1. It is a kingdom. By this figurative expression our Lord has +described the state of grace here and of glory hereafter; our +happiness in time and our happiness in eternity. They were wisely so +called: Jesus has said, as well as done, all things well; for these +two states differ not in kind, but in degree; the one is merely a +preparative for the other, and he who has been a subject of the +former kingdom will be a subject of the latter. Grace is but the +seed of glory, glory is the maturity of grace; grace is but the bud +of glory, glory is grace full blown; grace is but the blossom of +glory, glory is the ripe fruit of grace; grace is but the infant of +glory, glory is the perfection of grace. Hence our hymn beautifully +says, "The men of grace have found glory begun below," agreeing with +our Lord's own words, "He that believeth hath everlasting life"; he +feels even here its glories beginning--a foretaste of its bliss. + +Now the propriety with which these two states are called kingdoms +is manifest from the analogy which might be traced between them and +the model of a human sovereignty. Two or three of the outlines of +this model will be sufficient. + +In the idea of a kingdom it is implied that in some part of its +extent there is the residence of a sovereign; for this is essential +to constitute it. Now in the kingdom of grace the heart of the +believer is made the residence of the King invisible! "Know ye not +that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you?" +Such know what that promise means, "I will dwell in them, and they +shall be my people." St. Paul exultingly cries, "Christ liveth in +me." + +Again, it is essential that the inhabitants of a kingdom be under +the government of its laws. An empire without laws is no sovereignty +at all; it ceases to be such, for every inhabitant has an equal +right to do that which seems good in his own eyes. Now the subjects +of Christ's kingdom of grace are "not without law, but are under a +law to Christ"; they do His righteous will! + +Lastly, it is essential that the subjects of a kingdom be under the +protection of the presiding monarch, and that they repose their +confidence in him. To the subjects of the kingdom of grace, Christ +imparts His kingly protection; this is their heritage: "No weapon +formed against them shall prosper"; nay, He imparts to them of His +royal bounty, and they enjoy all the blessings of an inward heaven. + +But how great the perfection of the kingdom of glory mentioned in +our text! Does He make these vile bodies His residence here? How +much more glorious is His temple above! how splendid the court of +heaven! There, indeed, he fixes His throne, and they see Him as He +is. Does He exercise His authority here and rule His happy subjects +by the law, the perfect law of love? How much more in heaven! He +reigns there forever over them; His government is there wholly by +Himself; He knows nothing of a rival there; His rule is sole and +perfect: there they serve Him day and night. Are His subjects here +partakers of His kingly bounty? Much more in heaven! He calls them +to a participation of all the joys, the spiritual joys which are at +His right hand, and the pleasures which are there forevermore. Yet, +after all our descriptions of that glory, it is not yet revealed, +and, therefore, inconceivable. But who would not hail such a Son of +David? who would not desire to be swayed by such a Prince of Peace? +Whose heart would not ascend with the affections of our poet, "O! +that with yonder sacred throng, we at His feet may fall"? + +2. But it is an everlasting kingdom! Here it rises in the scale of +comparison. Weigh the kingdoms of this world in this balance, and +they are found wanting; for on many we read their fatal history, +and ere long we shall see them all branded with the writing of the +invisible Agent, "The kingdom is taken from thee, and given to a +nation bringing forth the fruits thereof"; "For the kingdoms of +this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ"; +they will be absorbed and swallowed up in the fulness of eternity, +and leave not a wrack behind! Every thing here is perishable! The +towering diadem of Caesar has fallen from his head and crumbled +into dust; and that kingdom whose scepter once swayed the world, +betwixt whose colossal stride all nations were glad to creep to +find themselves dishonored graves, is now forgotten, or, if its +recollection be preserved, its history is emphatically called "The +Decline and Fall." + +But bring the matter nearer home; apply it not to multitudes of +subjects, but to your individual experience, and has not that good +teacher instructed you in this sad lesson? We tremble to look at +our earthly possessions and employments, lest we should see them +in motion, spreading their wings to fly away! How many are there +already who, in talking of their comforts, are obliged to go back +in their reckoning! Would not this be the language of some of you: +"I had--I had a husband, the sharer of my joys, the soother of my +sorrows; but he is not! I had a wife, a helpmeet for me; but where +is she? I had children to whom I looked up as my support and +staff in the decline of life, while passing down the hill; but I +am bereaved of my children! I had health, and I highly prized its +wealth; but now my emaciated frame, my shriveled system, and the +pains of nature bespeak that comfort fled! I had, or fondly thought +I had, happiness in possession! Then I said with Job, 'I shall die +in my nest!' but ah! an unexpected blast passed over me, and now my +joys are blighted! 'They have fled as a shadow, and continued not.'" +Yes! time promised you much! perhaps it performed a little; but it +can not do any thing for you on which it can grave "eternal." Its +name is mortal, its nature is decay; it was born with man, and when +the generations of men shall cease to exist, it will cease also: +"Time shall be no longer!" We know concerning these that, "All flesh +is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The +grass withereth, and the flower fadeth, but the word of the Lord +endureth forever." Yes! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; glory +can not corrupt! the crown of glory can not fade! Why? Death will +be destroyed; Christ will put this last enemy under His feet, and +all will then be eternal life! Oh, happy, happy kingdom; nay, thrice +happy he who shall be privileged to be its subject! + +3. It is the everlasting kingdom of our own Lord and Savior Jesus +Christ. It is His by claim: "Him hath God the Father highly +exalted"; yea, Him hath He appointed to be "the judge of quick and +dead"; for tho by the sufferings of death He was made a little +lower than the angels, yet immediately after His resurrection He +declares that now "All power is given unto him in heaven and in +earth"! The Father hath committed all judgment unto the Son, and He +has now the disposal of the offices and privileges of the empire +among His faithful followers. This is the idea that the penitent +dying thief had on the subject: "Lord, remember me when thou comest +into thy kingdom"; and St. Paul expresses the same when he says to +Timothy in the confidence of faith, "The Lord shall deliver me and +preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom." Oh! how pleasing the thought +to the child of God, that his ruler to all eternity will be his +elder Brother; for He who sanctifieth and they who are sanctified +are all of one; and though He is heir of all things, yet we, as +younger branches of the same heavenly family, shall be joint heirs, +fellow-heirs of the same glorious inheritance. How great will be +our joy to behold Him who humbled Himself for us to death, even the +death of the cross, now exalted God over all, blest for evermore; +and while contemplating Him under the character of our Lord and +Savior Jesus Christ, how great the relish which will be given to +that feeling of the redeemed which will constrain them to cry, +"Thou alone art worthy to receive glory, and honor, and power." + +II. But the apostle reminds us of the entrance into this kingdom! + +1. The entrance into this kingdom is death: "By one man sin entered +into the world, and death by sin:" + + "Death, like a narrow sea, divides + That heavenly land from ours!" + +"A messenger is sent to bring us to God, but it is the King of +Terrors. We enter the land flowing with milk and honey, but it is +through the valley of the shadow of death." Yet fear not, O thou +child of God! there is no need that thou, through the fear of death, +shouldst be all thy lifetime subject to bondage. + +2. No; hear the apostle: the entrance is ministered unto thee! +Death is but His minister; he can not lock his ice-cold hand in +thine till He permit. Our Jesus has the keys of hell and death; and +till He liberates the vassal to bring thee home, not a hair of thy +head can fall to the ground! Fear not, thou worm! He who minds the +sparrows appoints the time for thy removal: fear not; only be thou +always ready, that, whenever the messenger comes to take down the +tabernacle in which thy spirit has long made her abode, thou mayest +be able to exclaim, "Amen! even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly." +Death need have no terrors for thee; he is the vassal of thy Lord, +and, however unwilling to do Him reverence, yet to Him that sits +at God's right hand shall even death pay, if not a joyful, yet a +trembling homage; nay, more: + + "To Him shall earth and hell submit, + And every foe shall fall, + Till death expires beneath His feet, + And God is all in all." + +Christ has already had one triumph over death; His iron pangs could +not detain the Prince who has "life in himself"; and in His strength +thou shalt triumph, for the power of Christ is promised to rest upon +thee! He has had the same entrance; His footsteps marked the way, +and His cry to thee is, "Follow thou me." "My sheep," says He, "hear +my voice, and they do follow me"; they follow Me gladly, even into +this gloomy vale; and what is the consequence? "They shall never +perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." + +3. It is ministered unto you abundantly. Perhaps the apostle means +that the death of some is distinguished by indulgences and honors +not vouchsafed to all. In the experience of some, the passage +appears difficult; in others it is comparatively easy; they gently +fall asleep in Jesus. But we not only see diversities in the mortal +agony--this would be a small thing.... Some get in with sails full +spread and carrying a rich cargo indeed, while others arrive barely +on a single plank. Some, who have long had their conversation in +heaven, are anxious to be wafted into the celestial haven; while +others, who never sought God till alarmed at the speedy approach of +death, have little confidence, + + "And linger shivering on the brink, + And fear to launch away." + +This doctrine must have been peculiarly encouraging to the early +converts to whom St. Peter wrote. From the tenor of both of his +epistles it is clear that they were in a state of severe suffering, +and in great danger of apostatizing through fear of persecution. He +reminds them that if they hold fast their professions, an abundant +entrance will be administered unto them. The death of the martyr +is far more glorious than that of the Christian who concealed his +profession through fear of man. Witness the case of Stephen: he +was not ashamed of being a witness for Jesus in the face of the +violent death which awaited him, and which crushed the tabernacle +of his devoted spirit; his Lord reserved the highest display of His +love and of His glory for that awful hour! "Behold!" says he to his +enemies, while gnashing on him with their teeth, "Behold! I see +heaven opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of +God"; then, in the full triumph of faith, he cries out, "Lord Jesus! +receive my spirit!" + +But did these things apply merely to the believers to whom St. +Peter originally wrote? No; you are the men to whom they equally +apply; according to your walk and profession of that gospel will be +the entrance which will be ministered unto you. Some of you have +heard, in another of our houses, during the past week, the dangerous +tendency of the spirit of fear, the fear of man. I would you had +all heard that discourse: alas! many who have a name and a place +among us are becoming mere Sabbath-day worshipers in the courts of +the Lord, and lightly esteem the daily means of grace. I believe +this is one cause at least why many are weak and sickly among us in +divine things. The inner man does not make due increase; the world +is stealing a march unawares upon us. May God revive among us the +spirit of our fathers! + +These things, then, I say, equally apply to you. Behold the strait, +the royal, the king's highway! Are you afraid of the reproach of +Christ? + + "Ashamed of Jesus, that dear Friend, + On whom our hopes of heaven depend?" + +How soon would the world be overcome if all who profess that faith +were faithful to it! Wo to the rebellious children who compromise +truth with the world, and in effect deny their Lord and Master! Who +hath required this at their hands? Do they not follow with the crowd +who cry, "Lord, Lord! and yet do not the things which He says"? +Will they have the adoption and the glory? Will they aim at the +honor implied in these words, "Ye are my witnesses?" Will ye indeed +be sons? Then see the path wherein His footsteps shine! The way is +open! see that ye walk therein! The false apostles, the deceitful +workers shall have their reward; the same that those of old had, +the praise and esteem of men; while the faith of those who truly +call Him Father and Lord, and who walk in the light as He is in the +light, who submit, like Him and His true followers, to be counted as +"the filth of the world, and the offscouring of all things", shall +be found unto praise, and honor, and glory! + +The true Christian does not seek to hide himself in a corner; he +lets his light shine before men, whether they will receive it or +not; and thereby is his Father glorified. Having thus served, by +the will of God, the hour of his departure at length arrives. The +angels beckon him away; Jesus bids him come; and as he departs this +life he looks back with a heavenly smile on surviving friends, and +is enabled to say, "Whither I go, ye know, and the way ye know." An +entrance is ministered unto him abundantly into the everlasting +kingdom of his Lord and Savior. + +III. Having considered the state to which we look, and the mode of +our admission, let us consider the condition of it. This is implied +in the word "so." "For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you." +In the preceding part of this chapter, the apostle has pointed out +the meaning of this expression, and in the text merely sums it all +up in that short mode of expression. + +The first condition he shows to be, the obtaining like precious +faith with him, through the righteousness of God and our Savior +Jesus Christ. Not a faith which merely assents to the truths of the +gospel record, but a faith which applies the merits of the death +of Christ to expiate my individual guilt; which lays hold on Him +as my sacrifice, and produces, in its exercises, peace with God, a +knowledge of the divine favor, a sense of sin forgiven, and a full +certainty, arising from a divine impression on the heart, made by +the Spirit of God, that I am accepted in the Beloved and made a +child of God. + +If those who profess the Gospel of Christ were but half as zealous +in seeking after this enjoyment as they are in discovering +creaturely objections to its attainment, it would be enjoyed by +thousands who at present know nothing of its happy reality. Such +persons, unfortunately for themselves, employ much more assiduity +in searching a vocabulary to find out epithets of reproach to attach +to those who maintain the doctrine than in searching that volume +which declares that "if you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit +of his Son into your hearts, crying Abba, Father"; and that "he that +believeth hath the witness in himself." In whatever light a scorner +may view this doctrine now, the time will come when, being found +without the wedding garment, he will be cast into outer darkness. + +O sinner! cry to God this day to convince thee of thy need of this +salvation, and then thou wilt be in a condition to receive it: + + "Shalt know, shalt feel thy sins forgiven, + Bless'd with this antepast of heaven." + +But, besides this, the apostle requires that we then henceforth +preserve consciences void of offense toward God and toward man. +This faith which obtains the forgiveness of sin unites to Christ, +and by this union we are made, as St. Peter declares, "partakers +of the divine nature": and as He who has called you is holy, so +you are to be holy in all manner of conversation. For yours is a +faith which not only casts out sin, but purifies the heart--the +conscience having been once purged by the sprinkling of the blood +of Christ, you are not to suffer guilt to be again contracted; for +the salvation of Christ is not only from the penalty, but from the +very stain of sin; not only from its guilt, but from its pollution; +not only from its condemnation, but from its very "in-being"; "The +blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin"; and "For this purpose +was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of +the devil." You are therefore required by St. Peter, "to escape the +corruption that is in the world through lust," and thus to perfect +holiness in the fear of the Lord! + +Finally, live in progressive and practical godliness. Not only +possess, but practise, the virtues of religion; not only practise, +but increase therein, abounding in the work of the Lord! Lead up, +hand in hand, in the same delightful chorus, all the graces which +adorn the Christian character. Having the divine nature, possessing +a new and living principle, let diligent exercise reduce it to +practical holiness; and you will be easily discerned from those +formal hypocrites, whose faith and religion are but a barren and +unfruitful speculation. + +To conclude: live to God--live for God--live in God; and let your +moderation be known unto all men--the Lord is at hand: "Therefore +giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, +knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, +patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly +kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity." + + + + +NEWMAN + +GOD'S WILL THE END OF LIFE + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +JOHN HENRY NEWMAN was born in London in 1801. He won high honors at +Oxford, and in 1828 was appointed vicar of the University Church, +St. Mary's, and with Keble and Pusey headed the Oxford Movement. +In the pulpit of St. Mary's he soon showed himself to be a power. +His sermons, exquisite, tho simple in style, chiefly deal with +various phases of personal religion which he illustrated with a +keen spiritual insight, a sympathetic glow, an exalted earnestness +and a breadth of range, unparalleled in English pulpit utterances +before his time. His extreme views on questions of catholicity, +sacerdotalism and the sacraments, as well as his craving for an +infallible authority in matters of faith, shook his confidence in +the Church of England and he went over to Rome in 1845. He was made +Cardinal in 1879 and died in 1890. + + + + +NEWMAN + +1801-1890 + +GOD'S WILL THE END OF LIFE + +_I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him +that sent me._--John vi., 38. + + +I am going to ask you a question, my dear brethren, so trite, and +therefore so uninteresting at first sight, that you may wonder why +I put it, and may object that it will be difficult to fix the mind +on it, and may anticipate that nothing profitable can be made of it. +It is this: "Why were you sent into the world?" Yet, after all, it +is perhaps a thought more obvious than it is common, more easy than +it is familiar; I mean it ought to come into your minds, but it does +not, and you never had more than a distant acquaintance with it, +tho that sort of acquaintance with it you have had for many years. +Nay, once or twice, perhaps you have been thrown across the thought +somewhat intimately, for a short season, but this was an accident +which did not last. There are those who recollect the first time, +as it would seem, when it came home to them. They were but little +children, and they were by themselves, and they spontaneously asked +themselves, or rather God spake in them, "Why am I here? how came +I here? who brought me here? What am I to do here?" Perhaps it was +the first act of reason, the beginning of their real responsibility, +the commencement of their trial; perhaps from that day they may date +their capacity, their awful power, of choosing between good and +evil, and of committing mortal sin. And so, as life goes on, the +thought comes vividly, from time to time, for a short season across +their conscience; whether in illness, or in some anxiety, or at some +season of solitude, or on hearing some preacher, or reading some +religious work. A vivid feeling comes over them of the vanity and +unprofitableness of the world, and then the question recurs, "Why +then am I sent into it?" + +And a great contrast indeed does this vain, unprofitable, yet +overbearing world present with such a question as that. It seems +out of place to ask such a question in so magnificent, so imposing +a presence, as that of the great Babylon. The world professes to +supply all that we need, as if we were sent into it for the sake +of being sent here, and for nothing beyond the sending. It is a +great favor to have an introduction to this august world. This is +to be our exposition, forsooth, of the mystery of life. Every man +is doing his own will here, seeking his own pleasure, pursuing his +own ends; that is why he was brought into existence. Go abroad +into the streets of the populous city, contemplate the continuous +outpouring there of human energy, and the countless varieties +of human character, and be satisfied! The ways are thronged, +carriage-way and pavement; multitudes are hurrying to and fro, each +on his own errand, or are loitering about from listlessness, or from +want of work, or have come forth into the public concourse, to see +and to be seen, for amusement or for display, or on the excuse of +business. The carriages of the wealthy mingle with the slow wains +laden with provisions or merchandise, the productions of art or the +demands of luxury. The streets are lined with shops, open and gay, +inviting customers, and widen now and then into some spacious square +or place, with lofty masses of brickwork or of stone, gleaming in +the fitful sunbeam, and surrounded or fronted with what simulates +a garden's foliage. Follow them in another direction, and you +find the whole groundstead covered with large buildings, planted +thickly up and down, the homes of the mechanical arts. The air is +filled, below, with a ceaseless, importunate, monotonous din, which +penetrates even to your innermost chamber, and rings in your ears +even when you are not conscious of it; and overhead, with a canopy +of smoke, shrouding God's day from the realms of obstinate, sullen +toil. This is the end of man! + +Or stay at home, and take up one of those daily prints, which +are so true a picture of the world; look down the columns of +advertisements, and you will see the catalog of pursuits, projects, +aims, anxieties, amusements, indulgences which occupy the mind of +man. He plays many parts: here he has goods to sell, there he wants +employment; there again he seeks to borrow money, here he offers you +houses, great seats or small tenements; he has food for the million, +and luxuries for the wealthy, and sovereign medicines for the +credulous, and books, new and cheap, for the inquisitive. Pass on +to the news of the day, and you will learn what great men are doing +at home and abroad: you will read of wars and rumors of wars; of +debates in the legislature; of rising men, and old statesmen going +off the scene; of political contests in this city or that country; +of the collision of rival interests. You will read of the money +market, and the provision market, and the market for metals; of the +state of trade, the call for manufactures, news of ships arrived +in port, of accidents at sea, of exports and imports, of gains and +losses, of frauds and their detection. Go forward, and you arrive at +discoveries in art and science, discoveries (so-called) in religion, +the court and royalty, the entertainments of the great, places of +amusement, strange trials, offenses, accidents, escapes, exploits, +experiments, contests, ventures. Oh, this curious restless, +clamorous, panting being, which we call life!--and is there to be +no end to all this? Is there no object in it? It never has an end, +it is forsooth its own object! + +And now, once more, my brethren, put aside what you see and what +you read of the world, and try to penetrate into the hearts, and to +reach the ideas and the feelings of those who constitute it; look +into them as closely as you can; enter into their houses and private +rooms; strike at random through the streets and lanes: take as they +come, palace and hovel, office or factory, and what will you find? +Listen to their words, witness, alas! their works; you will find in +the main the same lawless thoughts, the same unrestrained desires, +the same ungoverned passions, the same earthly opinions, the same +wilful deeds, in high and low, learned and unlearned; you will find +them all to be living for the sake of living; they one and all seem +to tell you, "We are our own center, our own end." Why are they +toiling? why are they scheming? for what are they living? "We live +to please ourselves; life is worthless except we have our own way; +we are not sent here at all, but we find ourselves here, and we are +but slaves unless we can think what we will, believe what we will, +love what we will, hate what we will, do what we will. We detest +interference on the part of God or man. We do not bargain to be rich +or to be great; but we do bargain, whether rich or poor, high or +low, to live for ourselves, to live for the lust of the moment, or, +according to the doctrine of the hour, thinking of the future and +the unseen just as much or as little as we please." + +Oh, my brethren, is it not a shocking thought, but who can deny its +truth? The multitude of men are living without any aim beyond this +visible scene; they may from time to time use religious words, or +they may profess a communion or a worship, as a matter of course, +or of expedience, or of duty, but, if there was sincerity in such +profession, the course of the world could not run as it does. What +a contrast is all this to the end of life, as it is set before us +in our most holy faith! If there was one among the sons of men, who +might allowably have taken his pleasure, and have done his own will +here below, surely it was He who came down on earth from the bosom +of the Father, and who was so pure and spotless in that human nature +which He put on Him, that He could have no human purpose or aim +inconsistent with the will of His Father. Yet He, the Son of God, +the Eternal Word, came, not to do His own will, but His who sent +Him, as you know very well is told us again and again in Scripture. +Thus the Prophet in the Psalter, speaking in His person, says, "Lo, +I come to do thy will, O God." And He says in the Prophet Isaiah, +"The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I do not resist; I have +not gone back." And in the gospel, when He hath come on earth, +"My food is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his +work." Hence, too, in His agony, He cried out, "Not my will, but +thine, be done;" and St. Paul, in like manner, says, that "Christ +pleased not himself;" and elsewhere, that, "tho he was God's Son, +yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered." Surely +so it was; as being indeed the eternal coequal Son, His will was +one and the same with the Father's will, and He had no submission +of will to make; but He chose to take on Him man's nature and the +will of that nature; he chose to take on Him affections, feelings, +and inclinations proper to man, a will innocent indeed and good, +but still a man's will, distinct from God's will; a will, which, +had it acted simply according to what was pleasing to its nature, +would, when pain and toil were to be endured, have held back from an +active cooperation with the will of God. But, tho He took on Himself +the nature of man, He took not on Him that selfishness, with which +fallen man wraps himself round, but in all things He devoted Himself +as a ready sacrifice to His Father. He came on earth, not to take +His pleasure, not to follow His taste, not for the mere exercise +of human affection, but simply to glorify His Father and to do His +will. He came charged with a mission, deputed for a work; He looked +not to the right nor to the left, He thought not of Himself, He +offered Himself up to God. + +Hence it is that He was carried in the womb of a poor woman, +who, before His birth, had two journeys to make, of love and of +obedience, to the mountains and to Bethlehem. He was born in a +stable, and laid in a manger. He was hurried off to Egypt to sojourn +there; then He lived till He was thirty years of age in a poor way, +by a rough trade, in a small house, in a despised town. Then, when +He went out to preach, He had not where to lay His head; He wandered +up and down the country, as a stranger upon earth. He was driven out +into the wilderness, and dwelt among the wild beasts. He endured +heat and cold, hunger and weariness, reproach and calumny. His +food was coarse bread, and fish from the lake, or depended on the +hospitality of strangers. And as He had already left His Father's +greatness on high, and had chosen an earthly home; so again, at +that Father's bidding, He gave up the sole solace given Him in this +world, and denied Himself His mother's presence. He parted with her +who bore Him; He endured to be strange to her; He endured to call +her coldly "woman," who was His own undefiled one, all beautiful, +all gracious, the best creature of His hands, and the sweet nurse of +His infancy. He put her aside, as Levi, His type, merited the sacred +ministry, by saying to His parents and kinsmen, "I know you not." +He exemplified in His own person the severe maxim, which He gave to +His disciples, "He that loveth more than me is not worthy of me." +In all these many ways He sacrificed every wish of His own; that we +might understand, that, if He, the Creator, came into His world, not +for His own pleasure, but to do His Father's will, we too have most +surely some work to do, and have seriously to bethink ourselves what +that work is. + +Yes, so it is; realize it, my brethren;--every one who breathes, +high and low, educated and ignorant, young and old, man and woman, +has a mission, has a work. We are not sent into this world for +nothing; we are not born at random; we are not here, that we may go +to bed at night, and get up in the morning, toil for our bread, eat +and drink, laugh and joke, sin when we have a mind, and reform when +we are tired of sinning, rear a family and die. God sees every one +of us; He creates every soul, He lodges it in the body, one by one, +for a purpose. He needs, He deigns to need, every one of us. He has +an end for each of us; we are all equal in His sight, and we are +placed in our different ranks and stations, not to get what we can +out of them for ourselves, but to labor in them for Him. As Christ +had His work, we too have ours; as He rejoiced to do His work, we +must rejoice in ours also. + +St. Paul on one occasion speaks of the world as a scene in a +theater. Consider what is meant by this. You know, actors on a stage +are on an equality with each other really, but for the occasion they +assume a difference of character; some are high, some are low, some +are merry, and some sad. Well, would it not be simple absurdity +in any actor to pride himself on his mock diadem, or his edgeless +sword, instead of attending to his part? What, if he did but gaze at +himself and his dress? what, if he secreted, or turned to his own +use, what was valuable in it? Is it not his business, and nothing +else, to act his part well? Common sense tells us so. Now we are +all but actors in this world; we are one and all equal, we shall be +judged as equals as soon as life is over; yet, equal and similar in +ourselves, each has his special part at present, each has his work, +each has his mission,--not to indulge his passions, not to make +money, not to get a name in the world, not to save himself trouble, +not to follow his bent, not to be selfish and self-willed, but to do +what God puts on him to do. + +Look at the poor profligate in the gospel, look at Dives; do you +think he understood that his wealth was to be spent, not on himself, +but for the glory of God?--yet forgetting this, he was lost for +ever and ever. I will tell you what he thought, and how he viewed +things: he was a young man, and had succeeded to a good estate, +and he determined to enjoy himself. It did not strike him that his +wealth had any other use than that of enabling him to take his +pleasure. Lazarus lay at his gate; he might have relieved Lazarus; +that was God's will; but he managed to put conscience aside, and +he persuaded himself he should be a fool, if he did not make the +most of this world, while he had the means. So he resolved to have +his fill of pleasure; and feasting was to his mind a principal part +of it. "He fared sumptuously every day"; everything belonging to +him was in the best style, as men speak; his house, his furniture, +his plate of silver and gold, his attendants, his establishments. +Everything was for enjoyment, and for show, too; to attract the +eyes of the world, and to gain the applause and admiration of his +equals, who were the companions of his sins. These companions were +doubtless such as became a person of such pretensions; they were +fashionable men; a collection of refined, high-bred, haughty men, +eating, not gluttonously, but what was rare and costly; delicate, +exact, fastidious in their taste, from their very habits of +indulgence; not eating for the mere sake of eating, or drinking for +the mere sake of drinking, but making a sort of science of their +sensuality; sensual, carnal, as flesh and blood can be, with eyes, +ears, tongue steeped in impurity, every thought, look, and sense, +witnessing or ministering to the evil one who ruled them; yet, with +exquisite correctness of idea and judgment, laying down rules for +sinning;--heartless and selfish, high, punctilious, and disdainful +in their outward deportment, and shrinking from Lazarus, who lay at +the gate, as an eye-sore, who ought for the sake of decency to be +put out of the way. Dives was one of such, and so he lived his short +span, thinking of nothing but himself, till one day he got into a +fatal quarrel with one of his godless associates, or he caught some +bad illness; and then he lay helpless on his bed of pain, cursing +fortune and his physician that he was no better, and impatient that +he was thus kept from enjoying his youth, trying to fancy himself +mending when he was getting worse, and disgusted at those who would +not throw him some word of comfort in his suspense, and turning more +resolutely from his Creator in proportion to his suffering;--and +then at last his day came, and he died, and (oh! miserable!) "was +buried in hell." And so ended he and his mission. + +This was the fate of your pattern and idol, oh, ye, if any of you +be present, young men, who, tho not possest of wealth and rank, yet +affect the fashions of those who have them. You, my brethren, have +not been born splendidly, or nobly; you have not been brought up +in the seats of liberal education; you have no high connections; +you have not learned the manners nor caught the tone of good +society; you have no share of the largeness of mind, the candor, the +romantic sense of honor, the correctness of taste, the consideration +for others, and the gentleness which the world puts forth as its +highest type of excellence; you have not come near the courts of the +mansions of the great; yet you ape the sin of Dives, while you are +strangers to his refinement. You think it the sign of a gentleman +to set yourselves above religion; to criticize the religious and +professors of religion; to look at Catholic and Methodist with +impartial contempt; to gain a smattering of knowledge on a number of +subjects; to dip into a number of frivolous publications, if they +are popular; to have read the latest novel; to have heard the singer +and seen the actor of the day; to be well up with the news; to know +the names and, if so be, the persons of public men, to be able to +bow to them; to walk up and down the street with your heads on high, +and to stare at whatever meets you; and to say and do worse things, +of which these outward extravagances are but the symbol. And this +is what you conceive you have come upon the earth for! The Creator +made you, it seems, oh, my children, for this work and office, to +be a bad imitation of polished ungodliness, to be a piece of tawdry +and faded finery, or a scent which has lost its freshness, and does +not but offend the sense! O! that you could see how absurd and base +are such pretenses in the eyes of any but yourselves! No calling of +life but is honorable; no one is ridiculous who acts suitably to +his calling and estate; no one, who has good sense and humility, +but may, in any state of life, be truly well-bred and refined; +but ostentation, affectation, and ambitious efforts are, in every +station of life, high or low, nothing but vulgarities. Put them +aside, despise them yourselves. Oh, my very dear sons, whom I love, +and whom I would fain serve;--oh, that you could feel that you have +souls! oh, that you would have mercy on your souls! oh, that, before +it is too late, you would betake yourselves to Him who is the source +of all that is truly high and magnificent and beautiful, all that is +bright and pleasant and secure what you ignorantly seek, in Him whom +you so wilfully, so awfully despise! + +He, alone, the Son of God, "the brightness of the Eternal Light, and +the spotless mirror of His Majesty," is the source of all good and +all happiness to rich and poor, high and low. If you were ever so +high, you would need Him; if you were ever so low, you could offend +Him. The poor can offend Him; the poor man can neglect his divinely +appointed mission as well as the rich. Do not suppose, my brethren, +that what I have said against the upper or the middle class will +not, if you happen to be poor, also lie against you. Though a man +were as poor as Lazarus, he could be as guilty as Dives. If you +were resolved to degrade yourselves to the brutes of the field, +who have no reason and no conscience, you need not wealth or rank +to enable you to do so. Brutes have no wealth; they have no pride +of life; they have no purple and fine linen, no splendid table, no +retinue of servants, and yet they are brutes. They are brutes by the +law of their nature; they are the poorest among the poor; there is +not a vagrant and outcast who is so poor as they; they differ from +him, not in their possessions, but in their want of a soul, in that +he has a mission and they have not, he can sin and they can not. Oh, +my brethren, it stands to reason, a man may intoxicate himself with +a cheap draft, as well as with a costly one; he may steal another's +money for his appetites, though he does not waste his own upon them; +he may break through the natural and social laws which encircle him, +and profane the sanctity of family duties, tho he be not a child of +nobles, but a peasant or artisan,--nay, and perhaps he does so more +frequently than they. This is not the poor's blessedness, that he +has less temptations to self-indulgence, for he has as many, but +that from his circumstances he receives the penances and corrections +of self-indulgence. Poverty is the mother of many pains and sorrows +in their season, and these are God's messengers to lead the soul +to repentance; but, alas! if the poor man indulges his passions, +thinks little of religion, puts off repentance, refuses to make an +effort, and dies without conversion, it matters nothing that he +was poor in this world, it matters nothing that he was less daring +than the rich, it matters not that he promised himself God's favor, +that he sent for the priest when death came, and received the last +sacraments; Lazarus too, in that case, shall be buried with Dives in +hell, and shall have had his consolation neither in this world nor +in the world to come. + +My brethren, the simple question is, whatever a man's rank in life +may be, does he in that rank perform the work which God has given +him to do? Now then, let me turn to others, of a very different +description, and let me hear what they will say, when the question +is asked them. Why, they will parry it thus: "You give us no +alternative," they will say to me, "except that of being sinners or +saints. You put before us our Lord's pattern, and you spread before +us the guilt and ruin of the deliberate transgressor; whereas we +have no intention of going so far one way or the other; we do not +aim at being saints, but we have no desire at all to be sinners. We +neither intend to disobey God's will, nor to give up our own. Surely +there is a middle way, and a safe one, in which God's will and our +will may both be satisfied. We mean to enjoy both this world and the +next. We will guard against mortal sin; we are not obliged to guard +against venial; indeed it would be endless to attempt it. None but +saints do so; it is the work of a life; we need have nothing else +to do. We are not monks, we are in the world, we are in business, +we are parents, we have families; we must live for the day. It is a +consolation to keep from mortal sin; that we do, and it is enough +for salvation. It is a great thing to keep in God's favor; what +indeed can we desire more? We come at due time to the sacraments; +this is our comfort and our stay; did we die, we should die in +grace, and escape the doom of the wicked. But if we once attempted +to go further, where should we stop? how will you draw the line +for us? The line between mortal and venial sin is very distinct; +we understand that; but do you not see that, if we attended to our +venial sins, there would be just as much reason to attend to one as +to another? If we began to repress our anger, why not also repress +vainglory? Why not also guard against niggardliness? Why not also +keep from falsehood, from gossiping, from idling, from excess in +eating? And, after all, without venial sin we never can be, unless +indeed we have the prerogative of the Mother of God, which it would +be almost heresy to ascribe to any one but her. You are not asking +us to be converted; that we understand; we are converted, we were +converted a long time ago. You bid us aim at an indefinite vague +something, which is less than perfection, yet more than obedience, +and which, without resulting in any tangible advantage, debars us +from the pleasures and embarrasses us in the duties of this world." + +This is what you will say; but your premises, my brethren, are +better than your reasoning, and your conclusions will not stand. +You have a right view why God has sent you into the world; viz., in +order that you may get to heaven; it is quite true also that you +would fare well indeed if you found yourselves there, you could +desire nothing better; nor, it is true, can you live any time +without venial sin. It is true also that you are not obliged to aim +at being saints; it is no sin not to aim at perfection. So much +is true and to the purpose; but it does not follow from it that +you, with such views and feelings as you have exprest, are using +sufficient exertions even for attaining purgatory. Has your religion +any difficulty in it, or is it in all respects easy to you? Are you +simply taking your own pleasure in your mode of living, or do you +find your pleasure in submitting yourself to God's pleasure? In a +word, is your religion a work? For if it be not, it is not religion +at all. Here at once, before going into your argument, is a proof +that it is an unsound one, because it brings you to the conclusion +that, whereas Christ came to do a work, and all saints, nay, nay, +and sinners to do a work too, you, on the contrary, have no work to +do, because, forsooth, you are neither sinners nor saints; or, if +you once had a work, at least that you have despatched it already, +and you have nothing upon your hands. You have attained your +salvation, it seems, before your time, and have nothing to occupy +you, and are detained on earth too long. The work days are over, +and your perpetual holiday is begun. Did then God send you, above +all other men, into the world to be idle in spiritual matters? Is +it your mission only to find pleasure in this world, in which you +are but as pilgrims and sojourners? Are you more than sons of Adam, +who, by the sweat of their brow, are to eat bread till they return +to the earth out of which they are taken? Unless you have some +work in hand, unless you are struggling, unless you are fighting +with yourselves, you are no followers of those who "through many +tribulations entered into the kingdom of God." A fight is the very +token of a Christian. He is a soldier of Christ; high or low, he is +this and nothing else. If you have triumphed over all mortal sin, +as you seem to think, then you must attack your venial sins; there +is no help for it; there is nothing else to do, if you would be +soldiers of Jesus Christ. But, oh, simple souls! to think you have +gained any triumph at all! No; you cannot safely be at peace with +any, even the least malignant, of the foes of God; if you are at +peace with venial sins, be certain that in their company and under +their shadow mortal sins are lurking. Mortal sins are the children +of venial, which, tho they be not deadly themselves, yet are +prolific of death. You may think that you have killed the giants who +had possession of your hearts, and that you have nothing to fear, +but may sit at rest under your vine and under your fig-tree; but the +giants will live again, they will rise from the dust, and, before +you know where you are, you will be taken captive and slaughtered by +the fierce, powerful, and eternal enemies of God. + +The end of a thing is the test. It was our Lord's rejoicing in His +last solemn hour, that He had done the work for which He was sent. +"I have glorified thee on earth." He says in His prayer, "I have +finished the work which thou gavest me to do; I have manifested +thy name to the men whom thou hast given me out of the world." It +was St. Paul's consolation also, "I have fought the good fight, I +have finished the course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there +is laid up for me a crown of justice, which the Lord shall render +to me in that day, the just judge." Alas! alas! how different will +be our view of things when we come to die, or when we have passed +into eternity, from the dreams and pretenses with which we beguile +ourselves now! What will Babel do for us then? Will it rescue our +souls from the purgatory or the hell to which it sends them? If we +were created, it was that we might serve God; if we have His gifts, +it is that we may glorify Him; if we have a conscience, it is that +we may obey it; if we have the prospect of heaven, it is that we +may keep it before us; if we have light, that we may follow it, if +we have grace, that we may save ourselves by means of it. Alas! +alas! for those who die without fulfilling their mission; who were +called to be holy, and lived in sin; who were called to worship +Christ, and who plunged into this giddy and unbelieving world; who +were called to fight, and who remained idle; who were called to be +Catholics, and who did but remain in the religion of their birth! +Alas for those who have had gifts and talent, and have not used, or +have misused, or abused them; who have had wealth, and have spent +it on themselves; who have had abilities, and have advocated what +was sinful, or ridiculed what was true, or scattered doubts against +what was sacred; who have had leisure, and have wasted it on wicked +companions, or evil books, or foolish amusements! Alas! for those of +whom the best can be said is, that they are harmless and naturally +blameless, while they never have attempted to cleanse their hearts +or to live in God's sight! + +The world goes on from age to age, but the Holy Angels and Blessed +Saints are always crying Alas, alas! and Wo, wo! over the loss of +vocations, and the disappointment of hopes, and the scorn of God's +love, and the ruin of souls. One generation succeeds another, and +whenever they look down upon earth from their golden thrones, they +see scarcely anything but a multitude of guardian spirits, downcast +and sad, each following his own charge, in anxiety, or in terror, +or in despair, vainly endeavoring to shield him from the enemy, +and failing because he will not be shielded. Times come and go, +and man will not believe, that that is to be which is not yet, or +that what now is only continues for a season, and is not eternity. +The end is the trial; the world passes; it is but a pageant and a +scene; the lofty palace crumbles, the busy city is mute, the ships +of Tarshish have sped away. On heart and flesh death is coming; the +veil is breaking. Departing soul, how hast thou used thy talents, +thy opportunities, the light poured around thee, the warnings given +thee, the grace inspired into thee? Oh, my Lord and Savior, support +me in that hour in the strong arms of Thy sacraments, and by the +fresh fragrance of Thy consolations. Let the absolving words be said +over me, and the holy oil sign and seal me, and Thy own body be my +food, and Thy blood my sprinkling; and let my sweet mother Mary +breathe on me, and my angel whisper peace to me, and my glorious +saints, and my own dear father, Philip, smile on me; that in them +all, and through them all, I may receive the gift of perseverance, +and die, as I desire to live, in Thy faith, in Thy Church, in Thy +service, and in Thy love. + + + + +BUSHNELL + +UNCONSCIOUS INFLUENCE + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +HORACE BUSHNELL was born at Litchfield, Connecticut, in 1802. +Graduated at Yale 1827. In 1833 he became pastor of the North +Congregational Church, Hartford, Conn., resigned in 1859 and died +in 1876. He wrote many theological works. Among them "Christian +Nurture" (1847), a book now looked upon as of classical authority. +Considerable discussion among Calvinists was aroused by his "Nature +and the Supernatural," and his "The Vicarious Sacrifice" (1865) as +being out of accord with the accepted creeds of the Congregational +churches. He lacked the sympathy and dramatic instinct necessary +to great oratorical achievement, but his sermons prove by their +profound suggestiveness that he was a man of keen spiritual insight, +and preached with force and impressiveness. His influence upon the +ministers of America in modifying theology and remolding the general +type of preaching is fairly comparable with that of Robertson. + + + + +BUSHNELL + +1802-1876 + +UNCONSCIOUS INFLUENCE[4] + + [4] From "Sermons for the New Life," published by Charles Scribner's + Sons. + +_Then went in also that other disciple._--John xx., 8. + + +In this slight touch or turn of history, is opened to us, if we scan +closely, one of the most serious and fruitful chapters of Christian +doctrine. Thus it is that men are ever touching unconsciously the +springs of motion in each other; thus it is that one man, without +thought or intention, or even a consciousness of the fact, is ever +leading some other after him. Little does Peter think, as he comes +up where his doubting brother is looking into the sepulcher, and +goes straight in, after his peculiar manner, that he is drawing in +his brother apostle after him. As little does John think, when he +loses his misgivings, and goes into the sepulcher after Peter, that +he is following his brother. And just so, unaware to himself, is +every man, the whole race through, laying hold of his fellow-man, to +lead him where otherwise he would not go. We overrun the boundaries +of our personality--we flow together. A Peter leads a John, a John +goes after Peter, both of them unconscious of any influence exerted +or received. And thus our life and conduct are ever propagating +themselves, by a law of social contagion, throughout the circles and +times in which we live. + +There are, then, you will perceive, two sorts of influence belonging +to man; that which is active or voluntary, and that which is +unconscious--that which we exert purposely or in the endeavor +to sway another, as by teaching, by argument, by persuasion, by +threatenings, by offers and promises, and that which flows out from +us, unaware to ourselves, the same which Peter had over John when +he led him into the sepulcher. The importance of our efforts to do +good, that is of our voluntary influence, and the sacred obligation +we are under to exert ourselves in this way, are often and seriously +insisted on. It is thus that Christianity has become, in the present +age, a principle of so much greater activity than it has been for +many centuries before; and we fervently hope that it will yet become +far more active than it now is, nor cease to multiply its industry, +till it is seen by all mankind to embody the beneficence and the +living energy of Christ Himself. + +But there needs to be reproduced, at the same time, and partly for +this object, a more thorough appreciation of the relative importance +of that kind of influence or beneficence which is insensibly +exerted. The tremendous weight and efficacy of this, compared with +the other, and the sacred responsibility laid upon us in regard to +this, are felt in no such degree or proportion as they should be; +and the consequent loss we suffer in character, as well as that +which the Church suffers in beauty and strength, is incalculable. +The more stress, too, needs to be laid on this subject of insensible +influence, because it is insensible; because it is out of mind, and, +when we seek to trace it, beyond a full discovery. + +If the doubt occur to any of you, in the announcement of this +subject, whether we are properly responsible for an influence which +we exert insensibly; we are not, I reply, except so far as this +influence flows directly from our character and conduct. And this +it does, even much more uniformly than our active influence. In +the latter we may fail of our end by a want of wisdom or skill, in +which case we are still as meritorious, in God's sight, as if we +succeeded. So, again, we may really succeed, and do great good by +our active endeavors, from motives altogether base and hypocritical, +in which case we are as evil, in God's sight, as if we had failed. +But the influences we exert unconsciously will almost never disagree +with our real character. They are honest influences, following our +character, as the shadow follows the sun. And, therefore, we are +much more certainly responsible for them, and their effects on the +world. They go streaming from us in all directions, tho in channels +that we do not see, poisoning or healing around the roots of +society, and among the hidden wells of character. If good ourselves, +they are good; if bad, they are bad. And, since they reflect so +exactly our character, it is impossible to doubt our responsibility +for their effects on the world. We must answer not only for what +we do with a purpose, but for the influence we exert insensibly. +To give you any just impressions of the breadth and seriousness of +such a reckoning I know to be impossible. No mind can trace it. But +it will be something gained if I am able to awaken only a suspicion +of the vast extent and power of those influences, which are ever +flowing out unbidden upon society, from your life and character. + +In the prosecution of my design, let me ask of you, first of all, to +expel the common prejudice that there can be nothing of consequence +in unconscious influences, because they make no report, and fall on +the world unobserved. Histories and biographies make little account +of the power men exert insensibly over each other. They tell how +men have led armies, established empires, enacted laws, gained +causes, sung, reasoned, and taught--always occupied in setting forth +what they do with a purpose. But what they do without purpose, the +streams of influence that flow out from their persons unbidden on +the world, they can not trace or compute, and seldom even mention. +So also the public laws make men responsible only for what they +do with a positive purpose, and take no account of the mischiefs +or benefits that are communicated by their noxious or healthful +example. The same is true in the discipline of families, churches, +and schools; they make no account of the things we do, except we +will them. What we do insensibly passes for nothing, because no +human government can trace such influences with sufficient certainty +to make their authors responsible. + +But you must not conclude that influences of this kind are +insignificant, because they are unnoticed and noiseless. How is it +in the natural world? Behind the mere show, the outward noise and +stir of the world, nature always conceals her hand of control, and +the laws by which she rules. Who ever saw with the eye, for example, +or heard with the ear, the exertions of that tremendous astronomic +force, which every moment holds the compact of the physical universe +together? The lightning is, in fact, but a mere firefly spark in +comparison; but, because it glares on the clouds, and thunders so +terribly in the ear, and rives the tree or the rock where it falls, +many will be ready to think that it is a vastly more potent agent +than gravity. + +The Bible calls the good man's life a light, and it is the nature +of light to flow out spontaneously in all directions, and fill the +world unconsciously with its beams. So the Christian shines, it +would say, not so much because he will, as because he is a luminous +object. Not that the active influence of Christians is made of no +account in the figure, but only that this symbol of light has its +propriety in the fact that their unconscious influence is the chief +influence, and has the precedence in its power over the world. And +yet, there are many who will be ready to think that light is a very +tame and feeble instrument, because it is noiseless. An earthquake, +for example, is to them a much more vigorous and effective agency. +Hear how it comes thundering through solid foundations of nature. +It rocks a whole continent. The noblest works of man--cities, +monuments, and temples--are in a moment leveled to the ground, or +swallowed down the opening gulfs of fire. Little do they think +that the light of every morning, the soft, and genial, and silent +light, is an agent many times more powerful. But let the light of +the morning cease and return no more, let the hour of morning come, +and bring with it no dawn; the outcries of a horror-stricken world +fill the air, and make, as it were, the darkness audible. The beasts +go wild and frantic at the loss of the sun. The vegetable growths +turn pale and die. A chill creeps on, and frosty winds begin to howl +across the freezing earth. Colder, and yet colder, is the night. +The vital blood, at length, of all creatures, stops congealed. +Down goes the frost toward the earth's center. The heart of the sea +is frozen; nay, the earthquakes are themselves frozen in, under +their fiery caverns. The very globe itself, too, and all the fellow +planets that have lost their sun, are become mere balls of ice, +swinging silent in the darkness. Such is the light, which revisits +us in the silence of the morning. It makes no shock or scar. It +would not wake an infant in his cradle. And yet it perpetually new +creates the world, rescuing it each morning, as a prey, from night +and chaos. So the Christian is a light, even "the light of the +world," and we must not think that, because he shines insensibly or +silently, as a mere luminous object, he is therefore powerless. The +greatest powers are ever those which lie back of the little stirs +and commotion of nature; and I verily believe that the insensible +influences of good men are much more potent than what I have called +their voluntary, or active, as the great silent powers of nature are +of greater consequence than her little disturbances and tumults. The +law of human influences is deeper than many suspect, and they lose +sight of it altogether. The outward endeavors made by good men or +bad to sway others, they call their influence; whereas, it is, in +fact, but a fraction, and, in most cases, but a very small fraction, +of the good or evil that flows out of their lives. Nay, I will even +go further. How many persons do you meet, the insensible influence +of whose manners and character is so decided as often to thwart +their voluntary influence; so that, whatever they attempt to do, +in the way of controlling others, they are sure to carry the exact +opposite of what they intend! And it will generally be found that, +where men undertake by argument or persuasion to exert a power, in +the face of qualities that make them odious or detestable, or only +not entitled to respect, their insensible influence will be too +strong for them. The total effect of the life is then of a kind +directly opposite to the voluntary endeavor, which, of course, does +not add so much as a fraction to it. + +I call your attention, next, to the twofold powers of effect +and expression by which man connects with his fellow man. If we +distinguish man as a creature of language, and thus qualified to +communicate himself to others, there are in him two sets or kinds +of language, one which is voluntary in the use, and one that +is involuntary; that of speech in the literal sense, and that +expression of the eye, the face, the look, the gait, the motion, the +tone of cadence, which is sometimes called the natural language of +the sentiments. This natural language, too, is greatly enlarged by +the conduct of life, that which, in business and society, reveals +the principles and spirit of men. Speech, or voluntary language, is +a door to the soul, that we may open or shut at will; the other is +a door that stands open evermore, and reveals to others constantly, +and often very clearly, the tempers, tastes, and motives of their +hearts. Within, as we may represent, is character, charging the +common reservoir of influence, and through these twofold gates +of the soul pouring itself out on the world. Out of one it flows +at choice, and whensoever we purpose to do good or evil to men. +Out of the other it flows each moment, as light from the sun, and +propagates itself in all beholders. + +Then if we go to others, that is, to the subjects of influence, we +find every man endowed with two inlets of impression; the ear and +the understanding for the reception of speech, and the sympathetic +powers, the sensibilities or affections, for tinder to those sparks +of emotion revealed by looks, tones, manners and general conduct. +And these sympathetic powers, tho not immediately rational, are yet +inlets, open on all sides, to the understanding and character. They +have a certain wonderful capacity to receive impressions, and catch +the meaning of signs, and propagate in us whatsoever falls into +their passive molds from others. The impressions they receive do not +come through verbal propositions, and are never received into verbal +propositions, it may be, in the mind, and therefore many think +nothing of them. But precisely on this account are they the more +powerful, because it is as if one heart were thus going directly +into another, and carrying in its feelings with it. Beholding, as in +a glass, the feelings of our neighbor, we are changed into the same +image, by the assimilating power of sensibility and fellow-feeling. +Many have gone so far, and not without show, at least, of reason, as +to maintain that the look or expression, and even the very features +of children, are often changed by exclusive intercourse with nurses +and attendants. Furthermore, if we carefully consider, we shall +find it scarcely possible to doubt, that simply to look on bad and +malignant faces, or those whose expressions have become infected by +vice, to be with them and become familiarized to them, is enough +permanently to affect the character of persons of mature age. I do +not say that it must of necessity subvert their character, for the +evil looked upon may never be loved or welcomed in practise; but it +is something to have these bad images in the soul, giving out their +expressions there, and diffusing their odor among the thoughts, as +long as we live. How dangerous a thing is it, for example, for a +man to become accustomed to sights of cruelty? What man, valuing +the honor of his soul, would not shrink from yielding himself to +such an influence? No more is it a thing of indifference to become +accustomed to look on the manners, and receive the bad expression of +any kind of sin. + +The door of involuntary communication, I have said, is always open. +Of course we are communicating ourselves in this way to others at +every moment of our intercourse or presence with them. But how +very seldom, in comparison, do we undertake by means of speech to +influence others! Even the best Christian, one who most improves +his opportunities to do good, attempts but seldom to sway another +by voluntary influence, whereas he is all the while shining as a +luminous object unawares, and communicating of his heart to the +world. + +But there is yet another view of this double line of communication +which man has with his fellow-men, which is more general, and +displays the import of the truth yet more convincingly. It is +by one of these modes of communication that we are constituted +members of voluntary society, and by the other, parts of a general +mass, or members of involuntary society. You are all, in a certain +view, individuals, and separate as persons from each other; you +are also, in a certain other view, parts of a common body, as +truly as the parts of a stone. Thus if you ask how it is that you +and all men came without your consent to exist in society, to be +within its power, to be under its laws, the answer is, that while +you are a man, you are also a fractional element of a larger and +more comprehensive being, called society--be it the family, the +church, the state. In a certain department of your nature, it is +open; its sympathies and feelings are open. On this open side +you will adhere together, as parts of a larger nature, in which +there is a common circulation of want, impulse, and law. Being +thus made common to each other voluntarily, you become one mass, +one consolidated social body, animated by one life. And observe +how far this involuntary communication and sympathy between the +members of a state or a family is sovereign over their character. It +always results in what we call the national or family spirit; for +there is a spirit peculiar to every state and family in the world. +Sometimes, too, this national or family spirit takes a religious or +an irreligious character, and appears almost to absorb the religious +self-government of individuals. What was the national spirit of +France, for example, at a certain time, but a spirit of infidelity? +What is the religious spirit of Spain at this moment, but a spirit +of bigotry, quite as wide of Christianity and destructive of +character as the spirit of falsehood? What is the family spirit in +many a house, but the spirit of gain, or pleasure, or appetite, +in which everything that is warm, dignified, genial, and good in +religion, is visibly absent? Sometimes you will almost fancy that +you see the shapes of money in the eyes of children. So it is that +we are led on by nations, as it were, to good or bad immortality. +Far down in the secret foundations of life and society there lie +concealed great laws and channels of influence, which make the race +common to each other in all the main departments or divisions of +the social mass, laws which often escape our notice altogether, but +which are to society as gravity to the general system of God's works. + +But these are general considerations, and more fit, perhaps, to +give you a rational conception of the modes of influence and their +relative power, than to verify that conception, or establish its +truth. I now proceed to add, therefore, some miscellaneous proofs of +a more particular nature. + +And I mention, first of all, the instinct of imitation in children. +We begin our mortal experience, not with acts grounded in judgment +or reason, or with ideas received through language, but by simple +imitation, and, under the guidance of this, we lay our foundations. +The child looks and listens, and whatsoever tone of feeling or +manner of conduct is displayed around him, sinks into his plastic, +passive soul, and becomes a mold of his being ever after. The very +handling of the nursery is significant, and the petulance, the +passion, the gentleness, the tranquillity indicated by it, are all +reproduced in the child. His soul is a purely receptive nature, +and that for a considerable period, without choice or selection. +A little further on he begins voluntarily to copy everything he +sees. Voice, manner, gait, everything which the eye sees, the mimic +instinct delights to act over. And thus we have a whole generation +of future men, receiving from us their beginnings, and the deepest +impulses of their life and immortality. They watch us every moment, +in the family, before the hearth, and at the table; and when we are +meaning them no good or evil, when we are conscious of exerting no +influence over them, they are drawing from us impressions and molds +of habit, which, if wrong, no heavenly discipline can wholly remove; +or, if right, no bad associations utterly dissipate. Now it may be +doubted, I think, whether, in all the active influence of our lives, +we do as much to shape the destiny of our fellow-men as we do in +this single article of unconscious influence over children. + +Still further on, respect for others takes the place of imitation. +We naturally desire the approbation or good opinion of others. You +see the strength of this feeling in the article of fashion. How few +persons have the nerve to resist a fashion! We have fashions, too, +in literature, and in worship, and in moral and religious doctrine, +almost equally powerful. How many will violate the best rules of +society, because it is the practise of the circle! How many reject +Christ because of friends or acquaintance, who have no suspicion of +the influence they exert, and will not have, till the last days +show them what they have done! Every good man has thus a power in +his person, more mighty than his words and arguments, and which +others feel when he little suspects it. Every bad man, too, has a +fund of poison in his character, which is tainting those around him, +when it is not in his thoughts to do them injury. He is read and +understood. His sensual tastes and habits, his unbelieving spirit, +his suppressed leer at religions, have all a power, and take hold of +the heart of others, whether he will have it so or not. + +Again, how well understood is it that the most active feelings and +impulses of mankind are contagious. How quick enthusiasm of any sort +is to kindle, and how rapidly it catches from one to another, till a +nation blazes in the flame! In the case of the Crusades you have an +example where the personal enthusiasm of one man put all the states +of Europe in motion. Fanaticism is almost equally contagious. Fear +and superstition always infect the mind of the circle in which they +are manifested. The spirit of war generally becomes an epidemic of +madness, when once it has got possession of a few minds. The spirit +of party is propagated in a similar manner. How any slight operation +in the market may spread, like a fire, if successful, till trade +runs wild in a general infatuation, is well known. Now, in all these +examples, the effect is produced, not by active endeavor to carry +influence, but mostly by that insensible propagation which follows, +when a flame of any kind is once more kindled. + +It is also true, you may ask, that the religious spirit propagates +itself or tends to propagate itself in the same way? I see no +reason to question that it does. Nor does anything in the doctrine +of spiritual influences, when rightly understood, forbid the +supposition. For spiritual influences are never separated from the +laws of thought in the individual, and the laws of feeling and +influence in society. If, too, every disciple is to be an "epistle +known and read of all men," what shall we expect, but that all men +will be somehow affected by the reading? Or if he is to be a light +in the world, what shall we look for, but that others, seeing his +good works, shall glorify God on his account? How often is it seen, +too, as a fact of observation, that one or a few good men kindle at +length a holy fire in the community in which they live, and become +the leaven of general reformation! Such men give a more vivid proof +in their persons of the reality of religious faith than any words or +arguments could yield. They are active; they endeavor, of course, +to exert a good voluntary influence; but still their chief power +lies in their holiness and the sense they produce in others of their +close relation to God. + +It now remains to exhibit the very important fact, that where the +direct or active influence of men is supposed to be great, even +this is due, in a principal degree, to that insensible influence +by which their arguments, reproofs, and persuasions are secretly +invigorating. It is not mere words which turn men; it is the heart +mounting, uncalled, into the expression of the features; it is the +eye illuminated by reason, the look beaming with goodness; it is +the tone of the voice, that instrument of the soul, which changes +quality with such amazing facility, and gives out in the soft, +the tender, the tremulous, the firm, every shade of emotion and +character. And so much is there in this, that the moral stature and +character of the man that speaks are likely to be well represented +in his manner. If he is a stranger, his way will inspire confidence +and attract good will. His virtues will be seen, as it were, +gathering round him to minister words and forms of thought, and +their voices will be heard in the fall of his cadences. And the +same is true of bad men, or men who have nothing in their character +corresponding to what they attempt to do. If without heart or +interest you attempt to move another, the involuntary man tells what +you are doing in a hundred ways at once. A hypocrite, endeavoring to +exert a good influence, only tries to convey by words what the lying +look, and the faithless affectation, or dry exaggeration of his +manner perpetually resists. We have it for a fashion to attribute +great or even prodigious results to the voluntary efforts and labors +of men. Whatever they effect is commonly referred to nothing but +the immediate power of what they do. Let us take an example, like +that of Paul, and analyze it. Paul was a man of great fervor and +enthusiasm. He combined, withal, more of what is lofty and morally +commanding in his character, than most of the very distinguished men +of the world. Having this for his natural character, and his natural +character exalted and made luminous by Christian faith, and the +manifest indwelling of God, he had of course an almost superhuman +sway over others. Doubtless he was intelligent, strong in argument, +eloquent, active, to the utmost of his powers, but still he moved +the world more by what he was than by what he did. The grandeur and +spiritual splendor of his character were ever adding to his active +efforts an element of silent power, which was the real and chief +cause of their efficacy. He convinced, subdued, inspired, and led, +because of the half-divine authority which appeared in his conduct, +and his glowing spirit. He fought the good fight, because he kept +the faith, and filled his powerful nature with influences drawn from +higher worlds. + +And here I must conduct you to a yet higher example, even that +of the Son of God, the light of the world. Men dislike to be +swayed by direct, voluntary influence. They are jealous of such +control, and are therefore best approached by conduct and feeling, +and the authority of simple worth, which seem to make no purposed +onset. If goodness appears, they welcome its celestial smile; if +heaven descends to encircle them, they yield to its sweetness; if +truth appears in the life, they honor it with a secret homage; if +personal majesty and glory appear, they bow with reverence, and +acknowledge with shame their own vileness. Now it is on this side +of human nature that Christ visits us, preparing just that kind +of influence which the spirit of truth may wield with the most +persuasive and subduing effect. It is the grandeur of His character +which constitutes the chief power of His ministry, not His miracles +or teachings apart from His character. Miracles were useful, at +the time, to arrest attention, and His doctrine is useful at all +times as the highest revelation of truth possible in speech; but +the greatest truth of the gospel, notwithstanding, is Christ +Himself--a human body becomes the organ of the divine nature, and +reveals, under the conditions of an earthly life, the glory of +God! The Scripture writers have much to say, in this connection, +of the image of God; and an image, you know, is that which simply +represents, not that which acts, or reasons, or persuades. Now it +is this image of God which makes the center, the sun itself, of the +gospel. The journeyings, teachings, miracles, and sufferings of +Christ, all had their use in bringing out this image, or what is the +same, in making conspicuous the character and feelings of God, both +toward sinners and toward sin. And here is the power of Christ--it +is that God's beauty, love, truth, and justice shines through Him. +It is the influence which flows unconsciously and spontaneously +out of Christ, as the friend of man, the light of the world, the +glory of the Father, made visible. And some have gone so far as to +conjecture that God made the human person, originally, with a view +to its becoming the organ or vehicle by which He might reveal His +communicable attributes to other worlds. Christ, they believe, came +to inhabit this organ, that He might execute a purpose so sublime. +The human person is constituted, they say, to be a mirror of God; +and God, being imaged in that mirror, as in Christ, is held up to +the view of this and other worlds. It certainly is to the view of +this; and if the Divine nature can use the organ so effectively to +express itself unto us, if it can bring itself, through the looks, +tones, motions, and conduct of a human person, more close to our +sympathies than by any other means, how can we think that an organ +so communicative, inhabited by us, is not always breathing our +spirit and transferring our image insensibly to others? + +I have protracted the argument on this subject beyond what I could +have wished, but I can not dismiss it without suggesting a few +thoughts necessary to its complete practical effect. + +One very obvious and serious inference from it, and the first which +I will name, is, that it is impossible to live in this world and +escape responsibility. It is not that they alone, as you have seen, +who are trying purposely to convert or corrupt others, who exert an +influence; you can not live without exerting influence. The doors +of your soul are open on others, and theirs on you. You inhabit +a house which is well-nigh transparent; and what you are within, +you are ever showing yourself to be without, by signs that have no +ambiguous expression. If you had the seeds of a pestilence in your +body, you would not have a more active contagion than you have in +your tempers, tastes, and principles. Simply to be in this world, +whatever you are, is to exert an influence--an influence, too, +compared with which mere language and persuasion are feeble. You +say that you mean well; at least, you think you mean to injure no +one. Do you injure no one? Is your example harmless? Is it ever on +the side of God and duty? You can not reasonably doubt that others +are continually receiving impressions from your character. As +little you can doubt that you must answer for these impressions. If +the influence you exert is unconsciously exerted, then it is only +the most sincere, the truest expression of your character. And for +what can you be held responsible, if not for this? Do not deceive +yourselves in the thought that you are at least doing no injury, and +are, therefore, living without responsibility; first, make it sure +that you are not every hour infusing moral death insensibly into +your children, wives, husbands, friends, and acquaintances. By a +mere look or glance, not unlikely, you are conveying the influence +that shall turn the scale of some one's immortality. Dismiss, +therefore, the thought that you are living without responsibility; +that is impossible. Better is it frankly to admit the truth; and if +you will risk the influence of a character unsanctified by duty and +religion, prepare to meet your reckoning manfully, and receive the +just recompense of reward. + +The true philosophy or method of doing good is also here explained. +It is, first of all and principally, to be good--to have a character +that will of itself communicate good. There must and will be active +effort where there is goodness of principle; but the latter we +should hold to be the principal thing, the root and life of all. +Whether it is a mistake more sad or more ridiculous, to make mere +stir synonymous with doing good, we need not inquire; enough, to +be sure that one who has taken up such a notion of doing good, is +for that reason a nuisance to the Church. The Christian is called +a light, not lightning. In order to act with effect on others, he +must walk in the Spirit, and thus become the image of goodness; he +must be so akin to God, and so filled with His dispositions, that +he shall seem to surround himself with a hallowed atmosphere. It is +folly to endeavor to make ourselves shine before we are luminous. +If the sun without his beams should talk to the planets, and argue +with them till the final day, it would not make them shine; there +must be light in the sun itself; and then they will shine, of +course. And this, my brethren, is what God intends for you all. +It is the great idea of His gospel, and the work of His spirit, +to make you lights in the world. His greatest joy is to give you +character, to beautify your example, to exalt your principles, and +make you each the depository of His own almighty grace. But in order +to do this, something is necessary on your part--a full surrender +of your mind to duty and to God, and a perpetual desire of this +spiritual intimacy; having this, having a participation thus of the +goodness of God, you will as naturally communicate good as the sun +communicates his beams. + +Our doctrine of unconscious and undesigning influence shows how +it is, also, that the preaching of Christ is often unfruitful, +and especially in times of spiritual coldness. It is not because +truth ceases to be truth, nor, of necessity, because it is preached +in a less vivid manner, but because there are so many influences +preaching against the preacher. He is one, the people are many; +his attempt to convince and persuade is a voluntary influence; +their lives, on the other hand, and especially the lives of those +who profess what is better, are so many unconscious influences +ever streaming forth upon the people, and back and forth between +each other. He preaches the truth, and they, with one consent, are +preaching the truth down; and how can he prevail against so many, +and by a kind of influence so unequal? When the people of God are +glowing with spiritual devotion to Him, and love to men, the case +is different; then they are all preaching with the preacher, and +making an atmosphere of warmth for his words to fall in; great is +the company of them that publish the truth, and proportionally great +its power. Shall I say more? Have you not already felt, my brethren, +the application to which I would bring you? We do not exonerate +ourselves; we do not claim to be nearer to God or holier than you; +but, ah! you know how easy it is to make a winter about us, or +how cold it feels! Our endeavor is to preach the truth of Christ +and His cross as clearly and as forcefully as we can. Sometimes +it has a visible effect, and we are filled with joy; sometimes +it has no effect, and then we struggle on, as we must, but under +great oppression. Have we none among you that preach against us +in your lives? If we show you the light of God's truth, does it +never fall on banks of ice; which if the light shows through, the +crystal masses are yet as cold as before? We do not accuse you; that +we leave to God, and to those who may rise up in the last day to +testify against you. If they shall come out of your own families; +if they are the children that wear your names, the husband or wife +of your affections; if they declare that you, by your example, kept +them away from Christ's truth and mercy, we may have accusations to +meet of our own, and we leave you to acquit yourselves as best you +may. I only warn you, here, of the guilt which our Lord Jesus Christ +will impute to them that hinder His gospel. + + * * * * * + +Transcriber's note: + +Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. + +Page 203: "the filth of the world, and the offscouring of all +things", shall be found unto praise, and honor, and glory!--The +transcriber has supplied the missing closing quoteation mark. + +Page 206: not only from its condemnation, but from its very +"in-being";--The transcriber has supplied the opening quotation mark. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The World's Great Sermons, Volume 04, by Various + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44411 *** diff --git a/44411-h/44411-h.htm b/44411-h/44411-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4a1eb06 --- /dev/null +++ b/44411-h/44411-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8475 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The World's Great Sermons Volume 4, by Grenville Kleiser. + </title> + <link rel="coverpage" href="images/coverpage.jpg"/> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; + text-indent: 1em; +} + +.noind {text-indent: 0em;} + +.b15 {font-size:1.5em;} +.b12 {font-size:1.2em;} +.s08 {font-size:.8em;} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +hr.tb {width: 25%;} +hr.chap {width: 45%} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + font-style: normal; + text-align: right; +} /* page numbers */ + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.right {text-align: right;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.caption {font-weight: bold;} + +.space-above { margin-top: 3em; } + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +.bord img { padding: 1px; border: 2px solid black; } + + +/* Footnotes */ + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: 55%; + text-decoration: + none; +} + +/* Poetry */ +.poem { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + text-align: left; +} + +.poem br {display: none;} + +.poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + +.poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} +.poem span.i1 {display: block; margin-left: 0.5em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} +.poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 1em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} +.poem span.i3 {display: block; margin-left: 1.5em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + +@media handheld +{ + .poetry + { + display: block; + margin-left: 1.5em; + } +} + +/* Transcriber's notes */ +.tn {background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + font-size:smaller; + border: dashed 1px; + padding:0.5em; + margin-bottom:5em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; } + + + </style> + </head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44411 ***</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<div class="figcenter bord" style="width: 465px;"> +<img src="images/coverpage.jpg" width="465" height="600" alt="cover" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<div class="figcenter bord" style="width: 372px;"> +<img src="images/4-000f-image.jpg" width="372" height="600" alt="titlepage" /> +</div> +<hr class="chap" /> + +<h1><em>The World's Great Sermons</em><br /><br /> + +<span class="s08">VOLUME IV<br /><br /> + +L. BEECHER TO BUSHNELL</span></h1> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p class="center"><span class="b15"> +THE<br /> +<span class="smcap">World's<br /> +Great<br /> +Sermons</span></span></p> + + +<p class="center space-above">COMPILED BY<br /> +<span class="b12">GRENVILLE KLEISER</span></p> + +<p class="center space-above"><span class="b12">Formerly of Yale Divinity School Faculty;<br /> +Author of "How to Speak<br /> +in Public," Etc.</span></p> + + +<p class="center">With Assistance from Many of the Foremost<br /> +Living Preachers and Other Theologians</p> + +<p class="center space-above">INTRODUCTION BY<br /> +<big>LEWIS O. BRASTOW, D.D.</big><br /> +Professor Emeritus of Practical Theology<br /> +in Yale University</p> + +<p class="center space-above">IN TEN VOLUMES</p> + +<p class="center space-above">VOLUME IV L. BEECHER TO BUSHNELL</p> + +<p class="center space-above">FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY<br /> +NEW YORK and LONDON +</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p class="center"> +<span class="smcap">Copyright, 1908, by</span><br /> +FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY<br /> +<em>Printed in the United States of America</em> +</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[v]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="contents"> +<tr><td align="center">VOLUME IV</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Lyman Beecher</span> (1775-1863).</td><td align="left"><em>Page</em></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The Government of God Desirable</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Channing</span> (1780-1842).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The Character of Christ</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Chalmers</span> (1780-1847).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The Expulsive Power of a New Affection</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_53">53</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Alexander Campbell</span> (1788-1866).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The Missionary Cause</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_79">79</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Irving</span> (1792-1834).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> Preparation for Consulting the Oracles of God</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_101">101</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Arnold</span> (1795-1842).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> Alive in God</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_131">131</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Wayland</span> (1796-1865).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> A Day in the Life of Jesus of Nazareth</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_145">145</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Vinet</span> (1797-1847).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The Mysteries of Christianity</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_171">171</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Summerfield</span> (1798-1825).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The Heavenly Inheritance</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_189">189</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Newman</span> (1801-1890).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> God's Will the End of Life</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_207">207</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Bushnell</span> (1802-1876).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> Unconscious Influence</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_233">233</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi"> </a></span></p> + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1"> </a></span></p> + +<h2>LYMAN BEECHER</h2> + +<h3>THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD DESIRABLE</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p><span class="smcap">Lyman Beecher</span> was born in New Haven, +Conn., in 1775. He graduated from Yale +in 1797, and in 1798 took charge of the +Presbyterian Church at Easthampton, +Long Island. He first attracted attention +by his sermon on the death of Alexander +Hamilton, and in 1810 became pastor of +the Congregational Church at Litchfield, +Conn. In the course of a pastorate of +16 years, he preached a remarkable series +of sermons on temperance and became +recognized as one of the foremost pulpit +orators of the country. In 1826 he went +to Boston as pastor of the Hanover Street +Congregational Church. Six years later +he became president of the Lane Theological +Seminary in Ohio, an office he +retained for twenty years. In 1852 he +returned to Boston and subsequently retired +to the house of his son, Henry Ward +Beecher, where he died in 1863. His +public utterances, whether platform or +pulpit, were carefully elaborated. They +were delivered extemporaneously and +sparkled with wit, were convincing by their +logic, and conciliating by their shrewd +common sense.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>LYMAN BEECHER</h2> + +<h3>1775-1863</h3> + +<h4>THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD DESIRABLE</h4> + +<p><em>Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven</em>.—Matthew +vi., 10.</p> + + +<p>In this passage we are instructed to pray +that the world may be governed, and +not abandoned to the miseries of unrestrained +sin; that God Himself would govern, +and not another; and that God would administer +the government of the world, in all +respects, according to His own pleasure. The +passage is a formal surrender to God of power +and dominion over the earth, as entire as His +dominion is in His heaven. The petition, +therefore, "Thy will be done," contains the +doctrine:</p> + +<p>That it is greatly to be desired that God +should govern the world, and dispose of men, +in all respects, entirely according to His own +pleasure.</p> + +<p>The truth of this doctrine is so manifest, +that it would seem to rank itself in the number +of self-evident propositions, incapable of +proof clearer than its own light, had not experience +taught that, of all truths, it is the +most universally and bitterly controverted.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> +Plain as it is, it has occasioned more argument +than any other doctrine, and, by argument +merely, has gained fewer proselytes; +for it is one of those controversies in which +the heart decides wholly, and argument, +strong or feeble, is alike ineffectual.</p> + +<p>This consideration would present, on the +threshold, a hopeless impediment to further +progress, did we not know, also, that arguments +a thousand times repeated, and as often +resisted, may at length become mighty +through God, to the casting down of imaginations, +and every high thing that exalteth itself +against the knowledge of God. I shall, +therefore, suggest several considerations, to +confirm this most obvious truth, that it is desirable +that God should govern the world entirely +according to His own good pleasure.</p> + +<p>1. It is desirable that God should govern +the world, and dispose of all events, according +to His pleasure, because He knows perfectly +in what manner it is best that the world +should be governed.</p> + +<p>The best way of disposing of men and their +concerns is that which will effectually illustrate +the glory of God. The glory of God is His +benevolence, and His natural attributes for +the manifestation of it, and sun of the moral +universe, the light and life of His kingdom. +All the blessedness of the intelligent creation +arises, and ever will arise, from the manifestation +and apprehension of the glory of God.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> +It was to manifest this glory that the worlds +were created. It was that there might be +creatures to behold and enjoy God, that His +dominions were peopled with intelligent +beings. And it is that His holy subjects may +see and enjoy Him, that He upholds and governs +the universe. The entire importance of +our world, therefore, and of men and their +concerns, is relative, and is great or small only +as we are made to illustrate the glory of God. +How this important end shall be most effectually +accomplished none but Himself is able to +determine. He, only, knows how so to order +things as that the existence of every being, +and every event, shall answer the purpose of +its creation, and from the rolling of a world +to the fall of a sparrow shall conspire to increase +the exhibitions of the divine character, +and expand the joy of the holy universe.</p> + +<p>An inferior intelligence at the helm of government +might conceive very desirable purposes +of benevolence, and still be at a loss as +to the means most fit and effectual to accomplish +them. But, with God, there is no such +deficiency. In Him, the knowledge which discovered +the end discovers also, with unerring +wisdom, the most appropriate means to bring +it to pass. He is wise in heart; He hath established +the world by His wisdom and +stretched out the heavens by His discretion. +And is He not wise enough to be intrusted +with the government of the world? Who,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> +then, shall be His counsellor? Who shall supply +the deficiencies of His skill? Oh, the presumption +of vain man! and, oh! the depths +both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!</p> + +<p>2. It is desirable that God should govern +the world according to His own pleasure, because +He is entirely able to execute His purposes.</p> + +<p>A wise politician perceives, often, both the +end and the means; and is still unable to +bring to pass his counsels, because the means, +though wise, are beyond his control. But God +is as able to execute as He is to plan. Having +chosen the end, and selected the means, his +counsels stand. He is the Lord God omnipotent. +The whole universe is a storehouse of +means; and when He speaks every intelligence +and every atom flies to execute His +pleasure. The omnipotence of God, in giving +efficacy to His government, inspires and perpetuates +the ecstasy of heaven. "And a voice +came out from the throne, saying, Praise our +God. And I heard as it were the voice of a +great multitude, and as the voice of many +waters, and as the voice of many thunderings, +saying Alleluia, the Lord God omnipotent +reigneth." What will that man do in heaven, +who is afraid and reluctant to commit to God +the government of the earth? And what will +become of those who, unable to frustrate His +counsels, murmur and rebel against His providence?</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span></p> + +<p>3. It is desirable that God should govern +the world according to His pleasure, because +the pleasure of God is always good.</p> + +<p>The angels who kept not their first estate, +and many wicked men, have great knowledge, +and skill, and power: and yet, on these accounts, +are only the more terrible; because +they employ these mighty faculties to do evil. +And the government of God, were He a being +of malevolence, armed as He is with skill and +power, would justly fill the universe with dismay. +But, as it is, brethren, "let not your +hearts be troubled." With God there is no +perversion of attributes. He is as good as He +is wise and powerful. God is love! Love is +that glory of God which He has undertaken to +express to His intelligent creation in His +works. The sole object of the government of +God, from beginning to end, is, to express His +benevolence. His eternal decrees, of which so +many are afraid, are nothing but the plan +which God has devised to express His benevolence, +and to make His kingdom as vast and +as blest as His own infinite goodness desires. +It was to show His glory—to express, in action, +His benevolence—that He created all the +worlds that roll, and rejoice, and speak His +name, through the regions of space. It is to +accomplish the same blest design, that He upholds, +and places under law, every intelligent +being, and directs every event, causing every +movement, in every world, to fall in, in its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> +appointed time and place, and to unite in +promoting the grand result—the glory of God, +and the highest good of His kingdom. And is +there a mortal, who, from this great system +of blest government, would wish this earth +to be an exception? What sort of beings must +those be who are afraid of a government administered +by infinite benevolence, to express, +so far as it can be expressed, the infinite +goodness of God? I repeat the question,—What +kind of characters must those be who +feel as if they had good reason to fear a government +the sole object of which is to express +the immeasurable goodness of God?</p> + +<p>4. It is greatly to be desired that God +should govern the world according to His +pleasure, because it is His pleasure to rule as +a moral governor.</p> + +<p>A moral government is a government exercised +over free agents, accountable beings; a +government of laws, administered by motives.</p> + +<p>The importance of such a government below +is manifest from the consideration, that it +is in His moral government, chiefly, that the +glory of God is displayed.</p> + +<p>The superintendence of an empty world, or +a world of mere animals, would not exhibit, +at all, the moral character of God. The glory +of God, shining in His law, could never be +made manifest, and the brighter glory of God, +as displayed in the gospel, must remain forever +hid; and all that happiness of which we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> +are capable, as moral beings, the joys of religion +below, and the boundless joys of heaven +above, would be extinguished, in a moment, +by the suspension of the divine moral government.</p> + +<p>Will any pretend that the Almighty cannot +maintain a moral government on earth, if +He governs according to His own pleasure? +Can He wield the elements, and control, at His +pleasure, every work of His hands, but just +the mind of man? Is the most noble work +of God—that which is the most worthy of +attention, and in reference to which all beside +is upheld and governed—itself wholly +unmanageable? Has Omnipotence formed +minds, which, the moment they are made, escape +from His hands, and defy the control of +their Maker? Has the Almighty erected a +moral kingdom which He cannot govern without +destroying its moral nature? Can He only +watch, and mend, and rectify, the lawless +wanderings of mind? Has He filled the earth +with untamed and untamable spirits, whose +wickedness and rebellion He can merely mitigate, +but cannot control? Does He superintend +a world of madmen, full of darkness and +disorder, cheered and blest by no internal +pervading government of His own? Are we +bound to submit to all events, as parts of the +holy providence of God; and yet, is there +actually no hand of God controlling the movements +of the moral world? But if the Almighty<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +can, and if he does, govern the earth +as a part of His moral kingdom, is there any +method of government more safe and wise +than that which pleases God? Can there be +a better government? We may safely pray, +then, "Thy will be done in earth as it is in +heaven," without fearing at all the loss of +moral agency; for all the glory of God, in His +Law and Gospel, and all the eternal manifestations +of glory to principalities and powers +in heavenly places, depend wholly upon the +fact, that men, though living under the government +of God, and controlled according to +His pleasure, are still entirely free, and accountable +for all the deeds done in the body. +There could be no justice in punishment and +no condescension, no wisdom, no mercy, in +the glorious gospel, did not the government +of God, though administered according to His +pleasure, include and insure the accountable +agency of man.</p> + +<p>Seeing, therefore, that all the glory of God, +which He ever proposes to manifest to the +intelligent creation, is to be made known by +the Church, and is to shine in the face of Jesus +Christ, and is to depend upon the perfect consistency +of the moral government of God with +human freedom, we have boundless assurance +that, among His absolute, immutable, eternal +purposes, one, and a leading one, is, so to govern +the world according to His counsels, that, +if men sin, there shall be complete desert of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> +punishment, and boundless mercy in their +redemption.</p> + +<p>5. It is greatly to be desired that God +should rule in the earth according to His +pleasure, because it is His pleasure to govern +the world in mercy, by Jesus Christ.</p> + +<p>The government is in the hand of a Mediator, +by whom God is reconciling the world to +Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them +that believe. Mercy is the bestowment of pardon +upon the sinful and undeserving. Now, +mankind are so eminently sinful, that no government +but one administered in infinite +mercy, could afford the least consolation. +Had any being but the God of mercy sat upon +the throne, or any will but His will prevailed, +there would have been no plan of redemption, +and no purposes of election, to perplex and +alarm the wicked. There would have been but +one decree, and that would have been, destruction +to the whole race of man. Are any reluctant +to be entirely in the hands of God? Are +they afraid to trust Him to dispose of soul and +body, for time and eternity? Let them surrender +their mercies, then, and go out naked +from that government which feeds, protects +and comforts them. Let them give up their +Bibles, and relinquish the means of grace, and +the hopes of glory, and descend and make +their bed in hell, where they have long since +deserved to be, and where they long since +would have been, if God had not governed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> +the world according to His own good pleasure. +If they would escape the evils which they fear +from the hand of God, let them abandon the +blessings they receive from it, and they will +soon discover whether the absolute dominion +of God, and their dependence upon Him, be, +in reality, a ground of murmuring and alarm. +Our only hope of heaven arises from being +entirely in the hands of God. Our destruction +could not be made more certain than it +would be were we to be given up to our own +disposal, or to the disposal of any being but +God. Would sinful mortals change their own +hearts? Could the combined universe, without +God, change the depraved affections of +men? Surely, then, we have cause for unceasing +joy, that we are in the hands of God; +seeing He is a God of mercy, and has decreed +to rule in mercy, and actually is administering +the government of the world in mercy, by +Jesus Christ.</p> + +<p>We have nothing to fear, from the entire +dominion of God, which we should not have +cause equally to fear, as outcasts from the +divine government; but we have everything +to hope, while He rules the earth according to +His most merciful pleasure. The Lord reigneth; +let the earth rejoice, let the multitude of +the isles be glad. It is of the Lord's mercies +that we are not consumed, because His compassions +fail not.</p> + +<p>6. It is greatly to be desired that God<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> +should dispose of mankind according to His +pleasure, because, if He does so, it is certain +that there will be no injustice done to anyone.</p> + +<p>He will do no injustice to His holy kingdom +by any whom He saves. He will bring none +to heaven who are not holy, and prepared for +heaven. He will bring none there in any way +not consistent with His perfections, and the +best good of His kingdom; none in any way +but that prescribed in the gospel, the way of +faith in Jesus Christ, of repentance for sin, +and of good works as the constituted fruit and +evidence of faith.</p> + +<p>Earthly monarchs have their favorites, +whom, if guilty of a violation of the laws, they +will often interpose to save, although the welfare +of the kingdom requires their punishment. +But God has no such favorites—He is +no respecter of persons: He spared not the +angels: and upon the earth distinctions of +intellect, or wealth, or honor, will have no +effect; he only that believeth shall be saved. +The great and the learned shall not be obtruded +upon heaven without holiness because +they are great or learned; and the humble and +contrite shall not be excluded because they are +poor, or ignorant, or obscure. God has provided +a way for all men to return to Him. He +has opened the door of their prison, and set +open before them a door of admission into the +kingdom of His dear Son; and commanded +and entreated them to abandon their dreary<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +abode, and come into the glorious liberty of the +sons of God. But all, with one consent, refuse +to comply. Each prefers his own loathsome +dwelling to the building of God, and chooses, +stedfastly, the darkness of his own dungeon, +to the light of God's kingdom. But, as God +has determined that the redemption of His +Son shall not be unavailing through human +obstinacy, so He hath chosen, in Christ, multitudes +which no man can number, that they +should be holy and without blame before Him +in love. And in bringing these sons and +daughters to glory, through sanctification of +the Spirit, and belief of the truth, He will introduce +not one whom all the inhabitants of +heaven will not hail joyfully, as the companion +of their glory. And if God does in +the earth just as He pleases, He will make +willing, and obedient, and bring to heaven, +just those persons who it was most desirable +should come. And He will bring just as many +obstinate rebels to abandon their prison, and +enter cheerfully His kingdom, as infinite wisdom, +goodness, and mercy, see fit and desire. +He will not mar His glory, or the happiness +of His kingdom, by bringing in too many, nor +by omitting to bring in enough. His redeemed +kingdom, as to the number and the +persons who compose it, and the happiness +included in it, will be such as shall be wholly +satisfactory to God, and to every subject of +His kingdom.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span></p> + +<p>And if God governs according to His pleasure, +He will do no injustice to His impenitent +enemies. He will send to misery no harmless +animals without souls—no mere machines—none +who have done, or even attempted to do, +as well as they could. He will leave to walk +in their own way none who do not deserve +to be left; and punish none for walking in it +who did not walk therein knowingly, deliberately +and with wilful obstinacy. He will give +up to death none who did not choose death, +and choose it with as entire freedom as Himself +chooses holiness; and who did not deserve +eternal punishment as truly as Himself deserves +eternal praise. He will send to hell +none who are not opposed to Him, and to +holiness, and to heaven; none who are not, +by voluntary sin and rebellion, unfitted for +heaven, and fitted for destruction, as eminently +as saints are prepared for glory. He +will consign to perdition no poor, feeble, inoffensive +beings, sacrificing one innocent +creature to increase the happiness of another. +He will cause the punishment of the wicked +to illustrate His glory, and thus indirectly to +promote the happiness of heaven. But God +will not illumine heaven with His glory, and +fill it with praise, by sacrificing helpless, unoffending +creatures to eternal torment; nor +will He doom to hell one whom He will not +convince also, that he deserves to go thither. +The justice of God, in the condemnation of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +the impenitent, will be as unquestionable, as +His infinite mercy will be in the salvation of +the redeemed.</p> + +<p>If the will of God is done on earth, among +men, there will be no more injustice done to +the inhabitants of the earth than there is done +to the blessed in heaven. Was it ever known—did +any ever complain—was it ever conceived—that +God was a tyrant, in heaven? +Why, then, should we question the justice of +His government on earth? Is He not the same +God below as above? Are not all His attributes +equally employed? Does He not govern +for the same end, and will not His government +below conspire to promote the same joyful end +as His government above?</p> + +<p>7. It is greatly to be desired that God +should govern the world according to His +pleasure, because His own infinite blessedness, +as well as the happiness of His kingdom, depends +upon His working all things according +to the counsel of His own will.</p> + +<p>Could the Almighty be prevented from expressing +the benevolence of His nature, according +to His purposes, His present boundless +blessedness would become the pain of ungratified +desire. God is love, and His happiness +consists in the exercise and expression of it, +according to His own eternal purpose, which +He purposed in Christ Jesus before the world +began. It is therefore declared, "The Lord +hath made all things for himself;" that is,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> +to express and gratify His infinite benevolence. +The moral excellence of God does not +consist in quiescent love, but in love active, +bursting forth, and abounding. Nor does the +divine happiness arise from the contemplation +of idle perfections, but from perfections +which comprehend boundless capacity, and +activity in doing good.</p> + +<p>From what has been said, we may be led to +contemplate with satisfaction the infinite +blessedness of God.</p> + +<p>God is love! This is a disposition which, +beyond all others, is happy in its own nature. +He is perfect in love; there is, therefore, in +His happiness no alloy. His love is infinite; +and, of course, His blessedness is unbounded. +If the little holiness existing in good men, +though balanced by remaining sin, occasions, +at times, unutterable joy, how blessed must +God be, who is perfectly and infinitely holy! +It is to be remembered, also, that the benevolence +of God is at all times perfectly gratified. +The universe which God has created and +upholds, including what He has done, and what +He will yet do, will be brought into a condition +which will satisfy His infinite benevolence. +The great plan of government which God has +chosen, and which His power and wisdom will +execute, will embrace as much good as in the +nature of things is possible. He is not, like +erring man, straitened and perplexed, through +lack of knowledge or power. There is in His<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +plan no defect, and in His execution no failure. +God, therefore, is infinitely happy in His +holiness, and in the expression of it which it +pleases Him to make.</p> + +<p>The revolt of angels, the fall of man, and +the miseries of sin, do not, for a moment, interrupt +the blessedness of God. They were +not, to Him, unexpected events, starting up +suddenly while the watchman of Israel slumbered. +They were foreseen by God as clearly +as any other events of His government, and +have occasioned neither perplexity nor dismay. +With infinite complacency He beholds +still His unshaken counsels, and with almighty +hand rolls on His undisturbed decrees. Surrounded +by unnumbered millions, created by +His hand, and upheld by His power, He shines +forth, God over all, blest for ever. What an +object of joyful contemplation, then, is the +blessedness of God! It is infinite; His boundless +capacity is full. It is eternal; He is God +blest forever. The happiness of the created +universe is but a drop—a drop to the mighty +ocean of divine enjoyment. How delightful +the thought, that in God there is such an immensity +of joy, beyond the reach of vicissitude! +When we look around below, a melancholy +sensation pervades the mind. What +miserable creatures! What a wretched +world! But when, from this scene of darkness +and misery, we look up to the throne of God, +and behold Him, high above the darkness and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> +miseries of sin, dwelling in light inaccessible +and full of glory, the prospect brightens. If +a few rebels, who refuse to love and participate +in His munificence, are groping in darkness +on His footstool, God is light, and in Him +there is no darkness at all.</p> + +<p>Those who are opposed to the decrees of +God, and to His sovereignty, as displayed +in the salvation of sinners, are enemies of +God.</p> + +<p>They are unwilling that His will should be +done in earth as it is in heaven; for the decrees +of God are nothing but His choice as to +the manner in which He will govern His own +kingdom. He did not enter upon His government +to learn wisdom by experience. Before +they were yet formed, His vast dominion lay +open to His view; and before He took the reins +of created empire, He saw in what manner it +became Him to govern. His ways are everlasting. +Known unto God are all His works +from the beginning. To be opposed to the +decrees of God, therefore, is to be unwilling +that God should have any choice concerning +the government of the world. And can those +be willing that God should govern the world +entirely according to His pleasure who object +to His having any pleasure upon the subject? +To object to the choice of God, with respect +to the management of the world, because it is +eternal, is to object to the existence of God. +A God of eternal knowledge, without an eternal<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +will or choice, would be a God without +moral character.</p> + +<p>To suppose that God did not know what +events would exist in His kingdom, is to divest +Him of omniscience. To suppose that He did +know, and did not care,—had no choice, no +purpose,—is to blot out His benevolence, to +nullify His wisdom and convert His power +into infinite indolence. To suppose that He did +know, and choose, and decree, and that events +do not accord with His purposes, is to suppose +that God has made a world which He can not +govern; has undertaken a work too vast; has +begun to build, but is not able to finish. But +to suppose that God did, from the beginning, +behold all things open and naked before Him, +and that He did choose, with unerring wisdom +and infinite goodness, how to govern His empire,—and +yet at the same time, to employ +heart, and head, and tongue, in continual +opposition to this great and blessed truth,—is, +most clearly, to cherish enmity to God and +His government.</p> + +<p>To object to the choice of God because it is +immutable, is to cavil against that which constitutes +its consummating excellence. Caprice +is a most alarming feature in a bad government; +but in a government absolutely perfect, +none, surely, can object to its immutability, +but those, who, if able, would alter it for the +worse.</p> + +<p>To say that, if God always knew how to govern<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +so as to display His glory, and bless His +kingdom, and always chooses thus to govern, +there can be, therefore, no accountable agency +in the conduct of His creatures, is to deny the +possibility of a moral government, to contradict +the express testimony of God; and this, +too, at the expense of common sense, and the +actual experience of every subject of His +moral government on earth.</p> + +<p>From the character of God, and the nature +of His government, as explained in this discourse, +may be inferred, the nature and necessity +of unconditional submission to God.</p> + +<p>Unconditional submission is an entire surrender +of the soul to God, to be disposed of +according to His pleasure,—occasioned by +confidence in His character as God.</p> + +<p>There are many who would trust the Almighty +to regulate the rolling of worlds, and +to rule in the armies of heaven, just as He +pleases; and devils they would consign to His +disposal, without the least hesitation; and +their own nation, if they were sure that God +would dispose of it according to their pleasure; +even their own temporal concerns they +would risk in the hands of God, could they +know that all things would work together for +their good; their souls, also, they would cheerfully +trust to His disposal, for the world to +come, if God would stipulate, at all events, to +make them happy.</p> + +<p>And to what does all this amount? Truly,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +that they care much about their own happiness, +and their own will, but nothing at all +about the will of God, and the welfare of His +kingdom. He may decree, and execute His +decrees, in heaven, and may turn its inhabitants +into machines, or uphold their freedom, +as He pleases; and apostate spirits are relinquished +to their doom, whether just or unjust. +It is only when the government of God descends +to particulars, and draws near and enters +their own selfish enclosures, and claims a +right to dispose of them, and extends its influence +to the unseen world, that selfishness +and fear take the alarm. Has God determined +how to dispose of my soul? Ah! that alters +the case. If He can, consistently with freedom, +govern angels, and devils, and nations, +how can He govern individuals? How can He +dispose of me according to His eternal purpose +and I be free? Here reason, all-penetrating, +and all-comprehensive, becomes weak; the +clouds begin to collect, and the understanding, +veiled by the darkness of the heart, can "find +no end, in wandering mazes lost."</p> + +<p>But if God has purposes of mercy in reserve +for the sinner, he is convinced, at length, of +his sin, and finds himself in an evil case. He +reforms, prays, weeps, resolves, and re-resolves, +regardless of the righteousness of +Christ, and intent only to establish a righteousness +of his own. But, through all his +windings, sin cleaves to him, and the law, with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> +its fearful curse, pursues him. Whither shall +he flee? What shall he do? A rebel heart, +that will not bow, fills him with despair. An +angry God, who will not clear the guilty, fills +him with terror. His strength is gone, his +resources fail, his mouth is stopped. With +restless anxiety, or wild amazement, he surveys +the gloomy prospect. At length, amidst +the wanderings of despair, the character of +God meets his eye. It is new, it is amiable, +and full of glory. Forgetful of danger, he +turns aside to behold this great sight; and +while he gazes, new affections awake in his +soul, inspiring new confidence in God, and in +His holy government. Now God appears +qualified to govern, and now he is willing that +He should govern, and willing himself to be in +the hands of God, to be disposed of according +to His pleasure. What is the occasion of this +change? Has the divine character changed? +There is no variableness with God. Did he, +then, misapprehend the divine character? +Was all this glory visible before? Or has a +revelation of new truth been granted? There +has been no new revelation. The character +now admitted is the same which just before +appeared so gloomy and terrible. What, then, +has produced this alteration? Has a vision of +angels appeared, to announce that God is reconciled? +Has some sudden light burst upon +him, in token of forgiveness? Has Christ +been seen upon the cross, beckoning the sinner<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +to come to Him? Has heaven been thrown +open to his admiring eyes? Have enrapturing +sounds of music stolen upon the ear, to entrance +the soul? Has some text of Scripture +been sent to whisper that his sins are forgiven, +tho no repentance, nor faith, nor love, has +dawned in his soul? And does he now submit, +because God has given him assurance of +personal safety? None of these. Considerations +of personal safety are, at the time, out +of the question. It is the uncreated, essential +excellence of God, shining in upon the heart, +which claims the attention, fixes the adoring +eye, and fills the soul with love, and peace, +and joy; and the act of submission is past, +before the subject begins to reflect upon his +altered views, with dawning hope of personal +redemption.</p> + +<p>The change produced, then, is the effect of +benevolence, raising the affections of the soul +from the world, and resting them upon God. +Holiness is now most ardently loved. This is +seen to dwell in God and His kingdom, and to +be upheld and perfected by His moral government. +It is the treasure of the soul, and all +the attributes of God stand pledged to protect +it. The solicitude, therefore, is not +merely, What will become of me? but, What, +O Lord, will become of Thy glory, and the +glory of Thy kingdom? And in the character +of God, these inquiries are satisfactorily answered. +If God be glorified, and His kingdom<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> +upheld and made happy, the soul is satisfied. +There is nothing else to be anxious about; +for individual happiness is included in the +general good, as the drop is included in the +ocean.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26"> </a><br /><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>CHANNING</h2> + +<h3>THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p><span class="smcap">William Ellery Channing</span>, the famous +Unitarian divine, was born at Newport, +R. I., in 1780. He took his degree at +Harvard in 1798, studied theology and +was ordained pastor of the Federal Street +Church in Boston, 1803. He has been +called the Apostle of Unitarianism, +because he was first among the orthodox +divines of New England to give Unitarianism +a clear, dogmatic expression, as +he did in a sermon preached at the ordination +of Jared Sparks, in opposition to the +current Calvinism of the day. But he +hated the controversy in which the publication +of his views involved him and professed +in 1841, "I am little of a Unitarian +and stand aloof from all but those who +strive and pray for clearer light." He +had made the acquaintance of Wordsworth +and Coleridge on his visit to England, +and the latter justly described him as one +who had "the love of wisdom and the +wisdom of love." He was a voluminous +writer on theological and literary subjects +and what he wrote was vigorous, of +fastidious taste and fired with moral +earnestness. He died in 1842.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>CHANNING</h2> + +<h3>1780-1842</h3> + +<h4>THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST</h4> + +<p><em>This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased</em>.—Matthew +xvii., 5.</p> + + +<p>The character of Christ may be studied +for various purposes. It is singularly +fitted to call forth the heart, to awaken +love, admiration, and moral delight. As an +example it has no rival. As an evidence of +His religion perhaps it yields to no other +proof; perhaps no other has so often conquered +unbelief. It is chiefly to this last +view of it that I now ask your attention. The +character of Christ is a strong confirmation of +the truth of His religion. As such I would +now place it before you. I shall not, however, +think only of confirming your faith; the very +illustrations which I shall adduce for this +purpose will show the claims of Jesus to our +reverence, obedience, imitation, and fervent +love.</p> + +<p>The more we contemplate Christ's character +as exhibited in the gospel, the more we shall +be impressed with its genuineness and reality. +It was plainly drawn from the life. The +narratives of the evangelists bear the marks<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +of truth perhaps beyond all other histories. +They set before us the most extraordinary +being who ever appeared on earth, and yet +they are as artless as the stories of childhood. +The authors do not think of themselves. They +have plainly but one aim, to show us their +Master; and they manifest the deep veneration +which He inspired by leaving Him to +reveal Himself, by giving us His actions and +sayings without comment, explanation, or +eulogy.</p> + +<p>You see in these narratives no varnishing, +no high coloring, no attempts to make His +actions striking or to bring out the beauties of +His character. We are never pointed to any +circumstance as illustrative of His greatness. +The evangelists write with a calm trust in His +character, with a feeling that it needed no +aid from their hands, and with a deep veneration, +as if comment or praise of their own +were not worthy to mingle with the recital +of such a life.</p> + +<p>It is the effect of our familiarity with the +history of Jesus that we are not struck by it +as we ought to be. We read it before we are +capable of understanding its excellence. His +stupendous works become as familiar to us as +the events of ordinary life, and His high offices +seem as much matters of course as the common +relations which men bear to each other.</p> + +<p>On this account it is fit for the ministers +of religion to do what the evangelists did not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +attempt, to offer comments on Christ's character, +to bring out its features, to point men +to its higher beauties, to awaken their awe by +unfolding its wonderful majesty. Indeed, one +of our most important functions as teachers +is to give freshness and vividness to truths +which have become worn, I had almost said +tarnished, by long and familiar handling. +We have to fight with the power of habit. +Through habit men look on this glorious +creation with insensibility, and are less moved +by the all-enlightening sun than by a show of +fireworks. It is the duty of a moral and +religious teacher almost to create a new sense +in men, that they may learn in what a world +of beauty and magnificence they live. And +so in regard to Christ's character; men become +used to it until they imagine that there +is something more admirable in a great man +of their own day, a statesman or a conqueror, +than in Him the latchet of whose shoes statesmen +and conquerors are not worthy to unloose.</p> + +<p>In this discourse I wish to show that the +character of Christ, taken as a whole, is one +which could not have entered the thoughts +of man, could not have been imagined or +feigned; that it bears every mark of genuineness +and truth; that it ought therefore +to be acknowledged as real and of divine +origin.</p> + +<p>It is all-important, my friends, if we would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> +feel the force of this argument, to transport +ourselves to the times when Jesus lived. We +are very apt to think that He was moving +about in such a city as this, or among a people +agreeing with ourselves in modes of thinking +and habits of life. But the truth is, he lived +in a state of society singularly remote from +our own.</p> + +<p>Of all the nations the Jewish was the most +strongly marked. The Jew hardly felt himself +to belong to the human family. He was +accustomed to speak of himself as chosen by +God, holy, clean; whilst the Gentiles were +sinners, dogs, polluted, unclean. His common +dress, the phylactery on his brow or arm, the +hem of his garment, his food, the ordinary +circumstances of his life, as well as his temple, +his sacrifices, his ablutions, all held him up to +himself as a peculiar favorite of God, and all +separated him from the rest of the world. +With other nations he could not eat or marry. +They were unworthy of his communion. Still, +with all these notions of superiority he saw +himself conquered by those whom he despised. +He was obliged to wear the shackles of Rome, +to see Roman legions in his territory, a Roman +guard near his temple, and a Roman tax-gatherer +extorting, for the support of an +idolatrous government and an idolatrous worship, +what he regarded as due only to God. +The hatred which burned in the breast of the +Jew toward his foreign oppressor perhaps<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +never glowed with equal intenseness in any +other conquered state.</p> + +<p>He had, however, his secret consolation. +The time was near, the prophetic age was at +hand, when Judea was to break her chains and +rise from the dust. Her long-promised king +and deliverer was near, and was coming to +wear the crown of universal empire. From +Jerusalem was to go forth His law, and all +nations were to serve the chosen people of +God. To this conqueror the Jews indeed +ascribed the office of promoting religion; but +the religion of Moses, corrupted into an outward +service, was to them the perfection of +human nature. They clung to its forms with +the whole energy of their souls. To the +Mosaic institution they ascribed their distinction +from all other nations. It lay at the +foundation of their hopes of dominion. I +believe no strength of prejudice ever equalled +the intense attachment of the Jew to his +peculiar national religion. You may judge of +its power by the fact of its having been transmitted +through so many ages, amidst persecution +and sufferings which would have subdued +any spirit but that of a Jew. You must bring +these things to your mind. You must place +yourselves in the midst of this singular +people.</p> + +<p>Among this singular people, burning with +impatient expectation, appeared Jesus of +Nazareth. His first words were, "Repent,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> +for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." These +words we hear with little emotion; but to the +Jews, who had been watching for this kingdom +for ages, and who were looking for its +immediate manifestation, they must have been +awakening as an earthquake. Accordingly we +find Jesus thronged by multitudes which no +building could contain. He repairs to a +mountain, as affording him advantages for +addressing the crowd. I see them surrounding +Him with eager looks, and ready to drink +in every word from His lips. And what do +I hear? Not one word of Judea, of Rome, of +freedom, of conquest, of the glories of God's +chosen people, and of the thronging of all +nations to the temple on Mount Zion.</p> + +<p>Almost every word was a death-blow to the +hopes and feelings which glowed through the +whole people, and were consecrated under the +name of religion. He speaks of the long-expected +kingdom of heaven; but speaks of +it as a felicity promised to, and only to be +partaken of by, the humble and pure in heart. +The righteousness of the Pharisees, that which +was deemed the perfection of religion, and +which the new deliverer was expected to +spread far and wide, He pronounces worthless, +and declares the kingdom of heaven, or +of the Messiah, to be shut against all who do +not cultivate a new, spiritual, and disinterested +virtue.</p> + +<p>Instead of war and victory He commands<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> +His impatient hearers to love, to forgive, to +bless their enemies; and holds forth this spirit +of benignity, mercy, peace, as the special badge +of the people of the true Messiah. Instead of +national interests and glories, he commands +them to seek first a spirit of impartial charity +and love, unconfined by the bounds of tribe or +nation, and proclaims this to be the happiness +and honor of the reign for which they hoped. +Instead of this world's riches, which they expected +to flow from all lands into their own, +He commands them to lay up treasures in +heaven, and directs them to an incorruptible, +immortal life, as the true end of their being.</p> + +<p>Nor is this all. He does not merely offer +himself as a spiritual deliverer, as the +founder of a new empire of inward piety +and universal charity; He closes with +language announcing a more mysterious office. +"Many will say unto Me in that day, Lord, +Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name, +and in Thy name done many wonderful +works? And then will I profess unto them, I +never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work +iniquity." Here I meet the annunciation of +a character as august as it must have been +startling. I hear Him foretelling a dominion +to be exercised in the future world. He begins +to announce, what entered largely into +His future teaching, that His power was not +bounded to this earth. These words I better +understand when I hear Him subsequently<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> +declaring that, after a painful death, He was +to rise again and ascend to heaven, and there, +in a state of preeminent power and glory, was +to be the advocate and judge of the human +race.</p> + +<p>Such are some of the views given by Jesus, +of His character and reign, in the Sermon on +the Mount. Immediately afterwards I hear +another lesson from Him, bringing out some +of these truths still more strongly. A Roman +centurion makes application to Him for the +cure of a servant whom he particularly +valued; and on expressing, in a strong manner, +his conviction of the power of Jesus to +heal at a distance, Jesus, according to the +historian, "marvelled, and said to those that +followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not +found so great faith in Israel; and 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; +but the children of the kingdom" (that is, +the Jews) "shall be cast out."</p> + +<p>Here all the hopes which the Jews had cherished +of an exclusive or peculiar possession of +the Messiah's kingdom were crushed; and the +reception of the despised Gentile world to all +His blessings, or, in other words, the extension +of His pure religion to the ends of the earth, +began to be proclaimed.</p> + +<p>Here I pause for the present, and I ask +you whether the character of Jesus be not the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> +most extraordinary in history, and wholly inexplicable +on human principles. Review the +ground over which we have gone. Recollect +that He was born and grew up a Jew in the +midst of Jews, a people burning with one +passion, and throwing their whole souls into +the expectation of a national and earthly deliverer. +He grew up among them in poverty, +seclusion, and labors fitted to contract His +thoughts, purposes, and hopes; and yet we +find Him escaping every influence of education +and society. We find Him as untouched +by the feelings which prevailed universally +around Him, which religion and patriotism +concurred to consecrate, which the mother +breathed into the ear of the child, and which +the teacher of the synagog strengthened in +the adult, as if He had been brought up in +another world. We find Him conceiving a +sublime purpose, such as had never dawned +on sage or hero, and see Him possessed with a +consciousness of sustaining a relation to God +and mankind, and of being invested with +powers in this world and the world to come, +such as had never entered the human mind. +Whence now, I ask, came the conception of +this character?</p> + +<p>Will any say it had its origin in imposture; +that it was a fabrication of a deceiver? I +answer, the character claimed by Christ excludes +this supposition by its very nature. It +was so remote from all the ideas and anticipations<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +of the times, so unfit to awaken sympathy, +so unattractive to the heathen, so exasperating +to the Jew, that it was the last to enter +the mind of an impostor. A deceiver of the +dullest vision must have foreseen that it would +expose him to bitter scorn, abhorrence, and +persecution, and that he would be left to carry +on his work alone, just as Jesus always stood +alone and could find not an individual to enter +into His spirit and design. What allurements +an unprincipled, self-seeking man could find +to such an enterprise, no common ingenuity +can discover.</p> + +<p>I affirm next that the sublimity of the +character claimed by Christ forbids us to trace +it to imposture. That a selfish, designing, +depraved mind could have formed the idea +and purpose of a work unparalleled in beneficence, +in vastness, and in moral grandeur, +would certainly be a strange departure from +the laws of the human mind. I add, that if +an impostor could have lighted on the conception +of so sublime and wonderful a work as +that claimed by Jesus, he could not, I say, +he could not have thrown into his personation +of it the air of truth and reality. The part +would have been too high for him. He would +have overacted it or fallen short of it perpetually. +His true character would have rebelled +against his assumed one. We should +have seen something strained, forced, artificial, +awkward, showing that he was not in his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> +true sphere. To act up to a character so +singular and grand, and one for which no +precedent could be found, seems to me utterly +impossible for a man who had not the true +spirit of it, or who was only wearing it as a +mask.</p> + +<p>Now, how stands the case with Jesus? Bred +a Jewish peasant or carpenter, He issues from +obscurity, and claims for Himself a divine +office, a superhuman dignity, such as had not +been imagined; and in no instance does He +fall below the character. The peasant, and +still more the Jew, wholly disappears.</p> + +<p>We feel that a new being, of a new order +of mind, is taking a part in human affairs. +There is a native tone of grandeur and +authority in His teaching. He speaks as a +being related to the whole human race. His +mind never shrinks within the ordinary limits +of human agency. A narrower sphere than +the world never enters His thoughts. He +speaks in a natural, spontaneous style, of +accomplishing the most arduous and important +change in human affairs. This unlabored +manner of expressing great thoughts is particularly +worthy of attention. You never hear +from Jesus that swelling, pompous, ostentatious +language, which almost necessarily +springs from an attempt to sustain a character +above our powers. He talks of His glories as +one to whom they were familiar, and of His +intimacy and oneness with God as simply as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> +a child speaks of his connection with his +parents. He speaks of saving and judging the +world, of drawing all men to Himself, and of +giving everlasting life, as we speak of the +ordinary powers which we exert. He makes +no set harangues about the grandeur of His +office and character. His consciousness of it +gives a hue to His whole language, breaks out +in indirect, undesigned expressions, showing +that it was the deepest and most familiar of +His convictions.</p> + +<p>This argument is only to be understood by +reading the Gospels with a wakeful mind and +heart. It does not lie on their surface, and it +is the stronger for lying beneath it. When I +read these books with care, when I trace the +unaffected majesty which runs through the +life of Jesus, and see him never falling below +His sublime claims amidst poverty, and scorn, +and in His last agony, I have a feeling of the +reality of His character which I can not express. +I feel that the Jewish carpenter could +no more have conceived and sustained this +character under motives of imposture than an +infant's arm could repeat the deeds of +Hercules, or his unawakened intellect comprehend +and rival the matchless works of +genius.</p> + +<p>Am I told that the claims of Jesus had +their origin not in imposture, but in enthusiasm; +that the imagination, kindled by strong +feeling, overpowered the judgment so far as to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> +give Him the notion of being destined to some +strange and unparalleled work? I know that +enthusiasm, or a kindled imagination, has +great power; and we are never to lose sight of +it, in judging of the claims of religious +teachers. But I say first, that, except in cases +where it amounts to insanity, enthusiasm +works, in a greater or less degree, according to +a man's previous conceptions and modes of +thought.</p> + +<p>In Judea, where the minds of men were +burning with feverish expectation of a messiah, +I can easily conceive of a Jew imagining +that in himself this ardent conception, this +ideal of glory, was to be realized. I can +conceive of his seating himself in fancy on +the throne of David, and secretly pondering +the means of his appointed triumphs. But +that a Jew should fancy himself the Messiah, +and at the same time should strip that character +of all the attributes which had fired his +youthful imagination and heart—that he +should start aside from all the feelings and +hopes of his age, and should acquire a consciousness +of being destined to a wholly new +career, and one as unbounded as it was now—this +is exceedingly improbable; and one thing +is certain that an imagination so erratic, so +ungoverned, and able to generate the conviction +of being destined to work so immeasurably +disproportioned to the power of the +individual, must have partaken of insanity.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span></p> + +<p>Now, is it conceivable that an individual, +mastered by so wild and fervid an imagination, +should have sustained the dignity +claimed by Christ, should have acted worthily +the highest part ever assumed on earth? +Would not his enthusiasm have broken out +amidst the peculiar excitements of the life of +Jesus, and have left a touch of madness on his +teaching and conduct? Is it to such a man +that we should look for the inculcation of a +new and perfect form of virtue, and for the +exemplification of humanity in its fairest +form?</p> + +<p>The charge of an extravagant, self-deluding +enthusiasm is the last to be fastened on Jesus. +Where can we find the traces of it in His +history? Do we detect them in the calm +authority of His precepts; in the mild, practical +and beneficial spirit of His religion; in the +unlabored simplicity of the language with +which He unfolds His high powers and the +sublime truths of religion; or in the good +sense, the knowledge of human nature, which +He always discovers in His estimate and treatment +of the different classes of men with +whom He acted? Do we discover this enthusiasm +in the singular fact that, whilst He +claimed power in the future world, and always +turned men's minds to Heaven, He never indulged +His own imagination or stimulated +that of His disciples by giving vivid pictures +or any minute description of that unseen +state?</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span></p> + +<p>The truth is, that, remarkable as was the +character of Jesus, it was distinguished by +nothing more than by calmness and self-possession. +This trait pervades His other +excellences. How calm was His piety! Point +me, if you can, to one vehement, passionate +expression of His religious feelings. Does the +Lord's Prayer breathe a feverish enthusiasm? +The habitual style of Jesus on the subject of +religion, if introduced into many churches of +His followers at the present day, would be +charged with coldness. The calm and the +rational character of His piety is particularly +seen in the doctrine which He so earnestly +inculcates, that disinterested love and self-denying +service to our fellow creatures are the +most acceptable worship we can offer to our +Creator.</p> + +<p>His benevolence, too, tho singularly +earnest and deep, was composed and serene. +He never lost the possession of Himself in His +sympathy with others; was never hurried into +the impatient and rash enterprises of an enthusiastic +philanthropy; but did good with the +tranquility and constancy which mark the +providence of God. The depth of this calmness +may best be understood by considering +the opposition made to His claims.</p> + +<p>His labors were everywhere insidiously +watched and industriously thwarted by vindictive +foes who had even conspired to compass, +through His death, the ruin of His cause.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> +Now, a feverish enthusiasm which fancies +itself to be intrusted with a great work of +God is singularly liable to impatient indignation +under furious and malignant opposition. +Obstacles increase its vehemence; it becomes +more eager and hurried in the accomplishment +of its purposes, in proportion as they +are withstood.</p> + +<p>Be it therefore remembered that the malignity +of Christ's foes, tho never surpassed, and +for the time triumphant, never robbed Him +of self-possession, roused no passion, and +threw no vehemence or precipitation into His +exertions. He did not disguise from Himself +or His followers the impression made on the +multitude by His adversaries. He distinctly +foresaw the violent death towards which He +was fast approaching. Yet, confiding in God +and in the silent progress of His truth, He +possest His soul in peace. Not only was +He calm, but His calmness rises into sublimity +when we consider the storms which raged +around Him and the vastness of the prospects +in which His spirit found repose. I say then +that serenity and self-possession were peculiarly +the attributes of Jesus. I affirm that the +singular and sublime character claimed by +Jesus can be traced neither to imposture nor +to an ungoverned, insane imagination. It can +only be accounted for by its truth, its reality.</p> + +<p>I began with observing how our long familiarity +with Jesus blunts our minds to His singular<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> +excellence. We probably have often read +of the character which He claimed, without a +thought of its extraordinary nature. But I +know nothing so sublime. The plans and +labors of statesmen sink into the sports of children +when compared with the work which +Jesus announced, and to which He devoted +Himself in life and death with a thorough +consciousness of its reality.</p> + +<p>The idea of changing the moral aspect of the +whole earth, of recovering all nations to the +pure and inward worship of one God and to +a spirit of divine and fraternal love, was one +of which we meet not a trace in philosopher +or legislator before Him. The human mind +had given no promise of this extent of view. +The conception of this enterprise, and the +calm, unshaken expectation of success in one +who had no station and no wealth, who cast +from Him the sword with abhorrence, and who +forbade His disciples to use any weapons but +those of love, discover a wonderful trust in the +power of God and the power of love; and when +to this we add that Jesus looked not only to +the triumph of His pure faith in the present +world, but to a mighty and beneficent power +in Heaven, we witness a vastness of purpose, +a grandeur of thought and feeling so original, +so superior to the workings of all other minds, +that nothing but our familiarity can prevent +our contemplation of it with wonder and profound +awe. * * *</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span></p> + +<p>Here is the most striking view of Jesus. +This combination of the spirit of humanity, +in its lowliest, tenderest form, with the consciousness +of unrivaled and divine glories, is +the most wonderful distinction of this wonderful +character. Here we learn the chief reason +why He chose poverty and refused every +peculiarity of manner and appearance. He +did this because He desired to come near to the +multitude of men, to make Himself accessible +to all, to pour out the fulness of His sympathy +upon all, to know and weep over their sorrows +and sins, and to manifest His interest in their +affections and joys.</p> + +<p>I can offer but a few instances of this +sympathy of Christ with human nature in all +its varieties of character and condition. But +how beautiful are they! At the very opening +of His ministry we find Him present at a +marriage to which He and His disciples had +been called. Among the Jews this was an +occasion of peculiar exhilaration and festivity; +but Jesus did not therefore decline it. +He knew what affections, joys, sorrows, and +moral influences are bound up in this institution, +and He went to the celebration, not as an +ascetic, to frown on its bright hopes and warm +congratulations, but to sanction it by His +presence and to heighten its enjoyments.</p> + +<p>How little does this comport with the solitary +dignity which we should have pronounced +most accordant with His character,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> +and what a spirit of humanity does it breathe! +But this event stands almost alone in His +history. His chief sympathy was not with +them that rejoice, but with the ignorant, sinful, +sorrowful; and with these we find Him +cultivating an habitual intimacy. Tho so +exalted in thought and purpose, He chose uneducated +men to be His chief disciples; and +He lived with them, not as a superior, giving +occasional and formal instruction, but became +their companion traveled with them on foot, +slept in their dwellings, sat at their tables, +partook of their plain fare, communicated to +them His truth in the simplest form; and +tho they constantly misunderstood Him and +never perceived His full meaning, He was +never wearied with teaching them.</p> + +<p>So familiar was His intercourse that we +find Peter reproving Him with an affectionate +zeal for announcing His approaching death, +and we find John leaning on His bosom. Of +His last discourse to these disciples I need +not speak. It stands alone among all writings +for the union of tenderness and majesty. +His own sorrows are forgotten in His solicitude +to speak peace and comfort to His humble +followers.</p> + +<p>The depth of His human sympathies was +beautifully manifested when children were +brought Him. His disciples, judging as all +men would judge, thought that He was sent to +wear the crown of universal empire, had too<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +great a work before Him to give His time and +attention to children, and reproved the parents +who brought them; but Jesus, rebuking +His disciples, called to Him the children. +Never, I believe, did childhood awaken such +deep love as at that moment. He took them in +His arms and blest them, and not only said +that "of such was the kingdom of heaven," +but added, "He that receiveth a little child +in My name, receiveth Me;" so entirely did +He identify Himself with this primitive, innocent, +beautiful form of human nature.</p> + +<p>There was no class of human beings so low +as to be beneath His sympathy. He not +merely taught the publican and sinner, but, +with all His consciousness of purity, sat down +and dined with them, and, when reproved by +the malignant Pharisee for such companionship, +answered by the touching parables of the +Lost Sheep and the Prodigal Son, and said, +"I am come to seek and to save that which +was lost."</p> + +<p>No personal suffering dried up this fountain +of love in His breast. On His way to the cross +He heard some women of Jerusalem bewailing +Him, and at the sound, forgetting His own +grief, He turned to them and said, "Women +of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep +for yourselves and your children." On the +cross, whilst His mind was divided between +intense suffering and the contemplation of the +infinite blessings in which His sufferings were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> +to issue, His eye lighted on His mother and +John, and the sensibilities of a son and a +friend mingled with the sublime consciousness +of the universal Lord and Savior. Never +before did natural affection find so tender and +beautiful an utterance. To His mother He +said, directing her to John, "Behold thy son; +I leave My beloved disciple to take My place, +to perform My filial offices, and to enjoy a +share of that affection with which you have +followed Me through life;" and to John He +said, "Behold thy mother; I bequeath to you +the happiness of ministering to My dearest +earthly friend." Nor is this all. The spirit +of humanity had one higher triumph. Whilst +His enemies surrounded Him with a malignity +unsoftened by His last agonies, and, to give +the keenest edge to insult, reminded Him scoffingly +of the high character and office which He +had claimed, His only notice of them was the +prayer, "Father, forgive them, they know not +what they do."</p> + +<p>Thus Jesus lived with men; with the consciousness +of unutterable majesty He joined +a lowliness, gentleness, humanity, and sympathy, +which have no example in human history. +I ask you to contemplate this wonderful union. +In proportion to the superiority of Jesus to +all around Him was the intimacy, the brotherly +love, with which He bound Himself to +them. I maintain that this is a character +wholly remote from human conception. To<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +imagine it to be the production of imposture +or enthusiasm shows a strange unsoundness +of mind. I contemplate it with a veneration +second only to the profound awe with which I +look up to God. It bears no mark of human +invention. It was real. It belonged to and it +manifested the beloved Son of God.</p> + +<p>But I have not done. May I ask your +attention a few moments more? We have not +yet reached the depth of Christ's character. +We have not touched the great principle on +which His wonderful sympathy was founded, +and which endeared to Him His office of universal +Savior. Do you ask what this deep +principle was? I answer, it was His conviction +of the greatness of the human soul. He +saw in man the impress and image of the +Divinity, and therefore thirsted for his redemption, +and took the tenderest interest in +him, whatever might be the rank, character, +or condition in which he was found. This +spiritual view of man pervades and distinguishes +the teaching of Christ.</p> + +<p>Jesus looked on men with an eye which +pierced beneath the material frame. The +body vanished before Him. The trappings +of the rich, the rags of the poor, were nothing +to Him. He looked through them, as tho +they did not exist, to the soul; and there, +amidst clouds of ignorance and plague-spots +of sin, He recognized a spiritual and immortal +nature, and the germs of power and perfection<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> +which might be unfolded forever. In the +most fallen and depraved man He saw a being +who might become an angel of light.</p> + +<p>Still more, He felt that there was nothing +in Himself to which men might not ascend. +His own lofty consciousness did not sever +Him from the multitude; for He saw in His +own greatness the model of what men might +become. So deeply was He thus imprest that, +again and again, in speaking of His future +glories, He announced that in these His true +followers were to share. They were to sit on +His throne and partake of His beneficent +power.</p> + +<p>Here I pause, and indeed I know not what +can be added to heighten the wonder, reverence, +and love which are due to Jesus. When +I consider Him, not only as possest with +the consciousness of an unexampled and unbounded +majesty, but as recognizing a kindred +nature in human beings, and living and dying +to raise them to a participation of His divine +glories; and when I see Him under these views +allying Himself to men by the tenderest ties, +embracing them with a spirit of humanity +which no insult, injury, or pain could for a +moment repel or overpower, I am filled with +wonder as well as reverence and love. I feel +that this character is not of human invention, +that it was not assumed through fraud, or +struck out by enthusiasm; for it is infinitely +above their reach. When I add this character<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +of Jesus to the other evidences of His religion, +it gives to what before seemed so strange a new +and a vast accession of strength; I feel as if +I could not be deceived.</p> + +<p>The Gospels must be true; they were drawn +from a living original; they were founded on +reality. The character of Jesus is not a fiction; +He was what He claimed to be, and what +His followers attested. Nor is this all. Jesus +not only was, He is still the Son of God, the +Savior of the world. He exists now; He has +entered that heaven to which He always looked +forward on earth. There He lives and reigns. +With a clear, calm faith I see Him in that +state of glory; and I confidently expect, at no +distant period, to see Him face to face. We +have indeed no absent friend whom we shall +so surely meet.</p> + +<p>Let us then, my hearers, by imitation of His +virtues and obedience to His word, prepare +ourselves to join Him in those pure mansions +where He is surrounding Himself with the +good and pure of our race, and will communicate +to them forever His own spirit, power, +and joy.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>CHALMERS</h2> + +<h3>THE EXPULSIVE POWER OF A NEW +AFFECTION</h3> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54"> </a></span></p> + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + +<p><span class="smcap">Thomas Chalmers</span>, theologian, preacher +and philanthropist, was born at Anstruther, +near St. Andrews, Scotland, in 1780. +In his thirty-fifth year he experienced a +profound religious change and became a +pronounced, tho independent, evangelical +preacher. On being appointed to the +Tron Church in Glasgow, he set about to +face what he called "the home heathenism." +During the week days he delivered his +series of "Astronomical Discourses," in +which he endeavored to bring science into +harmony with Christianity. His "Commercial +Discourses" were designed to +Christianize the principles of trade. But +he reduced pauperism chiefly by fighting +against intemperance in Glasgow. On +being transferred to St. John's Parish, +the largest, but poorest in the city, he +made Edward Irving his assistant. In +1828 he was called to the chair of theology +in Edinburgh University.</p> + +<p>But it was as a preacher that he exerted +most influence by bringing the evangelical +message into relations with the science, the +culture, the thinking of his age. In doing +this he carried his hearers away by the +blazing force of his eloquence. Many +times in his preaching he was "in an +agony of earnestness," and one of his +hearers speaks of "that voice, that face, +those great, simple, living thoughts, those +floods of resistless eloquence, that piercing, +shattering voice!" He died in 1847.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>CHALMERS</h2> + +<h3>1780-1847</h3> + +<h4>THE EXPULSIVE POWER OF A NEW +AFFECTION</h4> + +<p><em>Love not the world, neither the things that are in the +world. If any man love the world, the love of the +Father is not in him</em>.—1 John ii., 15.</p> + + +<p>There are two ways in which a practical +moralist may attempt to displace from +the human heart its love of the world; +either by a demonstration of the world's vanity, +so as that the heart shall be prevailed +upon simply to withdraw its regards from an +object that is not worthy of it; or, by setting +forth another object, even God, as more +worthy of its attachment; so as that the heart +shall be prevailed upon, not to resign an old +affection which shall have nothing to succeed +it, but to exchange an old affection for a new +one. My purpose is to show, that from the +constitution of our nature, the former method +is altogether incompetent and ineffectual—and +that the latter method will alone suffice +for the rescue and recovery of the heart from +the wrong affection that domineers over it. +After having accomplished this purpose, I +shall attempt a few practical observations.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span></p> + +<p>Love may be regarded in two different conditions. +The first is when its object is at a +distance, and when it becomes love in a state +of desire. The second is when its object is in +possession, and then it becomes love in a state +of indulgence. Under the impulse of desire, +man feels himself urged onward in some path +or pursuit of activity for its gratification. +The faculties of his mind are put into busy +exercise. In the steady direction of one great +and engrossing interest, his attention is recalled +from the many reveries into which it +might otherwise have wandered; and the powers +of his body are forced away from an indolence +in which it else might have languished; +and that time is crowded with +occupation, which but for some object of keen +and devoted ambition, might have driveled +along in successive hours of weariness and +distaste—and tho hope does not always enliven, +and success does not always crown +the career of exertion, yet in the midst of this +very variety, and with the alternations of occasional +disappointment, is the machinery of +the whole man kept in a sort of congenial play, +and upholden in that tone and temper which +are most agreeable to it; insomuch that, if +through the extirpation of that desire which +forms the originating principle of all this +movement, the machinery were to stop, and +to receive no impulse from another desire substituted +in its place, the man would be left<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> +with all his propensities to action in a state of +most painful and unnatural abandonment. A +sensitive being suffers, and is in violence, if, +after having thoroughly rested from his fatigue, +or been relieved from his pain, he continue +in possession of powers without any excitement +to these powers; if he possess a capacity +of desire without having an object of desire; +or if he have a spare energy upon his +person, without a counterpart, and without a +stimulus to call it into operation. The misery +of such a condition is often realized by him +who is retired from business, or who is retired +from law, or who is even retired from the occupations +of the chase, and of the gaming-table. +Such is the demand of our nature for +an object in pursuit, that no accumulation of +previous success can extinguish it—and thus +it is, that the most prosperous merchant, and +the most victorious general, and the most fortunate +gamester, when the labor of their respective +vocations has come to a close, are +often found to languish in the midst of all +their acquisitions, as if out of their kindred +and rejoicing element. It is quite in vain, with +such a constitutional appetite for employment +in man, to attempt cutting away from him +the spring or the principle of one employment, +without providing him with another. The +whole heart and habit will rise in resistance +against such an undertaking. The else unoccupied +female, who spends the hours of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> +every evening at some play of hazard, knows +as well as you, that the pecuniary gain, or the +honorable triumph of a successful contest, are +altogether paltry. It is not such a demonstration +of vanity as this that will force her away +from her dear and delightful occupation. The +habit can not so be displaced as to leave nothing +but a negative and cheerless vacancy behind +it—tho it may be so supplanted as to +be followed up by another habit of employment, +to which the power of some new affection +has constrained her. It is willingly suspended, +for example, on any single evening, +should the time that is wont to be allotted to +gaming be required to be spent on the preparations +of an approaching assembly.</p> + +<p>The ascendant power of a second affection +will do what no exposition, however forcible, +of the folly and worthlessness of the first, ever +could effectuate. And it is the same in the +great world. You never will be able to arrest +any of its leading pursuits by a naked demonstration +of their vanity. It is quite in vain +to think of stopping one of these pursuits in +any way else but by stimulating to another. +In attempting to bring a worthy man, intent +and busied with the prosecution of his objects, +to a dead stand, you have not merely to encounter +the charm which he annexes to these +objects, but you have to encounter the pleasure +which he feels in the very prosecution of +them. It is not enough, then, that you dissipate<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> +the charm by your moral and eloquent +and affecting exposure of its illusiveness. You +must address to the eye of his mind another +object, with a charm powerful enough to dispossess +the first of its influence, and to engage +him in some other prosecution as full of interest +and hope and congenial activity as the +former. It is this which stamps an impotency +on all moral and pathetic declamation about +the insignificance of the world. A man will +no more consent to the misery of being without +an object, because that object is a trifle, +or of being without a pursuit, because that +pursuit terminates in some frivolous or fugitive +acquirement, than he will voluntarily submit +himself to the torture, because that torture +is to be of short duration. If to be without +desire and without exertion altogether is a +state of violence and discomfort, then the present +desire, with its correspondent train of exertion, +is not to be got rid of simply by destroying +it. It must be by substituting another +desire, and another line or habit of +exertion in its place, and the most effectual +way of withdrawing the mind from one object +is not by turning it away upon desolate +and unpeopled vacancy, but by presenting to +its regards another object still more alluring.</p> + +<p>These remarks apply not merely to love considered +in its state of desire for an object not +yet obtained. They apply also to love considered +in its state of indulgence, or placid<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> +gratification, with an object already in possession. +It is seldom that any of our tastes +are made to disappear by a mere process of +natural extinction. At least, it is very seldom +that this is done through the instrumentality +of reasoning. It may be done by excessive +pampering, but it is almost never done by the +mere force of mental determination. But +what can not be thus destroyed, may be dispossest—and +one taste may be made to give +way to another, and to lose its power entirely +as the reigning affection of the mind. It is +thus that the boy ceases, at length, to be the +slave of his appetite; but it is because a manlier +taste has now brought it into subordination, +and that the youth ceases to idolize pleasure; +but it is because the idol of wealth has +become the stronger and gotten the ascendency, +and that even the love of money ceases +to have the mastery over the heart of many a +thriving citizen; but it is because, drawn into +the whirl of city politics, another affection has +been wrought into his moral system, and he +is now lorded over by the love of power. +There is not one of these transformations in +which the heart is left without an object. Its +desire for one particular object may be conquered; +but as to its desire for having some +one object or other, this is unconquerable. Its +adhesion to that on which it has fastened the +preference of its regards, can not willingly be +overcome by the rending away of a simple<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> +separation. It can be done only by the application +of something else, to which it may +feel the adhesion of a still stronger and more +powerful preference. Such is the grasping +tendency of the human heart, that it must +have a something to lay hold of—and which, +if wrested away without the substitution of +another something in its place, would leave +a void and a vacancy as painful to the mind +as hunger is to the natural system. It may be +dispossest of one object, or of any, but it +can not be desolated of all. Let there be a +breathing and a sensitive heart, but without +a liking and without affinity to any of the +things that are around it, and in a state of +cheerless abandonment, it would be alive to +nothing but the burden of its own consciousness, +and feel it to be intolerable. It would +make no difference to its owner, whether he +dwelt in the midst of a gay and a goodly +world, or, placed afar beyond the outskirts of +creation, he dwelt a solitary unit in dark and +unpeopled nothingness. The heart must have +something to cling to—and never, by its own +voluntary consent, will it so denude itself of +all its attachments that there shall not be one +remaining object that can draw or solicit it.</p> + +<p>The misery of a heart thus bereft of all +relish for that which is wont to minister enjoyment, +is strikingly exemplified in those who, +satiated with indulgence, have been so belabored, +as it were, with the variety and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> +poignancy of the pleasurable sensations that +they have experienced, that they are at length +fatigued out of all capacity for sensation +whatever. The disease of ennui is more frequent +in the French metropolis, where amusement +is more exclusively the occupation of +higher classes, than it is in the British metropolis, +where the longings of the heart are more +diversified by the resources of business and +politics. There are the votaries of fashion, +who, in this way, have at length become the +victims of fashionable excess; in whom the +very multitude of their enjoyments has at last +extinguished their power of enjoyment; who, +with the gratifications of art and nature at +command, now look upon all that is around +them with an eye of tastelessness; who, plied +with the delights of sense and of splendor even +to weariness, and incapable of higher delights, +have come to the end of all their perfection, +and, like Solomon of old, found it to be vanity +and vexation. The man whose heart has thus +been turned into a desert can vouch for the +insupportable languor which must ensue, +when one affection is thus plucked away from +the bosom, without another to replace it. It +is not necessary that a man receive pain from +anything, in order to become miserable. It is +barely enough that he looks with distaste to +everything, and in that asylum which is the +repository of minds out of joint, and where +the organ of feeling as well as the organ of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> +intellect has been impaired, it is not in the +cell of loud and frantic outcries where you +will meet with the acme of mental suffering; +but that is the individual who outpeers in +wretchedness all his fellows, who throughout +the whole expanse of nature and society meets +not an object that has at all the power to detain +or to interest him; who neither in earth +beneath, nor in heaven above, knows of a +single charm to which his heart can send forth +one desirous or responding movement; to +whom the world, in his eye a vast and empty +desolation, has left him nothing but his own +consciousness to feed upon, dead to all that is +without him, and alive to nothing but to the +load of his own torpid and useless existence.</p> + +<p>We know not a more sweeping interdict +upon the affections of nature, than that which +is delivered by the apostle in the verse before +us. To bid a man into whom there is not yet +entered the great and ascendant influence of +the principle of regeneration, to bid him withdraw +his love from all the things that are in +the world, is to bid him give up all the affections +that are in his heart. The world is the +all of a natural man. He has not a taste, nor +a desire, that points not to a something placed +within the confines of its visible horizon. He +loves nothing above it, and he cares for nothing +beyond it; and to bid him love not the +world is to pass a sentence of expulsion on all +the inmates of his bosom. To estimate the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> +magnitude and the difficulty of such a surrender, +let us only think that it were just as +arduous to prevail on him not to love wealth, +which is but one of the things in the world, +as to prevail on him to set wilful fire to his +own property. This he might do with sore +and painful reluctance, if he saw that the salvation +of his life hung upon it. But this he +would do willingly if he saw that a new property +of tenfold value was instantly to emerge +from the wreck of the old one. In this case +there is something more than the mere displacement +of an affection. There is the overbearing +of one affection by another. But to +desolate his heart of all love for the things +of the world without the substitution of any +love in its place, were to him a process of as +unnatural violence as to destroy all the things +he has in the world, and give him nothing in +their room. So if to love not the world be +indispensable to one's Christianity, then the +crucifixion of the old man is not too strong +a term to mark that transition in his history, +when all old things are done away, and all +things are become new.</p> + +<p>The love of the world can not be expunged +by a mere demonstration of the world's worthlessness. +But may it not be supplanted by the +love of that which is more worthy than itself? +The heart can not be prevailed upon to part +with the world, by a simple act of resignation. +But may not the heart be prevailed upon to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> +admit into its preference another, who shall +subordinate the world, and bring it down from +its wonted ascendency? If the throne which +is placed there must have an occupier, and +the tyrant that now reigns has occupied it +wrongfully, he may not leave a bosom which +would rather detain him than be left in desolation. +But may he not give way to the lawful +Sovereign, appearing with every charm +that can secure His willing admittance, and +taking unto Himself His great power to subdue +the moral nature of man, and to reign +over it? In a word, if the way to disengage +the heart from the positive love of one great +and ascendant object is to fasten it in positive +love to another, then it is not by exposing the +worthlessness of the former, but by addressing +to the mental eye the worth and excellence of +the latter, that all old things are to be done +away, and all things are to become new.</p> + +<p>This, we trust, will explain the operation of +that charm which accompanies the effectual +preaching of the gospel. The love of God, and +the love of the world, are two affections, not +merely in a state of rivalship, but in a state +of enmity, and that so irreconcilable that they +can not dwell together in the same bosom. We +have already affirmed how impossible it were +for the heart, by any innate elasticity of its +own, to cast the world away from it, and thus +reduce itself to a wilderness. The heart is not +so constituted, and the only way to dispossess<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> +it of an old affection is by the expulsive power +of a new one. Nothing can exceed the magnitude +of the required change in a man's character—when +bidden, as he is in the New Testament, +to love not the world; no, nor any of +the things that are in the world—for this so +comprehends all that is dear to him in existence +as to be equivalent to a command of self-annihilation. +But the same revelation which +dictates so mighty an obedience places within +our reach as mighty an instrument of obedience. +It brings for admittance, to the very +door of our heart, an affection which, once +seated upon its throne, will either subordinate +every previous inmate, or bid it away. Beside +the world it places before the eye of the +mind Him who made the world, and with this +peculiarity, which is all its own—that in the +gospel do we so behold God as that we may +love God. It is there, and there only, where +God stands revealed as an object of confidence +to sinners—and where our desire after Him +is not chilled into apathy by that barrier of +human guilt which intercepts every approach +that is not made to Him through the appointed +Mediator. It is the bringing in of this +better hope, whereby we draw nigh unto God—and +to live without hope is to live without +God, and if the heart be without God the +world will then have all the ascendency. It +is God apprehended by the believer as God in +Christ who alone can dispost it from this ascendency.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> +It is when He stands dismantled +of the terrors which belong to Him as an +offended lawgiver, and when we are enabled +by faith, which is His own gift, to see His +glory in the face of Jesus Christ, and to hear +His beseeching voice, as it protests good-will +to men, and entreats the return of all who will +to a full pardon, and a gracious acceptance—it +is then that a love paramount to the love +of the world, and at length expulsive of it, +first arises in the regenerating bosom. It is +when released from the spirit of bondage, with +which love can not dwell, and when admitted +into the number of God's children, through +the faith that is in Christ Jesus, the spirit of +adoption is poured upon us—it is then that +the heart, brought under the mastery of one +great and predominant affection, is delivered +from the tyranny of its former desires, and +in the only way in which deliverance is possible. +And that faith which is revealed to us +from heaven, as indispensable to a sinner's +justification in the sight of God, is also the +instrument of the greatest of all moral and +spiritual achievements on a nature dead to the +influence, and beyond the reach of every other +application.</p> + +<p>Let us not cease then to ply the only instrument +of powerful and positive operation, +to do away from you the love of the world. +Let us try every legitimate method of finding +access to your hearts for the love of Him who<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> +is greater than the world. For this purpose +let us, if possible, clear away that shroud of +unbelief which so hides and darkens the face +of Deity. Let us insist on His claims to your +affection; and whether in the shape of gratitude, +or in the shape of esteem, let us never +cease to affirm that in the whole of that wondrous +economy, the purpose of which is to reclaim +a sinful world unto Himself, He, the +God of love, so sets Himself forth in characters +of endearment that naught but faith, +and naught but understanding are wanting, +on your part, to call forth the love of your +hearts back again.</p> + +<p>And here let me advert to the incredulity +of a worldly man when he brings his own +sound and secular experience to bear upon the +high doctrines of Christianity, when he looks +on regeneration as a thing impossible, when, +feeling, as he does, the obstinacies of his own +heart on the side of things present, and casting +an intelligent eye, much exercised perhaps +in the observation of human life, on the equal +obstinacies of all who are around him, he pronounces +this whole matter about the crucifixion +of the old man, and the resurrection of +a new man in his place, to be in downright +opposition to all that is known and witnessed +of the real nature of humanity. We think +that we have seen such men, who, firmly +trenched in their own vigorous and home-bred +sagacity, and shrewdly regardful of all that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> +passes before them through the week, and +upon the scenes of ordinary business, look on +that transition of the heart by which it gradually +dies unto time, and awakens in all the life +of a new-felt and ever-growing desire toward +God, as a mere Sabbath speculation; and who +thus, with all their attention engrossed upon +the concerns of earthliness, continue unmoved, +to the end of their days, among the feelings, +and the appetites, and the pursuits of earthliness. +If the thought of death, and another +state of being after it, comes across them at +all, it is not with a change so radical as that +of being born again that they ever connect the +idea of preparation. They have some vague +conception of its being quite enough that they +acquit themselves in some decent and tolerable +way of their relative obligations; and that, +upon the strength of some such social and domestic +moralities as are often realized by him +in whose heart the love of God has never entered, +they will be transplanted in safety from +this world, where God is the Being with whom, +it may almost be said that, they have had +nothing to do, to that world where God is the +Being with whom they will have mainly and +immediately to do throughout all eternity. +They will admit all that is said of the utter +vanity of time, when taken up with as a resting-place. +But they resist every application +made upon the heart of man, with the view +of so shifting its tendencies that it shall not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> +henceforth find in the interests of time all its +rest and all its refreshment. They, in fact, +regard such an attempt as an enterprise that +is altogether aerial—and with a tone of secular +wisdom, caught from the familiarities of +every day of experience, do they see a visionary +character in all that is said of setting our +affections on the things that are above; and +of walking by faith; and of keeping our hearts +in such a love of God as shall shut out from +them the love of the world; and of having +no confidence in the flesh; and of so renouncing +earthly things as to have our conversation +in heaven.</p> + +<p>Now, it is altogether worthy of being remarked +of those men who thus disrelish spiritual +Christianity, and, in fact, deem it an impracticable +acquirement, how much of a piece +their incredulity about the demands of Christianity, +and their incredulity about the doctrines +of Christianity, are with one another. +No wonder that they feel the work of the New +Testament to be beyond their strength, so long +as they hold the words of the New Testament +to be beneath their attention. Neither they +nor anyone else can dispossess the heart of an +old affection, but by the impulsive power of +a new one—and, if that new affection be the +love of God, neither they nor anyone else can +be made to entertain it, but on such a representation +of the Deity as shall draw the heart +of the sinner toward Him. Now it is just<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> +their belief which screens from the discernment +of their minds this representation. They +do not see the love of God in sending His +Son into the world. They do not see the expression +of His tenderness to men, in sparing +Him not, but giving Him up unto the death +for us all. They do not see the sufficiency of +the atonement, or of the sufferings that were +endured by Him who bore the burden that +sinners should have borne. They do not see +the blended holiness and compassion of the +Godhead, in that He passed by the transgressions +of His creatures, yet could not pass +them by without an expiation. It is a mystery +to them how a man should pass to the state +of godliness from a state of nature—but had +they only a believing view of God manifest in +the flesh, this would resolve for them the whole +mystery of godliness. As it is, they can not +get quit of their old affections, because they +are out of sight from all those truths which +have influence to raise a new one. They are +like the children of Israel in the land of +Egypt, when required to make bricks without +straw they cannot love God, while they want +the only food which can aliment this affection +in a sinner's bosom—and however great their +errors may be, both in resisting the demands +of the gospel as impracticable, and in rejecting +the doctrines of the gospel as inadmissible, +yet there is not a spiritual man (and it +is the prerogative of him who is spiritual to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> +judge all men) who will not perceive that +there is a consistency in these errors.</p> + +<p>But if there be a consistency in the errors, +in like manner, is there a consistency in the +truths which are opposite to them? The man +who believes in the peculiar doctrines will +readily bow to the peculiar demands of Christianity. +When he is told to love God supremely, +this may startle another, but it will +not startle him to whom God has been revealed +in peace, and in pardon, and in all the freeness +of an offered reconciliation. When told +to shut out the world from his heart, this may +be impossible with him who has nothing to +replace it—but not impossible with him who +has found in God a sure and satisfying portion. +When told to withdraw his affections +from the things that are beneath, this were +laying an order of self-extinction upon the +man, who knows not another quarter in the +whole sphere of his contemplation to which +he could transfer them, but it were not grievous +to him whose view had been opened to the +loveliness and glory of the things that are +above, and can there find, for every feeling of +his soul, a most ample and delighted occupation. +When told to look not to the things +that are seen and temporal, this were blotting +out the light of all that is visible from the +prospect of him in whose eye there is a wall +of partition between guilty nature and the +joys of eternity—but he who believes that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> +Christ has broken down this wall finds a gathering +radiance upon his soul, as he looks onward +in faith to the things that are unseen +and eternal. Tell a man to be holy—and how +can he compass such a performance, when his +fellowship with holiness is a fellowship of +despair? It is the atonement of the cross reconciling +the holiness of the lawgiver with the +safety of the offender, that hath opened the +way for a sanctifying influence into the sinner's +heart, and he can take a kindred impression +from the character of God now brought +nigh, and now at peace with him. Separate +the demand from the doctrine, and you have +either a system of righteousness that is impracticable, +or a barren orthodoxy. Bring +the demand and the doctrine together, and the +true disciple of Christ is able to do the one, +through the other strengthening him. The +motive is adequate to the movement; and the +bidden obedience to the gospel is not beyond +the measure of his strength, just because the +doctrine of the gospel is not beyond the measure +of his acceptance. The shield of faith, +and the hope of salvation, and the Word of +God, and the girdle of truth, these are the +armor that he has put on; and with these the +battle is won, and the eminence is reached, +and the man stands on the vantage ground +of a new field and a new prospect. The effect +is great, but the cause is equal to it, and stupendous +as this moral resurrection to the precepts<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> +of Christianity undoubtedly is, there is +an element of strength enough to give it being +and continuance in the principles of Christianity.</p> + +<p>The object of the gospel is both to pacify +the sinner's conscience and to purify his +heart; and it is of importance to observe, that +what mars the one of these objects mars the +other also. The best way of casting out an +impure affection is to admit a pure one; and +by the love of what is good to expel the love +of what is evil. Thus it is, that the freer +gospel, the more sanctifying is the gospel; +and the more it is received as a doctrine of +grace, the more will it be felt as a doctrine +according to godliness. This is one of the secrets +of the Christian life, that the more a +man holds of God as a pensioner, the greater +is the payment of service that He renders back +again. On the venture of "Do this and live," +a spirit of fearfulness is sure to enter; and +the jealousies of a legal bargain chase away +all confidence from the intercourse between +God and man; and the creature striving to +be square and even with his creator is, in fact, +pursuing all the while his own selfishness instead +of God's glory; and with all the conformities +which he labors to accomplish, the +soul of obedience is not there, the mind is not +subject to the law of God, nor indeed under +such an economy ever can be. It is only when, +as in the gospel, acceptance is bestowed as a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> +present, without money and without price, +that the security which man feels in God is +placed beyond the reach of disturbance, or +that he can repose in Him as one friend reposes +in another; or that any liberal and +generous understanding can be established betwixt +them, the one party rejoicing over the +other to do him good, the other finding that +the truest gladness of his heart lies in the impulse +of a gratitude by which it is awakened +to the charms of a new moral existence. Salvation +by grace—salvation by free grace—salvation +not of works, but according to the +mercy of God, salvation on such a footing is +not more indispensable to the deliverance of +our persons from the hand of justice than it +is to the deliverance of our hearts from the +chill and the weight of ungodliness. Retain +a single shred or fragment of legality with +the gospel, and you raise a topic of distrust +between man and God. You take away from +the power of the gospel to melt and to conciliate. +For this purpose the freer it is the +better it is. That very peculiarity which so +many dread as the germ of Antinomianism, +is, in fact, the germ of a new spirit and a new +inclination against it. Along with the lights +of a free gospel does there enter the love of +the gospel, which, in proportion as you impair +the freeness, you are sure to chase away. And +never does the sinner find within himself so +mighty a moral transformation as when, under<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> +the belief that he is saved by grace, he feels +constrained thereby to offer his heart a devoted +thing, and to deny ungodliness.</p> + +<p>To do any work in the best manner, you +would make use of the fittest tools for it. And +we trust that what has been said may serve +in some degree for the practical guidance of +those who would like to reach the great moral +achievement of our text, but feel that the tendencies +and desires of nature are too strong +for them. We know of no other way by which +to keep the love of the world out of our heart +than to keep in our hearts the love of God—and +no other way by which to keep our hearts +in the love of God, than by building ourselves +on our most holy faith. That denial of the +world which is not possible to him that dissents +from the gospel testimony, is possible, +even as all things are possible, to him that believeth. +To try this without faith is to work +without the right tool or the right instrument. +But faith worketh by love; and the +way of expelling from the heart the love that +transgresseth the law is to admit into its receptacles +the love which fulfilleth the law.</p> + +<p>Conceive a man to be standing on the margin +of this green world, and that, when he +looked toward it, he saw abundance smiling +upon every field, and all the blessings +which earth can afford scattered in profusion +throughout every family, and the light of the +sun sweetly resting upon all the pleasant habitations,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> +and the joys of human companionship +brightening many a happy circle of society; +conceive this to be the general character of +the scene upon one side of his contemplation, +and that on the other, beyond the verge of the +goodly planet on which he was situated, he +could descry nothing but a dark and fathomless +unknown. Think you that he would bid +a voluntary adieu to all the brightness and +all the beauty that were before him upon +earth, and commit himself to the frightful +solitude away from it? Would he leave its +peopled dwelling places, and become a solitary +wanderer through the fields of nonentity? If +space offered him nothing but a wilderness, +would he for it abandon the home-bred scenes +of life and cheerfulness that lay so near, and +exerted such a power of urgency to detain +him? Would not he cling to the regions of +sense, and of life, and of society? Shrinking +away from the desolation that was beyond it, +would not he be glad to keep his firm footing +on the territory of this world, and to take +shelter under the silver canopy that was +stretched over it?</p> + +<p>But if, during the time of his contemplation, +some happy island of the blest had +floated by, and there had burst upon his senses +the light of surpassing glories, and its sounds +of sweeter melody, and he clearly saw there +a purer beauty rested upon every field, and +a more heartfelt joy spread itself among all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> +the families, and he could discern there a +peace, and a piety, and a benevolence which +put a moral gladness into every bosom, and +united the whole society in one rejoicing sympathy +with each other, and with the beneficent +Father of them all. Could he further see that +pain and mortality were there unknown, and +above all, that signals of welcome were hung +out, and an avenue of communication was +made before him—perceive you not that what +was before the wilderness, would become the +land of invitation, and that now the world +would be the wilderness? What unpeopled +space could not do, can be done by space +teeming with beatific scenes, and beatific society. +And let the existing tendencies of the +heart be what they may to the scene that is +near and visible around us, still if another +stood revealed to the prospect of man, either +through the channel of faith or through the +channel of his senses—then, without violence +done to the constitution of his moral nature, +may he die unto the present world, and live +to the lovelier world that stands in the distance +away from it.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>CAMPBELL</h2> + +<h3>THE MISSIONARY CAUSE</h3> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80"> </a></span></p> + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + +<p><span class="smcap">Alexander Campbell</span>, prominent in the +body known as Disciples or Christians, +was born in Ireland in 1788, and received +his education in Glasgow University. In +1809 he emigrated to the United States +and took charge of a Presbyterian congregation +in Bethany, Va. He did not +long remain in this pastorate, but proceeded +to institute a society based upon +the abolition of all confessions and formularies +and the acknowledgment of the +text of the Holy Scriptures as the sole +creed of the Church. In 1841 he founded +Bethany College (Bethany, Va.), and remained +its president until his death in +1866. In 1823 he founded the <cite>Christian +Baptist</cite>, changed its name in 1829 to the +<cite>Millennial Harbinger</cite>, but abandoned it +three years before his death. He was a +prolific controversial writer and published +over fifty volumes, among which were +hymn books and a translation of the New +Testament.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>CAMPBELL</h2> + +<h3>1788-1866</h3> + +<h4>THE MISSIONARY CAUSE<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a></h4> + +<p><em>He that winneth souls is wise.</em>—Prov. xi., 30.</p> + + +<p>The missionary cause is older than the +material universe. It was celebrated +by Job—the oldest poet on the pages +of time.</p> + +<p>Jehovah challenges Job to answer Him a +few questions on the institutions of the universe. +"Gird up now thy loins," said He; +"and I will demand of thee a few responses. +Where wast thou when I laid the foundations +of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding. +Who has fixt the measure thereof? +Or who has stretched the line upon it? What +are the foundations thereof? Who has laid +the corner-stone thereof when the morning +stars sang together, and all the sons of God +shouted for joy? Who shut up the sea with +doors when it burst forth issuing from the +womb of eternity—when I made a cloud its +garment, and thick darkness its swaddling +band? I appointed its limits, saying, Thus<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> +far shalt thou come, but no farther; and here +shall the pride of thy waves be stayed.</p> + +<p>"Has the rain a father? Who has begotten +the drops of the dew? Who was the mother +of the ice? And the hoar-frost of heaven, +who has begotten it? Can mortal man bind +the bands of the Seven Stars, or loose the +cords of Orion? Can he bring forth and commission +the twelve signs of the Zodiac, or bind +Arcturus with his seven sons?</p> + +<p>"Knowest thou, oh man, the missionaries of +the starry heavens? Canst thou lift up thy +voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters +may cover thee? Canst thou command the +lightnings, so that they may say to thee, Here +we are? Who can number the clouds in wisdom? +Or who can pour out the bottles of +heaven upon the thirsty fields?"</p> + +<p>If such be a single page in the volume of +God's physical missionaries, what must be +its contents could we, by the telescope of an +angel, survey one single province of the universe, +of universes, which occupy topless, bottomless, +boundless space!</p> + +<p>We have data in the Bible, and, in the +phenomena of the material universe, sufficient +to authorize the assumption that the missionary +idea circumscribes and permeates the entire +area of creations.</p> + +<p>Need we inquire into the meaning of a +celestial title given to the tenantries of the +heaven of heavens? But you all, my Christian<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> +brethren, know it. You anticipate me. +The sweet poet of Israel told you long since, +in his sixty-eighth ode, that the chariots of +God are about twenty thousand of angels.<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a></p> + +<p>And what is an angel but a messenger, a +missionary? Hence the seven angels of the +seven churches in Asia were seven missionaries, +or messengers, sent to John in his exile; +and by these John wrote letters to the seven +congregations in Asia.</p> + +<p>Figuratively, God makes the winds and +lightnings his angels, his messengers of wrath +or of mercy, as the case may be.</p> + +<p>But we are a missionary society—a society +assembled from all points of the compass, assembled, +too, we hope, in the true missionary +spirit, which is the spirit of Christianity in +its primordial conception. God Himself instituted +it. Moses is the oldest missionary +whose name is inscribed on the rolls of time.</p> + +<p>He was the first divine missionary, and, if +we except John the Baptist, he was the second +in rank and character to the Lord Messiah +Himself.</p> + +<p>Angels and missionaries are rudimentally +but two names for the same officers. But of +the incarnate Word, God's only begotten Son,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> +He says, "Thou art my son, the beloved, in +whom I delight." And He commands the +world of humanity to hearken to Him. He +was, indeed, God's own special ambassador, +invested with all power in heaven and on earth—a +true, a real, an everlasting plenipotentiary, +having vested in Him all the rights of +God and all the rights of man. And were +not all the angels of heaven placed under +Him as His missionaries, sent forth to minister +to the heirs of salvation?</p> + +<p>His commission, given to the twelve apostles, +is a splendid and glorious commission. +Its preamble is wholly unprecedented—"All +authority in heaven and on earth is given to +me." In pursuance thereof, he gave commission +to His apostles, saying, "Go, convert all +the nations, immersing them into the name +of the Father, and of the Son, and of the +Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all +things whatever I have commanded you; and, +lo, I am with you always, even to the end of +the world." Angels, apostles and evangelists +were placed under this command, and by Him +commissioned as His ambassadors to the +world.</p> + +<p>The missionary institution, we repeat, is +older than Adam—older than our earth. It +is coeval with the origin of angels.</p> + +<p>Satan had been expelled from heaven before +Adam was created. His assault upon +our mother Eve, by an incarnation in the most<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> +subtle animal in Paradise, is positive proof +of the intensity of his malignity to God and +to man. He, too, has his missionaries in the +whole area of humanity. Michael and his +angels, or missionaries, are, and long have +been, in conflict against the devil and his +missionaries. The battle, in this our planet, +is yet in progress, and therefore missionaries +are in perpetual demand. Hence the necessity +incumbent on us to carry on this warfare +as loyal subjects of the Hero of our redemption.</p> + +<p>The Christian armory is well supplied with +all the weapons essential to the conflict. We +need them all. "We wrestle not against flesh +and blood, but against principalities, against +powers, against the rulers of the darkness of +this world, against wicked spirits in the regions +of the air." Hence the need of having +our "loins girded with the truth"; having +on the breastplate of righteousness, our +feet shod with the preparation to publish the +gospel of peace, taking the shield of faith, the +helmet of salvation and the sword of the +Spirit, the Word of God, always praying and +making supplication for our fellow-missionaries +and for all saints.</p> + +<p>The missionary fields are numerous and various. +They are both domestic and foreign. +The harvest is great in both. The laborers +are still few, comparatively very few, in either +of them.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span></p> + +<p>The supply is not a tithe of the demand. +The Macedonians cry, "Come over and help +us;" "Send us an evangelist;" "Send us +missionaries;" "The fields are large, the people +are desirous, anxious, to hear the original +gospel. What can you do for us?" Nothing! +Nothing! My brethren, ought this so to be?</p> + +<p>Schools for the prophets are wanting. But +there is a too general apathy or indifference +on the subject. We pray to the Lord of the +harvest to send our reapers to gather it into +His garner. But what do we besides praying +for it? Do we work for it? Suppose a +farmer should pray to the Lord for an abundant +harvest next year, and should never, in +seed-time, turn over one furrow or scatter one +handful of seed: what would we think of him? +Would not his neighbors regard him as a monomaniac +or a simpleton? And wherein does +he excel such a one in wisdom or in prudence +who prays to the Lord to send out reapers—missionaries, +or evangelists—to gather a harvest +of souls, when he himself never gives a +dollar to a missionary, or the value of it, to enable +him to go into the field? Can such a +person be in earnest, or have one sincere desire +in his heart to effect such an object or +purpose? We must confess that we could +have no faith either in his head or in his heart.</p> + +<p>The heavenly missionaries require neither +gold nor silver, neither food nor raiment. Not +so the earthly missionaries. They themselves,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> +their wives and children, demand both food +and clothing, to say nothing of houses and +furniture. Their present home is not</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"The gorgeous city, garnish'd like a bride,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">Where Christ for spouse expected is to pass,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">The walls of jasper compass'd on each side,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">And streets all paved with gold, more bright than glass."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="noind">If such were the missionary's home on earth, +he might, indeed, labor gratuitously all the +days of his life. In an humble cottage—rather +an unsightly cabin—we sometimes see +the wife of his youth, in garments quite as unsightly +as those of her children, impatiently +waiting "their sire's return, to climb to his +knees the envied kiss to share." But, when +the supper table is spread, what a beggarly +account of almost empty plates and dishes! +Whose soul would not sicken at such a sight? +I have twice, if not thrice, in days gone by, +when travelling on my early missionary tours—over +not the poorest lands nor the poorest +settlements, either—witnessed some such cases, +and heard of more.</p> + +<p>I was then my own missionary, with the +consent, however, of one church. I desired +to mingle with all classes of religious society, +that I might personally and truthfully know, +not the theories, but the facts and the actualities, +of the Christian ministry and the so-called +Christian public. I spent a considerable portion<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> +of my time during the years 1812, '13, +'14, '15, '16, traveling throughout western +Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.</p> + +<p>I then spent seven years in reviewing my +past studies, and in teaching the languages +and the sciences—after which I extended my +evangelical labors into other States and communities, +that I might still more satisfactorily +apprehend and appreciate the <em>status</em>, or the +actual condition, of the nominally and profest +religious or Christian world.</p> + +<p>Having shortly after my baptism connected +myself with the Baptist people, and attending +their associations as often as I could, I became +more and more penetrated with the conviction +that theory had usurped the place of faith, +and that consequently, human institutions +had been, more or less, substituted for the +apostolic and the divine.</p> + +<p>During this period of investigation I had +the pleasure of forming an intimate acquaintance +with sundry Baptist ministers, East +and West, as well as with the ministry of +other denominations. Flattering prospects of +usefulness on all sides began to expand before +me and to inspire me with the hope of +achieving a long-cherished object—doing some +good in the advocacy of the primitive and +apostolic gospel—having in the year 1820 a +discussion on the subject of the first positive +institution enacted by the Lord Messiah, and +in A. D. 1823 another on the same subject—the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> +former more especially on the subject and +action of Christian baptism, the latter more +emphatically on the design of that institution +tho including the former two.</p> + +<p>These discussions, more or less, embraced +the rudimental elements of the Christian institution, +and gave to the public a bold relief +outline of the whole genius, spirit, letter and +doctrine of the gospel.</p> + +<p>Its missionary spirit, tho not formally propounded, +was yet indicated, in these discussions; +because this institution was the terminus +of the missionary work. It was a component +element of the gospel, as clearly seen +in the commission of the enthroned Messiah. +Its preamble is the superlative fact of the +whole Bible. We regret, indeed, that this +most sublime preamble has been so much lost +sight of even by the present living generation. +If we ask when the Church of Jesus Christ began +or when the reign of the Heavens commenced, +the answer, in what is usually called +Christendom, will make it either to be contemporaneous +with the ministry of John the +Harbinger, or with the birth of the Lord +Jesus Christ. We will find one of these two +opinions almost universally entertained. The +Baptists are generally much attached to John +the Baptist; the Pedobaptists, to the commencement +of Christ's public ministry. John +the Baptist was the first Christian missionary +with a very considerable class of living Baptists;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> +the birth of Christ is the most popular +and orthodox theory at the respective meridians +of Lutheranism, Calvinism, and Arminianism.</p> + +<p>But, by the more intelligent, the resurrection, +or the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ, +is generally regarded as the definite commencement +of the Christian age or institution.</p> + +<p>Give us Paul's or Peter's testimony, against +that of all theologians, living or dead. Let us +look at the facts.</p> + +<p>Did not the Savior teach His personal +pupils, or disciples, to pray, "Thy kingdom"—more +truthfully, "Thy reign—come"? Does +any king's reign or kingdom commence with +his birth? Still less with his death? Did +not our Savior Himself, in person, decline the +honors of a worldly or temporal prince? Did +He not declare that His kingdom "is not of +this world"? Did He not say that He was +going hence, or leaving this world, to receive +or obtain a kingdom? And were not the +keys of the kingdom first given to Peter to +open, to announce it? And did he not, when +in Jerusalem, on the first Pentecost, after the +ascension of the Lord Jesus, make a public +proclamation, saying, "Let all the house of +Israel know assuredly that God has made (or +constituted) the identical Jesus of Nazareth, +the son of Mary, both the Lord and the Christ, +or the anointed Lord"?</p> + +<p>Do kings reign before they are crowned?<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> +Before they are anointed? There was not +a Christian Church on earth, or any man +called a Christian, until after the consecration +and coronation of Jesus of Nazareth as the +Christ of God.</p> + +<p>The era of a son's birth was never, since +the world began, the era of his reign or of +the commencement of it. It is a strange fact, +to me a wonderful fact, and, considering the +age in which we live, an overwhelming fact, +that we, as a community, are the only people +on the checkered map of all Christendom, +Greek, Roman, Anglican or American, that +preach and teach that the commonly called +Christian era is not the era or the commencement +of the Christian Church or kingdom of +the Lord Jesus the Christ.</p> + +<p>The kingdom of the Christ could not antedate +His coronation. Hence Peter, in announcing +His coronation, after His ascension, +proclaimed, saying, "Let all the house of +Israel know assuredly that God has made—<i lang="gr" xml:lang="gr">touton +ton Ieesoun</i>—the same, the identical +Jesus whom you have crucified, both Lord +and Christ"; or, in other words, has crowned +Him the legitimate Lord of all. Then indeed +His reign began. Then was verified the +oracle uttered by the royal bard of Israel, +"Jehovah said to my Jehovah"—or, "the +Lord said to my Lord,"—"Sit thou on my +right hand till I make thy foes thy footstool."</p> + +<p>Hence He could say, and did say, to His<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> +apostles, "All authority in the heavens and +on the earth is given to me." In pursuance +thereof, "Go you into all the world, proclaim +the gospel to the whole creation; assuring +them that everyone who believes this proclamation +and is immersed into the name of the +Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy +Spirit, shall be saved."</p> + +<p>Here, then, the missionary field is declared +to be the whole world—the broad earth. They +were, as we are afterwards informed, to begin +at the first capital in the land of Judea, then +to proceed to Samaria, the capital of the ten +tribes, and thence to the last domicile of man +on earth.</p> + +<p>There was, and there is still, in all this arrangement, +a gracious and a glorious propriety.</p> + +<p>The Jews had murdered the Messiah under +the false charge of an impostor. Was it not, +then, divinely grand and supremely glorious +to make this awfully bloodstained capital the +beginning, the fountain, of the gospel age and +mission? Hence it was decreed that all the +earth should be the parish, and all the nations +and languages of earth the objects, and millions +of them the subjects, of the redeeming +grace and tender mercies of our Savior and +our God.</p> + +<p>What an extended and still extending area +is the missionary field! There are the four +mighty realms of Pagandom, of Papaldom, of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> +Mohammedandom and of ecclesiastic Sectariandom. +These are, one and all, essentially +and constitutionally, more or less, not of the +apostolic Christendom.</p> + +<p>The divinely inspired constitution of the +Church contains only seven articles. These +are the seven hills, not of Rome, but of the +true Zion of Israel's God. Paul's summary +of them is found in the following words: +"One body, one spirit, one hope, one Lord, +one faith, one baptism, and one God and +Father of all."</p> + +<p>The clear perception, the grateful reception, +the cordial entertainment of these seven +divinely constructed and instituted pillars, +are the alone sufficient, and the all-sufficient, +foundation—the indestructible basis—of +Christ's kingdom on this earth, and of man's +spiritual and eternal salvation in the full enjoyment +of himself, his Creator, his Redeemer, +and the whole universe of spiritual intelligence +through all the circles and the cycles +of an infinite, an everlasting future of being +and of blessedness.</p> + +<p>The missionary spirit is, indeed, an emanation +of the whole Godhead. God the Father +sent His Son, His only begotten Son, into our +world. The Son sent the Holy Spirit to bear +witness through His twelve missionaries, the +consecrated and Heaven-inspired apostles. +They proclaimed the glad tidings of great joy +to all people—to the Jews, to the Samaritans,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> +to the Gentiles, of all nations, kindreds and +tongues. They gave in solemn charge to +others to sound out and proclaim the glad tidings +of great joy to all people. And need we +ask, is not the Christian Church itself, in its +own institution and constitution, virtually +and essentially a missionary institution? +Does not Paul formally state to the Thessalonians +in his first epistle that from them +sounded out the Word of the Lord not only +in Macedonia and in Achaia, but in every +place?</p> + +<p>No man can really or truthfully enjoy the +spiritual, the soul-stirring, the heart-reviving +honors and felicities of the Christian institution +and kingdom, who does not intelligently, +cordially and efficiently espouse the missionary +cause.</p> + +<p>In other words, he must feel, he must have +compassion for his fellow man; and, still further, +he must practically sympathize with him +in communicating to his spiritual necessities +as well as to his physical wants and infirmities. +The true ideal of all perfection—our +blest and blissful Redeemer—went about +continually doing good—to both the souls and +the bodies of his fellow men; healing all that +were, in body, soul or spirit, opprest by Satan, +the enemy of God and of man.</p> + +<p>To follow his example is the grand climax +of humanity. It is not necessary to this end +that he should occupy the pulpit. There are,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> +as we conceive, myriads of Christian men in +the private walks of life, who never aspired +to the "sacred desk," that will far outshine, +in eternal glory and blessedness, hosts of the +reverend, the boasted and the boastful right +reverend occupants of the sacred desks of this +our day and generation.</p> + +<p>But Solomon has furnished our motto:—"He +that winneth" or taketh "souls is wise" +(Prov. xi. 30). Was he not the wisest of +men, the most potent and the richest of +kings, that ever lived? He had, therefore, all +the means and facilities of acquiring what we +call knowledge—the knowledge of men and +things; and, consequently, the value of men +and things was legitimately within the area +of his understanding; or, in this case, we +might prefer to say, with all propriety, within +the area of his comprehension.</p> + +<p>Need I say that comprehension incomparably +transcends apprehension? Simpletons +may apprehend, but only wise men can comprehend +anything. Solomon's rare gift was, +that both his apprehension and his comprehension +transcended those of all other men, +and gave him a perspicacity and promptitude +of decision never before or since possest by +any man. His oracles, indeed, were the +oracles of God. But God especially gave to +him a power and opportunity of making one +grand experiment and development for the +benefit of his living contemporaries, and of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> +all posterity, to whom God presents his biography, +his Proverbs and his Ecclesiastes.</p> + +<p>"The winning of souls" is, therefore, the +richest and best business, trade or calling, according +to Solomon, ever undertaken or prosecuted +by mortal man. Paul was fully aware +of this, and therefore had always in his eye a +"triple crown"—"a crown of righteousness," +a "crown of life," a "crown of glory." And +even in this life he had "a crown of rejoicing," +in prospect of an exceeding and eternal +weight of glory, imperishable in the heavens.</p> + +<p>There is, too, a present reward, a present +pleasure, a present joy and peace which the +wisdom, and the riches, and the dignity, and +the glory, and the honors of this world never +did, never can, and consequently never will, +confer on its most devoted and persevering +votaries.</p> + +<p>There is, indeed, a lawful and an honorable +covetousness, which any and every Christian, +man and woman, may cultivate and cherish.</p> + +<p>Paul himself justifies the poetic license, +when he says, "Covet earnestly the best +gifts."</p> + +<p>The best gifts in his horizon, however, were +those which, when duly cultivated and employed, +confer the greatest amount of profit +and felicity upon others. We should, indeed, +desire, even covet, the means and the opportunities +of beatifying and aggrandizing one +another with the true riches, the honors and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> +the dignities that appertain to the spiritual, +the heavenly and the eternal inheritance.</p> + +<p>But we need not propound to your consideration +or inquiry the claims—the paramount, +the transcendent claims—which our enjoyment +of the gospel and its soul-cheering, soul-animating, +soul-enrapturing influences present +to us as arguments and motives to extend +and to animate its proclamation by every instrumentality +and means which we can legitimately +employ, to present it in all its attractions +and claims upon the understanding, the +conscience and the affections of our contemporaries, +in our own country and in all others, +as far as our most gracious and bountiful +Benefactor affords the means and the opportunities +of co-operating with Him, in the rescue +and recovery of our fellow men, who, without +such means and efforts, must forever +perish, as aliens and enemies, in heart and +in life, to God and to His divinely-commissioned +ambassador, the glorious Messiah.</p> + +<p>We plead for the original apostolic gospel +and its positive institutions. If the great +apostles Peter and Paul—the former to the +Jews and the latter to the Gentiles—announced +the true gospel of the grace of God, +shall we hesitate a moment on the propriety +and the necessity, divinely imposed upon us, +of preaching the same gospel which they +preached, and in advocating the same institutions +which they established, under the plenary<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> +inspiration and direction of the Holy +Spirit? Can we improve upon their institutions +and enactments? What means that singular +imperative enunciated by the evangelical +prophet Isaiah (Isa. viii.), "Bind up the +testimony, seal the law among my disciples?" +What were its antecedents? Hearken! The +prophet had just foretold. He, the subject +of this oracle, viz: "The desire of all nations," +was coming to be a sanctuary; but not a sanctuary +alone, but for a stone of stumbling and +a rock of offense (as at this day) to both the +houses of Israel—for a gin and for a snare to +the inhabitants of Jerusalem.</p> + +<p>The Church, therefore, of right is, and +ought to be, a great missionary society. Her +parish is the whole earth, from sea to sea, and +from the Euphrates to the last domicile of +man.</p> + +<p>But the crowning and consummating argument +of the missionary cause has not been +fully presented. There is but one word, in +the languages of earth, that fully indicates it. +And that word indicates neither less nor more +than what is represented—literally, exactly, +perspicuously represented—by the word philanthropy. +But this being a Greek word +needs, perhaps in some cases, an exact definition. +And to make it memorable we will +preface it with the statement of the fact that +this word is found but twice in the Greek +original New Testament (Acts xxviii., 2, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> +Titus iii., 4.). In the first passage this word +is, in the common version, translated "kindness," +and in the second, "love toward man." +Literally and exactly, it signifies the love of +man, objectively; but, more fully exprest, the +love of one to another.</p> + +<p>The love of God to man is one form of philanthropy; +the love of angels to one man is +another form of philanthropy; and the love +of man to man, as such, is the true philanthropy +of the law. It is not the love of one +man to another man, because of favors received +from him; this is only gratitude. It +is not the love of one man to another man, +because of a common country: this is mere +patriotism. It is not the love of man to man, +because of a common ancestry: this is mere +natural affection. But it is the love of man +to man, merely because he is a man. This is +pure philanthropy. Such was the love of God +to man as exhibited in the gift of His dearly +beloved Son as a sin-offering for him. This is +the name which the inspired writers of the +New Testament give it. So Paul uses it, Titus +iii. and iv. It should have been translated, +"After that the kindness and philanthropy of +God our Savior appeared." Again, Acts +xxviii., 2, "The barbarous people of the Island +of Melita showed us no little philanthropy.<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a> +They kindled a fire for us on their island,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> +because of the impending rain and the +cold."</p> + +<p>There are, indeed, many forms and demonstrations +of philanthropy. For one good man +another good man might presume to die. But +the philanthropy of God to man incomparably +transcends all other forms of philanthropy +known on earth or reported from heaven.</p> + +<p>While we were sinners, in positive and actual +rebellion against our Father and our +God, He freely gave up His only begotten and +dearly beloved Son, as a sin-offering for us, +and laid upon Him, or placed in His account, +the sin, the aggregate sin, of the world. He +became in the hand of His Father and our +Father a sin-offering for us. He took upon +Himself, and His Father "laid upon him, the +iniquity of us all." Was ever love like this? +Angels of all ranks, spirits of all capacities, +still contemplate it with increasing wonder +and delight.</p> + +<p>This gospel message is to be announced to +all the world, to men of every nation under +heaven. And this, too, with the promise of +the forgiveness of sins and of a life everlasting +in the heavens, to everyone who will cordially +accept and obey it.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>IRVING</h2> + +<h3>PREPARATION FOR CONSULTING THE +ORACLES OF GOD</h3> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102"> </a></span></p> + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + +<p><span class="smcap">Edward Irving</span> was born at Annan, +Dumfriesshire, Scotland, in 1792. He was +an early friend and lover of Jane Welsh, +who afterwards married Thomas Carlyle. +He showed ability at school, but had also +a taste for the preaching of extreme +Presbyterian seceders from the Church +of Scotland. After graduating at the +University of Edinburgh, in 1809, he +began life by teaching school, but obtained +a license to preach in 1815. He became +assistant to Chalmers at Glasgow in 1819, +where, great preacher as he was, he felt +himself eclipsed by Chalmers, and in 1822 +accepted the pulpit at a chapel in Hatton +Garden, London. Here he leapt into +fame. His melodious and resonant voice, +his noble presence and the beauty of his +features, enhanced the eloquence of his +language. Eventually he became unbalanced +by the adulation of the aristocratic +and intellectual crowd that listened +to him. They, however, grew tired of his +prophecies and denunciations, and his eccentricities +of judgment finally led to +disruption, and "after a few years of +futile but splendid evangelization, he died +a broken-hearted man, tender and true +to the last, altho the victim of unsubstantial +religious vagaries." Carlyle +wrote a touching memoir of his life. He +died in 1834.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>IRVING</h2> + +<h3>1792-1834</h3> + +<h4>PREPARATION FOR CONSULTING THE +ORACLES OF GOD</h4> + +<p><em>Search the scriptures.</em>—John v., 39.</p> + + +<p>There was a time when each revelation +of the word of God had an introduction +into this earth, which neither +permitted men to doubt whence it came, +nor wherefore it was sent. If at the +giving of each several truth a star was +not lighted up in heaven, as at the birth +of the Prince of Truth, there was done upon +the earth a wonder, to make her children +listen to the message of their Maker. The +Almighty made bare His arm; and, through +mighty acts shown by His holy servants, gave +demonstration of His truth, and found for it a +sure place among the other matters of human +knowledge and belief.</p> + +<p>But now the miracles of God have ceased, +and nature, secure and unmolested, is no +longer called on for testimonies to her Creator's +voice. No burning bush draws the footsteps +to His presence chamber; no invisible +voice holds the ear awake; no hand cometh +forth from the obscurity to write His purposes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> +in letters of flame. The vision is shut up, and +the testimony is sealed, and the Word of the +Lord is ended, and this solitary volume, with +its chapters and verses, is the sum total of all +for which the chariot of heaven made so many +visits to the earth, and the Son of God Himself +tabernacled and dwelt among us.</p> + +<p>The truth which it contains once dwelt undivulged +in the bosom of God; and, on coming +forth to take its place among things revealed, +the heavens and the earth, and nature, +through all her chambers, gave reverent welcome. +Beyond what it contains, the mysteries +of the future are unknown. To gain it acceptation +and currency, the noble company of +martyrs testified unto the death. The general +assembly of the first-born in heaven made it +the day-star of their hopes, and the pavilion +of their peace. Its every sentence is charmed +with the power of God, and powerful to the +everlasting salvation of souls.</p> + +<p>Having our minds filled with these thoughts +of the primeval divinity of revealed wisdom +when she dwelt in the bosom of God, and was +of His eternal Self a part, long before He prepared +the heavens, or set a compass upon the +face of the deep; revolving also how, by the +space of four thousand years, every faculty +of mute nature did solemn obeisance to this +daughter of the Divine mind, whenever He +pleased to commission her forth to the help of +mortals; and further meditating upon the delights<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> +which she had of old with the sons of +men, the height of heavenly temper to which +she raised them, and the offspring of magnanimous +deeds which these two—the wisdom of +God, and the soul of man—did engender between +themselves—meditating, I say, upon +these mighty topics, our soul is smitten with +grief and shame to remark how in this latter +day she hath fallen from her high estate; +and fallen along with her the great and noble +character of men. Or, if there be still a few +names, as of the missionary martyr, to emulate +the saints of old—how to the commonalty +of Christians her oracles have fallen into a +household commonness, and her visits into a +cheap familiarity; while by the multitude she +is mistaken for a minister of terror sent to +oppress poor mortals with moping melancholy, +and inflict a wound upon the happiness +of human kind.</p> + +<p>For there is now no express stirring up the +faculties to meditate her high and heavenly +strains—there is no formal sequestration of +the mind from all other concerns, on purpose +for her special entertainment—there is no +house of solemn seeking and solemn waiting +for a spiritual frame, before entering and +listening to the voice of the Almighty's wisdom. +Who feels the sublime dignity there is +in a saying, fresh descended from the porch +of heaven? Who feels the awful weight there +is in the least iota that hath dropped from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> +the lips of God? Who feels the thrilling fear +or trembling hope there is in words whereon +the destinies of himself do hang? Who feels +the swelling tide of gratitude within his +breast, for redemption and salvation, instead +of flat despair and everlasting retribution? +Yea, that which is the guide and spur of all +duty, the necessary aliment of Christian life, +the first and the last of Christian knowledge +and Christian feeling, hath, to speak the best, +degenerated in these days to stand, rank and +file, among those duties whereof it is parent, +preserver, and commander. And, to speak not +the best, but the fair and common truth, this +book, the offspring of the Divine mind, and +the perfection of heavenly wisdom, is permitted +to lie from day to day, perhaps from week +to week, unheeded and unperused, never welcome +to our happy, healthy, and energetic +moods; admitted, if admitted at all, in seasons +of sickness, feeble-mindedness, and disabling +sorrow. Yes, that which was sent to be a +spirit of ceaseless joy and hope within the +heart of man, is treated as the enemy of +happiness, and the murderer of enjoyment; +and eyed askance, as the remembrancer of +death, and the very messenger of hell.</p> + +<p>Oh! if books had but tongues to speak their +wrongs, then might this book well exclaim: +Hear, O heavens! and give ear, O earth! I +came from the love and embrace of God, and +mute nature, to whom I brought no boon,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> +did me rightful homage. To men I come, and +my words were to the children of men. I +disclosed to you the mysteries hereafter, and +the secrets of the throne of God. I set open +to you the gates of salvation, and the way of +eternal life, hitherto unknown. Nothing in +heaven did I withhold from your hope and +ambition; and upon your earthly lot I poured +the full horn of Divine providence and consolation. +But ye requited me with no welcome, +ye held no festivity on my arrival; ye sequester +me from happiness and heroism, closeting +me with sickness and infirmity: ye make not +of me, nor use me for, your guide to wisdom +and prudence, but put me into a place in your +last of duties, and withdraw me to a mere corner +of your time; and most of ye set me at +naught and utterly disregard me. I come, the +fulness of the knowledge of God; angels delighted +in my company, and desired to dive +into my secrets. But ye, mortals, place masters +over me, subjecting me to the discipline and +dogmatism of men, and tutoring me in your +schools of learning. I came, not to be silent in +your dwellings, but to speak welfare to you +and to your children. I came to rule, and my +throne to set up in the hearts of men. Mine +ancient residence was the bosom of God; no +residence will I have but the soul of an immortal; +and if you had entertained me, I +should have possest you of the peace which +I had with God, "when I was with Him and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> +was daily His delight, rejoicing always before +Him. Because I have called you and +ye have refused, I have stretched out my hand +and no man regarded; but ye have set at +naught all my counsel and would none of my +reproof; I also will laugh at your calamity, +and mock when your fear cometh as desolation, +and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind, +when distress and anguish cometh upon +you. Then shall they cry upon me, but I will +not answer; they shall seek me early, but they +shall not find me."</p> + +<p>From this cheap estimation and wanton +neglect of God's counsel, and from the terror +of the curse consequent thereon, we have +resolved, in the strength of God, to do our +endeavor to deliver this congregation of His +intelligent and worshiping people—an endeavor +which we make with a full perception +of the difficulties to be overcome on every side, +within no less than without the sacred pale; +and upon which we enter with the utmost +diffidence of our powers, yet with the full +purpose of straining them to the utmost, according +to the measure with which it hath +pleased God to endow our mind. And do +Thou, O Lord, from whom cometh the perception +of truth, vouchsafe to Thy servant an +unction from Thine own Spirit, who searcheth +all things, yes, the deep things of God; +and vouchsafe to Thy people "the hearing ear +and the understanding heart, that they may<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> +hear and understand, and their souls may +live!"</p> + +<p>Before the Almighty made His appearance +upon Sinai, there were awful precursors sent +to prepare His way; while He abode in sight, +there were solemn ceremonies and a strict +ritual of attendance; when He departed, the +whole camp set itself to conform unto His +revealed will. Likewise, before the Savior +appeared, with His better law, there was a +noble procession of seers and prophets, who +decried and warned the world of His coming; +when He came there were solemn announcements +in the heavens and on the earth; He did +not depart without due honors; and then +followed, on His departure, a succession of +changes and alterations which are still in +progress, and shall continue in progress till +the world's end. This may serve to teach us, +that a revelation of the Almighty's will makes +demand for these three things, on the part of +those to whom it is revealed: A due preparation +for receiving it; a diligent attention to it +while it is disclosing; a strict observance of it +when it is delivered.</p> + +<p>In the whole book of the Lord's revelations +you shall search in vain for one which is devoid +of these necessary parts. Witness the +awestruck Isaiah, while the Lord displayed +before him the sublime pomp of His presence; +and, not content with overpowering the frail +sense of the prophet, dispatched a seraph to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> +do the ceremonial of touching his lip with +hallowed fire, all before He uttered one word +into his astonished ear. Witness the majestic +apparition to Saint John, in the Apocalypse, +of all the emblematical glory of the Son of +Man, allowed to take silent effect upon the +apostle's spirit, and prepare it for the revelation +of things to come. These heard with all +their absorbed faculties, and with all their +powers addrest them to the bidding of the +Lord. But, if this was in aught flinched from, +witness, in the persecution of the prophet +Jonah, the fearful issues which ensued. From +the presence of the Lord he could not flee. +Fain would he have escaped to the uttermost +parts of the earth; but in the mighty +waters the terrors of the Lord fell upon him; +and when engulfed in the deep, and entombed +in the monster of the deep, still the Lord's +word was upon the obdurate prophet, who had +no rest, not the rest of the grave, till he had +fulfilled it to the very uttermost.</p> + +<p>Now, judging that every time we open the +pages of this holy book, we are to be favored +with no less than a communication from on +high, in substance the same as those whereof +we have detailed the three distinct and several +parts, we conceive it due to the majesty of +Him who speaks, that we, in like manner, +discipline our spirits with a due preparation, +and have them in proper frame, before we +listen to the voice; that, while it is disclosing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> +to us the important message, we be wrapt in +full attention; and that, when it hath disburdened +itself into our opened and enlarged +spirits, we proceed forthwith to the business +of its fulfilment, whithersoever and to whatsoever +it summon us forth. Upon each of +these three duties, incumbent upon one who +would not forego the benefit of a heavenly +message, we will discourse apart, addressing +ourselves in this discourse to the first-mentioned +of the three.</p> + +<p>The preparation for the announcement.—"When +God uttereth His voice," says the +Psalmist, "coals of fire are kindled; the hills +melt down like wax; the earth quakes; and +deep proclaims itself unto hollow deep." +These sensible images of the Creator have +now vanished, and we are left alone, in the +deep recesses of the meditative mind, to discern +His coming forth. No trump of heaven now +speaketh in the world's ear. No angelic conveyance +of Heaven's will taketh shape from +the vacant air; and having done his errand, +retireth into his airy habitation. No human +messenger putteth forth his miraculous hand +to heal nature's unmedicable wounds, winning +for his words a silent and astonished +audience. Majesty and might no longer precede +the oracles of Heaven. They lie silent +and unobtrusive, wrapt up in their little +compass, one volume among many, innocently +handed to and fro, having no distinction but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> +that in which our mustered thoughts are enabled +to invest them. The want of solemn +preparation and circumstantial pomp, the +imagination of the mind hath now to supply. +The presence of the Deity, and the authority +of His voice, our thoughtful spirits must +discern. Conscience must supply the terrors +that were wont to go before Him; and the +brightness of His coming, which the sense can +no longer behold, the heart, ravished with His +word, must feel.</p> + +<p>For the solemn vocation of all her powers, +to do her Maker honor and give Him welcome, +it is, at the very least, necessary that the soul +stand absolved from every call. Every foreign +influence or authority arising out of the +world, or the things of the world, should be +burst when about to stand before the fountain +of all authority; every argument, every invention, +every opinion of man forgot, when +about to approach to the Father and oracle +of all intelligence. And as subjects, when +their honors, with invitations, are held disengaged, +tho preoccupied with a thousand +appointments, so, upon an audience, fixt and +about to be holden with the King of Kings, +it will become the honored mortal to break +loose from all thraldom of men and things, +and be arrayed in liberty of thought and +action to drink in the rivers of His pleasure, +and to perform the mission of His lips.</p> + +<p>Now far otherwise it hath appeared to us,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> +that Christians as well as worldly men come +to this most august occupation of listening to +the word of God; preoccupied and prepossest, +inclining to it a partial ear, and straitened +understanding, and a disaffected will.</p> + +<p>The Christian public are prone to preoccupy +themselves with the admiration of those +opinions by which they stand distinguished +as a Church or sect from other Christians, and +instead of being quite unfettered to receive +the whole counsel of the Divinity, they are +prepared to welcome it no further than it +bears upon, and stands with opinions which +they already favor. To this pre-judgment +the early use of catechisms mainly contributes, +which, however serviceable in their +place, have the disadvantage of presenting the +truth in a form altogether different from what +it occupies in the world itself. In the one it +is presented to the intellect chiefly (and in our +catechisms to an intellect of a very subtle +order), in the other it is presented more +frequently to the heart, to the affections, to +the emotions, to the fancy, and to all the faculties +of the soul. In early youth, which is so +applied to those compilations, an association +takes place between religion and intellect, and +a divorcement of religion from the other +powers of the inner man. This derangement, +judging from observation and experience, it is +exceedingly difficult to put to rights in afterlife; +and so it comes to pass, that in listening<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> +to the oracles of religion, the intellect is +chiefly awake, and the better parts of the message—those +which address the heart and its +affections, those which dilate and enlarge our +admiration of the Godhead, and those which +speak to the various sympathies of our nature—we +are, by the injudicious use of these narrow +epitomes, disqualified to receive.</p> + +<p>In the train of these comes controversy with +its rough voice and unmeek aspect, to disqualify +the soul for a full and fair audience +of its Maker's word. The points of the faith +we have been called on to defend, or which +are reputable with our party, assume, in our +esteem, an importance disproportionate to +their importance in the Word, which we come +to relish chiefly when it goes to sustain them, +and the Bible is hunted for arguments and +texts of controversy, which are treasured up +for future service. The solemn stillness which +the soul should hold before his Maker, so +favorable to meditation and rapt communion +with the throne of God, is destroyed at every +turn by suggestions of what is orthodox and +evangelical—where all is orthodox and evangelical; +the spirit of such readers becomes +lean, being fed with abstract truths and +formal propositions; their temper uncongenial, +being ever disturbed with controversial +suggestions; their prayers undevout recitals +of their opinions; their discourse technical announcements +of their faith. Intellect, old intellect,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> +hath the sway over heavenward devotion +and holy fervor. Man, contentious man, +hath the attention which the unsearchable +God should undivided have; and the fine, full +harmony of heaven's melodious voice, which, +heard apart, were sufficient to lap the soul in +ecstasies unspeakable, is jarred and interfered +with, and the heavenly spell is broken by the +recurring conceits, sophisms, and passions of +men. Now truly an utter degradation it is +of the Godhead to have His word in league +with that of man, or any council of men. +What matter to me whether the Pope, or any +work of any mind, be exalted to the quality of +God? If any helps are to be imposed for the +understanding, or safeguarding, or sustaining +of the word, why not the help of statues +and pictures of my devotions? Therefore, +while the warm fancies of the Southerns have +given their idolatry to the ideal forms of noble +art, let us Northerns beware we give not our +idolatry to the cold and coarse abstractions of +human intellect.</p> + +<p>For the preoccupations of worldly minds, +they are not to be reckoned up, being manifold +as their favorite passions and pursuits. One +thing only can be said, that before coming to +the oracles of God they are not preoccupied +with the expectation and fear of Him. No +chord in their heart is in unison with things +unseen; no moments are set apart for religious +thought and meditation; no anticipations of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> +the honored interview; no prayer of preparation +like that of Daniel before Gabriel was +sent to teach him; no devoutness like that of +Cornelius before the celestial visitation; no +fastings like that of Peter before the revelation +of the glory of the Gentiles! Now to +minds which are not attuned to holiness, the +words of God find no entrance, striking heavy +on the ear, seldom making way to the understanding, +almost never to the heart. To +spirits hot with conversation, perhaps heady +with argument, uncomposed by solemn +thought, but ruffled and in uproar from the +concourse of worldly interests, the sacred page +may be spread out, but its accents are +drowned in the noise which hath not yet subsided +in the breast. All the awe, and pathos, +and awakened consciousness of a Divine +approach, imprest upon the ancients by the +procession of solemnities, is to worldly men +without a substitute. They have not yet +solicited themselves to be in readiness. In a +usual mood and vulgar frame they come to +God's word as to other compositions, reading +it without any active imaginations about Him +who speaks; feeling no awe of a sovereign +Lord, nor care of a tender Father, nor devotion +to a merciful Savior. Nowise deprest +themselves out of their wonted dependence, +nor humiliated before the King of Kings—no +prostrations of the soul, nor falling at His +feet as dead—no exclamation, as of Isaiah,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> +"Wo is me, for I am of unclean lips!"—no +request "Send me"—nor fervent ejaculation +of welcome, as of Samuel, "Lord, speak, for +Thy servant heareth!" Truly they feel toward +His word much as to the word of an +equal. No wonder it shall fail of happy influence +upon the spirits which have, as it were, +on purpose, disqualified themselves for its +benefits by removing from the regions of +thought and feeling which it accords with, +into other regions, which it is of too severe +dignity to affect, otherwise than with stern +menace and direful foreboding! If they +would have it bless them and do them good, +they must change their manner of approaching +it, and endeavor to bring themselves into +that prepared, and collected, and reverential +frame which becomes an interview with the +High and Holy One who inhabiteth the +praises of eternity.</p> + +<p>Having thus spoken without equivocation, +and we hope without offense, to the contradictoriness +and preoccupation with which +Christians and worldly men are apt to come to +the perusal of the Word of God, we shall now +set forth the two master-feelings under which +we shall address ourselves to the sacred occupation.</p> + +<p>It is a good custom, inherited from the +hallowed days of Scottish piety, and in our +cottages still preserved, tho in our cities +generally given up, to preface the morning<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> +and evening worship of the family with a +short invocation of blessing from the Lord. +This is in unison with the practise and recommendation +of pious men, never to open the +Divine Word without a silent invocation of +the Divine Spirit. But no address to heaven +is of any virtue, save as it is the expression of +certain pious sentiments with which the mind +is full and overflowing. Of those sentiments +which befit the mind that comes into conference +with its Maker, the first and most prominent +should be gratitude for His ever having +condescended to hold commerce with such +wretched and fallen creatures. Gratitude not +only expressing itself in proper terms, but +possessing the mind with one abiding and +over-mastering mood, under which it shall sit +imprest the whole duration of the interview. +Such an emotion as can not utter itself in +language—tho by language it indicates its +presence—but keeps us in a devout and adoring +frame, while the Lord is uttering His +voice.</p> + +<p>Go visit a desolate widow with consolation, +and help, and fatherhood of her orphan +children—do it again and again—and your +presence, the sound of your approaching +footstep, the soft utterance of your voice, the +very mention of your name, shall come to +dilate her heart with a fulness which defies +her tongue to utter, but speaking by the +tokens of a swimming eye, and clasped hands,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> +and fervent ejaculations to heaven upon your +head! No less copious acknowledgment of +God, the author of our well-being, and the +Father of our better hopes, ought we to feel +when His Word discloseth to us the excess of +His love. Tho a veil be now cast over the +Majesty which speaks, it is the voice of the +Eternal which we hear, coming in soft cadences +to win our favor, yet omnipotent as the voice +of the thunder, and overpowering as the rushing +of many waters. And tho the evil of +the future intervene between our hand and +the promised goods, still are they from His +lips who speaks, and it is done, who commands, +and all things stand fast. With no +less emotion, therefore, should this book be +opened, than if, like him in the Apocalypse, +you saw the voice which spake; or, like him in +the trance, you were into the third heaven +translated, companying and communing with +the realities of glory which the eye hath not +seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man +conceived.</p> + +<p>Far and foreign from such an opened and +awakened bosom is that cold and formal hand +which is generally laid upon the sacred +volume; that unfeeling and unimpressive tone +with which its accents are pronounced; and +that listless and incurious ear into which its +blessed sounds are received. How can you, +thus unimpassioned, hold communion with +themes in which everything awful, vital, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> +endearing meet together? Why is not +curiosity, curiosity ever hungry, on edge +to know the doings and intentions of +Jehovah, King of Kings? Why is not +interest, interest ever awake, on tip-toe to +hear the future destiny of itself? Why +is not the heart, that panteth over the +world after love and friendship, overpowered +with the full tide of the divine acts and expressions +of love? Where is nature gone when +she is not moved with the tender mercy of +Christ? Methinks the affections of men are +fallen into the yellow leaf. Of the poets which +charm the world's ear, who is he that inditeth +a song unto his God? Some will tune their +harps to sensual pleasure, and by the enchantment +of their genius well-nigh commend their +unholy themes to the imagination of saints. +Others, to the high and noble sentiments of the +heart, will sing of domestic joys and happy +unions, casting around sorrow the radiancy of +virtue, and bodying forth, in undying forms, +the short-lived visions of joy! Others have +enrolled themselves the high-priests of mute +nature's charms, enchanting her echoes with +their minstrelsy, and peopling her solitudes +with the bright creatures of their fancy. But +when, since the days of the blind master of +English song, hath any poured forth a lay +worthy of the Christian theme? Nor in philosophy, +"the palace of the soul," have men +been more mindful of their Maker. The flowers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> +of the garden and the herbs of the field +have their unwearied devotees, crossing the +ocean, wayfaring in the desert, and making +devout pilgrimages to every region of nature +for offerings to their patron muse. The rocks, +from their residences among the clouds to +their deep rests in the dark bowels of the +earth, have a bold and most venturous priesthood, +who see in their rough and flinty faces +a more delectable image to adore than in the +revealed countenance of God. And the political +warfare of the world is a very Moloch, +who can at any time command his hecatomb of +human victims. But the revealed suspense of +God, to which the harp of David, and the +prophetic lyre of Isaiah were strung, the prudence +of God, which the wisest of men coveted +after, preferring it to every gift which heaven +could confer, and the eternal intelligence +Himself in human form, and the unction of +the Holy One which abideth—these the common +heart of man hath forsaken, and refused +to be charmed withal.</p> + +<p>I testify, that there ascendeth not from +earth a hosanna of her children to bear witness +in the ear of the upper regions to the +wonderful manifestations of her God! From +a few scattered hamlets in a small portion of +her territory a small voice ascendeth, like the +voice of one crying in the wilderness. But to +the service of our general Preserver there is +no concourse, from Dan unto Beersheba, of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> +our people, the greater part of whom, after +two thousand years of apostolic commission, +have not the testimonials of our God; and the +multitude of those who disrespect or despise +them!</p> + +<p>But, to return from this lamentation, +which may God hear, who doth not disregard +the cries of His afflicted people! With the full +sense of obligation to the giver, combine a +humble sense of your own incapacity to value +and to use the gift of His oracles. Having no +taste whatever for the mean estimates which +are made, and the coarse invectives that are +vented, against human nature, which, tho +true in the main, are often in the manner so +unfeeling and triumphant, as to reveal hot +zeal rather than tender and deep sorrow, we +will not give in to this popular strain. And +yet it is a truth by experience, +revealed, that +tho there be in man most noble faculties, +and a nature restless after the knowledge and +truth of things, there are toward God and His +revealed will an indisposition and a regardlessness, +which the most tender and enlightened +consciences are the most ready to +acknowledge. Of our emancipated youth, +who, bound after the knowledge of the visible +works of God, and the gratification of the +various instincts of nature, how few betake +themselves at all, how few absorb themselves +with the study and obedience of the Word of +God! And when, by God's visitation, we address<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> +ourselves to the task, how slow is our +progress and how imperfect our performance! +It is most true that nature is unwilling to the +subject of the Scriptures. The soul is previously +possest with adverse interests; the +world hath laid an embargo on her faculties, +and monopolized them to herself; old habit +hath perhaps added to his almost incurable +callousness; and the enemy of God and man is +skilful to defend what he hath already won. +So circumstanced, and every man is so circumstanced, +we come to the audience of the Word +of God, and listen in the worse tune than a +wanton to a sermon, or a hardened knave to a +judicial address. Our understanding is prepossest +with a thousand idols of the world—religious +or irreligious—which corrupt the +reading of the Word into a straining of the +text to their service, and when it will not +strain, cause it to be skimmed, and perhaps +despised or hated. Such a thing as a free and +unlimited reception of all parts of the Scripture +into the mind, is a thing most rare to be +met with, and when met with will be found +the result of many a sore submission of +nature's opinions as well as of nature's +likings.</p> + +<p>But the Word, as hath been said, is not for +the intellect alone, but for the heart, and for +the will. Now if any one be so wedded to his +own candor as to think he doth accept the +divine truth unabated, surely no one will<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> +flatter himself into the belief that his heart +is attuned and enlarged for all divine commandments. +The man who thus misdeems of +himself must, if his opinions were just, be like +a sheet of fair paper, unblotted and unwritten +on; whereas all men are already occupied, +to the very fulness, with other opinions and +attachments and desires than the Word reveals. +We do not grow Christians by the same +culture by which we grow men, otherwise what +need of divine revelation, and divine assistance? +But being unacquainted from the womb +with God, and attached to what is seen and +felt, through early and close acquaintance, we +are ignorant and detached from what is unseen +and unfelt. The Word is a novelty to +our nature, its truths fresh truths, its affections +fresh affections, its obedience gathered +from the apprehension of nature and the commerce +of the worldly life. Therefore there +needeth, in one that would be served from this +storehouse opened by heaven, a disrelish of his +old acquisitions, and a preference of the new, +a simple, child-like teachableness, an allowance +of ignorance and error, with whatever +else beseems an anxious learner. Coming to +the Word of God, we are like children brought +into the conversations of experienced men; +and we should humbly listen and reverently +inquire; or we are like raw rustics introduced +into high and polished life, and we should +unlearn our coarseness, and copy the habits of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> +the station; nay we are like offenders caught, +and for the moment committed to the bosom +of honorable society, with the power of regaining +our lost condition and inheriting honor +and trust—therefore we should walk softly and +tenderly, covering our former reproach with +modesty and humbleness, hasting to redeem +our reputation by distinguished performances, +against offense doubly guarded, doubly watchful +for dangerous and extreme positions to +demonstrate our recovered goodness.</p> + +<p>These two sentiments—devout veneration of +God for His unspeakable gift, and deep distrust +of our capacity to estimate and use it +aright—will generate in the mind a constant +aspiration after the guidance and instruction +of a higher power; the first sentiment +of goodness remembered, emboldening us to +draw near to Him who first drew near to us, +and who with Christ will not refuse us any +gift; the second sentiment, of weakness remembered, +teaching us our need, and prompting +us by every interest of religion and every +feeling of helplessness to seek of Him who +hath said, "If any one lack wisdom let him +ask God, who giveth liberally and upbraideth +not." The soul which under these two +master-feelings cometh to read, shall not read +without profit. Every new revelation, feeding +his gratitude and nourishing his former ignorance, +will confirm the emotions he is under, +and carry them onward to an unlimited<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> +dimension. Such a one will prosper in the +way; enlargement of the inner man will be his +portion and the establishment in the truth +his exceeding great reward. "In the strength +of the Lord shall his right hand get victory—even +in the name of the Lord of Hosts. His +soul shall also flourish with the fruits of righteousness +from the seed of the word, which +liveth and abideth forever."</p> + +<p>Thus delivered from prepossessions of all +other masters, and arrayed in the raiment of +humility and love, the soul should advance +to the meeting of her God; and she should +call a muster of her faculties and have all her +poor grace in attendance, and anything she +knows of His excellent works and exalted +ways she should summon up to her remembrance; +her understanding she should quicken, +her memory refresh, her imagination stimulate, +her affections cherish, and her conscience +arouse. All that is within her should be +stirred up, her whole glory should awake and +her whole beauty display itself for the meeting +of her King. As His hand-maiden she +should meet Him; His own handiwork, tho +sore defaced, yet seeking restoration; His +humble, because offending, servant—yet nothing +slavish, tho humble—nothing superstitious, +tho devout—nothing tame, tho modest +in her demeanor; but quick and ready, all +addrest and wound up for her Maker's will.</p> + +<p>How different the ordinary proceeding of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> +Christians, who, with timorous, mistrustful +spirits, with an abeyance of intellect, and a +dwarfish reduction of their natural powers, +enter to the conference of the Word of God! +The natural powers of man are to be mistrusted, +doubtless, as the willing instruments +of the evil one; but they must be honored also +as the necessary instruments of the Spirit of +God, whose operation is a dream, if it be not +through knowledge, intellect, conscience, and +action. Now Christians, heedless of the grand +resurrection of the mighty instruments of +thought and action, at the same time coveting +hard after holy attainment, do often resign +the mastery of themselves, and are taken into +the counsel of the religious world—whirling +around the eddy of some popular leader—and +so drifted, I will not say from godliness, but +drifted certainly from that noble, manly and +independent course, which, under steerage of +the Word of God, they might safely have pursued +for the precious interests of their immortal +souls. Meanwhile these popular +leaders, finding no necessity for strenuous endeavors +and high science in the ways of God, +but having a gathering host to follow them, +deviate from the ways of deep and penetrating +thought—refuse the contest with the literary +and accomplished enemies of the faith—bring +a contempt upon the cause in which +mighty men did formerly gird themselves to +the combat—and so cast the stumbling-block<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> +of a mistaken paltryness between enlightened +men and the cross of Christ! So far from this +simple-mindedness (but its proper name is +feeble-mindedness), Christians should be—as +aforetime in this island they were wont to be—the +princes of human intellect, the lights of +the world, the salt of the political and social +state. Till they come forth from the swaddling-bands, +in which foreign schools have +girt them, and walk boldly upon the high +places of human understanding, they shall +never obtain that influence in the upper +regions of knowledge and power, of which, +unfortunately, they have not the apostolic +unction to be in quest. They will never be the +master and commanding spirit of the time, +until they cast off the wrinkled and withered +skin of an obsolete old age, and clothe themselves +with intelligence as with a garment, and +bring forth the fruits of power and love and +of a sound mind.</p> + +<p>Mistake us not, for we steer in a narrow, +very narrow channel, with rocks of popular +prejudice on every side. While we thus invocate +to the reading of the Word, the highest +strains of the human soul, mistake us not as +derogating from the office of the Spirit of God. +Far be it from any Christian, much further +from any Christian pastor, to withdraw from +God the honor which is everywhere His due; +but there most of all His due where the human +mind labored alone for thousands of years,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span> +and labored with no success—viz., the regeneration +of itself, and its restoration to the last +semblance of the divinity! Oh! let him be +reverently inquired after, devoutly meditated +on, and most thankfully acknowledged in +every step of progress from the soul's fresh +awakening out of her dark, oblivious sleep—even +to her ultimate attainment upon earth +and full accomplishment for heaven. And +there may be a fuller choir of awakened men +to advance His honor and glory here on earth, +and hereafter in heaven above; let the saints +bestir themselves like angels and the ministers +of religion like archangels strong! And now +at length let us have a demonstration made of +all that is noble in thought, and generous in +action, and devoted in piety, for bestirring +this lethargy, and breaking the bonds of hell, +and redeeming the whole world to the service +of its God and King!</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130"> </a><br /><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>ARNOLD</h2> + +<h3>ALIVE IN GOD</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p>Thomas Arnold, schoolmaster and +preacher, was born at West Cowes, Isle +of Wight, in 1795. He was educated at +Oxford, and after his graduation taught +as fellow of Oriel College, until in 1820 +he removed to Laleham near Haines and +took pupils to prepare for the universities. +In 1827 he was elected to the head mastership +of Rugby, and took priest's orders +before entering upon his duties. At +Rugby he remained till his death in 1842. +His great work as an educator consisted +in teaching boys the duty of self-government, +self-control and freedom of intellectual +judgement. His sermons in the +school chapel were distinguished by simplicity +and profound moral and religious +earnestness.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>ARNOLD</h2> + +<h3>1795-1842</h3> + +<h4>ALIVE IN GOD</h4> + +<p><em>God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.</em>—Matt. +xxii., 32.</p> + + +<p>We hear these words as a part of our +Lord's answer to the Sadducees; +and as their question was put in +evident profaneness, and the answer to it is +one which to our minds is quite obvious and +natural, so we are apt to think that in this +particular story there is less than usual that +particularly concerns us. But it so happens +that our Lord in answering the Sadducees has +brought in one of the most universal and most +solemn of all truths,—which is indeed implied +in many parts of the Old Testament, but +which the Gospel has revealed to us in all its +fulness,—the truth contained in the words of +the text, that "God is not the God of the +dead, but of the living."</p> + +<p>I would wish to unfold a little what is contained +in these words which we often hear, +even, perhaps, without quite understanding +them, and many times oftener without fully +entering into them. And we may take them, +without fully entering into them. And we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> +may take them, first, in their first part, where +they say that "God is not the God of the +dead."</p> + +<p>The word "dead," we know, is constantly +used in Scripture in a double sense, as meaning +those who are dead spiritually as well as +those who are dead naturally. And in either +sense the words are alike applicable: "God is +not the God of the dead."</p> + +<p>God's not being the God of the dead signifies +two things: that they who are without Him +are dead, as well as that they who are dead +are also without Him. So far as our knowledge +goes respecting inferior animals they appear +to be examples of this truth. They appear +to us to have no knowledge of God; and we +are not told that they have any other life than +the short one of which our senses inform us. +I am well aware that our ignorance of their +condition is so great that we may not dare to +say anything of them positively; there may +be a hundred things true respecting them +which we neither know nor imagine. I would +only say that according to that most imperfect +light in which we see them the two points +of which I have been speaking appear to meet +in them: we believe that they have no consciousness +of God, and we believe that they will die. +And so far, therefore, they afford an example +of the agreement, if I may so speak, between +these two points; and were intended, perhaps, +to be to our view a continual image of it. But<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> +we had far better speak of ourselves. And +here, too, it is the case that "God is not the +God of the dead." If we are without Him +we are dead, and if we are dead we are without +Him; in other words, the two ideas of +death and absence from God are in fact +synonymous.</p> + +<p>Thus, in the account given of the fall of +man, the sentence of death and of being cast +out of Eden go together; and if any one compares +the description of the second Eden in +the Revelation, and recollects how especially +it is there said that God dwells in the midst +of it, and is its light by day and night, he will +see that the banishment from the first Eden +means a banishment from the presence of God. +And thus, in the day that Adam sinned he +died; for he was cast out of Eden immediately, +however long he may have moved about +afterward upon the earth where God was not. +And how very strong to the same point are +the words of Hezekiah's prayer, "The grave +cannot praise Thee, Death cannot celebrate +Thee; they that go down into the pit cannot +hope for Thy truth"; words which express +completely the feeling that God is not the +God of the dead. This, too, appears to be the +sense generally of the expression used in various +parts of the Old Testament, "Thou shalt +surely die."</p> + +<p>It is, no doubt, left purposely obscure; nor +are we ever told in so many words all that is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> +meant by death; but, surely, it always implies +a separation from God, and the being—whatever +the notion may extend to—the being dead +to Him.</p> + +<p>Thus, when David had committed his great +sin and had expressed his repentance for it, +Nathan tells him, "The Lord also hath put +away thy sin; thou shalt not die"; which +means most expressively, thou shalt not die to +God.</p> + +<p>In one sense David died, as all men die; nor +was he by any means freed from the punishment +of his sin; he was not, in that sense, forgiven, +but he was allowed still to regard God +as his God; and therefore his punishments +were but fatherly chastisements from God's +hand, designed for his profit that he might be +partaker of God's holiness.</p> + +<p>And thus altho Saul was sentenced to +lose his kingdom, and altho he was killed +with his sons on Mount Gilboa, yet I do not +think that we find the sentence passed upon +him, "Thou shalt surely die"; and therefore +we have no right to say that God had ceased +to be his God altho He visited him with severe +chastisements and would not allow him +to hand down to his sons the crown of Israel. +Observe also the language of the eighteenth +chapter of Ezekiel, where the expressions occur +so often, "He shall surely live," and "He +shall surely die."</p> + +<p>We have no right to refer these to a mere<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> +extension on the one hand, or a cutting short +on the other, of the term of earthly existence. +The promise of living long in the land or, as +in Hezekiah's case, of adding to his days fifteen +years, is very different from the full and +unreserved blessing, "Thou shalt surely live." +And we know, undoubtedly, that both the +good and the bad to whom Ezekiel spoke died +alike the natural death of the body. But the +peculiar force of the promise and of the threat +was, in the one case, Thou shalt belong to God; +in the other, Thou shalt cease to belong to +Him; although the veil was not yet drawn up +which concealed the full import of those +terms, "belonging to God," and "ceasing to +belong to Him": nay, can we venture to affirm +that it is fully drawn aside even now?</p> + +<p>I have dwelt on this at some length, because +it really seems to place the common state of +the minds of too many amongst us in a light +which is exceedingly awful; for if it be true, +as I think the Scripture implies, that to be +dead and to be without God are precisely the +same thing, then can it be denied that the +symptoms of death are strongly marked upon +many of us? Are there not many who never +think of God or care about His service? Are +there not many who live, to all appearance, +as unconscious of His existence, as we fancy +the inferior animals to be?</p> + +<p>And is it not quite clear that to such persons +God cannot be said to be their God? He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> +may be the God of heaven and earth, the God +of the universe, the God of Christ's Church; +but He is not their God, for they feel to have +nothing at all to do with Him; and therefore, +as He is not their God, they are, and must be +according to the Scripture, reckoned among +the dead.</p> + +<p>But God is the God "of the living." That +is, as before, all who are alive live unto Him; +all who live unto Him are alive. "God said, I +am the God of Abraham, and the God of +Isaac, and the God of Jacob"; and therefore, +says our Lord, "Abraham, and Isaac, and +Jacob are not and cannot be dead." They +cannot be dead, because God owns them: He +is not ashamed to be called their God; therefore +they are not cast out from Him; therefore, +by necessity, they live.</p> + +<p>Wonderful, indeed, is the truth here implied, +in exact agreement, as we have seen, +with the general language of Scripture; that, +as she who but touched the hem of Christ's +garment was in a moment relieved from her +infirmity, so great was the virtue which went +out from Him; so they who are not cast out +from God, but have anything whatever to do +with Him, feel the virtue of His gracious presence +penetrating their whole nature; because +He lives, they must live also.</p> + +<p>Behold, then, life and death set before us; +not remote (if a few years be, indeed, to be +called remote), but even now present before<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> +us; even now suffered or enjoyed. Even now, +we are alive unto God, or dead unto God; and, +as we are either the one or the other, so we +are, in the highest possible sense of the terms, +alive or dead. In the highest possible sense +of the terms; but who can tell what that highest +possible sense of the terms is? So much +has, indeed, been revealed to us, that we know +now that death means a conscious and perpetual +death, as life means a conscious and +perpetual life.</p> + +<p>But greatly, indeed, do we deceive ourselves, +if we fancy that, by having thus much +told us, we have also risen to the infinite +heights, or descended to the infinite depths, +contained in those little words, life and death. +They are far higher, and far deeper, than ever +thought or fancy of man has reached to. But, +even on the first edge of either, at the visible +beginnings of that infinite ascent or descent, +there is surely something which may give us +a foretaste of what is beyond. Even to us +in this mortal state, even to you, advanced but +so short a way on your very earthly journey, +life and death have a meaning: to be dead +unto God, or to be alive to Him, are things +perceptibly different.</p> + +<p>For, let me ask of those who think least of +God, who are most separate from Him, and +most without Him, whether there is not now +actually, perceptibly, in their state, something +of the coldness, the loneliness, the fearfulness<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> +of death? I do not ask them whether they +are made unhappy by the fear of God's anger; +of course they are not: for they who fear God +are not dead to Him, nor He to them.</p> + +<p>The thought of Him gives them no disquiet +at all; this is the very point we start from. +But I would ask them whether they know +what it is to feel God's blessing. For instance: +we all of us have our troubles of some +sort or other, our disappointments, if not our +sorrows. In these troubles, in these disappointments,—I +care not how small they may +be,—have they known what it is to feel that +God's hand is over them; that these little annoyances +are but His fatherly correction; +that He is all the time loving us, and supporting +us? In seasons of joy, such as they taste +very often, have they known what it is to +feel that they are tasting the kindness of their +heavenly Father, that their good things come +from His hand and are but an infinitely slight +foretaste of His love? Sickness, danger; I +know that they come to many of us but rarely; +but if we have known them, or at least sickness, +even in its lighter form, if not in its +graver,—have we felt what it is to know that +we are in our Father's hands, that He is with +us, and will be with us to the end; that nothing +can hurt those whom He loves?</p> + +<p>Surely, then, if we have never tasted anything +of this: if in trouble, or in joy, or in +sickness, we are left wholly to ourselves to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> +bear as we can and enjoy as we can; if there +is no voice that ever speaks out of the heights +and the depths around us to give any answer +to our own; if we are thus left to ourselves +in this vast world,—there is in this a coldness +and a loneliness; and whenever we come to +be, of necessity, driven to be with our own +hearts alone, the coldness and the loneliness +must be felt. But consider that the things +which we see around us cannot remain with +us nor we with them. The coldness and loneliness +of the world, without God, must be felt +more and more as life wears on; in every +change of our own state, in every separation +from or loss of a friend, in every more sensible +weakness of our own bodies, in every +additional experience of the uncertainty of +our own counsels,—the deathlike feeling will +come upon us more and more strongly: we +shall gain more of that fearful knowledge +which tells us that "God is not the God of +the dead."</p> + +<p>And so, also, the blessed knowledge that +He is the God "of the living" grows upon +those who are truly alive. Surely He "is not +far from every one of us." No occasion of life +fails to remind those who live unto Him that +He is their God and that they are His children. +On light occasions or on grave ones, +in sorrow and in joy, still the warmth of His +love is spread, as it were, all through the atmosphere +of their lives; they forever feel His<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> +blessing. And if it fills them with joy unspeakable +even now, when they so often feel +how little they deserve it; if they delight still +in being with God, and in living to Him, let +them be sure that they have in themselves the +unerring witness of life eternal: God is the +God of the living, and all who are with Him +must live.</p> + +<p>Hard it is, I well know, to bring this home +in any degree to the minds of those who are +dead; for it is of the very nature of the dead +that they can hear no words of life. But it +has happened that, even whilst writing what +I have just been uttering to you, the news +reached me that one who two months ago was +one of your number, who this very half-year +has shared in all the business and amusements +of this place, is passed already into that state +where the meanings of the terms life and +death are become fully revealed. He knows +what it is to live unto God and what it is to +die to Him. Those things which are to us unfathomable +mysteries are to him all plain: and +yet but two months ago he might have thought +himself as far from attaining this knowledge +as any of us can do. Wherefore it is clear +that these things, life and death, may hurry +their lesson upon us sooner than we deem of, +sooner than we are prepared to receive it. +And that were indeed awful, if, being dead +to God, and yet little feeling it because of the +enjoyments of our worldly life, those enjoyments<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> +were on a sudden to be struck away +from us, and we should find then that to be +dead to God was death indeed, a death from +which there is no waking, and in which there +is no sleeping forever.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144"> </a><br /><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>WAYLAND</h2> + +<h3>A DAY IN THE LIFE OF JESUS OF +NAZARETH</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p>Francis Wayland, preacher and philosopher, +was born in New York, in 1796. +He graduated at Union College in 1813 +and in 1816 entered Hudson Theological +Seminary. His first charge was the First +Baptist Church in Boston. Here he established +his reputation as an able and +vigorous pulpit orator. Five years later +he accepted a chair in Union College, +but in 1827 entered upon an incumbency +of twenty-eight years as President of +Brown University, Providence. This institution +he built up on a broad and +liberal basis, quite emancipating it from +narrow sectarianism. In 1855 he became +pastor of the First Baptist Church in +Providence and died in 1865.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>WAYLAND</h2> + +<h3>1796-1865</h3> + +<h4>A DAY IN THE LIFE OF JESUS OF +NAZARETH</h4> + +<p><em>And the apostles, when they were returned, told him +all that they had done. And he took them, and went +aside privately into a desert place, belonging to the +city called Bethsaida. And the people when they +knew it, followed him: and he received them, and +spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed +them that had need of healing. And when the day +began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said +unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may +go into the towns and country round about, and lodge +and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place. +But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they +said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; +except we should go and buy meat for all this people. +For they were about five thousand men. And he said +to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a +company. And they did so, and made them all sit +down. Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes +and looking up to heaven, he blessed them and brake, +and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude. +And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was +taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve +baskets.</em>—Luke ix., 10-17.</p> + + +<p>It was the sagacious opinion of, I think, +the late Professor Porson, that he would +rather see a single copy of a daily newspaper +of ancient Athens, than read all the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> +commentaries upon the Grecian tragedies that +have ever been written. The reason for this +preference is obvious. A single sheet, similar +to our daily newspapers, published in the +time of Pericles, would admit us at once to +a knowledge of the habits, manners, modes of +opinion, political relations, social condition, +and moral attainments of the people, such as +we never could gain from the study of all the +writers that have ever attempted to illustrate +the nature of Grecian civilization.</p> + +<p>The same remark is true in respect to our +knowledge of the character of individuals who +have lived in a former age. What would we +not, at the present day, give for a few pages +of the private diary of Julius Cesar, or Cicero, +or Brutus, or Augustus; or for the minute +reminiscences of any one who had spent a few +days in the company of either of these distinguished +men? What a flood of life would +the discovery of such a manuscript throw +upon Roman life, but especially upon the +private opinions, the motives, the aspirations, +the moral estimates of the men whose names +have become household words throughout the +world! A few such pages might, perchance, +dissipate the authority of many a bulky folio +on which we now rely with implicit confidence. +Not only would the characters of these heroes +of antiquity stand out in bolder relief than +they have ever done before, but the individuals +themselves would be brought within the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> +range of our personal sympathy; and we +should seem to commune with them as we do +with an intimate acquaintance.</p> + +<p>It is worthy of remark, that we are favored +with a larger portion of this kind of information, +respecting Jesus of Nazareth, than almost +any other distinguished person that has +ever lived. He left no writings Himself; +hence all that we know of Him has been written +by others. The narrators, however, were +the personal attendants, and not the mere +auditors or pupils of their master. The apostles +were members of the family of Jesus; they +traveled with Him, on foot, throughout the +length and breadth of Palestine; they partook +with Him of his frugal meals, and bore +with Him the trial of hunger, weariness, and +want of shelter; they followed Him through +the lonely wilderness and the crowded street; +they saw His miracles in every variety of +form, and listened to His discourses in public +as well as to His explanations in private. +Hence their whole narrative is instinct with +life; a vivid picture of Jewish manners and +customs, rendered more definite and characteristic +by the moral light which then, for the +first time, shone upon it. Hence it is that +these few pages are replete with moral lessons +that never weary us in the perusal, and which +have been the source of unfailing illumination +to all succeeding ages.</p> + +<p>The verses which I have read, as the text of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> +this discourse, may well be taken as an illustration +of all that I have here said. They +may, without impropriety, be styled a day in +the life of Jesus of Nazareth. By observing +the manner in which our blessed Lord spent a +single day, we may form some conception of +the kind of life which He ordinarily led; and +we may, perchance, treasure up some lessons +which it were well if we should exemplify in +our daily practice.</p> + +<p>The place at which these events occurred +was near the head of the Sea of Galilee, where +it receives the waters of the upper Jordan. +This was one of the Savior's favorite places +of resort. Capernaum, Chorazin, and Bethsaida, +all in this immediate vicinity, are always +spoken of in the gospels as towns which +enjoyed the largest share of His ministerial +labors, and were distinguished most frequently +with the honor of His personal presence. +The scenery of the neighborhood is wild +and romantic. To the north and west, the eye +rests on the lofty summits of Lebanon and +Hermon. To the south, there opens upon the +view the blue expanse of the lake, enclosed by +frowning rocks, which here and there jut +over far into the waters, and then again retire +towards the land, leaving a level beach to invite +the labors of the fishermen. The people, +removed at a considerable distance from the +metropolis of Judea, cultivated those rural habits +with which the simple tastes of the Savior<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> +would most readily harmonize. Near this spot +was also one of the most frequented fords of +the Jordan, on the road from Damascus to +Jerusalem; and thus, while residing here, He +enjoyed unusual facilities for disseminating +throughout this whole region a knowledge of +those truths which He came on earth to promulgate.</p> + +<p>Some weeks previous to the time in which +the events spoken of in the text occurred, our +Lord had sent His disciples to announce the +approach of the kingdom of heaven, in all the +cities and villages which He Himself proposed +to visit. He conferred on them the power to +work miracles, in attestation of their authority, +and of the divine character of Him by +whom they were sent. He imposed upon +them strict rules of conduct, and directed +them to make known to every one who would +hear them the good news of the coming dispensation. +As soon as He sent them forth, He +Himself went immediately abroad to teach and +to preach in their cities. As their Master and +Lord, He might reasonably have claimed exemption +from the personal toil and the rigid +self-denials to which they were by necessity +subjected. But He had laid no claim to such +exemption. He commenced without delay the +performance of the very same duties which He +had imposed upon them. He felt himself +under obligation to set an example of obedience +to His own rules. "The Son of Man,"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> +said He, "came not to be ministered unto, +but to minister, and to give His life a ransom +for many." "Which," said He, "is greater, +he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? +but I am among you as He that serveth." +Would it not be well, if, in this respect, we +copied more minutely the example of our +Lord, and held ourselves responsible for the +performance of the very same duties which +we so willingly impose upon our brethren? +We best prove that we believe an act obligatory, +when we commence the performance of +it ourselves. Many zealous Christians employ +themselves in no other labor than that of +urging their brethren to effort. Our Savior +acted otherwise. In this respect, His example +is specially to be imitated by His ministers. +When they urge upon others a moral duty, +they must be the first to perform it. When +they inculcate an act of self-denial, they themselves +must make the noblest sacrifice. Can +we conceive of anything which could so much +increase the moral power of the ministry, and +rouse to a flame the dormant energy of the +churches, as obedience to this teaching of +Christ by the preachers of His gospel?</p> + +<p>It seems that the Savior had selected a +well-known spot, at the head of the lake, for +the place of meeting for his apostles, after this +their first missionary tour had been completed. +"The apostles gathered themselves unto +Jesus, and told Him all things, both what<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> +they had done, and what they had taught." +There is something delightful in this filial +confidence which these simple-hearted men +reposed in their almighty Redeemer. They +told Him of their success and their failure, +of their wisdom and their folly, of their reliance +and their unbelief. We can almost imagine +ourselves spectators of this meeting +between Christ and them, after this their first +separation from each other. The place appointed +was most probably some well-known +locality on the shore of the lake, under the +shadow of its overhanging rocks, where the +cool air from the bosom of the water refreshed +each returning laborer, as he came back +beaten out with the fatigues of travel, under +the burning sun of Syria. You can imagine +the joy with which each drew near to the Master, +after this temporary absence; and the +honest greetings with which every newcomer +was welcomed by those who had chanced to +arrive before him. We can seem to perceive +the Savior of men listening with affectionate +earnestness to the recital of their various adventures; +and interposing, from time to time, +a word either of encouragement or of caution, +as the character and circumstances of each +narrator required it. The bosom of each was +unveiled before the Searcher of Hearts, and +the consolation which each one needed was bestowed +upon him abundantly. The toilsomeness +of their journey was no longer remembered,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> +as each one received from the Son of +God the smile of His approbation. That was +truly a joyful meeting. Of all that company +there is not one who has forgotten that day; +nor will he forget it ever. With unreserved +frankness they told Jesus of all that they had +done, and what they had taught; of all their +acts, and all their conversations. Would it +not be better for us, if we cultivated more +assiduously this habit of intimate intercourse +with the Savior? Were we every day to tell +Jesus of all that we have done and said; did +we spread before Him our joys and our sorrows, +our faults and our infirmities, our successes +and our failures, we should be saved +from many an error and many a sin. Setting +the Lord always before us, He would be on +our right hand, and we should not be moved. +"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the +most High shall abide under the shadow of +the Almighty."</p> + +<p>The Savior perceived that the apostles +needed much instruction which could not be +communicated in a place where both He and +they were so well known. They had committed +many errors, which He preferred to +correct in private. By doing His will, they +had learned to repose greater confidence in +His wisdom, and were prepared to receive +from Him more important instruction. But +these lessons could not be delivered in the +hearing of a promiscuous audience. Nor was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> +this all. He perceived that the apostles were +worn out with their labors, and needed repose. +Surrounded as they were by the multitude, +which had already begun to collect about +them, rest and retirement were equally impossible. +"There were many coming and going, +and they had no leisure, even so much as to +eat." He therefore said to them, "Come ye +yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest +a while." For this purpose, He "took ship, +and crossed over with his disciples alone, and +went into a desert place belonging to Bethsaida."</p> + +<p>The religion of Christ imposes upon us +duties of retirement, as well as duties of publicity. +The apostles had been for some time +past before the eyes of all men, preaching and +working miracles. Their souls needed retirement. +"Solitude," said Cecil, "is my great +ordinance." They would be greatly improved +by private communion both with Him and +with each other. It was for the purpose of +affording them such a season of moral recreation, +that our Lord withdrew them from the +public gaze into a desert place. Nor was this +all. Their labor for some weeks past had +been severe. They had traveled on foot +under a tropical sun, reasoning with unbelievers, +instructing the ignorant, and comforting +the cast-down. Called upon, at all hours, +both of the day and night, to work cures on +those that were opprest with diseases, their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> +bodies, no less than their spirits, needed rest. +Our Lord saw this, and He made provision +for it. He withdrew them from labor, that +they might find, tho it were but for a day, +the repose which their exhausted natures demanded. +The religion of Christ is ever merciful, +and ever consistent in its benevolence. It +is thoughtful of the benefactor as well as the +recipient. It requires of us all labor and self-sacrifice, +but to these it affixes a limit. It +never commands us to ruin our health and +enfeeble our minds by unnatural exhaustion. +It teaches us to obey the laws of our physical +organization, and to prepare ourselves for the +labors of to-morrow by the judiciously conducted +labors of to-day. It was on this principle +that our Lord conducted His intercourse +with His disciples. "He knew their +frame, and remembered that they were dust."</p> + +<p>May we not from this incident derive a +lesson of practical instruction? I well know +that there are persons who are always sparing +themselves, who, while it is difficult to tell +what they do, are always complaining of the +crushing weight of their labors, and who are +rather exhausted with the dread of what they +shall do, than with the experience of what +they have actually done. It is not of those +that we speak. Those who do not labor have +no need of rest. It is to the honest, the painstaking, +the laborious, that we address the example +in the text. We sometimes meet with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> +the industrious, self-denying servant of +Christ, in feeble health, and with an exhausted +nature, bemoaning his condition, and +condemning himself because he can accomplish +no more, while so much yet remains to +be done. To such a one we may safely present +the example of the blessed Savior. When +His apostles had done to the utmost of their +strength, altho the harvest was great, and +the laborers few, He did not urge upon them +additional labor, nor tell them that because +there was so much to be done they must never +cease from doing. No; He tells them to turn +aside and rest for a while. It is as tho +He had said, "Your strength is exhausted; +you cannot be qualified for subsequent duty +until you be refreshed. Economize, then, +your power, that you may accomplish the +more." The Savior addresses the same language +to us now. When we are worn down +in His service, as in any other, He would have +us rest, not for the sake of self-indulgence, but +that we may be the better prepared for future +effort. We do nothing at variance with +His will, when we, with a good conscience, use +the liberty which he has thus conceded to us.</p> + +<p>Jesus, with His disciples, crossed the water, +and entered the desert; that is, the sparsely +inhabited country of Bethsaida. Desert, or +wilderness, in the New Testament, does not +mean an arid waste, but pasture land, forest, +or any district to which one could retire for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> +seclusion. Here, in the cool and tranquil +neighborhood of the lake, he began to instruct +His disciples, and, without interruption, +make known to them the mysteries of +the kingdom. It was one of those seasons +that the Savior Himself rarely enjoyed. +Everything tended to repose: the rustling +leaves, the rippling waves, the song of the +birds, heard more distinctly in this rural solitude, +all served to calm the spirit ruffled by +the agitations of the world, and prepared it to +listen to the truths which unveil to us eternity. +Here our Lord could unbosom Himself, +without reserve, to His chosen few, and +hold with them that communion which He +was rarely permitted to enjoy during His +ministry on earth.</p> + +<p>Soon, however, the whole scene is changed. +The multitude, whom he had so recently left, +having observed the direction in which He +had gone, have discovered the place of His +retreat. An immense crowd approaches, and +the little company is surrounded by a dense +mass of human beings pressing upon them on +every side. These are, however, only the +pioneers. At last, five thousand men, besides +women and children, are beheld thronging +around them.</p> + +<p>Some of these suitors present most importunate +claims. They are in search of cure for +diseases which have baffled the skill of the +medical profession, and, as a last resort, they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> +have come to the Messiah for aid. Here was +a parent bringing a consumptive child. There +were children bearing on a couch a paralytic +parent. Here was a sister leading a brother +blind from his birth, while her supplications +were drowned by the shout of a frenzied lunatic +who was standing by her side. Every one, +believing his own claim to be the most urgent, +prest forward with selfish importunity. +Each one, caring for no other than +himself, was striving to attain the front rank, +while those behind, disappointed, and fearing +to lose this important opportunity, were +eager to occupy the places of those more fortunate +than themselves. The necessary tumult +and disorder of such a scene you can better +imagine than I can describe.</p> + +<p>This was, doubtless, by no means a welcome +interruption. The apostles needed the time +for rest; for they were worn out in the public +service. They wanted it for instruction; for +such opportunities of intercourse with Christ +were rare. But what did they do? Did our +Lord inform the multitude that this day was +set apart for their own refreshment and improvement, +and that they could not be interrupted? +As He beheld them approaching, +did He quietly take to His boat, and leave +them to go home disappointed? Did He plead +His own convenience, or His need of repose, +as any reason for not attending to the pressing +necessities of His fellow men?</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span></p> + +<p>No, my brethren, very far from it. That +providence of God had brought these multitudes +before Him, and that same providence +forbade Him to send them away unblest. +He at once broke up the conference with His +disciples and addrest Himself to the work +before Him. His instructions were of inestimable +importance; but I doubt if even they +were as important as the example of deep +humility, exhaustless kindness, and affecting +compassion which He here exhibited. When +the Master places work before us which can +be done at no other time, our convenience must +yield to other men's necessities. "The Son of +Man came not to be ministered unto, but to +minister." You can imagine to yourself the +Savior rising from His seat, in the midst +of His disciples, and presenting Himself to +the approaching multitudes. His calm dignity +awes into silence this tumultuous gathering +of the people. Those who came out to +witness the tricks of an empiric, or listen to +the ravings of a fanatic, find themselves, unexpectedly, +in a presence that repels every +emotion but that of profound veneration. The +light-hearted and frivolous are awestruck by +the unearthly majesty that seems to clothe +the Messiah as with a garment. And yet it +was a majesty that shone forth conspicuous, +most of all, by the manifestation of unparalleled +goodness. Every eye that met the eye +of the Savior quailed before Him; for it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> +looked into a soul that had never sinned; and +the spirit of the sinner felt, for the first time, +the full power of immaculate virtue.</p> + +<p>Thus the Savior passed among the crowd, +and "healed all that had need of healing." +The lame walked, the lepers were cleansed, +the blind received their sight, the paralytic +were restored to soundness, and the bloom +of health revisited the cheeks of those that +but just now were sick unto death.</p> + +<p>The work to be done for the bodies of men +was accomplished, and there yet remained +some hours of the summer's day unconsumed. +The power and goodness displayed in this +miraculous healing would naturally predispose +the people to listen to the instructions +of the Savior. This was too valuable an +opportunity to be lost. Our Lord therefore +proceeded to speak to them of the things concerning +the kingdom of God. We can seem +to perceive the Savior seeking an eminence +from whence He could the more conveniently +address this vast assembly. You hear Him +unfold the laws of God's moral government. +He unmasks the hypocrisy of the Pharisees; +He rebukes the infidelity of the Sadducees; +He exposes the folly of the frivolous, as well +as of the selfish worldling; He speaks peaceably +to the humble penitent; He encourages +the meek, and comforts those that be cast +down. The intellect and the conscience of +this vast assembly are swayed at His will.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> +The soul of man bows down in reverence in +the presence of its Creator. "He stilleth the +noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, +and the tumult of the people." As He closes +His address, every eye is moistened with compunction +for sin. Every soul cherishes the +hope of amendment. Every one is conscious +that a new moral light has dawned upon his +soul, and that a new moral universe has been +unveiled to his spiritual vision. As the closing +words of the Savior fell upon their ears, +the whole multitude stood for a while unmoved, +as tho transfixt to the earth by some +mighty spell; until, at last, the murmur is +heard from thousands of voices, "Never man +spake like this man."</p> + +<p>But the shades of evening are gathering +around them. The multitude have nothing +to eat. To send them away fasting would be +inhuman, for divers of them came from far, +and many were women and children, who +could not perform their journey homeward +without previous refreshment. To purchase +food in the surrounding towns and villages +would be difficult; but even were this possible, +whence could the necessary funds be provided? +A famishing multitude was thus unexpectedly +cast upon the bounty of our Lord. +He had not tempted God by leading them +into the wilderness. They came to Him of +themselves, to hear His words and to be +healed of their infirmities. He could not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> +"send them away fasting, lest they should +faint by the way." In this dilemma, what +was to be done? He puts this question to +His disciples, and they can suggest no means +of relief. The little stock of provisions which +they had brought with them was barely sufficient +for themselves. They can perceive no +means whatever by which the multitude can +be fed, and they at once confess it.</p> + +<p>The Savior, however, commands the twelve +to give them to eat. They produce their slender +store of provisions, amounting to five +loaves and two small fishes. He commands the +multitude to sit down by companies on the +grass. As soon as silence is obtained, He lifts +up His eyes to heaven, and supplicates the +blessing of God upon their scanty meal. He +begins to break the loaves and fishes, and distribute +them to His disciples, and His disciples +distribute them to the multitude. He +continues to break and distribute. Basket +after basket is filled and emptied, yet the supply +is undiminished. Food is carried in +abundance to the famishing thousands. Company +after company is supplied with food, +but the five loaves and two fishes remain unexhausted. +At last, the baskets are returned +full, and it is announced that the wants of +the multitude are supplied. The miracle then +ceases, and the multiplication of food is at +an end.</p> + +<p>But even here the provident care of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> +Savior is manifested. Altho this food has +been so easily provided, it is not right that +it be lightly suffered to perish. Christ wrought +no miracles for the sake of teaching men +wastefulness. That food, by what means soever +provided, was a creature of God, and it +were sin to allow it to decay without accomplishing +the purposes for which it was created. +"Gather up the fragments," said the Master +of the feast, "that nothing be lost." "And +they gathered up the fragments that remained, +twelve baskets full."</p> + +<p>Dissimilar as are our circumstances to those +of our Lord, we may learn from this latter +incident a lesson of instruction.</p> + +<p>In the first place, as I have remarked, the +Savior did not lead the multitude into the +wilderness without making provision for their +sustenance. This would have been presumption. +They followed Him without His command, +and He found Himself with them in +this necessity. He had provided for His own +wants, but they had not provided for theirs. +The providence of God had, however, placed +Him in His present circumstances, and He +might therefore properly look to providence +for deliverance. This event, then, furnishes +the rule by which we are to be governed. +When we plunge ourselves into difficulty, by +a neglect of the means or by a misuse of the +faculties which God has bestowed upon us, +it is to be expected that He will leave us to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> +our own devices. But when, in the honest discharge +of our duties, we find ourselves in circumstances +beyond the reach of human aid, +we may then confidently look up to God for +deliverance. He will always take care of us +while we are in the spot where He has placed +us. When He appoints for us trials, He also +appoints for us the means of escape. The path +of duty, tho it may seem arduous, is ever +the path of safety. We can more easily maintain +ourselves in the most difficult position, +God being our helper, than in apparent security +relying on our own strength.</p> + +<p>The Savior, in full reliance upon God, with +only five loaves and two fishes, commenced the +distribution of food amongst the vast multitude. +Tho His whole store was barely sufficient +to supply the wants of His immediate +family, He began to share it with the thousands +who surrounded Him. Small as was +His provision at the commencement, it remained +unconsumed until the deed of mercy +was done, and the wants of the famished host +supplied. Nor were the disciples losers by +this act of charity. After the multitude had +eaten and were satisfied, twelve baskets full +of fragments remained, a reward for their +deed of benevolence.</p> + +<p>From this portion of the narrative, we may, +I think, learn that if we act in faith, and in +the spirit of Christian love, we may frequently +be justified in commencing the most important<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> +good work, even when in possession of apparently +inadequate means. If the work be of +God, He will furnish us with helpers as fast +as they are needed. In all ages, God has rewarded +abundantly simple trust in Him, and +has bestowed upon it in the highest honor. +We must, however, remember the conditions +upon which alone we may expect His aid, lest +we be led into fanaticism. The service which +we undertake must be such as God has commanded, +and His providence must either designate +us for the work, or, at least, open +the door by which we shall enter upon it. It +must be God's work, and not our own; for the +good of others, and not for the gratification +of our own passions; and, in the doing of it, +we must, first of all, make sacrifice of ourselves, +and not of others. Under such circumstances, +there is hardly a good design which +we may not undertake with cheerful hopes of +success, for God has promised us His assistance. +"If God be for us, who can be against +us?" The calculations of the men of this +world are of small account in such a matter. +It would have provoked the smile of an infidel +to behold the Savior commencing the work of +feeding five thousand men with a handful of +provisions. But the supply increased as fast +as it was needed, and it ceased not until all +that He had prayed for was accomplished.</p> + +<p>Perhaps, also, we may learn from this incident +another lesson. If I mistake not, it suggests<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> +to us that in works of benevolence we +are accustomed to rely too much on human, +and too little on divine, aid. When we attempt +to do good, we commence by forming +large associations, and suppose that our success +depends upon the number of men whom +we can unite in the promotion of our undertaking. +Every one is apt thus to forget his +own personal duty, and rely upon the labor +of others, and it is well if he does not put +his organization in the place of God Himself. +Would it not be better if we made benevolence +much more a matter between God and our +own souls, each one doing with his own hands, +in firm reliance on divine aid, the work which +Providence has placed directly before him? +Our Lord did not send to the villages round to +organize a general effort to relieve the famishing. +In reliance upon God, He set about to +work Himself, with just such means as God had +afforded Him. All the miracles of benevolence +have, if I mistake not, been wrought in +the same manner. The little band of disciples +in Jerusalem accomplished more for the conversion +of the world than all the Christians +of the present day united. And why? Because +every individual Christian felt that the +conversion of the world was a work for which +he himself, and not an abstraction that he +called the Church, was responsible. Instead of +relying on man for aid, every one looked up +directly to God, and went forth to the work.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span> +God was thus exalted, the power was confest +to be His own, and, in a few years, the standard +of the Cross was carried to the remotest +extremities of the then known world.</p> + +<p>Such has, I think, been the case ever since. +Every great moral reformation has proceeded +upon principles analogous of these. It was +Luther, standing up alone in simple reliance +upon God, that smote the Papal hierarchy; +and the effects of that blow are now agitating +the nations of Europe. Roger Williams, amid +persecution and banishment, held forth that +doctrine of soul-liberty which, in its onward +march, is disenthralling a world. Howard, +alone, undertook the work of showing mercy +to the prisoner, and his example is now enlisting +the choicest minds in Christendom in +this labor of benevolence. Clarkson, unaided, +a young man, and without influences, consecrated +himself to the work of abolishing the +slave trade; and, before he rested from his +labor, his country had repented of and forsaken +this atrocious sin. Raikes saw the children +of Gloucester profaning the Sabbath +day; he set on foot a Sabbath school on his +own account, and now millions of children are +reaping the benefit of his labors, and his example +has turned the attention of the whole +world to the religious instruction of the young. +With such facts before us, we surely should +be encouraged to attempt individually the accomplishment +of some good design, relying in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span> +humility and faith upon Him who is able to +grant prosperity to the feeblest effort put +forth in earnest reliance on His almightiness.</p> + +<p>Such were the occupations that filled up a +day in the life of Jesus of Nazareth. There +was not an act done for Himself; all was done +for others. Every hour was employed in the +labor which that hour set before Him. Private +kindness, the relief of distress, public +teaching, and ministration to the wants of +the famishing, filled up the entire day. Let +His disciples learn to follow His example. +Let us, like Him, forget ourselves, our own +wants, and our own weariness, that we may, +as he did, scatter blessings on every side, as +we move onward in the pathway of our daily +life. If such were the occupations of the Son +of God, can we do more wisely than to imitate +His example? Every disciple would then +be as a city set upon a hill, and men, seeing +our good works, would glorify our Father who +is in heaven. "Then would our righteousness +go forth as brightness, and our salvation as a +lamp that burneth."</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170"> </a><br /><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>VINET</h2> + +<h3>THE MYSTERIES OF CHRISTIANITY</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p><span class="smcap">Alexander Vinet</span>, the eminent Swiss +divine and author, was born at Ouchy, +Canton, in 1797. He was professor of +theology at Lausanne (1837-45), where +he gained reputation as a preacher, a +philosopher, and a writer. He was +tolerant tho critical, and many of his +utterances are marked by rare brilliancy. +His supreme and intense faith led him +to say: "The gospel is believed when it +has ceased to be to us an external and has +become an internal truth, when it has +become a fact in our consciousness. +Christianity is conscience raised to its +highest exercise." He died in 1847.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>VINET</h2> + +<h3>1797-1847</h3> + +<h4>THE MYSTERIES OF CHRISTIANITY</h4> + +<p><em>Things which have not entered into the heart of man.</em>—1 +Cor. ii., 9.</p> + + +<p>"I do not comprehend, therefore I do not +believe." "The gospel is full of +mysteries, therefore I do not receive +the gospel:"—such is one of the favorite +arguments of infidelity. To see how much is +made of this, and what confidence it inspires, +we might believe it solid, or, at least, +specious; but it is neither the one nor the +other; it will not bear the slightest attention, +the most superficial examination of reason; +and if it still enjoys some favor in the world, +this is but a proof of the lightness of our +judgments upon things worthy of our most +serious attention.</p> + +<p>Upon what, in fact, does this argument +rest? Upon the claim of comprehending +every thing in the religion which God has +offered or could offer us—a claim equally unjust, +unreasonable, useless. This we proceed +to develop.</p> + +<p>1. In the first place, it is an unjust claim. +It is to demand of God what He does not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span> +owe us. To prove this, let us suppose that +God has given a religion to man, and let us +further suppose that religion to be the gospel: +for this absolutely changes nothing to the +argument. We may believe that God was +free, at least, with reference to us, to give us +or not to give us a religion; but it must be +admitted that in granting it He contracts +engagements to us, and that the first favor +lays Him under a necessity of conferring +other favors. For this is merely to say that +God must be consistent, and that He finishes +what He has begun. Since it is by a written +revelation He manifests His designs respecting +us, it is necessary He should fortify that +revelation by all the authority which would +at least determine us to receive it; it is necessary +He should give us the means of judging +whether the men who speak to us in His name +are really sent by Him; in a word, it is +necessary we should be assured that the Bible +is truly the Word of God.</p> + +<p>It would not indeed be necessary that the +conviction of each of us should be gained by +the same kind of evidence. Some shall be +led to Christianity by the historical or external +arguments; they shall prove to themselves +the truth of the Bible as the truth of +all history is proved; they shall satisfy themselves +that the books of which it is composed +are certainly those of the times and of the +authors to which they are ascribed. This settled,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> +they shall compare the prophecies contained +in these ancient documents with the +events that have happened in subsequent +ages; they shall assure themselves of the reality +of the miraculous facts related in these +books, and shall thence infer the necessary +intervention of divine power, which alone +disposes the forces of nature, and can alone +interrupt or modify their action. Others, less +fitted for such investigations, shall be struck +with the internal evidence of the Holy Scriptures. +Finding there the state of their souls +perfectly described, their wants fully exprest, +and the true remedies for their maladies +completely indicated; struck with a character +of truth and candor which nothing can +imitate; in fine, feeling themselves in their +inner nature moved, changed, renovated, by +the mysterious influence of these holy writings, +they shall acquire, by such means, a conviction +of which they can not always give an +account to others, but which is not the less +legitimate, irresistible, and immovable. Such +is the double road by which an entrance is +gained into the asylum of faith. But it was +due from the wisdom of God, from His justice, +and, we venture to say it, from the honor of +His government, that He should open to man +this double road; for, if He desired man to be +saved by knowledge, on the same principle +He engaged Himself to furnish him the means +of knowledge.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span></p> + +<p>Behold, whence come the obligations of the +Deity with reference to us, which obligations +He has fulfilled. Enter on this double method +of proof. Interrogate history, time and +places, respecting the authenticity of the +Scriptures; grasp all the difficulties, sound all +the objections; do not permit yourselves to be +too easily convinced; be the more severe upon +that book, as it professes to contain the sovereign +rule of your life, and the disposal of +your destiny; you are permitted to do this, +nay, you are encouraged to do it, provided you +proceed to the investigation with the requisite +capacities and with pure intentions. Or, if +you prefer another method, examine, with an +honest heart, the contents of the Scriptures; +inquire, while you run over the words of +Jesus, if ever man spake like this Man; inquire +if the wants of your soul, long deceived, +and the anxieties of your spirit, long cherished +in vain, do not, in the teaching and work of +Christ, find that satisfaction and repose which +no wisdom was ever able to procure you; +breathe, if I may thus express myself, that +perfume of truth, of candor and purity, which +exhales from every page of the gospel; see, +if, in all these respects, it does not bear the +undeniable seal of inspiration and divinity. +Finally, test it, and if the gospel produces +upon you a contrary effect, return to the +books and the wisdom of men, and ask of them +what Christ has not been able to give you.</p> + +<p>But if, neglecting these two ways, made<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span> +accessible to you, and trodden by the feet of +ages, you desire, before all, that the Christian +religion should, in every point, render itself +comprehensible to your mind, and complacently +strip itself of all mysteries; if you wish +to penetrate beyond the veil, to find there, not +the aliment which gives life to the soul, but +that which would gratify your restless curiosity, +I maintain that you raise against God +a claim the most indiscreet, the most rash and +unjust; for He has never engaged, either +tacitly or expressly, to discover to you the +secret which your eye craves; and such +audacious importunity is fit to excite His indignation. +He has given you what He owed +you, more indeed than He owed you; the rest +is with Himself.</p> + +<p>If a claim so unjust could be admitted, +where, I ask you, would be the limit of your +demands? Already you require more from +God than He has accorded to angels; for these +eternal mysteries which trouble you, the harmony +of the divine prescience with human +freedom, the origin of evil and its ineffable +remedy, the incarnation of the eternal Word—the +relations of the God-man with His Father—the +atoning virtue of His sacrifice, the regenerating +efficacy of the Spirit-comforter, all +these things are secrets, the knowledge of +which is hidden from angels themselves, who, +according to the word of the Apostle, stoop +to explore their depths, and can not.</p> + +<p>If you reproach the Eternal for having<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> +kept the knowledge of these divine mysteries +to Himself, why do you not reproach Him for +the thousand other limits He has prescribed +for you? Why not reproach Him for +not having given you wings like a bird, to +visit the regions, which, till now, have been +scanned only by your eyes? Why not reproach +Him for not giving you, besides the +five senses with which you are provided, ten +other senses which He has perhaps granted +to other creatures, and which procure for +them perceptions of which you have no idea? +Why not, in fine, reproach Him for having +caused the darkness of night to succeed the +brightness of day invariably on the earth? +Ah! you do not reproach Him for that. You +love that night which brings rest to so many +fatigued bodies and weary spirits; which +suspends in so many wretches, the feeling of +grief; that night, during which orphans, +slaves, and criminals cease to be, because over +all their misfortunes and sufferings it spreads, +with the opiate of sleep, the thick veil of +oblivion; you love that night which, peopling +the deserts of the heavens with ten thousand +stars, not known to the day, reveals the +infinite to our ravished imagination.</p> + +<p>Well, then, why do you not, for a similar +reason, love the night of divine mysteries, +night, gracious and salutary, in which reason +humbles itself, and finds refreshment and +repose; where the darkness even is a revelation;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span> +where one of the principal attributes of +God, immensity, discovers itself much more +fully to our mind; where, in fine, the tender +relations He has permitted us to form with +Himself, are guarded from all admixture of +familiarity by the thought that the Being who +has humbled Himself to us, is, at the same +time, the inconceivable God who reigns before +all time, who includes in Himself all existences +and all conditions of existence, the center of +all thought, the law of all law, the supreme +and final reason of every thing! So that, if +you are just, instead of reproaching Him for +the secrets of religion, you will bless Him that +He has enveloped you in mysteries.</p> + +<p>2. But this claim is not only unjust toward +God; it is also in itself exceedingly unreasonable.</p> + +<p>What is religion? It is God putting Himself +in communication with man; the Creator +with the creature, the infinite with the finite. +There already, without going further, is a +mystery; a mystery common to all religions, +impenetrable in all religions. If, then, every +thing which is a mystery offends you, you are +arrested on the threshold, I will not say of +Christianity, but of every religion; I say, even +of that religion which is called natural, because +it rejects revelation and miracles; for it +necessarily implies, at the very least, a connection, +a communication of some sort between +God and man—the contrary being<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> +equivalent to atheism. Your claim prevents +you from having any belief; and because you +have not been willing to be Christians, it will +not allow you to be deists.</p> + +<p>"It is of no consequence," you say, "we +pass over that difficulty; we suppose between +God and us connections we can not conceive; +we admit them because they are necessary to +us. But this is the only step we are willing to +take: we have already yielded too much to +yield more." Say more, say you have granted +too much not to grant much more, not to +grant all! You have consented to admit, without +comprehending it, that there may be communications +from God to you, and from you +to God. But consider well what is implied in +such a supposition. It implies that you are +dependent, and yet free: this you do not comprehend; +it implies that the Spirit of God +can make itself understood by your spirit: this +you do not comprehend; it implies that your +prayers may exert an influence on the will of +God: this you do not comprehend. It is necessary +you should receive all these mysteries, +in order to establish with God connections the +most vague and superficial, and by the very +side of which atheism is placed. And when, +by a powerful effort with yourselves you have +done so much as to admit these mysteries, you +recoil from those of Christianity! You have +accepted the foundation, and refuse the superstructure! +You have accepted the principle<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span> +and refuse the details! You are right, no +doubt, so soon as it is proved to you, that the +religion which contains these mysteries does +not come from God; or rather, that these +mysteries contain contradictory ideas. But +you are not justified in denying them, for the +sole reason that you do not understand them; +and the reception you have given to the first +kind of mysteries compels you, by the same +rule, to receive the others.</p> + +<p>This is not all. Not only are mysteries an +inseparable part, nay, the very substance of +all religion, but it is absolutely impossible that +a true religion should not present a great +number of mysteries. If it is true, it ought +to teach more truths respecting God and +divine things than any other, than all others +together; but each of these truths has a relation +to the infinite, and by consequence borders +on a mystery. How should it be otherwise +in religion, when it is thus in nature +itself? Behold God in nature! The more He +gives us to contemplate, the more He gives to +astonish us. To each creature is attached +some mystery. A grain of sand is an abyss! +Now, if the manifestations which God has +made of Himself in nature suggest to the +observer a thousand questions which can not +be answered, how will it be, when to that +first revelation, another is added; when God +the Creator and Preserver reveals Himself +under new aspects as God the Reconciler and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> +Savior? Shall not mysteries multiply with +discoveries? With each new day shall we not +see associated a new night? And shall we not +purchase each increase of knowledge with an +increase of ignorance? Has not the doctrine +of grace, so necessary, so consoling, alone +opened a profound abyss, into which, for +eighteen centuries, rash and restless spirits +have been constantly plunging?</p> + +<p>It is, then, clearly necessary that Christianity +should, more than any other religion, +be mysterious, simply because it is true. Like +mountains, which, the higher they are, cast +the larger shadows, the gospel is the more +obscure and mysterious on account of its +sublimity. After this, will you be indignant +that you do not comprehend every thing in the +gospel? It would, forsooth, be a truly surprising +thing if the ocean could not be held +in the hollow of your hand, or uncreated +wisdom within the limits of your intelligence! +It would be truly unfortunate if a finite being +could not embrace the infinite, and that, in the +vast assemblage of things there should be some +idea beyond its grasp! In other words, it +would be truly unfortunate if God Himself +should know something which man does not +know!</p> + +<p>Let us acknowledge, then, how insensate is +such a claim when it is made with reference +to religion.</p> + +<p>But let us also recollect how much, in making<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span> +such a claim, we shall be in opposition to +ourselves; for the submission we dislike in +religion, we cherish in a thousand other things. +It happens to us every day to admit things +we do not understand, and to do so without +the least repugnance. The things, the knowledge +of which is refused us, are much more +numerous than we perhaps think. Few diamonds +are perfectly pure; still fewer truths +are perfectly clear. The union of our soul +with our body is a mystery—our most familiar +emotions and affections are a mystery—the +action of thought and of will is a mystery—our +very existence is a mystery. Why do we +admit these various facts? Is it because we +understand them? No, certainly, but because +they are self-evident, and because they are +truths by which we live. In religion we have +no other course to take. We ought to know +whether it is true and necessary; and once +convinced of these two points, we ought, like +the angels, to submit to the necessity of being +ignorant of some things. And why do we not +submit cheerfully to a privation which, after +all, is not one?</p> + +<p>3. To desire the knowledge of mysteries is +to desire what is utterly useless; it is to raise, +as I have said before, a claim the most vain +and idle. What in reference to us is the +object of the gospel? Evidently to regenerate +and save us. But it attains this end wholly +by the things it reveals. Of what use would it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span> +be to know those it conceals from us? We +possess the knowledge which can enlighten +our consciences, rectify our inclinations, renew +our hearts; what should we gain if we possest +other knowledge? It infinitely concerns +us to know that the Bible is the Word of God; +does it equally concern us to know in what +way the holy men that wrote it were moved +by the Holy Ghost? It is of infinite moment +to us to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of +God; need we know precisely in what way the +divine and human natures are united in His +adorable person? It is of infinite importance +for us to know that unless we are born again +we can not enter the kingdom of God, and +that the Holy Spirit is the author of the new +birth; shall we be further advanced if we know +the divine process by which that wonder is +performed? Is it not enough for us to know +the truths that save? Of what use, then, +would it be to know those which have not +the slightest bearing on our salvation? "Tho +I know all mysteries," says St. Paul, "and +have not charity, I am nothing." St. Paul +was content not to know, provided he had +charity; shall not we, following his example, +be content also without knowledge, provided +that, like him, we have charity, that is to say, +life?</p> + +<p>But some one will say "If the knowledge of +mysteries is really without influence on our +salvation, why have they been indicated to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span> +us at all?" What if it should be to teach us +not to be too prodigal of our "wherefores!" if +it should be to serve as an exercise of our +faith, a test of our submission! But we will +not stop with such a reply.</p> + +<p>Observe, I pray you, in what manner the +mysteries of which you complain have taken +their part in religion. You readily perceive +they are not by themselves, but associated +with truths which have a direct bearing on +your salvation. They contain them, they +serve to develop them; but they are not themselves +the truths that save. It is with these +mysteries as it is with the vessel that contains +a medicinal draft—it is not the vessel that +cures, but the draft; yet the draft could not +be presented without the vessel. Thus each +truth that saves is contained in a mystery, +which, in itself, has no power to save. So the +great work of expiation is necessarily attached +to the incarnation of the Son of God, which is +a mystery; so the sanctifying graces of the +new covenant are necessarily connected with +the effluence of the Holy Spirit, which is a +mystery; so, too, the divinity of religion finds +a seal and an attestation in the miracles, +which are mysteries. Everywhere the light +is born from darkness, and darkness accompanies +the light. These two orders of truths +are so united, so interlinked, that you can not +remove the one without the other, and each of +the mysteries you attempt to tear from religion<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span> +would carry with it one of the truths +which bear directly on your regeneration and +salvation. Accept the mysteries, then, not as +truths that can save you, but as the necessary +conditions of the merciful work of the Lord +in your behalf.</p> + +<p>The true point at issue in reference to +religion is this:—Does the religion which is +proposed to us change the heart, unite to +God, prepare for heaven? If Christianity produces +these effects, we will leave the enemies +of the cross free to revolt against its mysteries, +and tax them with absurdity. The gospel, we +will say to them, is then an absurdity; you +have discovered it. But behold what a new +species of absurdity that certainly is which +attaches man to all his duties, regulates +human life better than all the doctrines of +sages, plants in his bosom harmony, order, +and peace, causes him joyfully to fulfil all +the offices of civil life, renders him better +fitted to live, better fitted to die, and which, +were it generally received, would be the support +and safeguard of society! Cite to us, +among all human absurdities, a single one +which produces such effects. If that "foolishness" +we preach produces effects like these, +is it not natural to conclude that it is truth +itself? And if these things have not entered +the heart of man, it is not because they are +absurd, but because they are divine.</p> + +<p>Make but a single reflection. You are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> +obliged to confess that none of the religions +which man may invent can satisfy his wants, +or save his soul. Thereupon you have a +choice to make. You will either reject them +all as insufficient and false, and seek for +nothing better, since man can not invent better, +and then you will abandon to chance, to +caprice of temperament or of opinion, your +moral life and future destiny; or you will +adopt that other religion which some treat as +folly, and it will render you holy and pure, +blameless in the midst of a perverse generation, +united to God by love, and to your +brethren by charity, indefatigable in doing +good, happy in life, happy in death. Suppose, +after all this, you shall be told that this +religion is false; but meanwhile, it has restored +in you the image of God, reestablished +your primitive connections with that great +Being, and put you in a condition to enjoy life +and the happiness of heaven. By means of it +you have become such that at the last day, it +is impossible that God should not receive you +as His children and make you partakers of +His glory. You are made fit for paradise, +nay, paradise has commenced for you even +here, because you love. This religion has done +for you what all religions propose, and what +no other has realized. Nevertheless, by the +supposition, it is false! And what more could +it do, were it true? Rather do you not see that +this is a splendid proof of its truth? Do you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span> +not see that it is impossible that a religion +which leads to God should not come from +God, and that the absurdity is precisely that +of supposing that you can be regenerated by a +falsehood?</p> + +<p>Suppose that afterward, as at the first, you +do not comprehend. It seems necessary, then, +you should be saved by the things you do not +comprehend. Is that a misfortune? Are you +the less saved? Does it become you to demand +from God an explanation of an obscurity +which does not injure you, when, with reference +to every thing essential, He has been +prodigal of light? The first disciples of Jesus, +men without culture and learning, received +truths which they did not comprehend, and +spread them through the world. A crowd of +sages and men of genius have received, from +the hands of these poor people, truths which +they comprehended no more than they. The +ignorance of the one, and the science of the +other, have been equally docile. Do, then, +as the ignorant and the wise have done. +Embrace with affection those truths which +have never entered into your heart, and which +will save you. Do not lose, in vain discussions, +the time which is gliding away, and +which is bearing you into the cheering or +appalling light of eternity. Hasten to be +saved. Love now; one day you will know. +May the Lord Jesus prepare you for that +period of light, of repose, and of happiness!</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>SUMMERFIELD</h2> + +<h3>THE HEAVENLY INHERITANCE</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p><span class="smcap">John Summerfield</span> was born in England +in 1798, and came to New York in 1821, +where he soon became one of the most +popular and eloquent preachers of that +day. He belonged to the Methodist Communion +and his name is still perpetuated +in the names of many Methodist churches. +He was unusually simple and modest +in his tastes and habits, but when he +spoke from the pulpit he produced a great +impression by the force and daring of +his style. He gave promise of equaling +Whitefield as a pulpit orator, but he was +subject to delicate health and prematurely +died in 1825, twenty-seven years of age.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>SUMMERFIELD</h2> + +<h3>1798-1825</h3> + +<h4>THE HEAVENLY INHERITANCE</h4> + +<p><em>For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly +into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and +Saviour Jesus Christ.</em>—2 Peter i., 11.</p> + + +<p>Of all the causes which may be adduced +to account for the indifference which +is so generally manifested toward +those great concerns of eternity, in which men +are so awfully interested, none appears to +me so likely to resolve the mystery, as that unbelief +which lies at the core of every heart, +hindering repentance, and so making faith +impossible. Men hear that there is a hell to +shun, a heaven to win; and, though they give +their assent to both these truths, they never +impress them on their mind. It is plain that, +whatever their lips may confess, they never +believed with the heart, otherwise some effect +would have been produced in the life. The +germ of unbelief lies within, and discovers itself +in all that indifference which is displayed, +in the majority of that class of beings whose +existence is to be perpetuated throughout eternity. +If these thoughts do sometimes obtrude +themselves on their serious attention, they are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> +immediately banished from their minds; and +the dying exclamation of Moses may be taken +up with tears by every lover of perishing sinners: +"O! that they were wise, that they +understood this, that they would consider +their latter end!" When God, by His prophet +Isaiah, called the Israelites to a sense of their +awful departure from Him, His language was, +"My people do not know: My people do not +consider." How few are there like Mary, who +"ponder those things in their heart," who +are willing to look at themselves, to pry into +eternity, to put the question home,</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Shall I be with the damn'd cast out,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Or numbered with the bless'd?"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="noind">This question must sooner or later have a +place in your minds, or awful will be your +state indeed; let it reach your hearts to-day; +and if you pray to the Father of light, you +will soon be enabled in His light to discern +so much of yourselves as will cause you to +cry, "What shall I do to be saved?" While +we shall this morning attempt to point out +some of the privileges of the sons of God, oh! +may your hearts catch the strong desire to +be conformed to the living Head, that so an +abundant entrance may be administered unto +you also, into the everlasting kingdom of our +Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.</p> + +<p>The privilege to which our text leads us, is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span> +exclusively applicable to those to whom that +question has been solved by the Spirit of God; +those who have believed to the saving of their +souls; who have experienced redemption +through His blood, and the forgiveness of sins; +and who are walking in the fear of the Lord +and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost.</p> + +<p>I. The state to which we look forward: the +"everlasting kingdom of our Lord and +Savior."</p> + +<p>1. It is a kingdom. By this figurative expression +our Lord has described the state of +grace here and of glory hereafter; our happiness +in time and our happiness in eternity. +They were wisely so called: Jesus has said, as +well as done, all things well; for these two +states differ not in kind, but in degree; the +one is merely a preparative for the other, and +he who has been a subject of the former kingdom +will be a subject of the latter. Grace is +but the seed of glory, glory is the maturity +of grace; grace is but the bud of glory, glory +is grace full blown; grace is but the blossom +of glory, glory is the ripe fruit of grace; grace +is but the infant of glory, glory is the perfection +of grace. Hence our hymn beautifully +says, "The men of grace have found glory +begun below," agreeing with our Lord's own +words, "He that believeth hath everlasting +life"; he feels even here its glories beginning—a +foretaste of its bliss.</p> + +<p>Now the propriety with which these two<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span> +states are called kingdoms is manifest from +the analogy which might be traced between +them and the model of a human sovereignty. +Two or three of the outlines of this model will +be sufficient.</p> + +<p>In the idea of a kingdom it is implied that +in some part of its extent there is the residence +of a sovereign; for this is essential to +constitute it. Now in the kingdom of grace +the heart of the believer is made the residence +of the King invisible! "Know ye not that +your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost +which is in you?" Such know what that promise +means, "I will dwell in them, and they +shall be my people." St. Paul exultingly +cries, "Christ liveth in me."</p> + +<p>Again, it is essential that the inhabitants of +a kingdom be under the government of its +laws. An empire without laws is no sovereignty +at all; it ceases to be such, for every +inhabitant has an equal right to do that which +seems good in his own eyes. Now the subjects +of Christ's kingdom of grace are "not without +law, but are under a law to Christ"; they +do His righteous will!</p> + +<p>Lastly, it is essential that the subjects of a +kingdom be under the protection of the presiding +monarch, and that they repose their +confidence in him. To the subjects of the +kingdom of grace, Christ imparts His kingly +protection; this is their heritage: "No weapon +formed against them shall prosper"; nay, He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span> +imparts to them of His royal bounty, and they +enjoy all the blessings of an inward heaven.</p> + +<p>But how great the perfection of the kingdom +of glory mentioned in our text! Does +He make these vile bodies His residence here? +How much more glorious is His temple above! +how splendid the court of heaven! There, indeed, +he fixes His throne, and they see Him +as He is. Does He exercise His authority here +and rule His happy subjects by the law, the +perfect law of love? How much more in +heaven! He reigns there forever over them; +His government is there wholly by Himself; +He knows nothing of a rival there; His rule +is sole and perfect: there they serve Him day +and night. Are His subjects here partakers of +His kingly bounty? Much more in heaven! +He calls them to a participation of all the +joys, the spiritual joys which are at His right +hand, and the pleasures which are there forevermore. +Yet, after all our descriptions of +that glory, it is not yet revealed, and, therefore, +inconceivable. But who would not hail +such a Son of David? who would not desire to +be swayed by such a Prince of Peace? Whose +heart would not ascend with the affections of +our poet, "O! that with yonder sacred throng, +we at His feet may fall"?</p> + +<p>2. But it is an everlasting kingdom! Here it +rises in the scale of comparison. Weigh the +kingdoms of this world in this balance, and +they are found wanting; for on many we read<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> +their fatal history, and ere long we shall see +them all branded with the writing of the invisible +Agent, "The kingdom is taken from +thee, and given to a nation bringing forth +the fruits thereof"; "For the kingdoms of +this world have become the kingdoms of our +Lord and of his Christ"; they will be absorbed +and swallowed up in the fulness of +eternity, and leave not a wrack behind! +Every thing here is perishable! The towering +diadem of Caesar has fallen from his head +and crumbled into dust; and that kingdom +whose scepter once swayed the world, betwixt +whose colossal stride all nations were glad to +creep to find themselves dishonored graves, is +now forgotten, or, if its recollection be preserved, +its history is emphatically called "The +Decline and Fall."</p> + +<p>But bring the matter nearer home; apply +it not to multitudes of subjects, but to your +individual experience, and has not that good +teacher instructed you in this sad lesson? +We tremble to look at our earthly possessions +and employments, lest we should see them in +motion, spreading their wings to fly away! +How many are there already who, in talking +of their comforts, are obliged to go back in +their reckoning! Would not this be the language +of some of you: "I had—I had a husband, +the sharer of my joys, the soother of +my sorrows; but he is not! I had a wife, a +helpmeet for me; but where is she? I had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> +children to whom I looked up as my support +and staff in the decline of life, while passing +down the hill; but I am bereaved of my children! +I had health, and I highly prized its +wealth; but now my emaciated frame, my +shriveled system, and the pains of nature bespeak +that comfort fled! I had, or fondly +thought I had, happiness in possession! Then +I said with Job, 'I shall die in my nest!' +but ah! an unexpected blast passed over me, +and now my joys are blighted! 'They have +fled as a shadow, and continued not.'" Yes! +time promised you much! perhaps it performed +a little; but it can not do any thing +for you on which it can grave "eternal." Its +name is mortal, its nature is decay; it was +born with man, and when the generations of +men shall cease to exist, it will cease also: +"Time shall be no longer!" We know concerning +these that, "All flesh is as grass, and +all the glory of man as the flower of grass. +The grass withereth, and the flower fadeth, +but the word of the Lord endureth forever." +Yes! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; +glory can not corrupt! the crown of glory can +not fade! Why? Death will be destroyed; +Christ will put this last enemy under His +feet, and all will then be eternal life! Oh, +happy, happy kingdom; nay, thrice happy he +who shall be privileged to be its subject!</p> + +<p>3. It is the everlasting kingdom of our own +Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is His by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span> +claim: "Him hath God the Father highly +exalted"; yea, Him hath He appointed to be +"the judge of quick and dead"; for tho +by the sufferings of death He was made a +little lower than the angels, yet immediately +after His resurrection He declares that now +"All power is given unto him in heaven and +in earth"! The Father hath committed all +judgment unto the Son, and He has now the +disposal of the offices and privileges of the +empire among His faithful followers. This +is the idea that the penitent dying thief had +on the subject: "Lord, remember me when +thou comest into thy kingdom"; and St. +Paul expresses the same when he says to Timothy +in the confidence of faith, "The Lord +shall deliver me and preserve me unto his +heavenly kingdom." Oh! how pleasing the +thought to the child of God, that his ruler to +all eternity will be his elder Brother; for He +who sanctifieth and they who are sanctified +are all of one; and though He is heir of all +things, yet we, as younger branches of the +same heavenly family, shall be joint heirs, +fellow-heirs of the same glorious inheritance. +How great will be our joy to behold Him who +humbled Himself for us to death, even the +death of the cross, now exalted God over all, +blest for evermore; and while contemplating +Him under the character of our Lord and +Savior Jesus Christ, how great the relish +which will be given to that feeling of the redeemed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span> +which will constrain them to cry, +"Thou alone art worthy to receive glory, and +honor, and power."</p> + +<p>II. But the apostle reminds us of the entrance +into this kingdom!</p> + +<p>1. The entrance into this kingdom is death: +"By one man sin entered into the world, and +death by sin:"</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Death, like a narrow sea, divides<br /></span> +<span class="i1">That heavenly land from ours!"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="noind">"A messenger is sent to bring us to God, but +it is the King of Terrors. We enter the land +flowing with milk and honey, but it is through +the valley of the shadow of death." Yet fear +not, O thou child of God! there is no need that +thou, through the fear of death, shouldst be +all thy lifetime subject to bondage.</p> + +<p>2. No; hear the apostle: the entrance is +ministered unto thee! Death is but His minister; +he can not lock his ice-cold hand in thine +till He permit. Our Jesus has the keys of hell +and death; and till He liberates the vassal to +bring thee home, not a hair of thy head can +fall to the ground! Fear not, thou worm! +He who minds the sparrows appoints the time +for thy removal: fear not; only be thou always +ready, that, whenever the messenger +comes to take down the tabernacle in which +thy spirit has long made her abode, thou +mayest be able to exclaim, "Amen! even so,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span> +Lord Jesus, come quickly." Death need have +no terrors for thee; he is the vassal of thy +Lord, and, however unwilling to do Him reverence, +yet to Him that sits at God's right +hand shall even death pay, if not a joyful, yet +a trembling homage; nay, more:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"To Him shall earth and hell submit,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">And every foe shall fall,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Till death expires beneath His feet,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">And God is all in all."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Christ has already had one triumph over +death; His iron pangs could not detain the +Prince who has "life in himself"; and in +His strength thou shalt triumph, for the +power of Christ is promised to rest upon thee! +He has had the same entrance; His footsteps +marked the way, and His cry to thee is, "Follow +thou me." "My sheep," says He, "hear +my voice, and they do follow me"; they follow +Me gladly, even into this gloomy vale; +and what is the consequence? "They shall +never perish, neither shall any man pluck +them out of my hand."</p> + +<p>3. It is ministered unto you abundantly. +Perhaps the apostle means that the death of +some is distinguished by indulgences and honors +not vouchsafed to all. In the experience +of some, the passage appears difficult; in others +it is comparatively easy; they gently fall +asleep in Jesus. But we not only see diversities +in the mortal agony—this would be a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span> +small thing.... Some get in with sails +full spread and carrying a rich cargo indeed, +while others arrive barely on a single plank. +Some, who have long had their conversation +in heaven, are anxious to be wafted into the +celestial haven; while others, who never +sought God till alarmed at the speedy approach +of death, have little confidence,</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"And linger shivering on the brink,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">And fear to launch away."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="noind">This doctrine must have been peculiarly encouraging +to the early converts to whom St. +Peter wrote. From the tenor of both of his +epistles it is clear that they were in a state +of severe suffering, and in great danger of +apostatizing through fear of persecution. He +reminds them that if they hold fast their +professions, an abundant entrance will be administered +unto them. The death of the martyr +is far more glorious than that of the Christian +who concealed his profession through fear +of man. Witness the case of Stephen: he was +not ashamed of being a witness for Jesus in +the face of the violent death which awaited +him, and which crushed the tabernacle of his +devoted spirit; his Lord reserved the highest +display of His love and of His glory for that +awful hour! "Behold!" says he to his enemies, +while gnashing on him with their teeth, +"Behold! I see heaven opened, and the Son<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> +of man standing on the right hand of God"; +then, in the full triumph of faith, he cries +out, "Lord Jesus! receive my spirit!"</p> + +<p>But did these things apply merely to the +believers to whom St. Peter originally wrote? +No; you are the men to whom they equally +apply; according to your walk and profession +of that gospel will be the entrance which will +be ministered unto you. Some of you have +heard, in another of our houses, during the +past week, the dangerous tendency of the +spirit of fear, the fear of man. I would you +had all heard that discourse: alas! many who +have a name and a place among us are becoming +mere Sabbath-day worshipers in the +courts of the Lord, and lightly esteem the +daily means of grace. I believe this is one +cause at least why many are weak and sickly +among us in divine things. The inner man +does not make due increase; the world is stealing +a march unawares upon us. May God revive +among us the spirit of our fathers!</p> + +<p>These things, then, I say, equally apply to +you. Behold the strait, the royal, the king's +highway! Are you afraid of the reproach of +Christ?</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Ashamed of Jesus, that dear Friend,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">On whom our hopes of heaven depend?"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="noind">How soon would the world be overcome if +all who profess that faith were faithful to it!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span> +Wo to the rebellious children who compromise +truth with the world, and in effect deny +their Lord and Master! Who hath required +this at their hands? Do they not follow with +the crowd who cry, "Lord, Lord! and yet do +not the things which He says"? Will they +have the adoption and the glory? Will they +aim at the honor implied in these words, "Ye +are my witnesses?" Will ye indeed be sons? +Then see the path wherein His footsteps +shine! The way is open! see that ye walk +therein! The false apostles, the deceitful +workers shall have their reward; the same +that those of old had, the praise and esteem +of men; while the faith of those who truly call +Him Father and Lord, and who walk in the +light as He is in the light, who submit, like +Him and His true followers, to be counted as +"the filth of the world, and the offscouring of +all things", shall be found unto praise, and +honor, and glory!</p> + +<p>The true Christian does not seek to hide +himself in a corner; he lets his light shine before +men, whether they will receive it or not; +and thereby is his Father glorified. Having +thus served, by the will of God, the hour of +his departure at length arrives. The angels +beckon him away; Jesus bids him come; and +as he departs this life he looks back with a +heavenly smile on surviving friends, and is +enabled to say, "Whither I go, ye know, and +the way ye know." An entrance is ministered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span> +unto him abundantly into the everlasting +kingdom of his Lord and Savior.</p> + +<p>III. Having considered the state to which +we look, and the mode of our admission, let +us consider the condition of it. This is implied +in the word "so." "For so an entrance shall +be ministered unto you." In the preceding +part of this chapter, the apostle has pointed +out the meaning of this expression, and in the +text merely sums it all up in that short mode +of expression.</p> + +<p>The first condition he shows to be, the obtaining +like precious faith with him, through +the righteousness of God and our Savior +Jesus Christ. Not a faith which merely assents +to the truths of the gospel record, but +a faith which applies the merits of the death +of Christ to expiate my individual guilt; +which lays hold on Him as my sacrifice, and +produces, in its exercises, peace with God, a +knowledge of the divine favor, a sense of sin +forgiven, and a full certainty, arising from +a divine impression on the heart, made by the +Spirit of God, that I am accepted in the Beloved +and made a child of God.</p> + +<p>If those who profess the Gospel of Christ +were but half as zealous in seeking after this +enjoyment as they are in discovering creaturely +objections to its attainment, it would +be enjoyed by thousands who at present know +nothing of its happy reality. Such persons, +unfortunately for themselves, employ much<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span> +more assiduity in searching a vocabulary to +find out epithets of reproach to attach to those +who maintain the doctrine than in searching +that volume which declares that "if you are +sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son +into your hearts, crying Abba, Father"; and +that "he that believeth hath the witness in +himself." In whatever light a scorner may +view this doctrine now, the time will come +when, being found without the wedding garment, +he will be cast into outer darkness.</p> + +<p>O sinner! cry to God this day to convince +thee of thy need of this salvation, and then +thou wilt be in a condition to receive it:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Shalt know, shalt feel thy sins forgiven,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Bless'd with this antepast of heaven."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>But, besides this, the apostle requires that +we then henceforth preserve consciences void +of offense toward God and toward man. This +faith which obtains the forgiveness of sin +unites to Christ, and by this union we are +made, as St. Peter declares, "partakers of the +divine nature": and as He who has called +you is holy, so you are to be holy in all manner +of conversation. For yours is a faith +which not only casts out sin, but purifies the +heart—the conscience having been once +purged by the sprinkling of the blood of +Christ, you are not to suffer guilt to be again +contracted; for the salvation of Christ is not +only from the penalty, but from the very stain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span> +of sin; not only from its guilt, but from its +pollution; not only from its condemnation, +but from its very "in-being"; "The blood of +Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin"; and +"For this purpose was the Son of God manifested, +that he might destroy the works of +the devil." You are therefore required by +St. Peter, "to escape the corruption that is +in the world through lust," and thus to perfect +holiness in the fear of the Lord!</p> + +<p>Finally, live in progressive and practical +godliness. Not only possess, but practise, the +virtues of religion; not only practise, but increase +therein, abounding in the work of the +Lord! Lead up, hand in hand, in the same +delightful chorus, all the graces which adorn +the Christian character. Having the divine +nature, possessing a new and living principle, +let diligent exercise reduce it to practical holiness; +and you will be easily discerned from +those formal hypocrites, whose faith and religion +are but a barren and unfruitful speculation.</p> + +<p>To conclude: live to God—live for God—live +in God; and let your moderation be +known unto all men—the Lord is at hand: +"Therefore giving all diligence, add to your +faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and +to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, +patience; and to patience, godliness; and to +godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly +kindness, charity."</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>NEWMAN</h2> + +<h3>GOD'S WILL THE END OF LIFE</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p><span class="smcap">John Henry Newman</span> was born in London +in 1801. He won high honors at +Oxford, and in 1828 was appointed vicar +of the University Church, St. Mary's, and +with Keble and Pusey headed the Oxford +Movement. In the pulpit of St. Mary's +he soon showed himself to be a power. +His sermons, exquisite, tho simple in +style, chiefly deal with various phases of +personal religion which he illustrated with +a keen spiritual insight, a sympathetic +glow, an exalted earnestness and a breadth +of range, unparalleled in English pulpit +utterances before his time. His extreme +views on questions of catholicity, sacerdotalism +and the sacraments, as well as his +craving for an infallible authority in +matters of faith, shook his confidence in +the Church of England and he went over +to Rome in 1845. He was made Cardinal +in 1879 and died in 1890.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>NEWMAN</h2> + +<h3>1801-1890</h3> + +<h4>GOD'S WILL THE END OF LIFE</h4> + +<p><em>I came down from heaven not to do mine own will +but the will of him that sent me.</em>—John vi., 38.</p> + + +<p>I am going to ask you a question, my dear +brethren, so trite, and therefore so uninteresting +at first sight, that you may +wonder why I put it, and may object that it +will be difficult to fix the mind on it, and may +anticipate that nothing profitable can be made +of it. It is this: "Why were you sent into +the world?" Yet, after all, it is perhaps a +thought more obvious than it is common, more +easy than it is familiar; I mean it ought to +come into your minds, but it does not, and +you never had more than a distant acquaintance +with it, tho that sort of acquaintance +with it you have had for many years. Nay, +once or twice, perhaps you have been thrown +across the thought somewhat intimately, for a +short season, but this was an accident which +did not last. There are those who recollect +the first time, as it would seem, when it came +home to them. They were but little children, +and they were by themselves, and they spontaneously +asked themselves, or rather God<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> +spake in them, "Why am I here? how came +I here? who brought me here? What am I +to do here?" Perhaps it was the first act of +reason, the beginning of their real responsibility, +the commencement of their trial; perhaps +from that day they may date their capacity, +their awful power, of choosing between +good and evil, and of committing mortal sin. +And so, as life goes on, the thought comes vividly, +from time to time, for a short season +across their conscience; whether in illness, or +in some anxiety, or at some season of solitude, +or on hearing some preacher, or reading some +religious work. A vivid feeling comes over +them of the vanity and unprofitableness of +the world, and then the question recurs, +"Why then am I sent into it?"</p> + +<p>And a great contrast indeed does this vain, +unprofitable, yet overbearing world present +with such a question as that. It seems out of +place to ask such a question in so magnificent, +so imposing a presence, as that of the great +Babylon. The world professes to supply all +that we need, as if we were sent into it for +the sake of being sent here, and for nothing +beyond the sending. It is a great favor to +have an introduction to this august world. +This is to be our exposition, forsooth, of the +mystery of life. Every man is doing his own +will here, seeking his own pleasure, pursuing +his own ends; that is why he was brought +into existence. Go abroad into the streets of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span> +the populous city, contemplate the continuous +outpouring there of human energy, and +the countless varieties of human character, +and be satisfied! The ways are thronged, carriage-way +and pavement; multitudes are hurrying +to and fro, each on his own errand, or +are loitering about from listlessness, or from +want of work, or have come forth into the public +concourse, to see and to be seen, for amusement +or for display, or on the excuse of business. +The carriages of the wealthy mingle +with the slow wains laden with provisions or +merchandise, the productions of art or the demands +of luxury. The streets are lined with +shops, open and gay, inviting customers, and +widen now and then into some spacious square +or place, with lofty masses of brickwork or +of stone, gleaming in the fitful sunbeam, and +surrounded or fronted with what simulates a +garden's foliage. Follow them in another direction, +and you find the whole groundstead +covered with large buildings, planted thickly +up and down, the homes of the mechanical +arts. The air is filled, below, with a ceaseless, +importunate, monotonous din, which penetrates +even to your innermost chamber, and +rings in your ears even when you are not +conscious of it; and overhead, with a canopy +of smoke, shrouding God's day from the +realms of obstinate, sullen toil. This is the +end of man!</p> + +<p>Or stay at home, and take up one of those<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span> +daily prints, which are so true a picture of +the world; look down the columns of advertisements, +and you will see the catalog of +pursuits, projects, aims, anxieties, amusements, +indulgences which occupy the mind of +man. He plays many parts: here he has goods +to sell, there he wants employment; there +again he seeks to borrow money, here he offers +you houses, great seats or small tenements; +he has food for the million, and luxuries for +the wealthy, and sovereign medicines for the +credulous, and books, new and cheap, for the +inquisitive. Pass on to the news of the day, +and you will learn what great men are doing +at home and abroad: you will read of wars +and rumors of wars; of debates in the legislature; +of rising men, and old statesmen going +off the scene; of political contests in this city +or that country; of the collision of rival interests. +You will read of the money market, +and the provision market, and the market for +metals; of the state of trade, the call for manufactures, +news of ships arrived in port, of +accidents at sea, of exports and imports, of +gains and losses, of frauds and their detection. +Go forward, and you arrive at discoveries in +art and science, discoveries (so-called) in religion, +the court and royalty, the entertainments +of the great, places of amusement, +strange trials, offenses, accidents, escapes, exploits, +experiments, contests, ventures. Oh, +this curious restless, clamorous, panting being,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> +which we call life!—and is there to be no end +to all this? Is there no object in it? It never +has an end, it is forsooth its own object!</p> + +<p>And now, once more, my brethren, put aside +what you see and what you read of the world, +and try to penetrate into the hearts, and to +reach the ideas and the feelings of those who +constitute it; look into them as closely as you +can; enter into their houses and private rooms; +strike at random through the streets and +lanes: take as they come, palace and hovel, +office or factory, and what will you find? Listen +to their words, witness, alas! their works; +you will find in the main the same lawless +thoughts, the same unrestrained desires, the +same ungoverned passions, the same earthly +opinions, the same wilful deeds, in high and +low, learned and unlearned; you will find +them all to be living for the sake of living; +they one and all seem to tell you, "We are +our own center, our own end." Why are they +toiling? why are they scheming? for what are +they living? "We live to please ourselves; life +is worthless except we have our own way; we +are not sent here at all, but we find ourselves +here, and we are but slaves unless we can think +what we will, believe what we will, love what +we will, hate what we will, do what we will. +We detest interference on the part of God +or man. We do not bargain to be rich or to +be great; but we do bargain, whether rich or +poor, high or low, to live for ourselves, to live<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span> +for the lust of the moment, or, according to +the doctrine of the hour, thinking of the future +and the unseen just as much or as little +as we please."</p> + +<p>Oh, my brethren, is it not a shocking thought, +but who can deny its truth? The multitude +of men are living without any aim beyond this +visible scene; they may from time to time use +religious words, or they may profess a communion +or a worship, as a matter of course, +or of expedience, or of duty, but, if there was +sincerity in such profession, the course of the +world could not run as it does. What a contrast +is all this to the end of life, as it is set +before us in our most holy faith! If there +was one among the sons of men, who might +allowably have taken his pleasure, and have +done his own will here below, surely it was +He who came down on earth from the bosom +of the Father, and who was so pure and spotless +in that human nature which He put on +Him, that He could have no human purpose +or aim inconsistent with the will of His +Father. Yet He, the Son of God, the Eternal +Word, came, not to do His own will, but His +who sent Him, as you know very well is told +us again and again in Scripture. Thus the +Prophet in the Psalter, speaking in His person, +says, "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God." +And He says in the Prophet Isaiah, "The +Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I do +not resist; I have not gone back." And in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span> +the gospel, when He hath come on earth, "My +food is to do the will of him that sent me, +and to finish his work." Hence, too, in His +agony, He cried out, "Not my will, but thine, +be done;" and St. Paul, in like manner, says, +that "Christ pleased not himself;" and elsewhere, +that, "tho he was God's Son, yet +learned he obedience by the things which he +suffered." Surely so it was; as being indeed +the eternal coequal Son, His will was one +and the same with the Father's will, and He +had no submission of will to make; but He +chose to take on Him man's nature and +the will of that nature; he chose to take on +Him affections, feelings, and inclinations +proper to man, a will innocent indeed and +good, but still a man's will, distinct from +God's will; a will, which, had it acted simply +according to what was pleasing to its +nature, would, when pain and toil were to +be endured, have held back from an active +cooperation with the will of God. But, tho +He took on Himself the nature of man, He +took not on Him that selfishness, with which +fallen man wraps himself round, but in all +things He devoted Himself as a ready sacrifice +to His Father. He came on earth, not to +take His pleasure, not to follow His taste, not +for the mere exercise of human affection, but +simply to glorify His Father and to do His +will. He came charged with a mission, deputed +for a work; He looked not to the right<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span> +nor to the left, He thought not of Himself, He +offered Himself up to God.</p> + +<p>Hence it is that He was carried in the +womb of a poor woman, who, before His birth, +had two journeys to make, of love and of +obedience, to the mountains and to Bethlehem. +He was born in a stable, and laid in a manger. +He was hurried off to Egypt to sojourn there; +then He lived till He was thirty years of age +in a poor way, by a rough trade, in a small +house, in a despised town. Then, when He +went out to preach, He had not where to lay +His head; He wandered up and down the +country, as a stranger upon earth. He was +driven out into the wilderness, and dwelt +among the wild beasts. He endured heat and +cold, hunger and weariness, reproach and +calumny. His food was coarse bread, and +fish from the lake, or depended on the hospitality +of strangers. And as He had already +left His Father's greatness on high, and had +chosen an earthly home; so again, at that +Father's bidding, He gave up the sole solace +given Him in this world, and denied Himself +His mother's presence. He parted with her +who bore Him; He endured to be strange to +her; He endured to call her coldly "woman," +who was His own undefiled one, all beautiful, +all gracious, the best creature of His hands, +and the sweet nurse of His infancy. He put +her aside, as Levi, His type, merited the sacred +ministry, by saying to His parents and kinsmen,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span> +"I know you not." He exemplified in +His own person the severe maxim, which He +gave to His disciples, "He that loveth more +than me is not worthy of me." In all these +many ways He sacrificed every wish of His +own; that we might understand, that, if He, +the Creator, came into His world, not for His +own pleasure, but to do His Father's will, we +too have most surely some work to do, and +have seriously to bethink ourselves what that +work is.</p> + +<p>Yes, so it is; realize it, my brethren;—every +one who breathes, high and low, educated and +ignorant, young and old, man and woman, +has a mission, has a work. We are not sent +into this world for nothing; we are not born +at random; we are not here, that we may go +to bed at night, and get up in the morning, +toil for our bread, eat and drink, laugh and +joke, sin when we have a mind, and reform +when we are tired of sinning, rear a family +and die. God sees every one of us; He creates +every soul, He lodges it in the body, one by +one, for a purpose. He needs, He deigns to +need, every one of us. He has an end for +each of us; we are all equal in His sight, and +we are placed in our different ranks and stations, +not to get what we can out of them for +ourselves, but to labor in them for Him. As +Christ had His work, we too have ours; as +He rejoiced to do His work, we must rejoice +in ours also.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span></p> + +<p>St. Paul on one occasion speaks of the world +as a scene in a theater. Consider what is +meant by this. You know, actors on a stage +are on an equality with each other really, but +for the occasion they assume a difference of +character; some are high, some are low, some +are merry, and some sad. Well, would it not +be simple absurdity in any actor to pride himself +on his mock diadem, or his edgeless +sword, instead of attending to his part? What, +if he did but gaze at himself and his dress? +what, if he secreted, or turned to his own use, +what was valuable in it? Is it not his business, +and nothing else, to act his part well? +Common sense tells us so. Now we are all +but actors in this world; we are one and all +equal, we shall be judged as equals as soon as +life is over; yet, equal and similar in ourselves, +each has his special part at present, +each has his work, each has his mission,—not +to indulge his passions, not to make money, +not to get a name in the world, not to save +himself trouble, not to follow his bent, not to +be selfish and self-willed, but to do what God +puts on him to do.</p> + +<p>Look at the poor profligate in the gospel, +look at Dives; do you think he understood +that his wealth was to be spent, not on himself, +but for the glory of God?—yet forgetting +this, he was lost for ever and ever. I will tell +you what he thought, and how he viewed +things: he was a young man, and had succeeded<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span> +to a good estate, and he determined to +enjoy himself. It did not strike him that his +wealth had any other use than that of enabling +him to take his pleasure. Lazarus lay at +his gate; he might have relieved Lazarus; that +was God's will; but he managed to put conscience +aside, and he persuaded himself he +should be a fool, if he did not make the most +of this world, while he had the means. So he +resolved to have his fill of pleasure; and feasting +was to his mind a principal part of it. +"He fared sumptuously every day"; everything +belonging to him was in the best style, +as men speak; his house, his furniture, his +plate of silver and gold, his attendants, his +establishments. Everything was for enjoyment, +and for show, too; to attract the eyes +of the world, and to gain the applause and +admiration of his equals, who were the companions +of his sins. These companions were +doubtless such as became a person of such pretensions; +they were fashionable men; a collection +of refined, high-bred, haughty men, +eating, not gluttonously, but what was rare +and costly; delicate, exact, fastidious in their +taste, from their very habits of indulgence; +not eating for the mere sake of eating, or +drinking for the mere sake of drinking, but +making a sort of science of their sensuality; +sensual, carnal, as flesh and blood can be, with +eyes, ears, tongue steeped in impurity, every +thought, look, and sense, witnessing or ministering<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span> +to the evil one who ruled them; yet, +with exquisite correctness of idea and judgment, +laying down rules for sinning;—heartless +and selfish, high, punctilious, and disdainful +in their outward deportment, and shrinking +from Lazarus, who lay at the gate, as an +eye-sore, who ought for the sake of decency +to be put out of the way. Dives was one of +such, and so he lived his short span, thinking +of nothing but himself, till one day he got into +a fatal quarrel with one of his godless associates, +or he caught some bad illness; and +then he lay helpless on his bed of pain, cursing +fortune and his physician that he was no +better, and impatient that he was thus kept +from enjoying his youth, trying to fancy himself +mending when he was getting worse, and +disgusted at those who would not throw him +some word of comfort in his suspense, and +turning more resolutely from his Creator in +proportion to his suffering;—and then at last +his day came, and he died, and (oh! miserable!) +"was buried in hell." And so ended +he and his mission.</p> + +<p>This was the fate of your pattern and idol, +oh, ye, if any of you be present, young men, +who, tho not possest of wealth and rank, yet +affect the fashions of those who have them. +You, my brethren, have not been born splendidly, +or nobly; you have not been brought +up in the seats of liberal education; you have +no high connections; you have not learned<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span> +the manners nor caught the tone of good society; +you have no share of the largeness of +mind, the candor, the romantic sense of honor, +the correctness of taste, the consideration for +others, and the gentleness which the world +puts forth as its highest type of excellence; +you have not come near the courts of the +mansions of the great; yet you ape the sin +of Dives, while you are strangers to his refinement. +You think it the sign of a gentleman +to set yourselves above religion; to criticize +the religious and professors of religion; +to look at Catholic and Methodist with impartial +contempt; to gain a smattering of knowledge +on a number of subjects; to dip into a +number of frivolous publications, if they are +popular; to have read the latest novel; to have +heard the singer and seen the actor of the day; +to be well up with the news; to know the +names and, if so be, the persons of public men, +to be able to bow to them; to walk up and +down the street with your heads on high, and +to stare at whatever meets you; and to say +and do worse things, of which these outward +extravagances are but the symbol. And this +is what you conceive you have come upon the +earth for! The Creator made you, it seems, +oh, my children, for this work and office, to be +a bad imitation of polished ungodliness, to be +a piece of tawdry and faded finery, or a scent +which has lost its freshness, and does not but +offend the sense! O! that you could see how<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span> +absurd and base are such pretenses in the +eyes of any but yourselves! No calling of life +but is honorable; no one is ridiculous who acts +suitably to his calling and estate; no one, who +has good sense and humility, but may, in any +state of life, be truly well-bred and refined; +but ostentation, affectation, and ambitious efforts +are, in every station of life, high or low, +nothing but vulgarities. Put them aside, despise +them yourselves. Oh, my very dear sons, +whom I love, and whom I would fain serve;—oh, +that you could feel that you have souls! +oh, that you would have mercy on your souls! +oh, that, before it is too late, you would betake +yourselves to Him who is the source of +all that is truly high and magnificent and +beautiful, all that is bright and pleasant and +secure what you ignorantly seek, in Him +whom you so wilfully, so awfully despise!</p> + +<p>He, alone, the Son of God, "the brightness +of the Eternal Light, and the spotless mirror +of His Majesty," is the source of all good and +all happiness to rich and poor, high and low. +If you were ever so high, you would need +Him; if you were ever so low, you could offend +Him. The poor can offend Him; the +poor man can neglect his divinely appointed +mission as well as the rich. Do not suppose, +my brethren, that what I have said against +the upper or the middle class will not, if you +happen to be poor, also lie against you. +Though a man were as poor as Lazarus, he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span> +could be as guilty as Dives. If you were resolved +to degrade yourselves to the brutes of +the field, who have no reason and no conscience, +you need not wealth or rank to enable +you to do so. Brutes have no wealth; they +have no pride of life; they have no purple +and fine linen, no splendid table, no retinue +of servants, and yet they are brutes. They +are brutes by the law of their nature; they +are the poorest among the poor; there is not +a vagrant and outcast who is so poor as they; +they differ from him, not in their possessions, +but in their want of a soul, in that he has a +mission and they have not, he can sin and +they can not. Oh, my brethren, it stands to +reason, a man may intoxicate himself with a +cheap draft, as well as with a costly one; +he may steal another's money for his appetites, +though he does not waste his own upon +them; he may break through the natural and +social laws which encircle him, and profane +the sanctity of family duties, tho he be not +a child of nobles, but a peasant or artisan,—nay, +and perhaps he does so more frequently +than they. This is not the poor's +blessedness, that he has less temptations to +self-indulgence, for he has as many, but that +from his circumstances he receives the penances +and corrections of self-indulgence. Poverty +is the mother of many pains and sorrows +in their season, and these are God's messengers +to lead the soul to repentance; but,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span> +alas! if the poor man indulges his passions, +thinks little of religion, puts off repentance, +refuses to make an effort, and dies without +conversion, it matters nothing that he was +poor in this world, it matters nothing that he +was less daring than the rich, it matters not +that he promised himself God's favor, that he +sent for the priest when death came, and received +the last sacraments; Lazarus too, in +that case, shall be buried with Dives in hell, +and shall have had his consolation neither in +this world nor in the world to come.</p> + +<p>My brethren, the simple question is, whatever +a man's rank in life may be, does he in +that rank perform the work which God has +given him to do? Now then, let me turn to +others, of a very different description, and +let me hear what they will say, when the question +is asked them. Why, they will parry it +thus: "You give us no alternative," they will +say to me, "except that of being sinners or +saints. You put before us our Lord's pattern, +and you spread before us the guilt and ruin +of the deliberate transgressor; whereas we +have no intention of going so far one way or +the other; we do not aim at being saints, but +we have no desire at all to be sinners. We +neither intend to disobey God's will, nor to +give up our own. Surely there is a middle +way, and a safe one, in which God's will and +our will may both be satisfied. We mean to +enjoy both this world and the next. We will<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span> +guard against mortal sin; we are not obliged +to guard against venial; indeed it would be +endless to attempt it. None but saints do so; +it is the work of a life; we need have nothing +else to do. We are not monks, we are in the +world, we are in business, we are parents, we +have families; we must live for the day. It is +a consolation to keep from mortal sin; that +we do, and it is enough for salvation. It is +a great thing to keep in God's favor; what +indeed can we desire more? We come at due +time to the sacraments; this is our comfort +and our stay; did we die, we should die in +grace, and escape the doom of the wicked. +But if we once attempted to go further, where +should we stop? how will you draw the line +for us? The line between mortal and venial +sin is very distinct; we understand that; but +do you not see that, if we attended to our +venial sins, there would be just as much reason +to attend to one as to another? If we began to +repress our anger, why not also repress vainglory? +Why not also guard against niggardliness? +Why not also keep from falsehood, +from gossiping, from idling, from excess +in eating? And, after all, without venial +sin we never can be, unless indeed we have +the prerogative of the Mother of God, which +it would be almost heresy to ascribe to any +one but her. You are not asking us to be +converted; that we understand; we are converted, +we were converted a long time ago.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span> +You bid us aim at an indefinite vague something, +which is less than perfection, yet more +than obedience, and which, without resulting +in any tangible advantage, debars us from +the pleasures and embarrasses us in the duties +of this world."</p> + +<p>This is what you will say; but your premises, +my brethren, are better than your reasoning, +and your conclusions will not stand. +You have a right view why God has sent you +into the world; viz., in order that you may +get to heaven; it is quite true also that you +would fare well indeed if you found yourselves +there, you could desire nothing better; +nor, it is true, can you live any time without +venial sin. It is true also that you are not +obliged to aim at being saints; it is no sin +not to aim at perfection. So much is true and +to the purpose; but it does not follow from it +that you, with such views and feelings as you +have exprest, are using sufficient exertions +even for attaining purgatory. Has your religion +any difficulty in it, or is it in all respects +easy to you? Are you simply taking +your own pleasure in your mode of living, or +do you find your pleasure in submitting yourself +to God's pleasure? In a word, is your +religion a work? For if it be not, it is not +religion at all. Here at once, before going +into your argument, is a proof that it is an +unsound one, because it brings you to the conclusion +that, whereas Christ came to do a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span> +work, and all saints, nay, nay, and sinners to +do a work too, you, on the contrary, have no +work to do, because, forsooth, you are neither +sinners nor saints; or, if you once had a work, +at least that you have despatched it already, +and you have nothing upon your hands. You +have attained your salvation, it seems, before +your time, and have nothing to occupy you, +and are detained on earth too long. The work +days are over, and your perpetual holiday is +begun. Did then God send you, above all +other men, into the world to be idle in spiritual +matters? Is it your mission only to find +pleasure in this world, in which you are but +as pilgrims and sojourners? Are you more +than sons of Adam, who, by the sweat of their +brow, are to eat bread till they return to the +earth out of which they are taken? Unless +you have some work in hand, unless you are +struggling, unless you are fighting with yourselves, +you are no followers of those who +"through many tribulations entered into the +kingdom of God." A fight is the very token +of a Christian. He is a soldier of Christ; high +or low, he is this and nothing else. If you +have triumphed over all mortal sin, as you +seem to think, then you must attack your +venial sins; there is no help for it; there is +nothing else to do, if you would be soldiers of +Jesus Christ. But, oh, simple souls! to think +you have gained any triumph at all! No; you +cannot safely be at peace with any, even the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span> +least malignant, of the foes of God; if you +are at peace with venial sins, be certain that in +their company and under their shadow mortal +sins are lurking. Mortal sins are the children +of venial, which, tho they be not deadly +themselves, yet are prolific of death. You +may think that you have killed the giants who +had possession of your hearts, and that you +have nothing to fear, but may sit at rest under +your vine and under your fig-tree; but the +giants will live again, they will rise from the +dust, and, before you know where you are, +you will be taken captive and slaughtered by +the fierce, powerful, and eternal enemies of +God.</p> + +<p>The end of a thing is the test. It was our +Lord's rejoicing in His last solemn hour, that +He had done the work for which He was sent. +"I have glorified thee on earth." He says in +His prayer, "I have finished the work which +thou gavest me to do; I have manifested thy +name to the men whom thou hast given me +out of the world." It was St. Paul's consolation +also, "I have fought the good fight, I +have finished the course, I have kept the +faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a +crown of justice, which the Lord shall render +to me in that day, the just judge." Alas! +alas! how different will be our view of things +when we come to die, or when we have passed +into eternity, from the dreams and pretenses +with which we beguile ourselves now! What<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span> +will Babel do for us then? Will it rescue our +souls from the purgatory or the hell to which +it sends them? If we were created, it was +that we might serve God; if we have His gifts, +it is that we may glorify Him; if we have a +conscience, it is that we may obey it; if we +have the prospect of heaven, it is that we may +keep it before us; if we have light, that we +may follow it, if we have grace, that we may +save ourselves by means of it. Alas! alas! for +those who die without fulfilling their mission; +who were called to be holy, and lived in sin; +who were called to worship Christ, and who +plunged into this giddy and unbelieving +world; who were called to fight, and who remained +idle; who were called to be Catholics, +and who did but remain in the religion of +their birth! Alas for those who have had gifts +and talent, and have not used, or have misused, +or abused them; who have had wealth, +and have spent it on themselves; who have +had abilities, and have advocated what was +sinful, or ridiculed what was true, or scattered +doubts against what was sacred; who have had +leisure, and have wasted it on wicked companions, +or evil books, or foolish amusements! +Alas! for those of whom the best can be said +is, that they are harmless and naturally blameless, +while they never have attempted to +cleanse their hearts or to live in God's sight!</p> + +<p>The world goes on from age to age, but the +Holy Angels and Blessed Saints are always<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span> +crying Alas, alas! and Wo, wo! over the loss +of vocations, and the disappointment of hopes, +and the scorn of God's love, and the ruin of +souls. One generation succeeds another, and +whenever they look down upon earth from +their golden thrones, they see scarcely anything +but a multitude of guardian spirits, +downcast and sad, each following his own +charge, in anxiety, or in terror, or in despair, +vainly endeavoring to shield him from the +enemy, and failing because he will not be +shielded. Times come and go, and man will +not believe, that that is to be which is not yet, +or that what now is only continues for a season, +and is not eternity. The end is the trial; +the world passes; it is but a pageant and a +scene; the lofty palace crumbles, the busy city +is mute, the ships of Tarshish have sped away. +On heart and flesh death is coming; the veil +is breaking. Departing soul, how hast thou +used thy talents, thy opportunities, the light +poured around thee, the warnings given thee, +the grace inspired into thee? Oh, my Lord +and Savior, support me in that hour in the +strong arms of Thy sacraments, and by the +fresh fragrance of Thy consolations. Let the +absolving words be said over me, and the holy +oil sign and seal me, and Thy own body be +my food, and Thy blood my sprinkling; and +let my sweet mother Mary breathe on me, and +my angel whisper peace to me, and my glorious +saints, and my own dear father, Philip,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> +smile on me; that in them all, and through +them all, I may receive the gift of perseverance, +and die, as I desire to live, in Thy faith, +in Thy Church, in Thy service, and in Thy +love.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232"> </a><br /><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>BUSHNELL</h2> + +<h3>UNCONSCIOUS INFLUENCE</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p><span class="smcap">Horace Bushnell</span> was born at Litchfield, +Connecticut, in 1802. Graduated at +Yale 1827. In 1833 he became pastor of +the North Congregational Church, Hartford, +Conn., resigned in 1859 and died +in 1876. He wrote many theological +works. Among them "Christian Nurture" +(1847), a book now looked upon as +of classical authority. Considerable discussion +among Calvinists was aroused by +his "Nature and the Supernatural," and +his "The Vicarious Sacrifice" (1865) as +being out of accord with the accepted +creeds of the Congregational churches. +He lacked the sympathy and dramatic +instinct necessary to great oratorical +achievement, but his sermons prove by +their profound suggestiveness that he was +a man of keen spiritual insight, and +preached with force and impressiveness. +His influence upon the ministers of America +in modifying theology and remolding +the general type of preaching is fairly +comparable with that of Robertson.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>BUSHNELL</h2> + +<h3>1802-1876</h3> + +<h4>UNCONSCIOUS INFLUENCE<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a></h4> + +<p><em>Then went in also that other disciple.</em>—John xx., 8.</p> + + +<p>In this slight touch or turn of history, is +opened to us, if we scan closely, one of the +most serious and fruitful chapters of +Christian doctrine. Thus it is that men are ever +touching unconsciously the springs of motion +in each other; thus it is that one man, without +thought or intention, or even a consciousness +of the fact, is ever leading some other after +him. Little does Peter think, as he comes up +where his doubting brother is looking into the +sepulcher, and goes straight in, after his +peculiar manner, that he is drawing in his +brother apostle after him. As little does John +think, when he loses his misgivings, and goes +into the sepulcher after Peter, that he is +following his brother. And just so, unaware +to himself, is every man, the whole race +through, laying hold of his fellow-man, to lead +him where otherwise he would not go. We +overrun the boundaries of our personality—we +flow together. A Peter leads a John, a +John goes after Peter, both of them unconscious +of any influence exerted or received.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span> +And thus our life and conduct are ever +propagating themselves, by a law of social +contagion, throughout the circles and times +in which we live.</p> + +<p>There are, then, you will perceive, two sorts +of influence belonging to man; that which is +active or voluntary, and that which is unconscious—that +which we exert purposely or in +the endeavor to sway another, as by teaching, +by argument, by persuasion, by threatenings, +by offers and promises, and that which flows +out from us, unaware to ourselves, the same +which Peter had over John when he led him +into the sepulcher. The importance of our +efforts to do good, that is of our voluntary +influence, and the sacred obligation we are +under to exert ourselves in this way, are often +and seriously insisted on. It is thus that +Christianity has become, in the present age, a +principle of so much greater activity than it +has been for many centuries before; and we +fervently hope that it will yet become far +more active than it now is, nor cease to multiply +its industry, till it is seen by all mankind +to embody the beneficence and the living +energy of Christ Himself.</p> + +<p>But there needs to be reproduced, at the +same time, and partly for this object, a more +thorough appreciation of the relative importance +of that kind of influence or beneficence +which is insensibly exerted. The tremendous +weight and efficacy of this, compared with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span> +the other, and the sacred responsibility laid +upon us in regard to this, are felt in no such +degree or proportion as they should be; and +the consequent loss we suffer in character, as +well as that which the Church suffers in +beauty and strength, is incalculable. The +more stress, too, needs to be laid on this subject +of insensible influence, because it is insensible; +because it is out of mind, and, when +we seek to trace it, beyond a full discovery.</p> + +<p>If the doubt occur to any of you, in the announcement +of this subject, whether we are +properly responsible for an influence which +we exert insensibly; we are not, I reply, except +so far as this influence flows directly +from our character and conduct. And this it +does, even much more uniformly than our +active influence. In the latter we may fail of +our end by a want of wisdom or skill, in +which case we are still as meritorious, in God's +sight, as if we succeeded. So, again, we may +really succeed, and do great good by our +active endeavors, from motives altogether base +and hypocritical, in which case we are as evil, +in God's sight, as if we had failed. But the +influences we exert unconsciously will almost +never disagree with our real character. They +are honest influences, following our character, +as the shadow follows the sun. And, therefore, +we are much more certainly responsible +for them, and their effects on the world. They +go streaming from us in all directions, tho<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span> +in channels that we do not see, poisoning or +healing around the roots of society, and +among the hidden wells of character. If good +ourselves, they are good; if bad, they are bad. +And, since they reflect so exactly our character, +it is impossible to doubt our responsibility +for their effects on the world. We must +answer not only for what we do with a purpose, +but for the influence we exert insensibly. +To give you any just impressions of the +breadth and seriousness of such a reckoning +I know to be impossible. No mind can trace +it. But it will be something gained if I am +able to awaken only a suspicion of the vast +extent and power of those influences, which +are ever flowing out unbidden upon society, +from your life and character.</p> + +<p>In the prosecution of my design, let me ask +of you, first of all, to expel the common prejudice +that there can be nothing of consequence +in unconscious influences, because they make +no report, and fall on the world unobserved. +Histories and biographies make little account +of the power men exert insensibly over each +other. They tell how men have led armies, +established empires, enacted laws, gained +causes, sung, reasoned, and taught—always +occupied in setting forth what they do with a +purpose. But what they do without purpose, +the streams of influence that flow out from +their persons unbidden on the world, they can +not trace or compute, and seldom even mention.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span> +So also the public laws make men +responsible only for what they do with a +positive purpose, and take no account of the +mischiefs or benefits that are communicated +by their noxious or healthful example. The +same is true in the discipline of families, +churches, and schools; they make no account +of the things we do, except we will them. +What we do insensibly passes for nothing, +because no human government can trace such +influences with sufficient certainty to make +their authors responsible.</p> + +<p>But you must not conclude that influences +of this kind are insignificant, because they are +unnoticed and noiseless. How is it in the +natural world? Behind the mere show, the +outward noise and stir of the world, nature +always conceals her hand of control, and the +laws by which she rules. Who ever saw with +the eye, for example, or heard with the ear, +the exertions of that tremendous astronomic +force, which every moment holds the compact +of the physical universe together? The lightning +is, in fact, but a mere firefly spark in +comparison; but, because it glares on the +clouds, and thunders so terribly in the ear, +and rives the tree or the rock where it falls, +many will be ready to think that it is a vastly +more potent agent than gravity.</p> + +<p>The Bible calls the good man's life a light, +and it is the nature of light to flow out spontaneously +in all directions, and fill the world<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span> +unconsciously with its beams. So the Christian +shines, it would say, not so much because +he will, as because he is a luminous object. +Not that the active influence of Christians is +made of no account in the figure, but only that +this symbol of light has its propriety in the +fact that their unconscious influence is the +chief influence, and has the precedence in its +power over the world. And yet, there are +many who will be ready to think that light is +a very tame and feeble instrument, because +it is noiseless. An earthquake, for example, +is to them a much more vigorous and effective +agency. Hear how it comes thundering +through solid foundations of nature. It rocks +a whole continent. The noblest works of man—cities, +monuments, and temples—are in a +moment leveled to the ground, or swallowed +down the opening gulfs of fire. Little do they +think that the light of every morning, the soft, +and genial, and silent light, is an agent many +times more powerful. But let the light of the +morning cease and return no more, let the +hour of morning come, and bring with it no +dawn; the outcries of a horror-stricken world +fill the air, and make, as it were, the darkness +audible. The beasts go wild and frantic at the +loss of the sun. The vegetable growths turn +pale and die. A chill creeps on, and frosty +winds begin to howl across the freezing earth. +Colder, and yet colder, is the night. The vital +blood, at length, of all creatures, stops congealed.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span> +Down goes the frost toward the +earth's center. The heart of the sea is frozen; +nay, the earthquakes are themselves frozen in, +under their fiery caverns. The very globe +itself, too, and all the fellow planets that have +lost their sun, are become mere balls of ice, +swinging silent in the darkness. Such is the +light, which revisits us in the silence of the +morning. It makes no shock or scar. It +would not wake an infant in his cradle. And +yet it perpetually new creates the world, rescuing +it each morning, as a prey, from night +and chaos. So the Christian is a light, even +"the light of the world," and we must not +think that, because he shines insensibly or +silently, as a mere luminous object, he is +therefore powerless. The greatest powers are +ever those which lie back of the little stirs and +commotion of nature; and I verily believe +that the insensible influences of good men are +much more potent than what I have called +their voluntary, or active, as the great silent +powers of nature are of greater consequence +than her little disturbances and tumults. The +law of human influences is deeper than many +suspect, and they lose sight of it altogether. +The outward endeavors made by good men or +bad to sway others, they call their influence; +whereas, it is, in fact, but a fraction, and, in +most cases, but a very small fraction, of the +good or evil that flows out of their lives. Nay, +I will even go further. How many persons do<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span> +you meet, the insensible influence of whose +manners and character is so decided as often +to thwart their voluntary influence; so that, +whatever they attempt to do, in the way of +controlling others, they are sure to carry the +exact opposite of what they intend! And it +will generally be found that, where men +undertake by argument or persuasion to exert +a power, in the face of qualities that make +them odious or detestable, or only not entitled +to respect, their insensible influence will be +too strong for them. The total effect of the +life is then of a kind directly opposite to the +voluntary endeavor, which, of course, does not +add so much as a fraction to it.</p> + +<p>I call your attention, next, to the twofold +powers of effect and expression by which man +connects with his fellow man. If we distinguish +man as a creature of language, and +thus qualified to communicate himself to +others, there are in him two sets or kinds of +language, one which is voluntary in the use, +and one that is involuntary; that of speech in +the literal sense, and that expression of the +eye, the face, the look, the gait, the motion, +the tone of cadence, which is sometimes called +the natural language of the sentiments. This +natural language, too, is greatly enlarged by +the conduct of life, that which, in business +and society, reveals the principles and spirit +of men. Speech, or voluntary language, is a +door to the soul, that we may open or shut<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span> +at will; the other is a door that stands open +evermore, and reveals to others constantly, +and often very clearly, the tempers, tastes, +and motives of their hearts. Within, as we +may represent, is character, charging the common +reservoir of influence, and through these +twofold gates of the soul pouring itself out on +the world. Out of one it flows at choice, and +whensoever we purpose to do good or evil to +men. Out of the other it flows each moment, +as light from the sun, and propagates itself +in all beholders.</p> + +<p>Then if we go to others, that is, to the subjects +of influence, we find every man endowed +with two inlets of impression; the ear and the +understanding for the reception of speech, and +the sympathetic powers, the sensibilities or +affections, for tinder to those sparks of emotion +revealed by looks, tones, manners and general +conduct. And these sympathetic powers, tho +not immediately rational, are yet inlets, open +on all sides, to the understanding and character. +They have a certain wonderful capacity +to receive impressions, and catch the +meaning of signs, and propagate in us whatsoever +falls into their passive molds from others. +The impressions they receive do not come +through verbal propositions, and are never +received into verbal propositions, it may be, +in the mind, and therefore many think nothing +of them. But precisely on this account +are they the more powerful, because it is as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span> +if one heart were thus going directly into +another, and carrying in its feelings with it. +Beholding, as in a glass, the feelings of our +neighbor, we are changed into the same image, +by the assimilating power of sensibility and +fellow-feeling. Many have gone so far, and +not without show, at least, of reason, as to +maintain that the look or expression, and even +the very features of children, are often +changed by exclusive intercourse with nurses +and attendants. Furthermore, if we carefully +consider, we shall find it scarcely possible to +doubt, that simply to look on bad and malignant +faces, or those whose expressions have +become infected by vice, to be with them and +become familiarized to them, is enough permanently +to affect the character of persons +of mature age. I do not say that it must of +necessity subvert their character, for the evil +looked upon may never be loved or welcomed +in practise; but it is something to have these +bad images in the soul, giving out their expressions +there, and diffusing their odor +among the thoughts, as long as we live. How +dangerous a thing is it, for example, for a +man to become accustomed to sights of cruelty? +What man, valuing the honor of his +soul, would not shrink from yielding himself +to such an influence? No more is it a thing +of indifference to become accustomed to look +on the manners, and receive the bad expression +of any kind of sin.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span></p> + +<p>The door of involuntary communication, I +have said, is always open. Of course we are +communicating ourselves in this way to others +at every moment of our intercourse or presence +with them. But how very seldom, in +comparison, do we undertake by means of +speech to influence others! Even the best +Christian, one who most improves his opportunities +to do good, attempts but seldom to +sway another by voluntary influence, whereas +he is all the while shining as a luminous +object unawares, and communicating of his +heart to the world.</p> + +<p>But there is yet another view of this double +line of communication which man has with +his fellow-men, which is more general, and +displays the import of the truth yet more +convincingly. It is by one of these modes of +communication that we are constituted members +of voluntary society, and by the other, +parts of a general mass, or members of involuntary +society. You are all, in a certain +view, individuals, and separate as persons +from each other; you are also, in a +certain other view, parts of a common body, +as truly as the parts of a stone. Thus if you +ask how it is that you and all men came without +your consent to exist in society, to be +within its power, to be under its laws, the +answer is, that while you are a man, you are +also a fractional element of a larger and more +comprehensive being, called society—be it the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span> +family, the church, the state. In a certain +department of your nature, it is open; its sympathies +and feelings are open. On this open +side you will adhere together, as parts of a +larger nature, in which there is a common +circulation of want, impulse, and law. Being +thus made common to each other voluntarily, +you become one mass, one consolidated social +body, animated by one life. And observe how +far this involuntary communication and sympathy +between the members of a state or a +family is sovereign over their character. It +always results in what we call the national or +family spirit; for there is a spirit peculiar to +every state and family in the world. Sometimes, +too, this national or family spirit takes +a religious or an irreligious character, and +appears almost to absorb the religious self-government +of individuals. What was the +national spirit of France, for example, at a +certain time, but a spirit of infidelity? What +is the religious spirit of Spain at this moment, +but a spirit of bigotry, quite as wide of Christianity +and destructive of character as the +spirit of falsehood? What is the family spirit +in many a house, but the spirit of gain, or +pleasure, or appetite, in which everything +that is warm, dignified, genial, and good in +religion, is visibly absent? Sometimes you +will almost fancy that you see the shapes of +money in the eyes of children. So it is that +we are led on by nations, as it were, to good<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[247]</a></span> +or bad immortality. Far down in the secret +foundations of life and society there lie concealed +great laws and channels of influence, +which make the race common to each other in +all the main departments or divisions of the +social mass, laws which often escape our notice +altogether, but which are to society as gravity +to the general system of God's works.</p> + +<p>But these are general considerations, and +more fit, perhaps, to give you a rational conception +of the modes of influence and their +relative power, than to verify that conception, +or establish its truth. I now proceed to add, +therefore, some miscellaneous proofs of a more +particular nature.</p> + +<p>And I mention, first of all, the instinct of +imitation in children. We begin our mortal +experience, not with acts grounded in judgment +or reason, or with ideas received through +language, but by simple imitation, and, under +the guidance of this, we lay our foundations. +The child looks and listens, and whatsoever +tone of feeling or manner of conduct is displayed +around him, sinks into his plastic, +passive soul, and becomes a mold of his being +ever after. The very handling of the nursery +is significant, and the petulance, the passion, +the gentleness, the tranquillity indicated by it, +are all reproduced in the child. His soul is +a purely receptive nature, and that for a +considerable period, without choice or selection. +A little further on he begins voluntarily<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[248]</a></span> +to copy everything he sees. Voice, +manner, gait, everything which the eye sees, +the mimic instinct delights to act over. And +thus we have a whole generation of future +men, receiving from us their beginnings, and +the deepest impulses of their life and immortality. +They watch us every moment, in the +family, before the hearth, and at the table; +and when we are meaning them no good or +evil, when we are conscious of exerting no +influence over them, they are drawing from us +impressions and molds of habit, which, if +wrong, no heavenly discipline can wholly remove; +or, if right, no bad associations utterly +dissipate. Now it may be doubted, I think, +whether, in all the active influence of our +lives, we do as much to shape the destiny of our +fellow-men as we do in this single article of +unconscious influence over children.</p> + +<p>Still further on, respect for others takes the +place of imitation. We naturally desire the +approbation or good opinion of others. You +see the strength of this feeling in the article +of fashion. How few persons have the nerve +to resist a fashion! We have fashions, too, +in literature, and in worship, and in moral +and religious doctrine, almost equally powerful. +How many will violate the best rules of +society, because it is the practise of the circle! +How many reject Christ because of friends or +acquaintance, who have no suspicion of the +influence they exert, and will not have,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[249]</a></span> +till the last days show them what they +have done! Every good man has thus +a power in his person, more mighty +than his words and arguments, and which +others feel when he little suspects it. Every +bad man, too, has a fund of poison in his +character, which is tainting those around him, +when it is not in his thoughts to do them +injury. He is read and understood. His +sensual tastes and habits, his unbelieving +spirit, his suppressed leer at religions, have +all a power, and take hold of the heart of +others, whether he will have it so or not.</p> + +<p>Again, how well understood is it that the +most active feelings and impulses of mankind +are contagious. How quick enthusiasm of any +sort is to kindle, and how rapidly it catches +from one to another, till a nation blazes in the +flame! In the case of the Crusades you have +an example where the personal enthusiasm +of one man put all the states of Europe in +motion. Fanaticism is almost equally contagious. +Fear and superstition always infect +the mind of the circle in which they are manifested. +The spirit of war generally becomes +an epidemic of madness, when once it has got +possession of a few minds. The spirit of party +is propagated in a similar manner. How any +slight operation in the market may spread, +like a fire, if successful, till trade runs wild +in a general infatuation, is well known. Now, +in all these examples, the effect is produced,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[250]</a></span> +not by active endeavor to carry influence, but +mostly by that insensible propagation which +follows, when a flame of any kind is once more +kindled.</p> + +<p>It is also true, you may ask, that the +religious spirit propagates itself or tends to +propagate itself in the same way? I see no +reason to question that it does. Nor does anything +in the doctrine of spiritual influences, +when rightly understood, forbid the supposition. +For spiritual influences are never separated +from the laws of thought in the individual, +and the laws of feeling and influence +in society. If, too, every disciple is to be an +"epistle known and read of all men," what +shall we expect, but that all men will be somehow +affected by the reading? Or if he is to be +a light in the world, what shall we look for, +but that others, seeing his good works, shall +glorify God on his account? How often is it +seen, too, as a fact of observation, that one +or a few good men kindle at length a holy +fire in the community in which they live, and +become the leaven of general reformation! +Such men give a more vivid proof in their +persons of the reality of religious faith than +any words or arguments could yield. They +are active; they endeavor, of course, to exert +a good voluntary influence; but still their +chief power lies in their holiness and the sense +they produce in others of their close relation +to God.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[251]</a></span></p> + +<p>It now remains to exhibit the very important +fact, that where the direct or active influence +of men is supposed to be great, even this +is due, in a principal degree, to that insensible +influence by which their arguments, reproofs, +and persuasions are secretly invigorating. +It is not mere words which turn men; it is the +heart mounting, uncalled, into the expression +of the features; it is the eye illuminated by +reason, the look beaming with goodness; it is +the tone of the voice, that instrument of the +soul, which changes quality with such amazing +facility, and gives out in the soft, the tender, +the tremulous, the firm, every shade of emotion +and character. And so much is there in +this, that the moral stature and character of +the man that speaks are likely to be well represented +in his manner. If he is a stranger, his +way will inspire confidence and attract good +will. His virtues will be seen, as it were, +gathering round him to minister words and +forms of thought, and their voices will be +heard in the fall of his cadences. And the +same is true of bad men, or men who have +nothing in their character corresponding to +what they attempt to do. If without heart or +interest you attempt to move another, the +involuntary man tells what you are doing in +a hundred ways at once. A hypocrite, endeavoring +to exert a good influence, only tries to +convey by words what the lying look, and the +faithless affectation, or dry exaggeration of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[252]</a></span> +his manner perpetually resists. We have it +for a fashion to attribute great or even prodigious +results to the voluntary efforts and +labors of men. Whatever they effect is commonly +referred to nothing but the immediate +power of what they do. Let us take an example, +like that of Paul, and analyze it. Paul +was a man of great fervor and enthusiasm. +He combined, withal, more of what is lofty +and morally commanding in his character, +than most of the very distinguished men of +the world. Having this for his natural character, +and his natural character exalted and +made luminous by Christian faith, and the +manifest indwelling of God, he had of course +an almost superhuman sway over others. +Doubtless he was intelligent, strong in argument, +eloquent, active, to the utmost of his +powers, but still he moved the world more by +what he was than by what he did. The +grandeur and spiritual splendor of his character +were ever adding to his active efforts an +element of silent power, which was the real +and chief cause of their efficacy. He convinced, +subdued, inspired, and led, because of the half-divine +authority which appeared in his conduct, +and his glowing spirit. He fought the +good fight, because he kept the faith, and filled +his powerful nature with influences drawn +from higher worlds.</p> + +<p>And here I must conduct you to a yet +higher example, even that of the Son of God,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[253]</a></span> +the light of the world. Men dislike to be +swayed by direct, voluntary influence. They +are jealous of such control, and are therefore +best approached by conduct and feeling, and +the authority of simple worth, which seem to +make no purposed onset. If goodness appears, +they welcome its celestial smile; if +heaven descends to encircle them, they yield +to its sweetness; if truth appears in the life, +they honor it with a secret homage; if personal +majesty and glory appear, they bow +with reverence, and acknowledge with shame +their own vileness. Now it is on this side of +human nature that Christ visits us, preparing +just that kind of influence which the spirit +of truth may wield with the most persuasive +and subduing effect. It is the grandeur of His +character which constitutes the chief power of +His ministry, not His miracles or teachings +apart from His character. Miracles were +useful, at the time, to arrest attention, +and His doctrine is useful at all times +as the highest revelation of truth possible +in speech; but the greatest truth of the +gospel, notwithstanding, is Christ Himself—a +human body becomes the organ of the +divine nature, and reveals, under the conditions +of an earthly life, the glory of God! +The Scripture writers have much to say, in +this connection, of the image of God; and an +image, you know, is that which simply represents, +not that which acts, or reasons, or persuades.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[254]</a></span> +Now it is this image of God which +makes the center, the sun itself, of the gospel. +The journeyings, teachings, miracles, and +sufferings of Christ, all had their use in bringing +out this image, or what is the same, in +making conspicuous the character and feelings +of God, both toward sinners and toward sin. +And here is the power of Christ—it is that +God's beauty, love, truth, and justice shines +through Him. It is the influence which flows +unconsciously and spontaneously out of +Christ, as the friend of man, the light of the +world, the glory of the Father, made visible. +And some have gone so far as to conjecture +that God made the human person, originally, +with a view to its becoming the organ or +vehicle by which He might reveal His communicable +attributes to other worlds. Christ, +they believe, came to inhabit this organ, that +He might execute a purpose so sublime. The +human person is constituted, they say, to be a +mirror of God; and God, being imaged in that +mirror, as in Christ, is held up to the view +of this and other worlds. It certainly is to +the view of this; and if the Divine nature can +use the organ so effectively to express itself +unto us, if it can bring itself, through the +looks, tones, motions, and conduct of a human +person, more close to our sympathies than +by any other means, how can we think +that an organ so communicative, inhabited +by us, is not always breathing our spirit<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[255]</a></span> +and transferring our image insensibly to +others?</p> + +<p>I have protracted the argument on this +subject beyond what I could have wished, +but I can not dismiss it without suggesting +a few thoughts necessary to its complete practical +effect.</p> + +<p>One very obvious and serious inference +from it, and the first which I will name, is, +that it is impossible to live in this world and +escape responsibility. It is not that they +alone, as you have seen, who are trying purposely +to convert or corrupt others, who exert +an influence; you can not live without exerting +influence. The doors of your soul are open +on others, and theirs on you. You inhabit a +house which is well-nigh transparent; and +what you are within, you are ever showing +yourself to be without, by signs that have no +ambiguous expression. If you had the seeds +of a pestilence in your body, you would not +have a more active contagion than you have in +your tempers, tastes, and principles. Simply +to be in this world, whatever you are, is to +exert an influence—an influence, too, compared +with which mere language and persuasion +are feeble. You say that you mean well; +at least, you think you mean to injure no one. +Do you injure no one? Is your example +harmless? Is it ever on the side of God and +duty? You can not reasonably doubt that +others are continually receiving impressions<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[256]</a></span> +from your character. As little you can doubt +that you must answer for these impressions. +If the influence you exert is unconsciously +exerted, then it is only the most sincere, the +truest expression of your character. And for +what can you be held responsible, if not for +this? Do not deceive yourselves in the thought +that you are at least doing no injury, and are, +therefore, living without responsibility; first, +make it sure that you are not every hour infusing +moral death insensibly into your children, +wives, husbands, friends, and acquaintances. +By a mere look or glance, not unlikely, you are +conveying the influence that shall turn the +scale of some one's immortality. Dismiss, +therefore, the thought that you are living +without responsibility; that is impossible. +Better is it frankly to admit the truth; and if +you will risk the influence of a character +unsanctified by duty and religion, prepare to +meet your reckoning manfully, and receive +the just recompense of reward.</p> + +<p>The true philosophy or method of doing +good is also here explained. It is, first of all +and principally, to be good—to have a character +that will of itself communicate good. +There must and will be active effort where +there is goodness of principle; but the latter +we should hold to be the principal thing, the +root and life of all. Whether it is a mistake +more sad or more ridiculous, to make mere +stir synonymous with doing good, we need<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[257]</a></span> +not inquire; enough, to be sure that one who +has taken up such a notion of doing good, is +for that reason a nuisance to the Church. The +Christian is called a light, not lightning. In +order to act with effect on others, he must +walk in the Spirit, and thus become the image +of goodness; he must be so akin to God, and so +filled with His dispositions, that he shall seem +to surround himself with a hallowed atmosphere. +It is folly to endeavor to make ourselves +shine before we are luminous. If the +sun without his beams should talk to the +planets, and argue with them till the final day, +it would not make them shine; there must be +light in the sun itself; and then they will +shine, of course. And this, my brethren, is +what God intends for you all. It is the great +idea of His gospel, and the work of His spirit, +to make you lights in the world. His greatest +joy is to give you character, to beautify your +example, to exalt your principles, and make +you each the depository of His own almighty +grace. But in order to do this, something is +necessary on your part—a full surrender of +your mind to duty and to God, and a perpetual +desire of this spiritual intimacy; having +this, having a participation thus of the +goodness of God, you will as naturally communicate +good as the sun communicates his +beams.</p> + +<p>Our doctrine of unconscious and undesigning +influence shows how it is, also, that the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[258]</a></span> +preaching of Christ is often unfruitful, and +especially in times of spiritual coldness. It +is not because truth ceases to be truth, nor, of +necessity, because it is preached in a less vivid +manner, but because there are so many influences +preaching against the preacher. He is +one, the people are many; his attempt to convince +and persuade is a voluntary influence; +their lives, on the other hand, and especially +the lives of those who profess what is better, +are so many unconscious influences ever +streaming forth upon the people, and back +and forth between each other. He preaches +the truth, and they, with one consent, are +preaching the truth down; and how can he +prevail against so many, and by a kind of +influence so unequal? When the people of +God are glowing with spiritual devotion to +Him, and love to men, the case is different; +then they are all preaching with the preacher, +and making an atmosphere of warmth for his +words to fall in; great is the company of them +that publish the truth, and proportionally +great its power. Shall I say more? Have you +not already felt, my brethren, the application +to which I would bring you? We do not exonerate +ourselves; we do not claim to be nearer +to God or holier than you; but, ah! you know +how easy it is to make a winter about us, or +how cold it feels! Our endeavor is to preach +the truth of Christ and His cross as clearly +and as forcefully as we can. Sometimes it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[259]</a></span> +has a visible effect, and we are filled with joy; +sometimes it has no effect, and then we +struggle on, as we must, but under great +oppression. Have we none among you that +preach against us in your lives? If we show +you the light of God's truth, does it never fall +on banks of ice; which if the light shows +through, the crystal masses are yet as cold +as before? We do not accuse you; that we +leave to God, and to those who may rise up +in the last day to testify against you. If they +shall come out of your own families; if they +are the children that wear your names, the +husband or wife of your affections; if they +declare that you, by your example, kept them +away from Christ's truth and mercy, we may +have accusations to meet of our own, and we +leave you to acquit yourselves as best you +may. I only warn you, here, of the guilt +which our Lord Jesus Christ will impute to +them that hinder His gospel.</p> + + + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"> + +<p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> Delivered to the American Christian Missionary +Society, Cincinnati, October, 1860.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"> + +<p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> This is an exact literal version of <i>Rebotayim +alphey shenan</i>. The Targum says, "The chariots of +God are two myriads—and two thousand angels draw +them." A myriad is 10,000—two myriads 20,000. +"To know this," Adam Clarke says, "we must die."</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"> + +<p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> So we have always translated this term, in this +passage.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"> + +<p><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> From "Sermons for the New Life," published by +Charles Scribner's Sons.</p></div></div> + +<div class="tn"><h3>Transcriber's note:</h3> +<p>Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note.</p> + +<p>Page 203: "the filth of the world, and the offscouring of +all things", shall be found unto praise, and +honor, and glory!—The transcriber has supplied the missing closing quoteation mark.</p> + +<p>Page 206: not only from its condemnation, +but from its very "in-being";—The transcriber has supplied the opening quotation mark.</p> +</div> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44411 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/44411-h/images/4-000f-image.jpg b/44411-h/images/4-000f-image.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..17ce326 --- /dev/null +++ b/44411-h/images/4-000f-image.jpg diff --git a/44411-h/images/coverpage.jpg b/44411-h/images/coverpage.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..cfb020d --- /dev/null +++ b/44411-h/images/coverpage.jpg diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The World's Great Sermons, Volume 04 + L. Beecher to Bushnell + +Author: Various + +Release Date: December 12, 2013 [EBook #44411] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WORLD'S GREAT SERMONS, VOL 4 *** + + + + +Produced by Júlio Reis, Moisés S. Gomes, Julia Neufeld and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<div class="figcenter bord" style="width: 465px;"> +<img src="images/coverpage.jpg" width="465" height="600" alt="cover" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<div class="figcenter bord" style="width: 372px;"> +<img src="images/4-000f-image.jpg" width="372" height="600" alt="titlepage" /> +</div> +<hr class="chap" /> + +<h1><em>The World's Great Sermons</em><br /><br /> + +<span class="s08">VOLUME IV<br /><br /> + +L. BEECHER TO BUSHNELL</span></h1> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p class="center"><span class="b15"> +THE<br /> +<span class="smcap">World's<br /> +Great<br /> +Sermons</span></span></p> + + +<p class="center space-above">COMPILED BY<br /> +<span class="b12">GRENVILLE KLEISER</span></p> + +<p class="center space-above"><span class="b12">Formerly of Yale Divinity School Faculty;<br /> +Author of "How to Speak<br /> +in Public," Etc.</span></p> + + +<p class="center">With Assistance from Many of the Foremost<br /> +Living Preachers and Other Theologians</p> + +<p class="center space-above">INTRODUCTION BY<br /> +<big>LEWIS O. BRASTOW, D.D.</big><br /> +Professor Emeritus of Practical Theology<br /> +in Yale University</p> + +<p class="center space-above">IN TEN VOLUMES</p> + +<p class="center space-above">VOLUME IV L. BEECHER TO BUSHNELL</p> + +<p class="center space-above">FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY<br /> +NEW YORK and LONDON +</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p class="center"> +<span class="smcap">Copyright, 1908, by</span><br /> +FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY<br /> +<em>Printed in the United States of America</em> +</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[v]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="contents"> +<tr><td align="center">VOLUME IV</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Lyman Beecher</span> (1775-1863).</td><td align="left"><em>Page</em></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The Government of God Desirable</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Channing</span> (1780-1842).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The Character of Christ</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Chalmers</span> (1780-1847).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The Expulsive Power of a New Affection</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_53">53</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Alexander Campbell</span> (1788-1866).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The Missionary Cause</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_79">79</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Irving</span> (1792-1834).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> Preparation for Consulting the Oracles of God</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_101">101</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Arnold</span> (1795-1842).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> Alive in God</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_131">131</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Wayland</span> (1796-1865).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> A Day in the Life of Jesus of Nazareth</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_145">145</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Vinet</span> (1797-1847).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The Mysteries of Christianity</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_171">171</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Summerfield</span> (1798-1825).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> The Heavenly Inheritance</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_189">189</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Newman</span> (1801-1890).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> God's Will the End of Life</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_207">207</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Bushnell</span> (1802-1876).</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"> Unconscious Influence</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_233">233</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi"> </a></span></p> + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1"> </a></span></p> + +<h2>LYMAN BEECHER</h2> + +<h3>THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD DESIRABLE</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p><span class="smcap">Lyman Beecher</span> was born in New Haven, +Conn., in 1775. He graduated from Yale +in 1797, and in 1798 took charge of the +Presbyterian Church at Easthampton, +Long Island. He first attracted attention +by his sermon on the death of Alexander +Hamilton, and in 1810 became pastor of +the Congregational Church at Litchfield, +Conn. In the course of a pastorate of +16 years, he preached a remarkable series +of sermons on temperance and became +recognized as one of the foremost pulpit +orators of the country. In 1826 he went +to Boston as pastor of the Hanover Street +Congregational Church. Six years later +he became president of the Lane Theological +Seminary in Ohio, an office he +retained for twenty years. In 1852 he +returned to Boston and subsequently retired +to the house of his son, Henry Ward +Beecher, where he died in 1863. His +public utterances, whether platform or +pulpit, were carefully elaborated. They +were delivered extemporaneously and +sparkled with wit, were convincing by their +logic, and conciliating by their shrewd +common sense.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>LYMAN BEECHER</h2> + +<h3>1775-1863</h3> + +<h4>THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD DESIRABLE</h4> + +<p><em>Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven</em>.—Matthew +vi., 10.</p> + + +<p>In this passage we are instructed to pray +that the world may be governed, and +not abandoned to the miseries of unrestrained +sin; that God Himself would govern, +and not another; and that God would administer +the government of the world, in all +respects, according to His own pleasure. The +passage is a formal surrender to God of power +and dominion over the earth, as entire as His +dominion is in His heaven. The petition, +therefore, "Thy will be done," contains the +doctrine:</p> + +<p>That it is greatly to be desired that God +should govern the world, and dispose of men, +in all respects, entirely according to His own +pleasure.</p> + +<p>The truth of this doctrine is so manifest, +that it would seem to rank itself in the number +of self-evident propositions, incapable of +proof clearer than its own light, had not experience +taught that, of all truths, it is the +most universally and bitterly controverted.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> +Plain as it is, it has occasioned more argument +than any other doctrine, and, by argument +merely, has gained fewer proselytes; +for it is one of those controversies in which +the heart decides wholly, and argument, +strong or feeble, is alike ineffectual.</p> + +<p>This consideration would present, on the +threshold, a hopeless impediment to further +progress, did we not know, also, that arguments +a thousand times repeated, and as often +resisted, may at length become mighty +through God, to the casting down of imaginations, +and every high thing that exalteth itself +against the knowledge of God. I shall, +therefore, suggest several considerations, to +confirm this most obvious truth, that it is desirable +that God should govern the world entirely +according to His own good pleasure.</p> + +<p>1. It is desirable that God should govern +the world, and dispose of all events, according +to His pleasure, because He knows perfectly +in what manner it is best that the world +should be governed.</p> + +<p>The best way of disposing of men and their +concerns is that which will effectually illustrate +the glory of God. The glory of God is His +benevolence, and His natural attributes for +the manifestation of it, and sun of the moral +universe, the light and life of His kingdom. +All the blessedness of the intelligent creation +arises, and ever will arise, from the manifestation +and apprehension of the glory of God.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> +It was to manifest this glory that the worlds +were created. It was that there might be +creatures to behold and enjoy God, that His +dominions were peopled with intelligent +beings. And it is that His holy subjects may +see and enjoy Him, that He upholds and governs +the universe. The entire importance of +our world, therefore, and of men and their +concerns, is relative, and is great or small only +as we are made to illustrate the glory of God. +How this important end shall be most effectually +accomplished none but Himself is able to +determine. He, only, knows how so to order +things as that the existence of every being, +and every event, shall answer the purpose of +its creation, and from the rolling of a world +to the fall of a sparrow shall conspire to increase +the exhibitions of the divine character, +and expand the joy of the holy universe.</p> + +<p>An inferior intelligence at the helm of government +might conceive very desirable purposes +of benevolence, and still be at a loss as +to the means most fit and effectual to accomplish +them. But, with God, there is no such +deficiency. In Him, the knowledge which discovered +the end discovers also, with unerring +wisdom, the most appropriate means to bring +it to pass. He is wise in heart; He hath established +the world by His wisdom and +stretched out the heavens by His discretion. +And is He not wise enough to be intrusted +with the government of the world? Who,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> +then, shall be His counsellor? Who shall supply +the deficiencies of His skill? Oh, the presumption +of vain man! and, oh! the depths +both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!</p> + +<p>2. It is desirable that God should govern +the world according to His own pleasure, because +He is entirely able to execute His purposes.</p> + +<p>A wise politician perceives, often, both the +end and the means; and is still unable to +bring to pass his counsels, because the means, +though wise, are beyond his control. But God +is as able to execute as He is to plan. Having +chosen the end, and selected the means, his +counsels stand. He is the Lord God omnipotent. +The whole universe is a storehouse of +means; and when He speaks every intelligence +and every atom flies to execute His +pleasure. The omnipotence of God, in giving +efficacy to His government, inspires and perpetuates +the ecstasy of heaven. "And a voice +came out from the throne, saying, Praise our +God. And I heard as it were the voice of a +great multitude, and as the voice of many +waters, and as the voice of many thunderings, +saying Alleluia, the Lord God omnipotent +reigneth." What will that man do in heaven, +who is afraid and reluctant to commit to God +the government of the earth? And what will +become of those who, unable to frustrate His +counsels, murmur and rebel against His providence?</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span></p> + +<p>3. It is desirable that God should govern +the world according to His pleasure, because +the pleasure of God is always good.</p> + +<p>The angels who kept not their first estate, +and many wicked men, have great knowledge, +and skill, and power: and yet, on these accounts, +are only the more terrible; because +they employ these mighty faculties to do evil. +And the government of God, were He a being +of malevolence, armed as He is with skill and +power, would justly fill the universe with dismay. +But, as it is, brethren, "let not your +hearts be troubled." With God there is no +perversion of attributes. He is as good as He +is wise and powerful. God is love! Love is +that glory of God which He has undertaken to +express to His intelligent creation in His +works. The sole object of the government of +God, from beginning to end, is, to express His +benevolence. His eternal decrees, of which so +many are afraid, are nothing but the plan +which God has devised to express His benevolence, +and to make His kingdom as vast and +as blest as His own infinite goodness desires. +It was to show His glory—to express, in action, +His benevolence—that He created all the +worlds that roll, and rejoice, and speak His +name, through the regions of space. It is to +accomplish the same blest design, that He upholds, +and places under law, every intelligent +being, and directs every event, causing every +movement, in every world, to fall in, in its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> +appointed time and place, and to unite in +promoting the grand result—the glory of God, +and the highest good of His kingdom. And is +there a mortal, who, from this great system +of blest government, would wish this earth +to be an exception? What sort of beings must +those be who are afraid of a government administered +by infinite benevolence, to express, +so far as it can be expressed, the infinite +goodness of God? I repeat the question,—What +kind of characters must those be who +feel as if they had good reason to fear a government +the sole object of which is to express +the immeasurable goodness of God?</p> + +<p>4. It is greatly to be desired that God +should govern the world according to His +pleasure, because it is His pleasure to rule as +a moral governor.</p> + +<p>A moral government is a government exercised +over free agents, accountable beings; a +government of laws, administered by motives.</p> + +<p>The importance of such a government below +is manifest from the consideration, that it +is in His moral government, chiefly, that the +glory of God is displayed.</p> + +<p>The superintendence of an empty world, or +a world of mere animals, would not exhibit, +at all, the moral character of God. The glory +of God, shining in His law, could never be +made manifest, and the brighter glory of God, +as displayed in the gospel, must remain forever +hid; and all that happiness of which we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> +are capable, as moral beings, the joys of religion +below, and the boundless joys of heaven +above, would be extinguished, in a moment, +by the suspension of the divine moral government.</p> + +<p>Will any pretend that the Almighty cannot +maintain a moral government on earth, if +He governs according to His own pleasure? +Can He wield the elements, and control, at His +pleasure, every work of His hands, but just +the mind of man? Is the most noble work +of God—that which is the most worthy of +attention, and in reference to which all beside +is upheld and governed—itself wholly +unmanageable? Has Omnipotence formed +minds, which, the moment they are made, escape +from His hands, and defy the control of +their Maker? Has the Almighty erected a +moral kingdom which He cannot govern without +destroying its moral nature? Can He only +watch, and mend, and rectify, the lawless +wanderings of mind? Has He filled the earth +with untamed and untamable spirits, whose +wickedness and rebellion He can merely mitigate, +but cannot control? Does He superintend +a world of madmen, full of darkness and +disorder, cheered and blest by no internal +pervading government of His own? Are we +bound to submit to all events, as parts of the +holy providence of God; and yet, is there +actually no hand of God controlling the movements +of the moral world? But if the Almighty<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +can, and if he does, govern the earth +as a part of His moral kingdom, is there any +method of government more safe and wise +than that which pleases God? Can there be +a better government? We may safely pray, +then, "Thy will be done in earth as it is in +heaven," without fearing at all the loss of +moral agency; for all the glory of God, in His +Law and Gospel, and all the eternal manifestations +of glory to principalities and powers +in heavenly places, depend wholly upon the +fact, that men, though living under the government +of God, and controlled according to +His pleasure, are still entirely free, and accountable +for all the deeds done in the body. +There could be no justice in punishment and +no condescension, no wisdom, no mercy, in +the glorious gospel, did not the government +of God, though administered according to His +pleasure, include and insure the accountable +agency of man.</p> + +<p>Seeing, therefore, that all the glory of God, +which He ever proposes to manifest to the +intelligent creation, is to be made known by +the Church, and is to shine in the face of Jesus +Christ, and is to depend upon the perfect consistency +of the moral government of God with +human freedom, we have boundless assurance +that, among His absolute, immutable, eternal +purposes, one, and a leading one, is, so to govern +the world according to His counsels, that, +if men sin, there shall be complete desert of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> +punishment, and boundless mercy in their +redemption.</p> + +<p>5. It is greatly to be desired that God +should rule in the earth according to His +pleasure, because it is His pleasure to govern +the world in mercy, by Jesus Christ.</p> + +<p>The government is in the hand of a Mediator, +by whom God is reconciling the world to +Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them +that believe. Mercy is the bestowment of pardon +upon the sinful and undeserving. Now, +mankind are so eminently sinful, that no government +but one administered in infinite +mercy, could afford the least consolation. +Had any being but the God of mercy sat upon +the throne, or any will but His will prevailed, +there would have been no plan of redemption, +and no purposes of election, to perplex and +alarm the wicked. There would have been but +one decree, and that would have been, destruction +to the whole race of man. Are any reluctant +to be entirely in the hands of God? Are +they afraid to trust Him to dispose of soul and +body, for time and eternity? Let them surrender +their mercies, then, and go out naked +from that government which feeds, protects +and comforts them. Let them give up their +Bibles, and relinquish the means of grace, and +the hopes of glory, and descend and make +their bed in hell, where they have long since +deserved to be, and where they long since +would have been, if God had not governed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> +the world according to His own good pleasure. +If they would escape the evils which they fear +from the hand of God, let them abandon the +blessings they receive from it, and they will +soon discover whether the absolute dominion +of God, and their dependence upon Him, be, +in reality, a ground of murmuring and alarm. +Our only hope of heaven arises from being +entirely in the hands of God. Our destruction +could not be made more certain than it +would be were we to be given up to our own +disposal, or to the disposal of any being but +God. Would sinful mortals change their own +hearts? Could the combined universe, without +God, change the depraved affections of +men? Surely, then, we have cause for unceasing +joy, that we are in the hands of God; +seeing He is a God of mercy, and has decreed +to rule in mercy, and actually is administering +the government of the world in mercy, by +Jesus Christ.</p> + +<p>We have nothing to fear, from the entire +dominion of God, which we should not have +cause equally to fear, as outcasts from the +divine government; but we have everything +to hope, while He rules the earth according to +His most merciful pleasure. The Lord reigneth; +let the earth rejoice, let the multitude of +the isles be glad. It is of the Lord's mercies +that we are not consumed, because His compassions +fail not.</p> + +<p>6. It is greatly to be desired that God<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> +should dispose of mankind according to His +pleasure, because, if He does so, it is certain +that there will be no injustice done to anyone.</p> + +<p>He will do no injustice to His holy kingdom +by any whom He saves. He will bring none +to heaven who are not holy, and prepared for +heaven. He will bring none there in any way +not consistent with His perfections, and the +best good of His kingdom; none in any way +but that prescribed in the gospel, the way of +faith in Jesus Christ, of repentance for sin, +and of good works as the constituted fruit and +evidence of faith.</p> + +<p>Earthly monarchs have their favorites, +whom, if guilty of a violation of the laws, they +will often interpose to save, although the welfare +of the kingdom requires their punishment. +But God has no such favorites—He is +no respecter of persons: He spared not the +angels: and upon the earth distinctions of +intellect, or wealth, or honor, will have no +effect; he only that believeth shall be saved. +The great and the learned shall not be obtruded +upon heaven without holiness because +they are great or learned; and the humble and +contrite shall not be excluded because they are +poor, or ignorant, or obscure. God has provided +a way for all men to return to Him. He +has opened the door of their prison, and set +open before them a door of admission into the +kingdom of His dear Son; and commanded +and entreated them to abandon their dreary<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +abode, and come into the glorious liberty of the +sons of God. But all, with one consent, refuse +to comply. Each prefers his own loathsome +dwelling to the building of God, and chooses, +stedfastly, the darkness of his own dungeon, +to the light of God's kingdom. But, as God +has determined that the redemption of His +Son shall not be unavailing through human +obstinacy, so He hath chosen, in Christ, multitudes +which no man can number, that they +should be holy and without blame before Him +in love. And in bringing these sons and +daughters to glory, through sanctification of +the Spirit, and belief of the truth, He will introduce +not one whom all the inhabitants of +heaven will not hail joyfully, as the companion +of their glory. And if God does in +the earth just as He pleases, He will make +willing, and obedient, and bring to heaven, +just those persons who it was most desirable +should come. And He will bring just as many +obstinate rebels to abandon their prison, and +enter cheerfully His kingdom, as infinite wisdom, +goodness, and mercy, see fit and desire. +He will not mar His glory, or the happiness +of His kingdom, by bringing in too many, nor +by omitting to bring in enough. His redeemed +kingdom, as to the number and the +persons who compose it, and the happiness +included in it, will be such as shall be wholly +satisfactory to God, and to every subject of +His kingdom.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span></p> + +<p>And if God governs according to His pleasure, +He will do no injustice to His impenitent +enemies. He will send to misery no harmless +animals without souls—no mere machines—none +who have done, or even attempted to do, +as well as they could. He will leave to walk +in their own way none who do not deserve +to be left; and punish none for walking in it +who did not walk therein knowingly, deliberately +and with wilful obstinacy. He will give +up to death none who did not choose death, +and choose it with as entire freedom as Himself +chooses holiness; and who did not deserve +eternal punishment as truly as Himself deserves +eternal praise. He will send to hell +none who are not opposed to Him, and to +holiness, and to heaven; none who are not, +by voluntary sin and rebellion, unfitted for +heaven, and fitted for destruction, as eminently +as saints are prepared for glory. He +will consign to perdition no poor, feeble, inoffensive +beings, sacrificing one innocent +creature to increase the happiness of another. +He will cause the punishment of the wicked +to illustrate His glory, and thus indirectly to +promote the happiness of heaven. But God +will not illumine heaven with His glory, and +fill it with praise, by sacrificing helpless, unoffending +creatures to eternal torment; nor +will He doom to hell one whom He will not +convince also, that he deserves to go thither. +The justice of God, in the condemnation of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +the impenitent, will be as unquestionable, as +His infinite mercy will be in the salvation of +the redeemed.</p> + +<p>If the will of God is done on earth, among +men, there will be no more injustice done to +the inhabitants of the earth than there is done +to the blessed in heaven. Was it ever known—did +any ever complain—was it ever conceived—that +God was a tyrant, in heaven? +Why, then, should we question the justice of +His government on earth? Is He not the same +God below as above? Are not all His attributes +equally employed? Does He not govern +for the same end, and will not His government +below conspire to promote the same joyful end +as His government above?</p> + +<p>7. It is greatly to be desired that God +should govern the world according to His +pleasure, because His own infinite blessedness, +as well as the happiness of His kingdom, depends +upon His working all things according +to the counsel of His own will.</p> + +<p>Could the Almighty be prevented from expressing +the benevolence of His nature, according +to His purposes, His present boundless +blessedness would become the pain of ungratified +desire. God is love, and His happiness +consists in the exercise and expression of it, +according to His own eternal purpose, which +He purposed in Christ Jesus before the world +began. It is therefore declared, "The Lord +hath made all things for himself;" that is,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> +to express and gratify His infinite benevolence. +The moral excellence of God does not +consist in quiescent love, but in love active, +bursting forth, and abounding. Nor does the +divine happiness arise from the contemplation +of idle perfections, but from perfections +which comprehend boundless capacity, and +activity in doing good.</p> + +<p>From what has been said, we may be led to +contemplate with satisfaction the infinite +blessedness of God.</p> + +<p>God is love! This is a disposition which, +beyond all others, is happy in its own nature. +He is perfect in love; there is, therefore, in +His happiness no alloy. His love is infinite; +and, of course, His blessedness is unbounded. +If the little holiness existing in good men, +though balanced by remaining sin, occasions, +at times, unutterable joy, how blessed must +God be, who is perfectly and infinitely holy! +It is to be remembered, also, that the benevolence +of God is at all times perfectly gratified. +The universe which God has created and +upholds, including what He has done, and what +He will yet do, will be brought into a condition +which will satisfy His infinite benevolence. +The great plan of government which God has +chosen, and which His power and wisdom will +execute, will embrace as much good as in the +nature of things is possible. He is not, like +erring man, straitened and perplexed, through +lack of knowledge or power. There is in His<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +plan no defect, and in His execution no failure. +God, therefore, is infinitely happy in His +holiness, and in the expression of it which it +pleases Him to make.</p> + +<p>The revolt of angels, the fall of man, and +the miseries of sin, do not, for a moment, interrupt +the blessedness of God. They were +not, to Him, unexpected events, starting up +suddenly while the watchman of Israel slumbered. +They were foreseen by God as clearly +as any other events of His government, and +have occasioned neither perplexity nor dismay. +With infinite complacency He beholds +still His unshaken counsels, and with almighty +hand rolls on His undisturbed decrees. Surrounded +by unnumbered millions, created by +His hand, and upheld by His power, He shines +forth, God over all, blest for ever. What an +object of joyful contemplation, then, is the +blessedness of God! It is infinite; His boundless +capacity is full. It is eternal; He is God +blest forever. The happiness of the created +universe is but a drop—a drop to the mighty +ocean of divine enjoyment. How delightful +the thought, that in God there is such an immensity +of joy, beyond the reach of vicissitude! +When we look around below, a melancholy +sensation pervades the mind. What +miserable creatures! What a wretched +world! But when, from this scene of darkness +and misery, we look up to the throne of God, +and behold Him, high above the darkness and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> +miseries of sin, dwelling in light inaccessible +and full of glory, the prospect brightens. If +a few rebels, who refuse to love and participate +in His munificence, are groping in darkness +on His footstool, God is light, and in Him +there is no darkness at all.</p> + +<p>Those who are opposed to the decrees of +God, and to His sovereignty, as displayed +in the salvation of sinners, are enemies of +God.</p> + +<p>They are unwilling that His will should be +done in earth as it is in heaven; for the decrees +of God are nothing but His choice as to +the manner in which He will govern His own +kingdom. He did not enter upon His government +to learn wisdom by experience. Before +they were yet formed, His vast dominion lay +open to His view; and before He took the reins +of created empire, He saw in what manner it +became Him to govern. His ways are everlasting. +Known unto God are all His works +from the beginning. To be opposed to the +decrees of God, therefore, is to be unwilling +that God should have any choice concerning +the government of the world. And can those +be willing that God should govern the world +entirely according to His pleasure who object +to His having any pleasure upon the subject? +To object to the choice of God, with respect +to the management of the world, because it is +eternal, is to object to the existence of God. +A God of eternal knowledge, without an eternal<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +will or choice, would be a God without +moral character.</p> + +<p>To suppose that God did not know what +events would exist in His kingdom, is to divest +Him of omniscience. To suppose that He did +know, and did not care,—had no choice, no +purpose,—is to blot out His benevolence, to +nullify His wisdom and convert His power +into infinite indolence. To suppose that He did +know, and choose, and decree, and that events +do not accord with His purposes, is to suppose +that God has made a world which He can not +govern; has undertaken a work too vast; has +begun to build, but is not able to finish. But +to suppose that God did, from the beginning, +behold all things open and naked before Him, +and that He did choose, with unerring wisdom +and infinite goodness, how to govern His empire,—and +yet at the same time, to employ +heart, and head, and tongue, in continual +opposition to this great and blessed truth,—is, +most clearly, to cherish enmity to God and +His government.</p> + +<p>To object to the choice of God because it is +immutable, is to cavil against that which constitutes +its consummating excellence. Caprice +is a most alarming feature in a bad government; +but in a government absolutely perfect, +none, surely, can object to its immutability, +but those, who, if able, would alter it for the +worse.</p> + +<p>To say that, if God always knew how to govern<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +so as to display His glory, and bless His +kingdom, and always chooses thus to govern, +there can be, therefore, no accountable agency +in the conduct of His creatures, is to deny the +possibility of a moral government, to contradict +the express testimony of God; and this, +too, at the expense of common sense, and the +actual experience of every subject of His +moral government on earth.</p> + +<p>From the character of God, and the nature +of His government, as explained in this discourse, +may be inferred, the nature and necessity +of unconditional submission to God.</p> + +<p>Unconditional submission is an entire surrender +of the soul to God, to be disposed of +according to His pleasure,—occasioned by +confidence in His character as God.</p> + +<p>There are many who would trust the Almighty +to regulate the rolling of worlds, and +to rule in the armies of heaven, just as He +pleases; and devils they would consign to His +disposal, without the least hesitation; and +their own nation, if they were sure that God +would dispose of it according to their pleasure; +even their own temporal concerns they +would risk in the hands of God, could they +know that all things would work together for +their good; their souls, also, they would cheerfully +trust to His disposal, for the world to +come, if God would stipulate, at all events, to +make them happy.</p> + +<p>And to what does all this amount? Truly,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +that they care much about their own happiness, +and their own will, but nothing at all +about the will of God, and the welfare of His +kingdom. He may decree, and execute His +decrees, in heaven, and may turn its inhabitants +into machines, or uphold their freedom, +as He pleases; and apostate spirits are relinquished +to their doom, whether just or unjust. +It is only when the government of God descends +to particulars, and draws near and enters +their own selfish enclosures, and claims a +right to dispose of them, and extends its influence +to the unseen world, that selfishness +and fear take the alarm. Has God determined +how to dispose of my soul? Ah! that alters +the case. If He can, consistently with freedom, +govern angels, and devils, and nations, +how can He govern individuals? How can He +dispose of me according to His eternal purpose +and I be free? Here reason, all-penetrating, +and all-comprehensive, becomes weak; the +clouds begin to collect, and the understanding, +veiled by the darkness of the heart, can "find +no end, in wandering mazes lost."</p> + +<p>But if God has purposes of mercy in reserve +for the sinner, he is convinced, at length, of +his sin, and finds himself in an evil case. He +reforms, prays, weeps, resolves, and re-resolves, +regardless of the righteousness of +Christ, and intent only to establish a righteousness +of his own. But, through all his +windings, sin cleaves to him, and the law, with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> +its fearful curse, pursues him. Whither shall +he flee? What shall he do? A rebel heart, +that will not bow, fills him with despair. An +angry God, who will not clear the guilty, fills +him with terror. His strength is gone, his +resources fail, his mouth is stopped. With +restless anxiety, or wild amazement, he surveys +the gloomy prospect. At length, amidst +the wanderings of despair, the character of +God meets his eye. It is new, it is amiable, +and full of glory. Forgetful of danger, he +turns aside to behold this great sight; and +while he gazes, new affections awake in his +soul, inspiring new confidence in God, and in +His holy government. Now God appears +qualified to govern, and now he is willing that +He should govern, and willing himself to be in +the hands of God, to be disposed of according +to His pleasure. What is the occasion of this +change? Has the divine character changed? +There is no variableness with God. Did he, +then, misapprehend the divine character? +Was all this glory visible before? Or has a +revelation of new truth been granted? There +has been no new revelation. The character +now admitted is the same which just before +appeared so gloomy and terrible. What, then, +has produced this alteration? Has a vision of +angels appeared, to announce that God is reconciled? +Has some sudden light burst upon +him, in token of forgiveness? Has Christ +been seen upon the cross, beckoning the sinner<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +to come to Him? Has heaven been thrown +open to his admiring eyes? Have enrapturing +sounds of music stolen upon the ear, to entrance +the soul? Has some text of Scripture +been sent to whisper that his sins are forgiven, +tho no repentance, nor faith, nor love, has +dawned in his soul? And does he now submit, +because God has given him assurance of +personal safety? None of these. Considerations +of personal safety are, at the time, out +of the question. It is the uncreated, essential +excellence of God, shining in upon the heart, +which claims the attention, fixes the adoring +eye, and fills the soul with love, and peace, +and joy; and the act of submission is past, +before the subject begins to reflect upon his +altered views, with dawning hope of personal +redemption.</p> + +<p>The change produced, then, is the effect of +benevolence, raising the affections of the soul +from the world, and resting them upon God. +Holiness is now most ardently loved. This is +seen to dwell in God and His kingdom, and to +be upheld and perfected by His moral government. +It is the treasure of the soul, and all +the attributes of God stand pledged to protect +it. The solicitude, therefore, is not +merely, What will become of me? but, What, +O Lord, will become of Thy glory, and the +glory of Thy kingdom? And in the character +of God, these inquiries are satisfactorily answered. +If God be glorified, and His kingdom<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> +upheld and made happy, the soul is satisfied. +There is nothing else to be anxious about; +for individual happiness is included in the +general good, as the drop is included in the +ocean.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26"> </a><br /><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>CHANNING</h2> + +<h3>THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p><span class="smcap">William Ellery Channing</span>, the famous +Unitarian divine, was born at Newport, +R. I., in 1780. He took his degree at +Harvard in 1798, studied theology and +was ordained pastor of the Federal Street +Church in Boston, 1803. He has been +called the Apostle of Unitarianism, +because he was first among the orthodox +divines of New England to give Unitarianism +a clear, dogmatic expression, as +he did in a sermon preached at the ordination +of Jared Sparks, in opposition to the +current Calvinism of the day. But he +hated the controversy in which the publication +of his views involved him and professed +in 1841, "I am little of a Unitarian +and stand aloof from all but those who +strive and pray for clearer light." He +had made the acquaintance of Wordsworth +and Coleridge on his visit to England, +and the latter justly described him as one +who had "the love of wisdom and the +wisdom of love." He was a voluminous +writer on theological and literary subjects +and what he wrote was vigorous, of +fastidious taste and fired with moral +earnestness. He died in 1842.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>CHANNING</h2> + +<h3>1780-1842</h3> + +<h4>THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST</h4> + +<p><em>This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased</em>.—Matthew +xvii., 5.</p> + + +<p>The character of Christ may be studied +for various purposes. It is singularly +fitted to call forth the heart, to awaken +love, admiration, and moral delight. As an +example it has no rival. As an evidence of +His religion perhaps it yields to no other +proof; perhaps no other has so often conquered +unbelief. It is chiefly to this last +view of it that I now ask your attention. The +character of Christ is a strong confirmation of +the truth of His religion. As such I would +now place it before you. I shall not, however, +think only of confirming your faith; the very +illustrations which I shall adduce for this +purpose will show the claims of Jesus to our +reverence, obedience, imitation, and fervent +love.</p> + +<p>The more we contemplate Christ's character +as exhibited in the gospel, the more we shall +be impressed with its genuineness and reality. +It was plainly drawn from the life. The +narratives of the evangelists bear the marks<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +of truth perhaps beyond all other histories. +They set before us the most extraordinary +being who ever appeared on earth, and yet +they are as artless as the stories of childhood. +The authors do not think of themselves. They +have plainly but one aim, to show us their +Master; and they manifest the deep veneration +which He inspired by leaving Him to +reveal Himself, by giving us His actions and +sayings without comment, explanation, or +eulogy.</p> + +<p>You see in these narratives no varnishing, +no high coloring, no attempts to make His +actions striking or to bring out the beauties of +His character. We are never pointed to any +circumstance as illustrative of His greatness. +The evangelists write with a calm trust in His +character, with a feeling that it needed no +aid from their hands, and with a deep veneration, +as if comment or praise of their own +were not worthy to mingle with the recital +of such a life.</p> + +<p>It is the effect of our familiarity with the +history of Jesus that we are not struck by it +as we ought to be. We read it before we are +capable of understanding its excellence. His +stupendous works become as familiar to us as +the events of ordinary life, and His high offices +seem as much matters of course as the common +relations which men bear to each other.</p> + +<p>On this account it is fit for the ministers +of religion to do what the evangelists did not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +attempt, to offer comments on Christ's character, +to bring out its features, to point men +to its higher beauties, to awaken their awe by +unfolding its wonderful majesty. Indeed, one +of our most important functions as teachers +is to give freshness and vividness to truths +which have become worn, I had almost said +tarnished, by long and familiar handling. +We have to fight with the power of habit. +Through habit men look on this glorious +creation with insensibility, and are less moved +by the all-enlightening sun than by a show of +fireworks. It is the duty of a moral and +religious teacher almost to create a new sense +in men, that they may learn in what a world +of beauty and magnificence they live. And +so in regard to Christ's character; men become +used to it until they imagine that there +is something more admirable in a great man +of their own day, a statesman or a conqueror, +than in Him the latchet of whose shoes statesmen +and conquerors are not worthy to unloose.</p> + +<p>In this discourse I wish to show that the +character of Christ, taken as a whole, is one +which could not have entered the thoughts +of man, could not have been imagined or +feigned; that it bears every mark of genuineness +and truth; that it ought therefore +to be acknowledged as real and of divine +origin.</p> + +<p>It is all-important, my friends, if we would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> +feel the force of this argument, to transport +ourselves to the times when Jesus lived. We +are very apt to think that He was moving +about in such a city as this, or among a people +agreeing with ourselves in modes of thinking +and habits of life. But the truth is, he lived +in a state of society singularly remote from +our own.</p> + +<p>Of all the nations the Jewish was the most +strongly marked. The Jew hardly felt himself +to belong to the human family. He was +accustomed to speak of himself as chosen by +God, holy, clean; whilst the Gentiles were +sinners, dogs, polluted, unclean. His common +dress, the phylactery on his brow or arm, the +hem of his garment, his food, the ordinary +circumstances of his life, as well as his temple, +his sacrifices, his ablutions, all held him up to +himself as a peculiar favorite of God, and all +separated him from the rest of the world. +With other nations he could not eat or marry. +They were unworthy of his communion. Still, +with all these notions of superiority he saw +himself conquered by those whom he despised. +He was obliged to wear the shackles of Rome, +to see Roman legions in his territory, a Roman +guard near his temple, and a Roman tax-gatherer +extorting, for the support of an +idolatrous government and an idolatrous worship, +what he regarded as due only to God. +The hatred which burned in the breast of the +Jew toward his foreign oppressor perhaps<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +never glowed with equal intenseness in any +other conquered state.</p> + +<p>He had, however, his secret consolation. +The time was near, the prophetic age was at +hand, when Judea was to break her chains and +rise from the dust. Her long-promised king +and deliverer was near, and was coming to +wear the crown of universal empire. From +Jerusalem was to go forth His law, and all +nations were to serve the chosen people of +God. To this conqueror the Jews indeed +ascribed the office of promoting religion; but +the religion of Moses, corrupted into an outward +service, was to them the perfection of +human nature. They clung to its forms with +the whole energy of their souls. To the +Mosaic institution they ascribed their distinction +from all other nations. It lay at the +foundation of their hopes of dominion. I +believe no strength of prejudice ever equalled +the intense attachment of the Jew to his +peculiar national religion. You may judge of +its power by the fact of its having been transmitted +through so many ages, amidst persecution +and sufferings which would have subdued +any spirit but that of a Jew. You must bring +these things to your mind. You must place +yourselves in the midst of this singular +people.</p> + +<p>Among this singular people, burning with +impatient expectation, appeared Jesus of +Nazareth. His first words were, "Repent,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> +for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." These +words we hear with little emotion; but to the +Jews, who had been watching for this kingdom +for ages, and who were looking for its +immediate manifestation, they must have been +awakening as an earthquake. Accordingly we +find Jesus thronged by multitudes which no +building could contain. He repairs to a +mountain, as affording him advantages for +addressing the crowd. I see them surrounding +Him with eager looks, and ready to drink +in every word from His lips. And what do +I hear? Not one word of Judea, of Rome, of +freedom, of conquest, of the glories of God's +chosen people, and of the thronging of all +nations to the temple on Mount Zion.</p> + +<p>Almost every word was a death-blow to the +hopes and feelings which glowed through the +whole people, and were consecrated under the +name of religion. He speaks of the long-expected +kingdom of heaven; but speaks of +it as a felicity promised to, and only to be +partaken of by, the humble and pure in heart. +The righteousness of the Pharisees, that which +was deemed the perfection of religion, and +which the new deliverer was expected to +spread far and wide, He pronounces worthless, +and declares the kingdom of heaven, or +of the Messiah, to be shut against all who do +not cultivate a new, spiritual, and disinterested +virtue.</p> + +<p>Instead of war and victory He commands<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> +His impatient hearers to love, to forgive, to +bless their enemies; and holds forth this spirit +of benignity, mercy, peace, as the special badge +of the people of the true Messiah. Instead of +national interests and glories, he commands +them to seek first a spirit of impartial charity +and love, unconfined by the bounds of tribe or +nation, and proclaims this to be the happiness +and honor of the reign for which they hoped. +Instead of this world's riches, which they expected +to flow from all lands into their own, +He commands them to lay up treasures in +heaven, and directs them to an incorruptible, +immortal life, as the true end of their being.</p> + +<p>Nor is this all. He does not merely offer +himself as a spiritual deliverer, as the +founder of a new empire of inward piety +and universal charity; He closes with +language announcing a more mysterious office. +"Many will say unto Me in that day, Lord, +Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name, +and in Thy name done many wonderful +works? And then will I profess unto them, I +never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work +iniquity." Here I meet the annunciation of +a character as august as it must have been +startling. I hear Him foretelling a dominion +to be exercised in the future world. He begins +to announce, what entered largely into +His future teaching, that His power was not +bounded to this earth. These words I better +understand when I hear Him subsequently<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> +declaring that, after a painful death, He was +to rise again and ascend to heaven, and there, +in a state of preeminent power and glory, was +to be the advocate and judge of the human +race.</p> + +<p>Such are some of the views given by Jesus, +of His character and reign, in the Sermon on +the Mount. Immediately afterwards I hear +another lesson from Him, bringing out some +of these truths still more strongly. A Roman +centurion makes application to Him for the +cure of a servant whom he particularly +valued; and on expressing, in a strong manner, +his conviction of the power of Jesus to +heal at a distance, Jesus, according to the +historian, "marvelled, and said to those that +followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not +found so great faith in Israel; and 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; +but the children of the kingdom" (that is, +the Jews) "shall be cast out."</p> + +<p>Here all the hopes which the Jews had cherished +of an exclusive or peculiar possession of +the Messiah's kingdom were crushed; and the +reception of the despised Gentile world to all +His blessings, or, in other words, the extension +of His pure religion to the ends of the earth, +began to be proclaimed.</p> + +<p>Here I pause for the present, and I ask +you whether the character of Jesus be not the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> +most extraordinary in history, and wholly inexplicable +on human principles. Review the +ground over which we have gone. Recollect +that He was born and grew up a Jew in the +midst of Jews, a people burning with one +passion, and throwing their whole souls into +the expectation of a national and earthly deliverer. +He grew up among them in poverty, +seclusion, and labors fitted to contract His +thoughts, purposes, and hopes; and yet we +find Him escaping every influence of education +and society. We find Him as untouched +by the feelings which prevailed universally +around Him, which religion and patriotism +concurred to consecrate, which the mother +breathed into the ear of the child, and which +the teacher of the synagog strengthened in +the adult, as if He had been brought up in +another world. We find Him conceiving a +sublime purpose, such as had never dawned +on sage or hero, and see Him possessed with a +consciousness of sustaining a relation to God +and mankind, and of being invested with +powers in this world and the world to come, +such as had never entered the human mind. +Whence now, I ask, came the conception of +this character?</p> + +<p>Will any say it had its origin in imposture; +that it was a fabrication of a deceiver? I +answer, the character claimed by Christ excludes +this supposition by its very nature. It +was so remote from all the ideas and anticipations<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +of the times, so unfit to awaken sympathy, +so unattractive to the heathen, so exasperating +to the Jew, that it was the last to enter +the mind of an impostor. A deceiver of the +dullest vision must have foreseen that it would +expose him to bitter scorn, abhorrence, and +persecution, and that he would be left to carry +on his work alone, just as Jesus always stood +alone and could find not an individual to enter +into His spirit and design. What allurements +an unprincipled, self-seeking man could find +to such an enterprise, no common ingenuity +can discover.</p> + +<p>I affirm next that the sublimity of the +character claimed by Christ forbids us to trace +it to imposture. That a selfish, designing, +depraved mind could have formed the idea +and purpose of a work unparalleled in beneficence, +in vastness, and in moral grandeur, +would certainly be a strange departure from +the laws of the human mind. I add, that if +an impostor could have lighted on the conception +of so sublime and wonderful a work as +that claimed by Jesus, he could not, I say, +he could not have thrown into his personation +of it the air of truth and reality. The part +would have been too high for him. He would +have overacted it or fallen short of it perpetually. +His true character would have rebelled +against his assumed one. We should +have seen something strained, forced, artificial, +awkward, showing that he was not in his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> +true sphere. To act up to a character so +singular and grand, and one for which no +precedent could be found, seems to me utterly +impossible for a man who had not the true +spirit of it, or who was only wearing it as a +mask.</p> + +<p>Now, how stands the case with Jesus? Bred +a Jewish peasant or carpenter, He issues from +obscurity, and claims for Himself a divine +office, a superhuman dignity, such as had not +been imagined; and in no instance does He +fall below the character. The peasant, and +still more the Jew, wholly disappears.</p> + +<p>We feel that a new being, of a new order +of mind, is taking a part in human affairs. +There is a native tone of grandeur and +authority in His teaching. He speaks as a +being related to the whole human race. His +mind never shrinks within the ordinary limits +of human agency. A narrower sphere than +the world never enters His thoughts. He +speaks in a natural, spontaneous style, of +accomplishing the most arduous and important +change in human affairs. This unlabored +manner of expressing great thoughts is particularly +worthy of attention. You never hear +from Jesus that swelling, pompous, ostentatious +language, which almost necessarily +springs from an attempt to sustain a character +above our powers. He talks of His glories as +one to whom they were familiar, and of His +intimacy and oneness with God as simply as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> +a child speaks of his connection with his +parents. He speaks of saving and judging the +world, of drawing all men to Himself, and of +giving everlasting life, as we speak of the +ordinary powers which we exert. He makes +no set harangues about the grandeur of His +office and character. His consciousness of it +gives a hue to His whole language, breaks out +in indirect, undesigned expressions, showing +that it was the deepest and most familiar of +His convictions.</p> + +<p>This argument is only to be understood by +reading the Gospels with a wakeful mind and +heart. It does not lie on their surface, and it +is the stronger for lying beneath it. When I +read these books with care, when I trace the +unaffected majesty which runs through the +life of Jesus, and see him never falling below +His sublime claims amidst poverty, and scorn, +and in His last agony, I have a feeling of the +reality of His character which I can not express. +I feel that the Jewish carpenter could +no more have conceived and sustained this +character under motives of imposture than an +infant's arm could repeat the deeds of +Hercules, or his unawakened intellect comprehend +and rival the matchless works of +genius.</p> + +<p>Am I told that the claims of Jesus had +their origin not in imposture, but in enthusiasm; +that the imagination, kindled by strong +feeling, overpowered the judgment so far as to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> +give Him the notion of being destined to some +strange and unparalleled work? I know that +enthusiasm, or a kindled imagination, has +great power; and we are never to lose sight of +it, in judging of the claims of religious +teachers. But I say first, that, except in cases +where it amounts to insanity, enthusiasm +works, in a greater or less degree, according to +a man's previous conceptions and modes of +thought.</p> + +<p>In Judea, where the minds of men were +burning with feverish expectation of a messiah, +I can easily conceive of a Jew imagining +that in himself this ardent conception, this +ideal of glory, was to be realized. I can +conceive of his seating himself in fancy on +the throne of David, and secretly pondering +the means of his appointed triumphs. But +that a Jew should fancy himself the Messiah, +and at the same time should strip that character +of all the attributes which had fired his +youthful imagination and heart—that he +should start aside from all the feelings and +hopes of his age, and should acquire a consciousness +of being destined to a wholly new +career, and one as unbounded as it was now—this +is exceedingly improbable; and one thing +is certain that an imagination so erratic, so +ungoverned, and able to generate the conviction +of being destined to work so immeasurably +disproportioned to the power of the +individual, must have partaken of insanity.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span></p> + +<p>Now, is it conceivable that an individual, +mastered by so wild and fervid an imagination, +should have sustained the dignity +claimed by Christ, should have acted worthily +the highest part ever assumed on earth? +Would not his enthusiasm have broken out +amidst the peculiar excitements of the life of +Jesus, and have left a touch of madness on his +teaching and conduct? Is it to such a man +that we should look for the inculcation of a +new and perfect form of virtue, and for the +exemplification of humanity in its fairest +form?</p> + +<p>The charge of an extravagant, self-deluding +enthusiasm is the last to be fastened on Jesus. +Where can we find the traces of it in His +history? Do we detect them in the calm +authority of His precepts; in the mild, practical +and beneficial spirit of His religion; in the +unlabored simplicity of the language with +which He unfolds His high powers and the +sublime truths of religion; or in the good +sense, the knowledge of human nature, which +He always discovers in His estimate and treatment +of the different classes of men with +whom He acted? Do we discover this enthusiasm +in the singular fact that, whilst He +claimed power in the future world, and always +turned men's minds to Heaven, He never indulged +His own imagination or stimulated +that of His disciples by giving vivid pictures +or any minute description of that unseen +state?</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span></p> + +<p>The truth is, that, remarkable as was the +character of Jesus, it was distinguished by +nothing more than by calmness and self-possession. +This trait pervades His other +excellences. How calm was His piety! Point +me, if you can, to one vehement, passionate +expression of His religious feelings. Does the +Lord's Prayer breathe a feverish enthusiasm? +The habitual style of Jesus on the subject of +religion, if introduced into many churches of +His followers at the present day, would be +charged with coldness. The calm and the +rational character of His piety is particularly +seen in the doctrine which He so earnestly +inculcates, that disinterested love and self-denying +service to our fellow creatures are the +most acceptable worship we can offer to our +Creator.</p> + +<p>His benevolence, too, tho singularly +earnest and deep, was composed and serene. +He never lost the possession of Himself in His +sympathy with others; was never hurried into +the impatient and rash enterprises of an enthusiastic +philanthropy; but did good with the +tranquility and constancy which mark the +providence of God. The depth of this calmness +may best be understood by considering +the opposition made to His claims.</p> + +<p>His labors were everywhere insidiously +watched and industriously thwarted by vindictive +foes who had even conspired to compass, +through His death, the ruin of His cause.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> +Now, a feverish enthusiasm which fancies +itself to be intrusted with a great work of +God is singularly liable to impatient indignation +under furious and malignant opposition. +Obstacles increase its vehemence; it becomes +more eager and hurried in the accomplishment +of its purposes, in proportion as they +are withstood.</p> + +<p>Be it therefore remembered that the malignity +of Christ's foes, tho never surpassed, and +for the time triumphant, never robbed Him +of self-possession, roused no passion, and +threw no vehemence or precipitation into His +exertions. He did not disguise from Himself +or His followers the impression made on the +multitude by His adversaries. He distinctly +foresaw the violent death towards which He +was fast approaching. Yet, confiding in God +and in the silent progress of His truth, He +possest His soul in peace. Not only was +He calm, but His calmness rises into sublimity +when we consider the storms which raged +around Him and the vastness of the prospects +in which His spirit found repose. I say then +that serenity and self-possession were peculiarly +the attributes of Jesus. I affirm that the +singular and sublime character claimed by +Jesus can be traced neither to imposture nor +to an ungoverned, insane imagination. It can +only be accounted for by its truth, its reality.</p> + +<p>I began with observing how our long familiarity +with Jesus blunts our minds to His singular<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> +excellence. We probably have often read +of the character which He claimed, without a +thought of its extraordinary nature. But I +know nothing so sublime. The plans and +labors of statesmen sink into the sports of children +when compared with the work which +Jesus announced, and to which He devoted +Himself in life and death with a thorough +consciousness of its reality.</p> + +<p>The idea of changing the moral aspect of the +whole earth, of recovering all nations to the +pure and inward worship of one God and to +a spirit of divine and fraternal love, was one +of which we meet not a trace in philosopher +or legislator before Him. The human mind +had given no promise of this extent of view. +The conception of this enterprise, and the +calm, unshaken expectation of success in one +who had no station and no wealth, who cast +from Him the sword with abhorrence, and who +forbade His disciples to use any weapons but +those of love, discover a wonderful trust in the +power of God and the power of love; and when +to this we add that Jesus looked not only to +the triumph of His pure faith in the present +world, but to a mighty and beneficent power +in Heaven, we witness a vastness of purpose, +a grandeur of thought and feeling so original, +so superior to the workings of all other minds, +that nothing but our familiarity can prevent +our contemplation of it with wonder and profound +awe. * * *</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span></p> + +<p>Here is the most striking view of Jesus. +This combination of the spirit of humanity, +in its lowliest, tenderest form, with the consciousness +of unrivaled and divine glories, is +the most wonderful distinction of this wonderful +character. Here we learn the chief reason +why He chose poverty and refused every +peculiarity of manner and appearance. He +did this because He desired to come near to the +multitude of men, to make Himself accessible +to all, to pour out the fulness of His sympathy +upon all, to know and weep over their sorrows +and sins, and to manifest His interest in their +affections and joys.</p> + +<p>I can offer but a few instances of this +sympathy of Christ with human nature in all +its varieties of character and condition. But +how beautiful are they! At the very opening +of His ministry we find Him present at a +marriage to which He and His disciples had +been called. Among the Jews this was an +occasion of peculiar exhilaration and festivity; +but Jesus did not therefore decline it. +He knew what affections, joys, sorrows, and +moral influences are bound up in this institution, +and He went to the celebration, not as an +ascetic, to frown on its bright hopes and warm +congratulations, but to sanction it by His +presence and to heighten its enjoyments.</p> + +<p>How little does this comport with the solitary +dignity which we should have pronounced +most accordant with His character,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> +and what a spirit of humanity does it breathe! +But this event stands almost alone in His +history. His chief sympathy was not with +them that rejoice, but with the ignorant, sinful, +sorrowful; and with these we find Him +cultivating an habitual intimacy. Tho so +exalted in thought and purpose, He chose uneducated +men to be His chief disciples; and +He lived with them, not as a superior, giving +occasional and formal instruction, but became +their companion traveled with them on foot, +slept in their dwellings, sat at their tables, +partook of their plain fare, communicated to +them His truth in the simplest form; and +tho they constantly misunderstood Him and +never perceived His full meaning, He was +never wearied with teaching them.</p> + +<p>So familiar was His intercourse that we +find Peter reproving Him with an affectionate +zeal for announcing His approaching death, +and we find John leaning on His bosom. Of +His last discourse to these disciples I need +not speak. It stands alone among all writings +for the union of tenderness and majesty. +His own sorrows are forgotten in His solicitude +to speak peace and comfort to His humble +followers.</p> + +<p>The depth of His human sympathies was +beautifully manifested when children were +brought Him. His disciples, judging as all +men would judge, thought that He was sent to +wear the crown of universal empire, had too<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +great a work before Him to give His time and +attention to children, and reproved the parents +who brought them; but Jesus, rebuking +His disciples, called to Him the children. +Never, I believe, did childhood awaken such +deep love as at that moment. He took them in +His arms and blest them, and not only said +that "of such was the kingdom of heaven," +but added, "He that receiveth a little child +in My name, receiveth Me;" so entirely did +He identify Himself with this primitive, innocent, +beautiful form of human nature.</p> + +<p>There was no class of human beings so low +as to be beneath His sympathy. He not +merely taught the publican and sinner, but, +with all His consciousness of purity, sat down +and dined with them, and, when reproved by +the malignant Pharisee for such companionship, +answered by the touching parables of the +Lost Sheep and the Prodigal Son, and said, +"I am come to seek and to save that which +was lost."</p> + +<p>No personal suffering dried up this fountain +of love in His breast. On His way to the cross +He heard some women of Jerusalem bewailing +Him, and at the sound, forgetting His own +grief, He turned to them and said, "Women +of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep +for yourselves and your children." On the +cross, whilst His mind was divided between +intense suffering and the contemplation of the +infinite blessings in which His sufferings were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> +to issue, His eye lighted on His mother and +John, and the sensibilities of a son and a +friend mingled with the sublime consciousness +of the universal Lord and Savior. Never +before did natural affection find so tender and +beautiful an utterance. To His mother He +said, directing her to John, "Behold thy son; +I leave My beloved disciple to take My place, +to perform My filial offices, and to enjoy a +share of that affection with which you have +followed Me through life;" and to John He +said, "Behold thy mother; I bequeath to you +the happiness of ministering to My dearest +earthly friend." Nor is this all. The spirit +of humanity had one higher triumph. Whilst +His enemies surrounded Him with a malignity +unsoftened by His last agonies, and, to give +the keenest edge to insult, reminded Him scoffingly +of the high character and office which He +had claimed, His only notice of them was the +prayer, "Father, forgive them, they know not +what they do."</p> + +<p>Thus Jesus lived with men; with the consciousness +of unutterable majesty He joined +a lowliness, gentleness, humanity, and sympathy, +which have no example in human history. +I ask you to contemplate this wonderful union. +In proportion to the superiority of Jesus to +all around Him was the intimacy, the brotherly +love, with which He bound Himself to +them. I maintain that this is a character +wholly remote from human conception. To<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +imagine it to be the production of imposture +or enthusiasm shows a strange unsoundness +of mind. I contemplate it with a veneration +second only to the profound awe with which I +look up to God. It bears no mark of human +invention. It was real. It belonged to and it +manifested the beloved Son of God.</p> + +<p>But I have not done. May I ask your +attention a few moments more? We have not +yet reached the depth of Christ's character. +We have not touched the great principle on +which His wonderful sympathy was founded, +and which endeared to Him His office of universal +Savior. Do you ask what this deep +principle was? I answer, it was His conviction +of the greatness of the human soul. He +saw in man the impress and image of the +Divinity, and therefore thirsted for his redemption, +and took the tenderest interest in +him, whatever might be the rank, character, +or condition in which he was found. This +spiritual view of man pervades and distinguishes +the teaching of Christ.</p> + +<p>Jesus looked on men with an eye which +pierced beneath the material frame. The +body vanished before Him. The trappings +of the rich, the rags of the poor, were nothing +to Him. He looked through them, as tho +they did not exist, to the soul; and there, +amidst clouds of ignorance and plague-spots +of sin, He recognized a spiritual and immortal +nature, and the germs of power and perfection<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> +which might be unfolded forever. In the +most fallen and depraved man He saw a being +who might become an angel of light.</p> + +<p>Still more, He felt that there was nothing +in Himself to which men might not ascend. +His own lofty consciousness did not sever +Him from the multitude; for He saw in His +own greatness the model of what men might +become. So deeply was He thus imprest that, +again and again, in speaking of His future +glories, He announced that in these His true +followers were to share. They were to sit on +His throne and partake of His beneficent +power.</p> + +<p>Here I pause, and indeed I know not what +can be added to heighten the wonder, reverence, +and love which are due to Jesus. When +I consider Him, not only as possest with +the consciousness of an unexampled and unbounded +majesty, but as recognizing a kindred +nature in human beings, and living and dying +to raise them to a participation of His divine +glories; and when I see Him under these views +allying Himself to men by the tenderest ties, +embracing them with a spirit of humanity +which no insult, injury, or pain could for a +moment repel or overpower, I am filled with +wonder as well as reverence and love. I feel +that this character is not of human invention, +that it was not assumed through fraud, or +struck out by enthusiasm; for it is infinitely +above their reach. When I add this character<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +of Jesus to the other evidences of His religion, +it gives to what before seemed so strange a new +and a vast accession of strength; I feel as if +I could not be deceived.</p> + +<p>The Gospels must be true; they were drawn +from a living original; they were founded on +reality. The character of Jesus is not a fiction; +He was what He claimed to be, and what +His followers attested. Nor is this all. Jesus +not only was, He is still the Son of God, the +Savior of the world. He exists now; He has +entered that heaven to which He always looked +forward on earth. There He lives and reigns. +With a clear, calm faith I see Him in that +state of glory; and I confidently expect, at no +distant period, to see Him face to face. We +have indeed no absent friend whom we shall +so surely meet.</p> + +<p>Let us then, my hearers, by imitation of His +virtues and obedience to His word, prepare +ourselves to join Him in those pure mansions +where He is surrounding Himself with the +good and pure of our race, and will communicate +to them forever His own spirit, power, +and joy.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>CHALMERS</h2> + +<h3>THE EXPULSIVE POWER OF A NEW +AFFECTION</h3> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54"> </a></span></p> + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + +<p><span class="smcap">Thomas Chalmers</span>, theologian, preacher +and philanthropist, was born at Anstruther, +near St. Andrews, Scotland, in 1780. +In his thirty-fifth year he experienced a +profound religious change and became a +pronounced, tho independent, evangelical +preacher. On being appointed to the +Tron Church in Glasgow, he set about to +face what he called "the home heathenism." +During the week days he delivered his +series of "Astronomical Discourses," in +which he endeavored to bring science into +harmony with Christianity. His "Commercial +Discourses" were designed to +Christianize the principles of trade. But +he reduced pauperism chiefly by fighting +against intemperance in Glasgow. On +being transferred to St. John's Parish, +the largest, but poorest in the city, he +made Edward Irving his assistant. In +1828 he was called to the chair of theology +in Edinburgh University.</p> + +<p>But it was as a preacher that he exerted +most influence by bringing the evangelical +message into relations with the science, the +culture, the thinking of his age. In doing +this he carried his hearers away by the +blazing force of his eloquence. Many +times in his preaching he was "in an +agony of earnestness," and one of his +hearers speaks of "that voice, that face, +those great, simple, living thoughts, those +floods of resistless eloquence, that piercing, +shattering voice!" He died in 1847.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>CHALMERS</h2> + +<h3>1780-1847</h3> + +<h4>THE EXPULSIVE POWER OF A NEW +AFFECTION</h4> + +<p><em>Love not the world, neither the things that are in the +world. If any man love the world, the love of the +Father is not in him</em>.—1 John ii., 15.</p> + + +<p>There are two ways in which a practical +moralist may attempt to displace from +the human heart its love of the world; +either by a demonstration of the world's vanity, +so as that the heart shall be prevailed +upon simply to withdraw its regards from an +object that is not worthy of it; or, by setting +forth another object, even God, as more +worthy of its attachment; so as that the heart +shall be prevailed upon, not to resign an old +affection which shall have nothing to succeed +it, but to exchange an old affection for a new +one. My purpose is to show, that from the +constitution of our nature, the former method +is altogether incompetent and ineffectual—and +that the latter method will alone suffice +for the rescue and recovery of the heart from +the wrong affection that domineers over it. +After having accomplished this purpose, I +shall attempt a few practical observations.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span></p> + +<p>Love may be regarded in two different conditions. +The first is when its object is at a +distance, and when it becomes love in a state +of desire. The second is when its object is in +possession, and then it becomes love in a state +of indulgence. Under the impulse of desire, +man feels himself urged onward in some path +or pursuit of activity for its gratification. +The faculties of his mind are put into busy +exercise. In the steady direction of one great +and engrossing interest, his attention is recalled +from the many reveries into which it +might otherwise have wandered; and the powers +of his body are forced away from an indolence +in which it else might have languished; +and that time is crowded with +occupation, which but for some object of keen +and devoted ambition, might have driveled +along in successive hours of weariness and +distaste—and tho hope does not always enliven, +and success does not always crown +the career of exertion, yet in the midst of this +very variety, and with the alternations of occasional +disappointment, is the machinery of +the whole man kept in a sort of congenial play, +and upholden in that tone and temper which +are most agreeable to it; insomuch that, if +through the extirpation of that desire which +forms the originating principle of all this +movement, the machinery were to stop, and +to receive no impulse from another desire substituted +in its place, the man would be left<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> +with all his propensities to action in a state of +most painful and unnatural abandonment. A +sensitive being suffers, and is in violence, if, +after having thoroughly rested from his fatigue, +or been relieved from his pain, he continue +in possession of powers without any excitement +to these powers; if he possess a capacity +of desire without having an object of desire; +or if he have a spare energy upon his +person, without a counterpart, and without a +stimulus to call it into operation. The misery +of such a condition is often realized by him +who is retired from business, or who is retired +from law, or who is even retired from the occupations +of the chase, and of the gaming-table. +Such is the demand of our nature for +an object in pursuit, that no accumulation of +previous success can extinguish it—and thus +it is, that the most prosperous merchant, and +the most victorious general, and the most fortunate +gamester, when the labor of their respective +vocations has come to a close, are +often found to languish in the midst of all +their acquisitions, as if out of their kindred +and rejoicing element. It is quite in vain, with +such a constitutional appetite for employment +in man, to attempt cutting away from him +the spring or the principle of one employment, +without providing him with another. The +whole heart and habit will rise in resistance +against such an undertaking. The else unoccupied +female, who spends the hours of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> +every evening at some play of hazard, knows +as well as you, that the pecuniary gain, or the +honorable triumph of a successful contest, are +altogether paltry. It is not such a demonstration +of vanity as this that will force her away +from her dear and delightful occupation. The +habit can not so be displaced as to leave nothing +but a negative and cheerless vacancy behind +it—tho it may be so supplanted as to +be followed up by another habit of employment, +to which the power of some new affection +has constrained her. It is willingly suspended, +for example, on any single evening, +should the time that is wont to be allotted to +gaming be required to be spent on the preparations +of an approaching assembly.</p> + +<p>The ascendant power of a second affection +will do what no exposition, however forcible, +of the folly and worthlessness of the first, ever +could effectuate. And it is the same in the +great world. You never will be able to arrest +any of its leading pursuits by a naked demonstration +of their vanity. It is quite in vain +to think of stopping one of these pursuits in +any way else but by stimulating to another. +In attempting to bring a worthy man, intent +and busied with the prosecution of his objects, +to a dead stand, you have not merely to encounter +the charm which he annexes to these +objects, but you have to encounter the pleasure +which he feels in the very prosecution of +them. It is not enough, then, that you dissipate<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> +the charm by your moral and eloquent +and affecting exposure of its illusiveness. You +must address to the eye of his mind another +object, with a charm powerful enough to dispossess +the first of its influence, and to engage +him in some other prosecution as full of interest +and hope and congenial activity as the +former. It is this which stamps an impotency +on all moral and pathetic declamation about +the insignificance of the world. A man will +no more consent to the misery of being without +an object, because that object is a trifle, +or of being without a pursuit, because that +pursuit terminates in some frivolous or fugitive +acquirement, than he will voluntarily submit +himself to the torture, because that torture +is to be of short duration. If to be without +desire and without exertion altogether is a +state of violence and discomfort, then the present +desire, with its correspondent train of exertion, +is not to be got rid of simply by destroying +it. It must be by substituting another +desire, and another line or habit of +exertion in its place, and the most effectual +way of withdrawing the mind from one object +is not by turning it away upon desolate +and unpeopled vacancy, but by presenting to +its regards another object still more alluring.</p> + +<p>These remarks apply not merely to love considered +in its state of desire for an object not +yet obtained. They apply also to love considered +in its state of indulgence, or placid<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> +gratification, with an object already in possession. +It is seldom that any of our tastes +are made to disappear by a mere process of +natural extinction. At least, it is very seldom +that this is done through the instrumentality +of reasoning. It may be done by excessive +pampering, but it is almost never done by the +mere force of mental determination. But +what can not be thus destroyed, may be dispossest—and +one taste may be made to give +way to another, and to lose its power entirely +as the reigning affection of the mind. It is +thus that the boy ceases, at length, to be the +slave of his appetite; but it is because a manlier +taste has now brought it into subordination, +and that the youth ceases to idolize pleasure; +but it is because the idol of wealth has +become the stronger and gotten the ascendency, +and that even the love of money ceases +to have the mastery over the heart of many a +thriving citizen; but it is because, drawn into +the whirl of city politics, another affection has +been wrought into his moral system, and he +is now lorded over by the love of power. +There is not one of these transformations in +which the heart is left without an object. Its +desire for one particular object may be conquered; +but as to its desire for having some +one object or other, this is unconquerable. Its +adhesion to that on which it has fastened the +preference of its regards, can not willingly be +overcome by the rending away of a simple<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> +separation. It can be done only by the application +of something else, to which it may +feel the adhesion of a still stronger and more +powerful preference. Such is the grasping +tendency of the human heart, that it must +have a something to lay hold of—and which, +if wrested away without the substitution of +another something in its place, would leave +a void and a vacancy as painful to the mind +as hunger is to the natural system. It may be +dispossest of one object, or of any, but it +can not be desolated of all. Let there be a +breathing and a sensitive heart, but without +a liking and without affinity to any of the +things that are around it, and in a state of +cheerless abandonment, it would be alive to +nothing but the burden of its own consciousness, +and feel it to be intolerable. It would +make no difference to its owner, whether he +dwelt in the midst of a gay and a goodly +world, or, placed afar beyond the outskirts of +creation, he dwelt a solitary unit in dark and +unpeopled nothingness. The heart must have +something to cling to—and never, by its own +voluntary consent, will it so denude itself of +all its attachments that there shall not be one +remaining object that can draw or solicit it.</p> + +<p>The misery of a heart thus bereft of all +relish for that which is wont to minister enjoyment, +is strikingly exemplified in those who, +satiated with indulgence, have been so belabored, +as it were, with the variety and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> +poignancy of the pleasurable sensations that +they have experienced, that they are at length +fatigued out of all capacity for sensation +whatever. The disease of ennui is more frequent +in the French metropolis, where amusement +is more exclusively the occupation of +higher classes, than it is in the British metropolis, +where the longings of the heart are more +diversified by the resources of business and +politics. There are the votaries of fashion, +who, in this way, have at length become the +victims of fashionable excess; in whom the +very multitude of their enjoyments has at last +extinguished their power of enjoyment; who, +with the gratifications of art and nature at +command, now look upon all that is around +them with an eye of tastelessness; who, plied +with the delights of sense and of splendor even +to weariness, and incapable of higher delights, +have come to the end of all their perfection, +and, like Solomon of old, found it to be vanity +and vexation. The man whose heart has thus +been turned into a desert can vouch for the +insupportable languor which must ensue, +when one affection is thus plucked away from +the bosom, without another to replace it. It +is not necessary that a man receive pain from +anything, in order to become miserable. It is +barely enough that he looks with distaste to +everything, and in that asylum which is the +repository of minds out of joint, and where +the organ of feeling as well as the organ of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> +intellect has been impaired, it is not in the +cell of loud and frantic outcries where you +will meet with the acme of mental suffering; +but that is the individual who outpeers in +wretchedness all his fellows, who throughout +the whole expanse of nature and society meets +not an object that has at all the power to detain +or to interest him; who neither in earth +beneath, nor in heaven above, knows of a +single charm to which his heart can send forth +one desirous or responding movement; to +whom the world, in his eye a vast and empty +desolation, has left him nothing but his own +consciousness to feed upon, dead to all that is +without him, and alive to nothing but to the +load of his own torpid and useless existence.</p> + +<p>We know not a more sweeping interdict +upon the affections of nature, than that which +is delivered by the apostle in the verse before +us. To bid a man into whom there is not yet +entered the great and ascendant influence of +the principle of regeneration, to bid him withdraw +his love from all the things that are in +the world, is to bid him give up all the affections +that are in his heart. The world is the +all of a natural man. He has not a taste, nor +a desire, that points not to a something placed +within the confines of its visible horizon. He +loves nothing above it, and he cares for nothing +beyond it; and to bid him love not the +world is to pass a sentence of expulsion on all +the inmates of his bosom. To estimate the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> +magnitude and the difficulty of such a surrender, +let us only think that it were just as +arduous to prevail on him not to love wealth, +which is but one of the things in the world, +as to prevail on him to set wilful fire to his +own property. This he might do with sore +and painful reluctance, if he saw that the salvation +of his life hung upon it. But this he +would do willingly if he saw that a new property +of tenfold value was instantly to emerge +from the wreck of the old one. In this case +there is something more than the mere displacement +of an affection. There is the overbearing +of one affection by another. But to +desolate his heart of all love for the things +of the world without the substitution of any +love in its place, were to him a process of as +unnatural violence as to destroy all the things +he has in the world, and give him nothing in +their room. So if to love not the world be +indispensable to one's Christianity, then the +crucifixion of the old man is not too strong +a term to mark that transition in his history, +when all old things are done away, and all +things are become new.</p> + +<p>The love of the world can not be expunged +by a mere demonstration of the world's worthlessness. +But may it not be supplanted by the +love of that which is more worthy than itself? +The heart can not be prevailed upon to part +with the world, by a simple act of resignation. +But may not the heart be prevailed upon to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> +admit into its preference another, who shall +subordinate the world, and bring it down from +its wonted ascendency? If the throne which +is placed there must have an occupier, and +the tyrant that now reigns has occupied it +wrongfully, he may not leave a bosom which +would rather detain him than be left in desolation. +But may he not give way to the lawful +Sovereign, appearing with every charm +that can secure His willing admittance, and +taking unto Himself His great power to subdue +the moral nature of man, and to reign +over it? In a word, if the way to disengage +the heart from the positive love of one great +and ascendant object is to fasten it in positive +love to another, then it is not by exposing the +worthlessness of the former, but by addressing +to the mental eye the worth and excellence of +the latter, that all old things are to be done +away, and all things are to become new.</p> + +<p>This, we trust, will explain the operation of +that charm which accompanies the effectual +preaching of the gospel. The love of God, and +the love of the world, are two affections, not +merely in a state of rivalship, but in a state +of enmity, and that so irreconcilable that they +can not dwell together in the same bosom. We +have already affirmed how impossible it were +for the heart, by any innate elasticity of its +own, to cast the world away from it, and thus +reduce itself to a wilderness. The heart is not +so constituted, and the only way to dispossess<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> +it of an old affection is by the expulsive power +of a new one. Nothing can exceed the magnitude +of the required change in a man's character—when +bidden, as he is in the New Testament, +to love not the world; no, nor any of +the things that are in the world—for this so +comprehends all that is dear to him in existence +as to be equivalent to a command of self-annihilation. +But the same revelation which +dictates so mighty an obedience places within +our reach as mighty an instrument of obedience. +It brings for admittance, to the very +door of our heart, an affection which, once +seated upon its throne, will either subordinate +every previous inmate, or bid it away. Beside +the world it places before the eye of the +mind Him who made the world, and with this +peculiarity, which is all its own—that in the +gospel do we so behold God as that we may +love God. It is there, and there only, where +God stands revealed as an object of confidence +to sinners—and where our desire after Him +is not chilled into apathy by that barrier of +human guilt which intercepts every approach +that is not made to Him through the appointed +Mediator. It is the bringing in of this +better hope, whereby we draw nigh unto God—and +to live without hope is to live without +God, and if the heart be without God the +world will then have all the ascendency. It +is God apprehended by the believer as God in +Christ who alone can dispost it from this ascendency.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> +It is when He stands dismantled +of the terrors which belong to Him as an +offended lawgiver, and when we are enabled +by faith, which is His own gift, to see His +glory in the face of Jesus Christ, and to hear +His beseeching voice, as it protests good-will +to men, and entreats the return of all who will +to a full pardon, and a gracious acceptance—it +is then that a love paramount to the love +of the world, and at length expulsive of it, +first arises in the regenerating bosom. It is +when released from the spirit of bondage, with +which love can not dwell, and when admitted +into the number of God's children, through +the faith that is in Christ Jesus, the spirit of +adoption is poured upon us—it is then that +the heart, brought under the mastery of one +great and predominant affection, is delivered +from the tyranny of its former desires, and +in the only way in which deliverance is possible. +And that faith which is revealed to us +from heaven, as indispensable to a sinner's +justification in the sight of God, is also the +instrument of the greatest of all moral and +spiritual achievements on a nature dead to the +influence, and beyond the reach of every other +application.</p> + +<p>Let us not cease then to ply the only instrument +of powerful and positive operation, +to do away from you the love of the world. +Let us try every legitimate method of finding +access to your hearts for the love of Him who<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> +is greater than the world. For this purpose +let us, if possible, clear away that shroud of +unbelief which so hides and darkens the face +of Deity. Let us insist on His claims to your +affection; and whether in the shape of gratitude, +or in the shape of esteem, let us never +cease to affirm that in the whole of that wondrous +economy, the purpose of which is to reclaim +a sinful world unto Himself, He, the +God of love, so sets Himself forth in characters +of endearment that naught but faith, +and naught but understanding are wanting, +on your part, to call forth the love of your +hearts back again.</p> + +<p>And here let me advert to the incredulity +of a worldly man when he brings his own +sound and secular experience to bear upon the +high doctrines of Christianity, when he looks +on regeneration as a thing impossible, when, +feeling, as he does, the obstinacies of his own +heart on the side of things present, and casting +an intelligent eye, much exercised perhaps +in the observation of human life, on the equal +obstinacies of all who are around him, he pronounces +this whole matter about the crucifixion +of the old man, and the resurrection of +a new man in his place, to be in downright +opposition to all that is known and witnessed +of the real nature of humanity. We think +that we have seen such men, who, firmly +trenched in their own vigorous and home-bred +sagacity, and shrewdly regardful of all that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> +passes before them through the week, and +upon the scenes of ordinary business, look on +that transition of the heart by which it gradually +dies unto time, and awakens in all the life +of a new-felt and ever-growing desire toward +God, as a mere Sabbath speculation; and who +thus, with all their attention engrossed upon +the concerns of earthliness, continue unmoved, +to the end of their days, among the feelings, +and the appetites, and the pursuits of earthliness. +If the thought of death, and another +state of being after it, comes across them at +all, it is not with a change so radical as that +of being born again that they ever connect the +idea of preparation. They have some vague +conception of its being quite enough that they +acquit themselves in some decent and tolerable +way of their relative obligations; and that, +upon the strength of some such social and domestic +moralities as are often realized by him +in whose heart the love of God has never entered, +they will be transplanted in safety from +this world, where God is the Being with whom, +it may almost be said that, they have had +nothing to do, to that world where God is the +Being with whom they will have mainly and +immediately to do throughout all eternity. +They will admit all that is said of the utter +vanity of time, when taken up with as a resting-place. +But they resist every application +made upon the heart of man, with the view +of so shifting its tendencies that it shall not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> +henceforth find in the interests of time all its +rest and all its refreshment. They, in fact, +regard such an attempt as an enterprise that +is altogether aerial—and with a tone of secular +wisdom, caught from the familiarities of +every day of experience, do they see a visionary +character in all that is said of setting our +affections on the things that are above; and +of walking by faith; and of keeping our hearts +in such a love of God as shall shut out from +them the love of the world; and of having +no confidence in the flesh; and of so renouncing +earthly things as to have our conversation +in heaven.</p> + +<p>Now, it is altogether worthy of being remarked +of those men who thus disrelish spiritual +Christianity, and, in fact, deem it an impracticable +acquirement, how much of a piece +their incredulity about the demands of Christianity, +and their incredulity about the doctrines +of Christianity, are with one another. +No wonder that they feel the work of the New +Testament to be beyond their strength, so long +as they hold the words of the New Testament +to be beneath their attention. Neither they +nor anyone else can dispossess the heart of an +old affection, but by the impulsive power of +a new one—and, if that new affection be the +love of God, neither they nor anyone else can +be made to entertain it, but on such a representation +of the Deity as shall draw the heart +of the sinner toward Him. Now it is just<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> +their belief which screens from the discernment +of their minds this representation. They +do not see the love of God in sending His +Son into the world. They do not see the expression +of His tenderness to men, in sparing +Him not, but giving Him up unto the death +for us all. They do not see the sufficiency of +the atonement, or of the sufferings that were +endured by Him who bore the burden that +sinners should have borne. They do not see +the blended holiness and compassion of the +Godhead, in that He passed by the transgressions +of His creatures, yet could not pass +them by without an expiation. It is a mystery +to them how a man should pass to the state +of godliness from a state of nature—but had +they only a believing view of God manifest in +the flesh, this would resolve for them the whole +mystery of godliness. As it is, they can not +get quit of their old affections, because they +are out of sight from all those truths which +have influence to raise a new one. They are +like the children of Israel in the land of +Egypt, when required to make bricks without +straw they cannot love God, while they want +the only food which can aliment this affection +in a sinner's bosom—and however great their +errors may be, both in resisting the demands +of the gospel as impracticable, and in rejecting +the doctrines of the gospel as inadmissible, +yet there is not a spiritual man (and it +is the prerogative of him who is spiritual to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> +judge all men) who will not perceive that +there is a consistency in these errors.</p> + +<p>But if there be a consistency in the errors, +in like manner, is there a consistency in the +truths which are opposite to them? The man +who believes in the peculiar doctrines will +readily bow to the peculiar demands of Christianity. +When he is told to love God supremely, +this may startle another, but it will +not startle him to whom God has been revealed +in peace, and in pardon, and in all the freeness +of an offered reconciliation. When told +to shut out the world from his heart, this may +be impossible with him who has nothing to +replace it—but not impossible with him who +has found in God a sure and satisfying portion. +When told to withdraw his affections +from the things that are beneath, this were +laying an order of self-extinction upon the +man, who knows not another quarter in the +whole sphere of his contemplation to which +he could transfer them, but it were not grievous +to him whose view had been opened to the +loveliness and glory of the things that are +above, and can there find, for every feeling of +his soul, a most ample and delighted occupation. +When told to look not to the things +that are seen and temporal, this were blotting +out the light of all that is visible from the +prospect of him in whose eye there is a wall +of partition between guilty nature and the +joys of eternity—but he who believes that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> +Christ has broken down this wall finds a gathering +radiance upon his soul, as he looks onward +in faith to the things that are unseen +and eternal. Tell a man to be holy—and how +can he compass such a performance, when his +fellowship with holiness is a fellowship of +despair? It is the atonement of the cross reconciling +the holiness of the lawgiver with the +safety of the offender, that hath opened the +way for a sanctifying influence into the sinner's +heart, and he can take a kindred impression +from the character of God now brought +nigh, and now at peace with him. Separate +the demand from the doctrine, and you have +either a system of righteousness that is impracticable, +or a barren orthodoxy. Bring +the demand and the doctrine together, and the +true disciple of Christ is able to do the one, +through the other strengthening him. The +motive is adequate to the movement; and the +bidden obedience to the gospel is not beyond +the measure of his strength, just because the +doctrine of the gospel is not beyond the measure +of his acceptance. The shield of faith, +and the hope of salvation, and the Word of +God, and the girdle of truth, these are the +armor that he has put on; and with these the +battle is won, and the eminence is reached, +and the man stands on the vantage ground +of a new field and a new prospect. The effect +is great, but the cause is equal to it, and stupendous +as this moral resurrection to the precepts<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> +of Christianity undoubtedly is, there is +an element of strength enough to give it being +and continuance in the principles of Christianity.</p> + +<p>The object of the gospel is both to pacify +the sinner's conscience and to purify his +heart; and it is of importance to observe, that +what mars the one of these objects mars the +other also. The best way of casting out an +impure affection is to admit a pure one; and +by the love of what is good to expel the love +of what is evil. Thus it is, that the freer +gospel, the more sanctifying is the gospel; +and the more it is received as a doctrine of +grace, the more will it be felt as a doctrine +according to godliness. This is one of the secrets +of the Christian life, that the more a +man holds of God as a pensioner, the greater +is the payment of service that He renders back +again. On the venture of "Do this and live," +a spirit of fearfulness is sure to enter; and +the jealousies of a legal bargain chase away +all confidence from the intercourse between +God and man; and the creature striving to +be square and even with his creator is, in fact, +pursuing all the while his own selfishness instead +of God's glory; and with all the conformities +which he labors to accomplish, the +soul of obedience is not there, the mind is not +subject to the law of God, nor indeed under +such an economy ever can be. It is only when, +as in the gospel, acceptance is bestowed as a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> +present, without money and without price, +that the security which man feels in God is +placed beyond the reach of disturbance, or +that he can repose in Him as one friend reposes +in another; or that any liberal and +generous understanding can be established betwixt +them, the one party rejoicing over the +other to do him good, the other finding that +the truest gladness of his heart lies in the impulse +of a gratitude by which it is awakened +to the charms of a new moral existence. Salvation +by grace—salvation by free grace—salvation +not of works, but according to the +mercy of God, salvation on such a footing is +not more indispensable to the deliverance of +our persons from the hand of justice than it +is to the deliverance of our hearts from the +chill and the weight of ungodliness. Retain +a single shred or fragment of legality with +the gospel, and you raise a topic of distrust +between man and God. You take away from +the power of the gospel to melt and to conciliate. +For this purpose the freer it is the +better it is. That very peculiarity which so +many dread as the germ of Antinomianism, +is, in fact, the germ of a new spirit and a new +inclination against it. Along with the lights +of a free gospel does there enter the love of +the gospel, which, in proportion as you impair +the freeness, you are sure to chase away. And +never does the sinner find within himself so +mighty a moral transformation as when, under<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> +the belief that he is saved by grace, he feels +constrained thereby to offer his heart a devoted +thing, and to deny ungodliness.</p> + +<p>To do any work in the best manner, you +would make use of the fittest tools for it. And +we trust that what has been said may serve +in some degree for the practical guidance of +those who would like to reach the great moral +achievement of our text, but feel that the tendencies +and desires of nature are too strong +for them. We know of no other way by which +to keep the love of the world out of our heart +than to keep in our hearts the love of God—and +no other way by which to keep our hearts +in the love of God, than by building ourselves +on our most holy faith. That denial of the +world which is not possible to him that dissents +from the gospel testimony, is possible, +even as all things are possible, to him that believeth. +To try this without faith is to work +without the right tool or the right instrument. +But faith worketh by love; and the +way of expelling from the heart the love that +transgresseth the law is to admit into its receptacles +the love which fulfilleth the law.</p> + +<p>Conceive a man to be standing on the margin +of this green world, and that, when he +looked toward it, he saw abundance smiling +upon every field, and all the blessings +which earth can afford scattered in profusion +throughout every family, and the light of the +sun sweetly resting upon all the pleasant habitations,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> +and the joys of human companionship +brightening many a happy circle of society; +conceive this to be the general character of +the scene upon one side of his contemplation, +and that on the other, beyond the verge of the +goodly planet on which he was situated, he +could descry nothing but a dark and fathomless +unknown. Think you that he would bid +a voluntary adieu to all the brightness and +all the beauty that were before him upon +earth, and commit himself to the frightful +solitude away from it? Would he leave its +peopled dwelling places, and become a solitary +wanderer through the fields of nonentity? If +space offered him nothing but a wilderness, +would he for it abandon the home-bred scenes +of life and cheerfulness that lay so near, and +exerted such a power of urgency to detain +him? Would not he cling to the regions of +sense, and of life, and of society? Shrinking +away from the desolation that was beyond it, +would not he be glad to keep his firm footing +on the territory of this world, and to take +shelter under the silver canopy that was +stretched over it?</p> + +<p>But if, during the time of his contemplation, +some happy island of the blest had +floated by, and there had burst upon his senses +the light of surpassing glories, and its sounds +of sweeter melody, and he clearly saw there +a purer beauty rested upon every field, and +a more heartfelt joy spread itself among all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> +the families, and he could discern there a +peace, and a piety, and a benevolence which +put a moral gladness into every bosom, and +united the whole society in one rejoicing sympathy +with each other, and with the beneficent +Father of them all. Could he further see that +pain and mortality were there unknown, and +above all, that signals of welcome were hung +out, and an avenue of communication was +made before him—perceive you not that what +was before the wilderness, would become the +land of invitation, and that now the world +would be the wilderness? What unpeopled +space could not do, can be done by space +teeming with beatific scenes, and beatific society. +And let the existing tendencies of the +heart be what they may to the scene that is +near and visible around us, still if another +stood revealed to the prospect of man, either +through the channel of faith or through the +channel of his senses—then, without violence +done to the constitution of his moral nature, +may he die unto the present world, and live +to the lovelier world that stands in the distance +away from it.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>CAMPBELL</h2> + +<h3>THE MISSIONARY CAUSE</h3> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80"> </a></span></p> + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + +<p><span class="smcap">Alexander Campbell</span>, prominent in the +body known as Disciples or Christians, +was born in Ireland in 1788, and received +his education in Glasgow University. In +1809 he emigrated to the United States +and took charge of a Presbyterian congregation +in Bethany, Va. He did not +long remain in this pastorate, but proceeded +to institute a society based upon +the abolition of all confessions and formularies +and the acknowledgment of the +text of the Holy Scriptures as the sole +creed of the Church. In 1841 he founded +Bethany College (Bethany, Va.), and remained +its president until his death in +1866. In 1823 he founded the <cite>Christian +Baptist</cite>, changed its name in 1829 to the +<cite>Millennial Harbinger</cite>, but abandoned it +three years before his death. He was a +prolific controversial writer and published +over fifty volumes, among which were +hymn books and a translation of the New +Testament.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>CAMPBELL</h2> + +<h3>1788-1866</h3> + +<h4>THE MISSIONARY CAUSE<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a></h4> + +<p><em>He that winneth souls is wise.</em>—Prov. xi., 30.</p> + + +<p>The missionary cause is older than the +material universe. It was celebrated +by Job—the oldest poet on the pages +of time.</p> + +<p>Jehovah challenges Job to answer Him a +few questions on the institutions of the universe. +"Gird up now thy loins," said He; +"and I will demand of thee a few responses. +Where wast thou when I laid the foundations +of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding. +Who has fixt the measure thereof? +Or who has stretched the line upon it? What +are the foundations thereof? Who has laid +the corner-stone thereof when the morning +stars sang together, and all the sons of God +shouted for joy? Who shut up the sea with +doors when it burst forth issuing from the +womb of eternity—when I made a cloud its +garment, and thick darkness its swaddling +band? I appointed its limits, saying, Thus<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> +far shalt thou come, but no farther; and here +shall the pride of thy waves be stayed.</p> + +<p>"Has the rain a father? Who has begotten +the drops of the dew? Who was the mother +of the ice? And the hoar-frost of heaven, +who has begotten it? Can mortal man bind +the bands of the Seven Stars, or loose the +cords of Orion? Can he bring forth and commission +the twelve signs of the Zodiac, or bind +Arcturus with his seven sons?</p> + +<p>"Knowest thou, oh man, the missionaries of +the starry heavens? Canst thou lift up thy +voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters +may cover thee? Canst thou command the +lightnings, so that they may say to thee, Here +we are? Who can number the clouds in wisdom? +Or who can pour out the bottles of +heaven upon the thirsty fields?"</p> + +<p>If such be a single page in the volume of +God's physical missionaries, what must be +its contents could we, by the telescope of an +angel, survey one single province of the universe, +of universes, which occupy topless, bottomless, +boundless space!</p> + +<p>We have data in the Bible, and, in the +phenomena of the material universe, sufficient +to authorize the assumption that the missionary +idea circumscribes and permeates the entire +area of creations.</p> + +<p>Need we inquire into the meaning of a +celestial title given to the tenantries of the +heaven of heavens? But you all, my Christian<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> +brethren, know it. You anticipate me. +The sweet poet of Israel told you long since, +in his sixty-eighth ode, that the chariots of +God are about twenty thousand of angels.<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a></p> + +<p>And what is an angel but a messenger, a +missionary? Hence the seven angels of the +seven churches in Asia were seven missionaries, +or messengers, sent to John in his exile; +and by these John wrote letters to the seven +congregations in Asia.</p> + +<p>Figuratively, God makes the winds and +lightnings his angels, his messengers of wrath +or of mercy, as the case may be.</p> + +<p>But we are a missionary society—a society +assembled from all points of the compass, assembled, +too, we hope, in the true missionary +spirit, which is the spirit of Christianity in +its primordial conception. God Himself instituted +it. Moses is the oldest missionary +whose name is inscribed on the rolls of time.</p> + +<p>He was the first divine missionary, and, if +we except John the Baptist, he was the second +in rank and character to the Lord Messiah +Himself.</p> + +<p>Angels and missionaries are rudimentally +but two names for the same officers. But of +the incarnate Word, God's only begotten Son,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> +He says, "Thou art my son, the beloved, in +whom I delight." And He commands the +world of humanity to hearken to Him. He +was, indeed, God's own special ambassador, +invested with all power in heaven and on earth—a +true, a real, an everlasting plenipotentiary, +having vested in Him all the rights of +God and all the rights of man. And were +not all the angels of heaven placed under +Him as His missionaries, sent forth to minister +to the heirs of salvation?</p> + +<p>His commission, given to the twelve apostles, +is a splendid and glorious commission. +Its preamble is wholly unprecedented—"All +authority in heaven and on earth is given to +me." In pursuance thereof, he gave commission +to His apostles, saying, "Go, convert all +the nations, immersing them into the name +of the Father, and of the Son, and of the +Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all +things whatever I have commanded you; and, +lo, I am with you always, even to the end of +the world." Angels, apostles and evangelists +were placed under this command, and by Him +commissioned as His ambassadors to the +world.</p> + +<p>The missionary institution, we repeat, is +older than Adam—older than our earth. It +is coeval with the origin of angels.</p> + +<p>Satan had been expelled from heaven before +Adam was created. His assault upon +our mother Eve, by an incarnation in the most<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> +subtle animal in Paradise, is positive proof +of the intensity of his malignity to God and +to man. He, too, has his missionaries in the +whole area of humanity. Michael and his +angels, or missionaries, are, and long have +been, in conflict against the devil and his +missionaries. The battle, in this our planet, +is yet in progress, and therefore missionaries +are in perpetual demand. Hence the necessity +incumbent on us to carry on this warfare +as loyal subjects of the Hero of our redemption.</p> + +<p>The Christian armory is well supplied with +all the weapons essential to the conflict. We +need them all. "We wrestle not against flesh +and blood, but against principalities, against +powers, against the rulers of the darkness of +this world, against wicked spirits in the regions +of the air." Hence the need of having +our "loins girded with the truth"; having +on the breastplate of righteousness, our +feet shod with the preparation to publish the +gospel of peace, taking the shield of faith, the +helmet of salvation and the sword of the +Spirit, the Word of God, always praying and +making supplication for our fellow-missionaries +and for all saints.</p> + +<p>The missionary fields are numerous and various. +They are both domestic and foreign. +The harvest is great in both. The laborers +are still few, comparatively very few, in either +of them.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span></p> + +<p>The supply is not a tithe of the demand. +The Macedonians cry, "Come over and help +us;" "Send us an evangelist;" "Send us +missionaries;" "The fields are large, the people +are desirous, anxious, to hear the original +gospel. What can you do for us?" Nothing! +Nothing! My brethren, ought this so to be?</p> + +<p>Schools for the prophets are wanting. But +there is a too general apathy or indifference +on the subject. We pray to the Lord of the +harvest to send our reapers to gather it into +His garner. But what do we besides praying +for it? Do we work for it? Suppose a +farmer should pray to the Lord for an abundant +harvest next year, and should never, in +seed-time, turn over one furrow or scatter one +handful of seed: what would we think of him? +Would not his neighbors regard him as a monomaniac +or a simpleton? And wherein does +he excel such a one in wisdom or in prudence +who prays to the Lord to send out reapers—missionaries, +or evangelists—to gather a harvest +of souls, when he himself never gives a +dollar to a missionary, or the value of it, to enable +him to go into the field? Can such a +person be in earnest, or have one sincere desire +in his heart to effect such an object or +purpose? We must confess that we could +have no faith either in his head or in his heart.</p> + +<p>The heavenly missionaries require neither +gold nor silver, neither food nor raiment. Not +so the earthly missionaries. They themselves,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> +their wives and children, demand both food +and clothing, to say nothing of houses and +furniture. Their present home is not</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"The gorgeous city, garnish'd like a bride,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">Where Christ for spouse expected is to pass,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">The walls of jasper compass'd on each side,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">And streets all paved with gold, more bright than glass."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="noind">If such were the missionary's home on earth, +he might, indeed, labor gratuitously all the +days of his life. In an humble cottage—rather +an unsightly cabin—we sometimes see +the wife of his youth, in garments quite as unsightly +as those of her children, impatiently +waiting "their sire's return, to climb to his +knees the envied kiss to share." But, when +the supper table is spread, what a beggarly +account of almost empty plates and dishes! +Whose soul would not sicken at such a sight? +I have twice, if not thrice, in days gone by, +when travelling on my early missionary tours—over +not the poorest lands nor the poorest +settlements, either—witnessed some such cases, +and heard of more.</p> + +<p>I was then my own missionary, with the +consent, however, of one church. I desired +to mingle with all classes of religious society, +that I might personally and truthfully know, +not the theories, but the facts and the actualities, +of the Christian ministry and the so-called +Christian public. I spent a considerable portion<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> +of my time during the years 1812, '13, +'14, '15, '16, traveling throughout western +Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.</p> + +<p>I then spent seven years in reviewing my +past studies, and in teaching the languages +and the sciences—after which I extended my +evangelical labors into other States and communities, +that I might still more satisfactorily +apprehend and appreciate the <em>status</em>, or the +actual condition, of the nominally and profest +religious or Christian world.</p> + +<p>Having shortly after my baptism connected +myself with the Baptist people, and attending +their associations as often as I could, I became +more and more penetrated with the conviction +that theory had usurped the place of faith, +and that consequently, human institutions +had been, more or less, substituted for the +apostolic and the divine.</p> + +<p>During this period of investigation I had +the pleasure of forming an intimate acquaintance +with sundry Baptist ministers, East +and West, as well as with the ministry of +other denominations. Flattering prospects of +usefulness on all sides began to expand before +me and to inspire me with the hope of +achieving a long-cherished object—doing some +good in the advocacy of the primitive and +apostolic gospel—having in the year 1820 a +discussion on the subject of the first positive +institution enacted by the Lord Messiah, and +in A. D. 1823 another on the same subject—the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> +former more especially on the subject and +action of Christian baptism, the latter more +emphatically on the design of that institution +tho including the former two.</p> + +<p>These discussions, more or less, embraced +the rudimental elements of the Christian institution, +and gave to the public a bold relief +outline of the whole genius, spirit, letter and +doctrine of the gospel.</p> + +<p>Its missionary spirit, tho not formally propounded, +was yet indicated, in these discussions; +because this institution was the terminus +of the missionary work. It was a component +element of the gospel, as clearly seen +in the commission of the enthroned Messiah. +Its preamble is the superlative fact of the +whole Bible. We regret, indeed, that this +most sublime preamble has been so much lost +sight of even by the present living generation. +If we ask when the Church of Jesus Christ began +or when the reign of the Heavens commenced, +the answer, in what is usually called +Christendom, will make it either to be contemporaneous +with the ministry of John the +Harbinger, or with the birth of the Lord +Jesus Christ. We will find one of these two +opinions almost universally entertained. The +Baptists are generally much attached to John +the Baptist; the Pedobaptists, to the commencement +of Christ's public ministry. John +the Baptist was the first Christian missionary +with a very considerable class of living Baptists;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> +the birth of Christ is the most popular +and orthodox theory at the respective meridians +of Lutheranism, Calvinism, and Arminianism.</p> + +<p>But, by the more intelligent, the resurrection, +or the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ, +is generally regarded as the definite commencement +of the Christian age or institution.</p> + +<p>Give us Paul's or Peter's testimony, against +that of all theologians, living or dead. Let us +look at the facts.</p> + +<p>Did not the Savior teach His personal +pupils, or disciples, to pray, "Thy kingdom"—more +truthfully, "Thy reign—come"? Does +any king's reign or kingdom commence with +his birth? Still less with his death? Did +not our Savior Himself, in person, decline the +honors of a worldly or temporal prince? Did +He not declare that His kingdom "is not of +this world"? Did He not say that He was +going hence, or leaving this world, to receive +or obtain a kingdom? And were not the +keys of the kingdom first given to Peter to +open, to announce it? And did he not, when +in Jerusalem, on the first Pentecost, after the +ascension of the Lord Jesus, make a public +proclamation, saying, "Let all the house of +Israel know assuredly that God has made (or +constituted) the identical Jesus of Nazareth, +the son of Mary, both the Lord and the Christ, +or the anointed Lord"?</p> + +<p>Do kings reign before they are crowned?<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> +Before they are anointed? There was not +a Christian Church on earth, or any man +called a Christian, until after the consecration +and coronation of Jesus of Nazareth as the +Christ of God.</p> + +<p>The era of a son's birth was never, since +the world began, the era of his reign or of +the commencement of it. It is a strange fact, +to me a wonderful fact, and, considering the +age in which we live, an overwhelming fact, +that we, as a community, are the only people +on the checkered map of all Christendom, +Greek, Roman, Anglican or American, that +preach and teach that the commonly called +Christian era is not the era or the commencement +of the Christian Church or kingdom of +the Lord Jesus the Christ.</p> + +<p>The kingdom of the Christ could not antedate +His coronation. Hence Peter, in announcing +His coronation, after His ascension, +proclaimed, saying, "Let all the house of +Israel know assuredly that God has made—<i lang="gr" xml:lang="gr">touton +ton Ieesoun</i>—the same, the identical +Jesus whom you have crucified, both Lord +and Christ"; or, in other words, has crowned +Him the legitimate Lord of all. Then indeed +His reign began. Then was verified the +oracle uttered by the royal bard of Israel, +"Jehovah said to my Jehovah"—or, "the +Lord said to my Lord,"—"Sit thou on my +right hand till I make thy foes thy footstool."</p> + +<p>Hence He could say, and did say, to His<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> +apostles, "All authority in the heavens and +on the earth is given to me." In pursuance +thereof, "Go you into all the world, proclaim +the gospel to the whole creation; assuring +them that everyone who believes this proclamation +and is immersed into the name of the +Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy +Spirit, shall be saved."</p> + +<p>Here, then, the missionary field is declared +to be the whole world—the broad earth. They +were, as we are afterwards informed, to begin +at the first capital in the land of Judea, then +to proceed to Samaria, the capital of the ten +tribes, and thence to the last domicile of man +on earth.</p> + +<p>There was, and there is still, in all this arrangement, +a gracious and a glorious propriety.</p> + +<p>The Jews had murdered the Messiah under +the false charge of an impostor. Was it not, +then, divinely grand and supremely glorious +to make this awfully bloodstained capital the +beginning, the fountain, of the gospel age and +mission? Hence it was decreed that all the +earth should be the parish, and all the nations +and languages of earth the objects, and millions +of them the subjects, of the redeeming +grace and tender mercies of our Savior and +our God.</p> + +<p>What an extended and still extending area +is the missionary field! There are the four +mighty realms of Pagandom, of Papaldom, of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> +Mohammedandom and of ecclesiastic Sectariandom. +These are, one and all, essentially +and constitutionally, more or less, not of the +apostolic Christendom.</p> + +<p>The divinely inspired constitution of the +Church contains only seven articles. These +are the seven hills, not of Rome, but of the +true Zion of Israel's God. Paul's summary +of them is found in the following words: +"One body, one spirit, one hope, one Lord, +one faith, one baptism, and one God and +Father of all."</p> + +<p>The clear perception, the grateful reception, +the cordial entertainment of these seven +divinely constructed and instituted pillars, +are the alone sufficient, and the all-sufficient, +foundation—the indestructible basis—of +Christ's kingdom on this earth, and of man's +spiritual and eternal salvation in the full enjoyment +of himself, his Creator, his Redeemer, +and the whole universe of spiritual intelligence +through all the circles and the cycles +of an infinite, an everlasting future of being +and of blessedness.</p> + +<p>The missionary spirit is, indeed, an emanation +of the whole Godhead. God the Father +sent His Son, His only begotten Son, into our +world. The Son sent the Holy Spirit to bear +witness through His twelve missionaries, the +consecrated and Heaven-inspired apostles. +They proclaimed the glad tidings of great joy +to all people—to the Jews, to the Samaritans,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> +to the Gentiles, of all nations, kindreds and +tongues. They gave in solemn charge to +others to sound out and proclaim the glad tidings +of great joy to all people. And need we +ask, is not the Christian Church itself, in its +own institution and constitution, virtually +and essentially a missionary institution? +Does not Paul formally state to the Thessalonians +in his first epistle that from them +sounded out the Word of the Lord not only +in Macedonia and in Achaia, but in every +place?</p> + +<p>No man can really or truthfully enjoy the +spiritual, the soul-stirring, the heart-reviving +honors and felicities of the Christian institution +and kingdom, who does not intelligently, +cordially and efficiently espouse the missionary +cause.</p> + +<p>In other words, he must feel, he must have +compassion for his fellow man; and, still further, +he must practically sympathize with him +in communicating to his spiritual necessities +as well as to his physical wants and infirmities. +The true ideal of all perfection—our +blest and blissful Redeemer—went about +continually doing good—to both the souls and +the bodies of his fellow men; healing all that +were, in body, soul or spirit, opprest by Satan, +the enemy of God and of man.</p> + +<p>To follow his example is the grand climax +of humanity. It is not necessary to this end +that he should occupy the pulpit. There are,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> +as we conceive, myriads of Christian men in +the private walks of life, who never aspired +to the "sacred desk," that will far outshine, +in eternal glory and blessedness, hosts of the +reverend, the boasted and the boastful right +reverend occupants of the sacred desks of this +our day and generation.</p> + +<p>But Solomon has furnished our motto:—"He +that winneth" or taketh "souls is wise" +(Prov. xi. 30). Was he not the wisest of +men, the most potent and the richest of +kings, that ever lived? He had, therefore, all +the means and facilities of acquiring what we +call knowledge—the knowledge of men and +things; and, consequently, the value of men +and things was legitimately within the area +of his understanding; or, in this case, we +might prefer to say, with all propriety, within +the area of his comprehension.</p> + +<p>Need I say that comprehension incomparably +transcends apprehension? Simpletons +may apprehend, but only wise men can comprehend +anything. Solomon's rare gift was, +that both his apprehension and his comprehension +transcended those of all other men, +and gave him a perspicacity and promptitude +of decision never before or since possest by +any man. His oracles, indeed, were the +oracles of God. But God especially gave to +him a power and opportunity of making one +grand experiment and development for the +benefit of his living contemporaries, and of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> +all posterity, to whom God presents his biography, +his Proverbs and his Ecclesiastes.</p> + +<p>"The winning of souls" is, therefore, the +richest and best business, trade or calling, according +to Solomon, ever undertaken or prosecuted +by mortal man. Paul was fully aware +of this, and therefore had always in his eye a +"triple crown"—"a crown of righteousness," +a "crown of life," a "crown of glory." And +even in this life he had "a crown of rejoicing," +in prospect of an exceeding and eternal +weight of glory, imperishable in the heavens.</p> + +<p>There is, too, a present reward, a present +pleasure, a present joy and peace which the +wisdom, and the riches, and the dignity, and +the glory, and the honors of this world never +did, never can, and consequently never will, +confer on its most devoted and persevering +votaries.</p> + +<p>There is, indeed, a lawful and an honorable +covetousness, which any and every Christian, +man and woman, may cultivate and cherish.</p> + +<p>Paul himself justifies the poetic license, +when he says, "Covet earnestly the best +gifts."</p> + +<p>The best gifts in his horizon, however, were +those which, when duly cultivated and employed, +confer the greatest amount of profit +and felicity upon others. We should, indeed, +desire, even covet, the means and the opportunities +of beatifying and aggrandizing one +another with the true riches, the honors and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> +the dignities that appertain to the spiritual, +the heavenly and the eternal inheritance.</p> + +<p>But we need not propound to your consideration +or inquiry the claims—the paramount, +the transcendent claims—which our enjoyment +of the gospel and its soul-cheering, soul-animating, +soul-enrapturing influences present +to us as arguments and motives to extend +and to animate its proclamation by every instrumentality +and means which we can legitimately +employ, to present it in all its attractions +and claims upon the understanding, the +conscience and the affections of our contemporaries, +in our own country and in all others, +as far as our most gracious and bountiful +Benefactor affords the means and the opportunities +of co-operating with Him, in the rescue +and recovery of our fellow men, who, without +such means and efforts, must forever +perish, as aliens and enemies, in heart and +in life, to God and to His divinely-commissioned +ambassador, the glorious Messiah.</p> + +<p>We plead for the original apostolic gospel +and its positive institutions. If the great +apostles Peter and Paul—the former to the +Jews and the latter to the Gentiles—announced +the true gospel of the grace of God, +shall we hesitate a moment on the propriety +and the necessity, divinely imposed upon us, +of preaching the same gospel which they +preached, and in advocating the same institutions +which they established, under the plenary<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> +inspiration and direction of the Holy +Spirit? Can we improve upon their institutions +and enactments? What means that singular +imperative enunciated by the evangelical +prophet Isaiah (Isa. viii.), "Bind up the +testimony, seal the law among my disciples?" +What were its antecedents? Hearken! The +prophet had just foretold. He, the subject +of this oracle, viz: "The desire of all nations," +was coming to be a sanctuary; but not a sanctuary +alone, but for a stone of stumbling and +a rock of offense (as at this day) to both the +houses of Israel—for a gin and for a snare to +the inhabitants of Jerusalem.</p> + +<p>The Church, therefore, of right is, and +ought to be, a great missionary society. Her +parish is the whole earth, from sea to sea, and +from the Euphrates to the last domicile of +man.</p> + +<p>But the crowning and consummating argument +of the missionary cause has not been +fully presented. There is but one word, in +the languages of earth, that fully indicates it. +And that word indicates neither less nor more +than what is represented—literally, exactly, +perspicuously represented—by the word philanthropy. +But this being a Greek word +needs, perhaps in some cases, an exact definition. +And to make it memorable we will +preface it with the statement of the fact that +this word is found but twice in the Greek +original New Testament (Acts xxviii., 2, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> +Titus iii., 4.). In the first passage this word +is, in the common version, translated "kindness," +and in the second, "love toward man." +Literally and exactly, it signifies the love of +man, objectively; but, more fully exprest, the +love of one to another.</p> + +<p>The love of God to man is one form of philanthropy; +the love of angels to one man is +another form of philanthropy; and the love +of man to man, as such, is the true philanthropy +of the law. It is not the love of one +man to another man, because of favors received +from him; this is only gratitude. It +is not the love of one man to another man, +because of a common country: this is mere +patriotism. It is not the love of man to man, +because of a common ancestry: this is mere +natural affection. But it is the love of man +to man, merely because he is a man. This is +pure philanthropy. Such was the love of God +to man as exhibited in the gift of His dearly +beloved Son as a sin-offering for him. This is +the name which the inspired writers of the +New Testament give it. So Paul uses it, Titus +iii. and iv. It should have been translated, +"After that the kindness and philanthropy of +God our Savior appeared." Again, Acts +xxviii., 2, "The barbarous people of the Island +of Melita showed us no little philanthropy.<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a> +They kindled a fire for us on their island,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> +because of the impending rain and the +cold."</p> + +<p>There are, indeed, many forms and demonstrations +of philanthropy. For one good man +another good man might presume to die. But +the philanthropy of God to man incomparably +transcends all other forms of philanthropy +known on earth or reported from heaven.</p> + +<p>While we were sinners, in positive and actual +rebellion against our Father and our +God, He freely gave up His only begotten and +dearly beloved Son, as a sin-offering for us, +and laid upon Him, or placed in His account, +the sin, the aggregate sin, of the world. He +became in the hand of His Father and our +Father a sin-offering for us. He took upon +Himself, and His Father "laid upon him, the +iniquity of us all." Was ever love like this? +Angels of all ranks, spirits of all capacities, +still contemplate it with increasing wonder +and delight.</p> + +<p>This gospel message is to be announced to +all the world, to men of every nation under +heaven. And this, too, with the promise of +the forgiveness of sins and of a life everlasting +in the heavens, to everyone who will cordially +accept and obey it.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>IRVING</h2> + +<h3>PREPARATION FOR CONSULTING THE +ORACLES OF GOD</h3> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102"> </a></span></p> + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + +<p><span class="smcap">Edward Irving</span> was born at Annan, +Dumfriesshire, Scotland, in 1792. He was +an early friend and lover of Jane Welsh, +who afterwards married Thomas Carlyle. +He showed ability at school, but had also +a taste for the preaching of extreme +Presbyterian seceders from the Church +of Scotland. After graduating at the +University of Edinburgh, in 1809, he +began life by teaching school, but obtained +a license to preach in 1815. He became +assistant to Chalmers at Glasgow in 1819, +where, great preacher as he was, he felt +himself eclipsed by Chalmers, and in 1822 +accepted the pulpit at a chapel in Hatton +Garden, London. Here he leapt into +fame. His melodious and resonant voice, +his noble presence and the beauty of his +features, enhanced the eloquence of his +language. Eventually he became unbalanced +by the adulation of the aristocratic +and intellectual crowd that listened +to him. They, however, grew tired of his +prophecies and denunciations, and his eccentricities +of judgment finally led to +disruption, and "after a few years of +futile but splendid evangelization, he died +a broken-hearted man, tender and true +to the last, altho the victim of unsubstantial +religious vagaries." Carlyle +wrote a touching memoir of his life. He +died in 1834.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>IRVING</h2> + +<h3>1792-1834</h3> + +<h4>PREPARATION FOR CONSULTING THE +ORACLES OF GOD</h4> + +<p><em>Search the scriptures.</em>—John v., 39.</p> + + +<p>There was a time when each revelation +of the word of God had an introduction +into this earth, which neither +permitted men to doubt whence it came, +nor wherefore it was sent. If at the +giving of each several truth a star was +not lighted up in heaven, as at the birth +of the Prince of Truth, there was done upon +the earth a wonder, to make her children +listen to the message of their Maker. The +Almighty made bare His arm; and, through +mighty acts shown by His holy servants, gave +demonstration of His truth, and found for it a +sure place among the other matters of human +knowledge and belief.</p> + +<p>But now the miracles of God have ceased, +and nature, secure and unmolested, is no +longer called on for testimonies to her Creator's +voice. No burning bush draws the footsteps +to His presence chamber; no invisible +voice holds the ear awake; no hand cometh +forth from the obscurity to write His purposes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> +in letters of flame. The vision is shut up, and +the testimony is sealed, and the Word of the +Lord is ended, and this solitary volume, with +its chapters and verses, is the sum total of all +for which the chariot of heaven made so many +visits to the earth, and the Son of God Himself +tabernacled and dwelt among us.</p> + +<p>The truth which it contains once dwelt undivulged +in the bosom of God; and, on coming +forth to take its place among things revealed, +the heavens and the earth, and nature, +through all her chambers, gave reverent welcome. +Beyond what it contains, the mysteries +of the future are unknown. To gain it acceptation +and currency, the noble company of +martyrs testified unto the death. The general +assembly of the first-born in heaven made it +the day-star of their hopes, and the pavilion +of their peace. Its every sentence is charmed +with the power of God, and powerful to the +everlasting salvation of souls.</p> + +<p>Having our minds filled with these thoughts +of the primeval divinity of revealed wisdom +when she dwelt in the bosom of God, and was +of His eternal Self a part, long before He prepared +the heavens, or set a compass upon the +face of the deep; revolving also how, by the +space of four thousand years, every faculty +of mute nature did solemn obeisance to this +daughter of the Divine mind, whenever He +pleased to commission her forth to the help of +mortals; and further meditating upon the delights<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> +which she had of old with the sons of +men, the height of heavenly temper to which +she raised them, and the offspring of magnanimous +deeds which these two—the wisdom of +God, and the soul of man—did engender between +themselves—meditating, I say, upon +these mighty topics, our soul is smitten with +grief and shame to remark how in this latter +day she hath fallen from her high estate; +and fallen along with her the great and noble +character of men. Or, if there be still a few +names, as of the missionary martyr, to emulate +the saints of old—how to the commonalty +of Christians her oracles have fallen into a +household commonness, and her visits into a +cheap familiarity; while by the multitude she +is mistaken for a minister of terror sent to +oppress poor mortals with moping melancholy, +and inflict a wound upon the happiness +of human kind.</p> + +<p>For there is now no express stirring up the +faculties to meditate her high and heavenly +strains—there is no formal sequestration of +the mind from all other concerns, on purpose +for her special entertainment—there is no +house of solemn seeking and solemn waiting +for a spiritual frame, before entering and +listening to the voice of the Almighty's wisdom. +Who feels the sublime dignity there is +in a saying, fresh descended from the porch +of heaven? Who feels the awful weight there +is in the least iota that hath dropped from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> +the lips of God? Who feels the thrilling fear +or trembling hope there is in words whereon +the destinies of himself do hang? Who feels +the swelling tide of gratitude within his +breast, for redemption and salvation, instead +of flat despair and everlasting retribution? +Yea, that which is the guide and spur of all +duty, the necessary aliment of Christian life, +the first and the last of Christian knowledge +and Christian feeling, hath, to speak the best, +degenerated in these days to stand, rank and +file, among those duties whereof it is parent, +preserver, and commander. And, to speak not +the best, but the fair and common truth, this +book, the offspring of the Divine mind, and +the perfection of heavenly wisdom, is permitted +to lie from day to day, perhaps from week +to week, unheeded and unperused, never welcome +to our happy, healthy, and energetic +moods; admitted, if admitted at all, in seasons +of sickness, feeble-mindedness, and disabling +sorrow. Yes, that which was sent to be a +spirit of ceaseless joy and hope within the +heart of man, is treated as the enemy of +happiness, and the murderer of enjoyment; +and eyed askance, as the remembrancer of +death, and the very messenger of hell.</p> + +<p>Oh! if books had but tongues to speak their +wrongs, then might this book well exclaim: +Hear, O heavens! and give ear, O earth! I +came from the love and embrace of God, and +mute nature, to whom I brought no boon,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> +did me rightful homage. To men I come, and +my words were to the children of men. I +disclosed to you the mysteries hereafter, and +the secrets of the throne of God. I set open +to you the gates of salvation, and the way of +eternal life, hitherto unknown. Nothing in +heaven did I withhold from your hope and +ambition; and upon your earthly lot I poured +the full horn of Divine providence and consolation. +But ye requited me with no welcome, +ye held no festivity on my arrival; ye sequester +me from happiness and heroism, closeting +me with sickness and infirmity: ye make not +of me, nor use me for, your guide to wisdom +and prudence, but put me into a place in your +last of duties, and withdraw me to a mere corner +of your time; and most of ye set me at +naught and utterly disregard me. I come, the +fulness of the knowledge of God; angels delighted +in my company, and desired to dive +into my secrets. But ye, mortals, place masters +over me, subjecting me to the discipline and +dogmatism of men, and tutoring me in your +schools of learning. I came, not to be silent in +your dwellings, but to speak welfare to you +and to your children. I came to rule, and my +throne to set up in the hearts of men. Mine +ancient residence was the bosom of God; no +residence will I have but the soul of an immortal; +and if you had entertained me, I +should have possest you of the peace which +I had with God, "when I was with Him and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> +was daily His delight, rejoicing always before +Him. Because I have called you and +ye have refused, I have stretched out my hand +and no man regarded; but ye have set at +naught all my counsel and would none of my +reproof; I also will laugh at your calamity, +and mock when your fear cometh as desolation, +and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind, +when distress and anguish cometh upon +you. Then shall they cry upon me, but I will +not answer; they shall seek me early, but they +shall not find me."</p> + +<p>From this cheap estimation and wanton +neglect of God's counsel, and from the terror +of the curse consequent thereon, we have +resolved, in the strength of God, to do our +endeavor to deliver this congregation of His +intelligent and worshiping people—an endeavor +which we make with a full perception +of the difficulties to be overcome on every side, +within no less than without the sacred pale; +and upon which we enter with the utmost +diffidence of our powers, yet with the full +purpose of straining them to the utmost, according +to the measure with which it hath +pleased God to endow our mind. And do +Thou, O Lord, from whom cometh the perception +of truth, vouchsafe to Thy servant an +unction from Thine own Spirit, who searcheth +all things, yes, the deep things of God; +and vouchsafe to Thy people "the hearing ear +and the understanding heart, that they may<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> +hear and understand, and their souls may +live!"</p> + +<p>Before the Almighty made His appearance +upon Sinai, there were awful precursors sent +to prepare His way; while He abode in sight, +there were solemn ceremonies and a strict +ritual of attendance; when He departed, the +whole camp set itself to conform unto His +revealed will. Likewise, before the Savior +appeared, with His better law, there was a +noble procession of seers and prophets, who +decried and warned the world of His coming; +when He came there were solemn announcements +in the heavens and on the earth; He did +not depart without due honors; and then +followed, on His departure, a succession of +changes and alterations which are still in +progress, and shall continue in progress till +the world's end. This may serve to teach us, +that a revelation of the Almighty's will makes +demand for these three things, on the part of +those to whom it is revealed: A due preparation +for receiving it; a diligent attention to it +while it is disclosing; a strict observance of it +when it is delivered.</p> + +<p>In the whole book of the Lord's revelations +you shall search in vain for one which is devoid +of these necessary parts. Witness the +awestruck Isaiah, while the Lord displayed +before him the sublime pomp of His presence; +and, not content with overpowering the frail +sense of the prophet, dispatched a seraph to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> +do the ceremonial of touching his lip with +hallowed fire, all before He uttered one word +into his astonished ear. Witness the majestic +apparition to Saint John, in the Apocalypse, +of all the emblematical glory of the Son of +Man, allowed to take silent effect upon the +apostle's spirit, and prepare it for the revelation +of things to come. These heard with all +their absorbed faculties, and with all their +powers addrest them to the bidding of the +Lord. But, if this was in aught flinched from, +witness, in the persecution of the prophet +Jonah, the fearful issues which ensued. From +the presence of the Lord he could not flee. +Fain would he have escaped to the uttermost +parts of the earth; but in the mighty +waters the terrors of the Lord fell upon him; +and when engulfed in the deep, and entombed +in the monster of the deep, still the Lord's +word was upon the obdurate prophet, who had +no rest, not the rest of the grave, till he had +fulfilled it to the very uttermost.</p> + +<p>Now, judging that every time we open the +pages of this holy book, we are to be favored +with no less than a communication from on +high, in substance the same as those whereof +we have detailed the three distinct and several +parts, we conceive it due to the majesty of +Him who speaks, that we, in like manner, +discipline our spirits with a due preparation, +and have them in proper frame, before we +listen to the voice; that, while it is disclosing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> +to us the important message, we be wrapt in +full attention; and that, when it hath disburdened +itself into our opened and enlarged +spirits, we proceed forthwith to the business +of its fulfilment, whithersoever and to whatsoever +it summon us forth. Upon each of +these three duties, incumbent upon one who +would not forego the benefit of a heavenly +message, we will discourse apart, addressing +ourselves in this discourse to the first-mentioned +of the three.</p> + +<p>The preparation for the announcement.—"When +God uttereth His voice," says the +Psalmist, "coals of fire are kindled; the hills +melt down like wax; the earth quakes; and +deep proclaims itself unto hollow deep." +These sensible images of the Creator have +now vanished, and we are left alone, in the +deep recesses of the meditative mind, to discern +His coming forth. No trump of heaven now +speaketh in the world's ear. No angelic conveyance +of Heaven's will taketh shape from +the vacant air; and having done his errand, +retireth into his airy habitation. No human +messenger putteth forth his miraculous hand +to heal nature's unmedicable wounds, winning +for his words a silent and astonished +audience. Majesty and might no longer precede +the oracles of Heaven. They lie silent +and unobtrusive, wrapt up in their little +compass, one volume among many, innocently +handed to and fro, having no distinction but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> +that in which our mustered thoughts are enabled +to invest them. The want of solemn +preparation and circumstantial pomp, the +imagination of the mind hath now to supply. +The presence of the Deity, and the authority +of His voice, our thoughtful spirits must +discern. Conscience must supply the terrors +that were wont to go before Him; and the +brightness of His coming, which the sense can +no longer behold, the heart, ravished with His +word, must feel.</p> + +<p>For the solemn vocation of all her powers, +to do her Maker honor and give Him welcome, +it is, at the very least, necessary that the soul +stand absolved from every call. Every foreign +influence or authority arising out of the +world, or the things of the world, should be +burst when about to stand before the fountain +of all authority; every argument, every invention, +every opinion of man forgot, when +about to approach to the Father and oracle +of all intelligence. And as subjects, when +their honors, with invitations, are held disengaged, +tho preoccupied with a thousand +appointments, so, upon an audience, fixt and +about to be holden with the King of Kings, +it will become the honored mortal to break +loose from all thraldom of men and things, +and be arrayed in liberty of thought and +action to drink in the rivers of His pleasure, +and to perform the mission of His lips.</p> + +<p>Now far otherwise it hath appeared to us,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> +that Christians as well as worldly men come +to this most august occupation of listening to +the word of God; preoccupied and prepossest, +inclining to it a partial ear, and straitened +understanding, and a disaffected will.</p> + +<p>The Christian public are prone to preoccupy +themselves with the admiration of those +opinions by which they stand distinguished +as a Church or sect from other Christians, and +instead of being quite unfettered to receive +the whole counsel of the Divinity, they are +prepared to welcome it no further than it +bears upon, and stands with opinions which +they already favor. To this pre-judgment +the early use of catechisms mainly contributes, +which, however serviceable in their +place, have the disadvantage of presenting the +truth in a form altogether different from what +it occupies in the world itself. In the one it +is presented to the intellect chiefly (and in our +catechisms to an intellect of a very subtle +order), in the other it is presented more +frequently to the heart, to the affections, to +the emotions, to the fancy, and to all the faculties +of the soul. In early youth, which is so +applied to those compilations, an association +takes place between religion and intellect, and +a divorcement of religion from the other +powers of the inner man. This derangement, +judging from observation and experience, it is +exceedingly difficult to put to rights in afterlife; +and so it comes to pass, that in listening<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> +to the oracles of religion, the intellect is +chiefly awake, and the better parts of the message—those +which address the heart and its +affections, those which dilate and enlarge our +admiration of the Godhead, and those which +speak to the various sympathies of our nature—we +are, by the injudicious use of these narrow +epitomes, disqualified to receive.</p> + +<p>In the train of these comes controversy with +its rough voice and unmeek aspect, to disqualify +the soul for a full and fair audience +of its Maker's word. The points of the faith +we have been called on to defend, or which +are reputable with our party, assume, in our +esteem, an importance disproportionate to +their importance in the Word, which we come +to relish chiefly when it goes to sustain them, +and the Bible is hunted for arguments and +texts of controversy, which are treasured up +for future service. The solemn stillness which +the soul should hold before his Maker, so +favorable to meditation and rapt communion +with the throne of God, is destroyed at every +turn by suggestions of what is orthodox and +evangelical—where all is orthodox and evangelical; +the spirit of such readers becomes +lean, being fed with abstract truths and +formal propositions; their temper uncongenial, +being ever disturbed with controversial +suggestions; their prayers undevout recitals +of their opinions; their discourse technical announcements +of their faith. Intellect, old intellect,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> +hath the sway over heavenward devotion +and holy fervor. Man, contentious man, +hath the attention which the unsearchable +God should undivided have; and the fine, full +harmony of heaven's melodious voice, which, +heard apart, were sufficient to lap the soul in +ecstasies unspeakable, is jarred and interfered +with, and the heavenly spell is broken by the +recurring conceits, sophisms, and passions of +men. Now truly an utter degradation it is +of the Godhead to have His word in league +with that of man, or any council of men. +What matter to me whether the Pope, or any +work of any mind, be exalted to the quality of +God? If any helps are to be imposed for the +understanding, or safeguarding, or sustaining +of the word, why not the help of statues +and pictures of my devotions? Therefore, +while the warm fancies of the Southerns have +given their idolatry to the ideal forms of noble +art, let us Northerns beware we give not our +idolatry to the cold and coarse abstractions of +human intellect.</p> + +<p>For the preoccupations of worldly minds, +they are not to be reckoned up, being manifold +as their favorite passions and pursuits. One +thing only can be said, that before coming to +the oracles of God they are not preoccupied +with the expectation and fear of Him. No +chord in their heart is in unison with things +unseen; no moments are set apart for religious +thought and meditation; no anticipations of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> +the honored interview; no prayer of preparation +like that of Daniel before Gabriel was +sent to teach him; no devoutness like that of +Cornelius before the celestial visitation; no +fastings like that of Peter before the revelation +of the glory of the Gentiles! Now to +minds which are not attuned to holiness, the +words of God find no entrance, striking heavy +on the ear, seldom making way to the understanding, +almost never to the heart. To +spirits hot with conversation, perhaps heady +with argument, uncomposed by solemn +thought, but ruffled and in uproar from the +concourse of worldly interests, the sacred page +may be spread out, but its accents are +drowned in the noise which hath not yet subsided +in the breast. All the awe, and pathos, +and awakened consciousness of a Divine +approach, imprest upon the ancients by the +procession of solemnities, is to worldly men +without a substitute. They have not yet +solicited themselves to be in readiness. In a +usual mood and vulgar frame they come to +God's word as to other compositions, reading +it without any active imaginations about Him +who speaks; feeling no awe of a sovereign +Lord, nor care of a tender Father, nor devotion +to a merciful Savior. Nowise deprest +themselves out of their wonted dependence, +nor humiliated before the King of Kings—no +prostrations of the soul, nor falling at His +feet as dead—no exclamation, as of Isaiah,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> +"Wo is me, for I am of unclean lips!"—no +request "Send me"—nor fervent ejaculation +of welcome, as of Samuel, "Lord, speak, for +Thy servant heareth!" Truly they feel toward +His word much as to the word of an +equal. No wonder it shall fail of happy influence +upon the spirits which have, as it were, +on purpose, disqualified themselves for its +benefits by removing from the regions of +thought and feeling which it accords with, +into other regions, which it is of too severe +dignity to affect, otherwise than with stern +menace and direful foreboding! If they +would have it bless them and do them good, +they must change their manner of approaching +it, and endeavor to bring themselves into +that prepared, and collected, and reverential +frame which becomes an interview with the +High and Holy One who inhabiteth the +praises of eternity.</p> + +<p>Having thus spoken without equivocation, +and we hope without offense, to the contradictoriness +and preoccupation with which +Christians and worldly men are apt to come to +the perusal of the Word of God, we shall now +set forth the two master-feelings under which +we shall address ourselves to the sacred occupation.</p> + +<p>It is a good custom, inherited from the +hallowed days of Scottish piety, and in our +cottages still preserved, tho in our cities +generally given up, to preface the morning<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> +and evening worship of the family with a +short invocation of blessing from the Lord. +This is in unison with the practise and recommendation +of pious men, never to open the +Divine Word without a silent invocation of +the Divine Spirit. But no address to heaven +is of any virtue, save as it is the expression of +certain pious sentiments with which the mind +is full and overflowing. Of those sentiments +which befit the mind that comes into conference +with its Maker, the first and most prominent +should be gratitude for His ever having +condescended to hold commerce with such +wretched and fallen creatures. Gratitude not +only expressing itself in proper terms, but +possessing the mind with one abiding and +over-mastering mood, under which it shall sit +imprest the whole duration of the interview. +Such an emotion as can not utter itself in +language—tho by language it indicates its +presence—but keeps us in a devout and adoring +frame, while the Lord is uttering His +voice.</p> + +<p>Go visit a desolate widow with consolation, +and help, and fatherhood of her orphan +children—do it again and again—and your +presence, the sound of your approaching +footstep, the soft utterance of your voice, the +very mention of your name, shall come to +dilate her heart with a fulness which defies +her tongue to utter, but speaking by the +tokens of a swimming eye, and clasped hands,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> +and fervent ejaculations to heaven upon your +head! No less copious acknowledgment of +God, the author of our well-being, and the +Father of our better hopes, ought we to feel +when His Word discloseth to us the excess of +His love. Tho a veil be now cast over the +Majesty which speaks, it is the voice of the +Eternal which we hear, coming in soft cadences +to win our favor, yet omnipotent as the voice +of the thunder, and overpowering as the rushing +of many waters. And tho the evil of +the future intervene between our hand and +the promised goods, still are they from His +lips who speaks, and it is done, who commands, +and all things stand fast. With no +less emotion, therefore, should this book be +opened, than if, like him in the Apocalypse, +you saw the voice which spake; or, like him in +the trance, you were into the third heaven +translated, companying and communing with +the realities of glory which the eye hath not +seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man +conceived.</p> + +<p>Far and foreign from such an opened and +awakened bosom is that cold and formal hand +which is generally laid upon the sacred +volume; that unfeeling and unimpressive tone +with which its accents are pronounced; and +that listless and incurious ear into which its +blessed sounds are received. How can you, +thus unimpassioned, hold communion with +themes in which everything awful, vital, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> +endearing meet together? Why is not +curiosity, curiosity ever hungry, on edge +to know the doings and intentions of +Jehovah, King of Kings? Why is not +interest, interest ever awake, on tip-toe to +hear the future destiny of itself? Why +is not the heart, that panteth over the +world after love and friendship, overpowered +with the full tide of the divine acts and expressions +of love? Where is nature gone when +she is not moved with the tender mercy of +Christ? Methinks the affections of men are +fallen into the yellow leaf. Of the poets which +charm the world's ear, who is he that inditeth +a song unto his God? Some will tune their +harps to sensual pleasure, and by the enchantment +of their genius well-nigh commend their +unholy themes to the imagination of saints. +Others, to the high and noble sentiments of the +heart, will sing of domestic joys and happy +unions, casting around sorrow the radiancy of +virtue, and bodying forth, in undying forms, +the short-lived visions of joy! Others have +enrolled themselves the high-priests of mute +nature's charms, enchanting her echoes with +their minstrelsy, and peopling her solitudes +with the bright creatures of their fancy. But +when, since the days of the blind master of +English song, hath any poured forth a lay +worthy of the Christian theme? Nor in philosophy, +"the palace of the soul," have men +been more mindful of their Maker. The flowers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> +of the garden and the herbs of the field +have their unwearied devotees, crossing the +ocean, wayfaring in the desert, and making +devout pilgrimages to every region of nature +for offerings to their patron muse. The rocks, +from their residences among the clouds to +their deep rests in the dark bowels of the +earth, have a bold and most venturous priesthood, +who see in their rough and flinty faces +a more delectable image to adore than in the +revealed countenance of God. And the political +warfare of the world is a very Moloch, +who can at any time command his hecatomb of +human victims. But the revealed suspense of +God, to which the harp of David, and the +prophetic lyre of Isaiah were strung, the prudence +of God, which the wisest of men coveted +after, preferring it to every gift which heaven +could confer, and the eternal intelligence +Himself in human form, and the unction of +the Holy One which abideth—these the common +heart of man hath forsaken, and refused +to be charmed withal.</p> + +<p>I testify, that there ascendeth not from +earth a hosanna of her children to bear witness +in the ear of the upper regions to the +wonderful manifestations of her God! From +a few scattered hamlets in a small portion of +her territory a small voice ascendeth, like the +voice of one crying in the wilderness. But to +the service of our general Preserver there is +no concourse, from Dan unto Beersheba, of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> +our people, the greater part of whom, after +two thousand years of apostolic commission, +have not the testimonials of our God; and the +multitude of those who disrespect or despise +them!</p> + +<p>But, to return from this lamentation, +which may God hear, who doth not disregard +the cries of His afflicted people! With the full +sense of obligation to the giver, combine a +humble sense of your own incapacity to value +and to use the gift of His oracles. Having no +taste whatever for the mean estimates which +are made, and the coarse invectives that are +vented, against human nature, which, tho +true in the main, are often in the manner so +unfeeling and triumphant, as to reveal hot +zeal rather than tender and deep sorrow, we +will not give in to this popular strain. And +yet it is a truth by experience, +revealed, that +tho there be in man most noble faculties, +and a nature restless after the knowledge and +truth of things, there are toward God and His +revealed will an indisposition and a regardlessness, +which the most tender and enlightened +consciences are the most ready to +acknowledge. Of our emancipated youth, +who, bound after the knowledge of the visible +works of God, and the gratification of the +various instincts of nature, how few betake +themselves at all, how few absorb themselves +with the study and obedience of the Word of +God! And when, by God's visitation, we address<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> +ourselves to the task, how slow is our +progress and how imperfect our performance! +It is most true that nature is unwilling to the +subject of the Scriptures. The soul is previously +possest with adverse interests; the +world hath laid an embargo on her faculties, +and monopolized them to herself; old habit +hath perhaps added to his almost incurable +callousness; and the enemy of God and man is +skilful to defend what he hath already won. +So circumstanced, and every man is so circumstanced, +we come to the audience of the Word +of God, and listen in the worse tune than a +wanton to a sermon, or a hardened knave to a +judicial address. Our understanding is prepossest +with a thousand idols of the world—religious +or irreligious—which corrupt the +reading of the Word into a straining of the +text to their service, and when it will not +strain, cause it to be skimmed, and perhaps +despised or hated. Such a thing as a free and +unlimited reception of all parts of the Scripture +into the mind, is a thing most rare to be +met with, and when met with will be found +the result of many a sore submission of +nature's opinions as well as of nature's +likings.</p> + +<p>But the Word, as hath been said, is not for +the intellect alone, but for the heart, and for +the will. Now if any one be so wedded to his +own candor as to think he doth accept the +divine truth unabated, surely no one will<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> +flatter himself into the belief that his heart +is attuned and enlarged for all divine commandments. +The man who thus misdeems of +himself must, if his opinions were just, be like +a sheet of fair paper, unblotted and unwritten +on; whereas all men are already occupied, +to the very fulness, with other opinions and +attachments and desires than the Word reveals. +We do not grow Christians by the same +culture by which we grow men, otherwise what +need of divine revelation, and divine assistance? +But being unacquainted from the womb +with God, and attached to what is seen and +felt, through early and close acquaintance, we +are ignorant and detached from what is unseen +and unfelt. The Word is a novelty to +our nature, its truths fresh truths, its affections +fresh affections, its obedience gathered +from the apprehension of nature and the commerce +of the worldly life. Therefore there +needeth, in one that would be served from this +storehouse opened by heaven, a disrelish of his +old acquisitions, and a preference of the new, +a simple, child-like teachableness, an allowance +of ignorance and error, with whatever +else beseems an anxious learner. Coming to +the Word of God, we are like children brought +into the conversations of experienced men; +and we should humbly listen and reverently +inquire; or we are like raw rustics introduced +into high and polished life, and we should +unlearn our coarseness, and copy the habits of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> +the station; nay we are like offenders caught, +and for the moment committed to the bosom +of honorable society, with the power of regaining +our lost condition and inheriting honor +and trust—therefore we should walk softly and +tenderly, covering our former reproach with +modesty and humbleness, hasting to redeem +our reputation by distinguished performances, +against offense doubly guarded, doubly watchful +for dangerous and extreme positions to +demonstrate our recovered goodness.</p> + +<p>These two sentiments—devout veneration of +God for His unspeakable gift, and deep distrust +of our capacity to estimate and use it +aright—will generate in the mind a constant +aspiration after the guidance and instruction +of a higher power; the first sentiment +of goodness remembered, emboldening us to +draw near to Him who first drew near to us, +and who with Christ will not refuse us any +gift; the second sentiment, of weakness remembered, +teaching us our need, and prompting +us by every interest of religion and every +feeling of helplessness to seek of Him who +hath said, "If any one lack wisdom let him +ask God, who giveth liberally and upbraideth +not." The soul which under these two +master-feelings cometh to read, shall not read +without profit. Every new revelation, feeding +his gratitude and nourishing his former ignorance, +will confirm the emotions he is under, +and carry them onward to an unlimited<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> +dimension. Such a one will prosper in the +way; enlargement of the inner man will be his +portion and the establishment in the truth +his exceeding great reward. "In the strength +of the Lord shall his right hand get victory—even +in the name of the Lord of Hosts. His +soul shall also flourish with the fruits of righteousness +from the seed of the word, which +liveth and abideth forever."</p> + +<p>Thus delivered from prepossessions of all +other masters, and arrayed in the raiment of +humility and love, the soul should advance +to the meeting of her God; and she should +call a muster of her faculties and have all her +poor grace in attendance, and anything she +knows of His excellent works and exalted +ways she should summon up to her remembrance; +her understanding she should quicken, +her memory refresh, her imagination stimulate, +her affections cherish, and her conscience +arouse. All that is within her should be +stirred up, her whole glory should awake and +her whole beauty display itself for the meeting +of her King. As His hand-maiden she +should meet Him; His own handiwork, tho +sore defaced, yet seeking restoration; His +humble, because offending, servant—yet nothing +slavish, tho humble—nothing superstitious, +tho devout—nothing tame, tho modest +in her demeanor; but quick and ready, all +addrest and wound up for her Maker's will.</p> + +<p>How different the ordinary proceeding of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> +Christians, who, with timorous, mistrustful +spirits, with an abeyance of intellect, and a +dwarfish reduction of their natural powers, +enter to the conference of the Word of God! +The natural powers of man are to be mistrusted, +doubtless, as the willing instruments +of the evil one; but they must be honored also +as the necessary instruments of the Spirit of +God, whose operation is a dream, if it be not +through knowledge, intellect, conscience, and +action. Now Christians, heedless of the grand +resurrection of the mighty instruments of +thought and action, at the same time coveting +hard after holy attainment, do often resign +the mastery of themselves, and are taken into +the counsel of the religious world—whirling +around the eddy of some popular leader—and +so drifted, I will not say from godliness, but +drifted certainly from that noble, manly and +independent course, which, under steerage of +the Word of God, they might safely have pursued +for the precious interests of their immortal +souls. Meanwhile these popular +leaders, finding no necessity for strenuous endeavors +and high science in the ways of God, +but having a gathering host to follow them, +deviate from the ways of deep and penetrating +thought—refuse the contest with the literary +and accomplished enemies of the faith—bring +a contempt upon the cause in which +mighty men did formerly gird themselves to +the combat—and so cast the stumbling-block<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> +of a mistaken paltryness between enlightened +men and the cross of Christ! So far from this +simple-mindedness (but its proper name is +feeble-mindedness), Christians should be—as +aforetime in this island they were wont to be—the +princes of human intellect, the lights of +the world, the salt of the political and social +state. Till they come forth from the swaddling-bands, +in which foreign schools have +girt them, and walk boldly upon the high +places of human understanding, they shall +never obtain that influence in the upper +regions of knowledge and power, of which, +unfortunately, they have not the apostolic +unction to be in quest. They will never be the +master and commanding spirit of the time, +until they cast off the wrinkled and withered +skin of an obsolete old age, and clothe themselves +with intelligence as with a garment, and +bring forth the fruits of power and love and +of a sound mind.</p> + +<p>Mistake us not, for we steer in a narrow, +very narrow channel, with rocks of popular +prejudice on every side. While we thus invocate +to the reading of the Word, the highest +strains of the human soul, mistake us not as +derogating from the office of the Spirit of God. +Far be it from any Christian, much further +from any Christian pastor, to withdraw from +God the honor which is everywhere His due; +but there most of all His due where the human +mind labored alone for thousands of years,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span> +and labored with no success—viz., the regeneration +of itself, and its restoration to the last +semblance of the divinity! Oh! let him be +reverently inquired after, devoutly meditated +on, and most thankfully acknowledged in +every step of progress from the soul's fresh +awakening out of her dark, oblivious sleep—even +to her ultimate attainment upon earth +and full accomplishment for heaven. And +there may be a fuller choir of awakened men +to advance His honor and glory here on earth, +and hereafter in heaven above; let the saints +bestir themselves like angels and the ministers +of religion like archangels strong! And now +at length let us have a demonstration made of +all that is noble in thought, and generous in +action, and devoted in piety, for bestirring +this lethargy, and breaking the bonds of hell, +and redeeming the whole world to the service +of its God and King!</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130"> </a><br /><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>ARNOLD</h2> + +<h3>ALIVE IN GOD</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p>Thomas Arnold, schoolmaster and +preacher, was born at West Cowes, Isle +of Wight, in 1795. He was educated at +Oxford, and after his graduation taught +as fellow of Oriel College, until in 1820 +he removed to Laleham near Haines and +took pupils to prepare for the universities. +In 1827 he was elected to the head mastership +of Rugby, and took priest's orders +before entering upon his duties. At +Rugby he remained till his death in 1842. +His great work as an educator consisted +in teaching boys the duty of self-government, +self-control and freedom of intellectual +judgement. His sermons in the +school chapel were distinguished by simplicity +and profound moral and religious +earnestness.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>ARNOLD</h2> + +<h3>1795-1842</h3> + +<h4>ALIVE IN GOD</h4> + +<p><em>God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.</em>—Matt. +xxii., 32.</p> + + +<p>We hear these words as a part of our +Lord's answer to the Sadducees; +and as their question was put in +evident profaneness, and the answer to it is +one which to our minds is quite obvious and +natural, so we are apt to think that in this +particular story there is less than usual that +particularly concerns us. But it so happens +that our Lord in answering the Sadducees has +brought in one of the most universal and most +solemn of all truths,—which is indeed implied +in many parts of the Old Testament, but +which the Gospel has revealed to us in all its +fulness,—the truth contained in the words of +the text, that "God is not the God of the +dead, but of the living."</p> + +<p>I would wish to unfold a little what is contained +in these words which we often hear, +even, perhaps, without quite understanding +them, and many times oftener without fully +entering into them. And we may take them, +without fully entering into them. And we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> +may take them, first, in their first part, where +they say that "God is not the God of the +dead."</p> + +<p>The word "dead," we know, is constantly +used in Scripture in a double sense, as meaning +those who are dead spiritually as well as +those who are dead naturally. And in either +sense the words are alike applicable: "God is +not the God of the dead."</p> + +<p>God's not being the God of the dead signifies +two things: that they who are without Him +are dead, as well as that they who are dead +are also without Him. So far as our knowledge +goes respecting inferior animals they appear +to be examples of this truth. They appear +to us to have no knowledge of God; and we +are not told that they have any other life than +the short one of which our senses inform us. +I am well aware that our ignorance of their +condition is so great that we may not dare to +say anything of them positively; there may +be a hundred things true respecting them +which we neither know nor imagine. I would +only say that according to that most imperfect +light in which we see them the two points +of which I have been speaking appear to meet +in them: we believe that they have no consciousness +of God, and we believe that they will die. +And so far, therefore, they afford an example +of the agreement, if I may so speak, between +these two points; and were intended, perhaps, +to be to our view a continual image of it. But<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> +we had far better speak of ourselves. And +here, too, it is the case that "God is not the +God of the dead." If we are without Him +we are dead, and if we are dead we are without +Him; in other words, the two ideas of +death and absence from God are in fact +synonymous.</p> + +<p>Thus, in the account given of the fall of +man, the sentence of death and of being cast +out of Eden go together; and if any one compares +the description of the second Eden in +the Revelation, and recollects how especially +it is there said that God dwells in the midst +of it, and is its light by day and night, he will +see that the banishment from the first Eden +means a banishment from the presence of God. +And thus, in the day that Adam sinned he +died; for he was cast out of Eden immediately, +however long he may have moved about +afterward upon the earth where God was not. +And how very strong to the same point are +the words of Hezekiah's prayer, "The grave +cannot praise Thee, Death cannot celebrate +Thee; they that go down into the pit cannot +hope for Thy truth"; words which express +completely the feeling that God is not the +God of the dead. This, too, appears to be the +sense generally of the expression used in various +parts of the Old Testament, "Thou shalt +surely die."</p> + +<p>It is, no doubt, left purposely obscure; nor +are we ever told in so many words all that is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> +meant by death; but, surely, it always implies +a separation from God, and the being—whatever +the notion may extend to—the being dead +to Him.</p> + +<p>Thus, when David had committed his great +sin and had expressed his repentance for it, +Nathan tells him, "The Lord also hath put +away thy sin; thou shalt not die"; which +means most expressively, thou shalt not die to +God.</p> + +<p>In one sense David died, as all men die; nor +was he by any means freed from the punishment +of his sin; he was not, in that sense, forgiven, +but he was allowed still to regard God +as his God; and therefore his punishments +were but fatherly chastisements from God's +hand, designed for his profit that he might be +partaker of God's holiness.</p> + +<p>And thus altho Saul was sentenced to +lose his kingdom, and altho he was killed +with his sons on Mount Gilboa, yet I do not +think that we find the sentence passed upon +him, "Thou shalt surely die"; and therefore +we have no right to say that God had ceased +to be his God altho He visited him with severe +chastisements and would not allow him +to hand down to his sons the crown of Israel. +Observe also the language of the eighteenth +chapter of Ezekiel, where the expressions occur +so often, "He shall surely live," and "He +shall surely die."</p> + +<p>We have no right to refer these to a mere<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> +extension on the one hand, or a cutting short +on the other, of the term of earthly existence. +The promise of living long in the land or, as +in Hezekiah's case, of adding to his days fifteen +years, is very different from the full and +unreserved blessing, "Thou shalt surely live." +And we know, undoubtedly, that both the +good and the bad to whom Ezekiel spoke died +alike the natural death of the body. But the +peculiar force of the promise and of the threat +was, in the one case, Thou shalt belong to God; +in the other, Thou shalt cease to belong to +Him; although the veil was not yet drawn up +which concealed the full import of those +terms, "belonging to God," and "ceasing to +belong to Him": nay, can we venture to affirm +that it is fully drawn aside even now?</p> + +<p>I have dwelt on this at some length, because +it really seems to place the common state of +the minds of too many amongst us in a light +which is exceedingly awful; for if it be true, +as I think the Scripture implies, that to be +dead and to be without God are precisely the +same thing, then can it be denied that the +symptoms of death are strongly marked upon +many of us? Are there not many who never +think of God or care about His service? Are +there not many who live, to all appearance, +as unconscious of His existence, as we fancy +the inferior animals to be?</p> + +<p>And is it not quite clear that to such persons +God cannot be said to be their God? He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> +may be the God of heaven and earth, the God +of the universe, the God of Christ's Church; +but He is not their God, for they feel to have +nothing at all to do with Him; and therefore, +as He is not their God, they are, and must be +according to the Scripture, reckoned among +the dead.</p> + +<p>But God is the God "of the living." That +is, as before, all who are alive live unto Him; +all who live unto Him are alive. "God said, I +am the God of Abraham, and the God of +Isaac, and the God of Jacob"; and therefore, +says our Lord, "Abraham, and Isaac, and +Jacob are not and cannot be dead." They +cannot be dead, because God owns them: He +is not ashamed to be called their God; therefore +they are not cast out from Him; therefore, +by necessity, they live.</p> + +<p>Wonderful, indeed, is the truth here implied, +in exact agreement, as we have seen, +with the general language of Scripture; that, +as she who but touched the hem of Christ's +garment was in a moment relieved from her +infirmity, so great was the virtue which went +out from Him; so they who are not cast out +from God, but have anything whatever to do +with Him, feel the virtue of His gracious presence +penetrating their whole nature; because +He lives, they must live also.</p> + +<p>Behold, then, life and death set before us; +not remote (if a few years be, indeed, to be +called remote), but even now present before<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> +us; even now suffered or enjoyed. Even now, +we are alive unto God, or dead unto God; and, +as we are either the one or the other, so we +are, in the highest possible sense of the terms, +alive or dead. In the highest possible sense +of the terms; but who can tell what that highest +possible sense of the terms is? So much +has, indeed, been revealed to us, that we know +now that death means a conscious and perpetual +death, as life means a conscious and +perpetual life.</p> + +<p>But greatly, indeed, do we deceive ourselves, +if we fancy that, by having thus much +told us, we have also risen to the infinite +heights, or descended to the infinite depths, +contained in those little words, life and death. +They are far higher, and far deeper, than ever +thought or fancy of man has reached to. But, +even on the first edge of either, at the visible +beginnings of that infinite ascent or descent, +there is surely something which may give us +a foretaste of what is beyond. Even to us +in this mortal state, even to you, advanced but +so short a way on your very earthly journey, +life and death have a meaning: to be dead +unto God, or to be alive to Him, are things +perceptibly different.</p> + +<p>For, let me ask of those who think least of +God, who are most separate from Him, and +most without Him, whether there is not now +actually, perceptibly, in their state, something +of the coldness, the loneliness, the fearfulness<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> +of death? I do not ask them whether they +are made unhappy by the fear of God's anger; +of course they are not: for they who fear God +are not dead to Him, nor He to them.</p> + +<p>The thought of Him gives them no disquiet +at all; this is the very point we start from. +But I would ask them whether they know +what it is to feel God's blessing. For instance: +we all of us have our troubles of some +sort or other, our disappointments, if not our +sorrows. In these troubles, in these disappointments,—I +care not how small they may +be,—have they known what it is to feel that +God's hand is over them; that these little annoyances +are but His fatherly correction; +that He is all the time loving us, and supporting +us? In seasons of joy, such as they taste +very often, have they known what it is to +feel that they are tasting the kindness of their +heavenly Father, that their good things come +from His hand and are but an infinitely slight +foretaste of His love? Sickness, danger; I +know that they come to many of us but rarely; +but if we have known them, or at least sickness, +even in its lighter form, if not in its +graver,—have we felt what it is to know that +we are in our Father's hands, that He is with +us, and will be with us to the end; that nothing +can hurt those whom He loves?</p> + +<p>Surely, then, if we have never tasted anything +of this: if in trouble, or in joy, or in +sickness, we are left wholly to ourselves to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> +bear as we can and enjoy as we can; if there +is no voice that ever speaks out of the heights +and the depths around us to give any answer +to our own; if we are thus left to ourselves +in this vast world,—there is in this a coldness +and a loneliness; and whenever we come to +be, of necessity, driven to be with our own +hearts alone, the coldness and the loneliness +must be felt. But consider that the things +which we see around us cannot remain with +us nor we with them. The coldness and loneliness +of the world, without God, must be felt +more and more as life wears on; in every +change of our own state, in every separation +from or loss of a friend, in every more sensible +weakness of our own bodies, in every +additional experience of the uncertainty of +our own counsels,—the deathlike feeling will +come upon us more and more strongly: we +shall gain more of that fearful knowledge +which tells us that "God is not the God of +the dead."</p> + +<p>And so, also, the blessed knowledge that +He is the God "of the living" grows upon +those who are truly alive. Surely He "is not +far from every one of us." No occasion of life +fails to remind those who live unto Him that +He is their God and that they are His children. +On light occasions or on grave ones, +in sorrow and in joy, still the warmth of His +love is spread, as it were, all through the atmosphere +of their lives; they forever feel His<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> +blessing. And if it fills them with joy unspeakable +even now, when they so often feel +how little they deserve it; if they delight still +in being with God, and in living to Him, let +them be sure that they have in themselves the +unerring witness of life eternal: God is the +God of the living, and all who are with Him +must live.</p> + +<p>Hard it is, I well know, to bring this home +in any degree to the minds of those who are +dead; for it is of the very nature of the dead +that they can hear no words of life. But it +has happened that, even whilst writing what +I have just been uttering to you, the news +reached me that one who two months ago was +one of your number, who this very half-year +has shared in all the business and amusements +of this place, is passed already into that state +where the meanings of the terms life and +death are become fully revealed. He knows +what it is to live unto God and what it is to +die to Him. Those things which are to us unfathomable +mysteries are to him all plain: and +yet but two months ago he might have thought +himself as far from attaining this knowledge +as any of us can do. Wherefore it is clear +that these things, life and death, may hurry +their lesson upon us sooner than we deem of, +sooner than we are prepared to receive it. +And that were indeed awful, if, being dead +to God, and yet little feeling it because of the +enjoyments of our worldly life, those enjoyments<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> +were on a sudden to be struck away +from us, and we should find then that to be +dead to God was death indeed, a death from +which there is no waking, and in which there +is no sleeping forever.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144"> </a><br /><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>WAYLAND</h2> + +<h3>A DAY IN THE LIFE OF JESUS OF +NAZARETH</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p>Francis Wayland, preacher and philosopher, +was born in New York, in 1796. +He graduated at Union College in 1813 +and in 1816 entered Hudson Theological +Seminary. His first charge was the First +Baptist Church in Boston. Here he established +his reputation as an able and +vigorous pulpit orator. Five years later +he accepted a chair in Union College, +but in 1827 entered upon an incumbency +of twenty-eight years as President of +Brown University, Providence. This institution +he built up on a broad and +liberal basis, quite emancipating it from +narrow sectarianism. In 1855 he became +pastor of the First Baptist Church in +Providence and died in 1865.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>WAYLAND</h2> + +<h3>1796-1865</h3> + +<h4>A DAY IN THE LIFE OF JESUS OF +NAZARETH</h4> + +<p><em>And the apostles, when they were returned, told him +all that they had done. And he took them, and went +aside privately into a desert place, belonging to the +city called Bethsaida. And the people when they +knew it, followed him: and he received them, and +spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed +them that had need of healing. And when the day +began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said +unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may +go into the towns and country round about, and lodge +and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place. +But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they +said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; +except we should go and buy meat for all this people. +For they were about five thousand men. And he said +to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a +company. And they did so, and made them all sit +down. Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes +and looking up to heaven, he blessed them and brake, +and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude. +And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was +taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve +baskets.</em>—Luke ix., 10-17.</p> + + +<p>It was the sagacious opinion of, I think, +the late Professor Porson, that he would +rather see a single copy of a daily newspaper +of ancient Athens, than read all the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> +commentaries upon the Grecian tragedies that +have ever been written. The reason for this +preference is obvious. A single sheet, similar +to our daily newspapers, published in the +time of Pericles, would admit us at once to +a knowledge of the habits, manners, modes of +opinion, political relations, social condition, +and moral attainments of the people, such as +we never could gain from the study of all the +writers that have ever attempted to illustrate +the nature of Grecian civilization.</p> + +<p>The same remark is true in respect to our +knowledge of the character of individuals who +have lived in a former age. What would we +not, at the present day, give for a few pages +of the private diary of Julius Cesar, or Cicero, +or Brutus, or Augustus; or for the minute +reminiscences of any one who had spent a few +days in the company of either of these distinguished +men? What a flood of life would +the discovery of such a manuscript throw +upon Roman life, but especially upon the +private opinions, the motives, the aspirations, +the moral estimates of the men whose names +have become household words throughout the +world! A few such pages might, perchance, +dissipate the authority of many a bulky folio +on which we now rely with implicit confidence. +Not only would the characters of these heroes +of antiquity stand out in bolder relief than +they have ever done before, but the individuals +themselves would be brought within the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> +range of our personal sympathy; and we +should seem to commune with them as we do +with an intimate acquaintance.</p> + +<p>It is worthy of remark, that we are favored +with a larger portion of this kind of information, +respecting Jesus of Nazareth, than almost +any other distinguished person that has +ever lived. He left no writings Himself; +hence all that we know of Him has been written +by others. The narrators, however, were +the personal attendants, and not the mere +auditors or pupils of their master. The apostles +were members of the family of Jesus; they +traveled with Him, on foot, throughout the +length and breadth of Palestine; they partook +with Him of his frugal meals, and bore +with Him the trial of hunger, weariness, and +want of shelter; they followed Him through +the lonely wilderness and the crowded street; +they saw His miracles in every variety of +form, and listened to His discourses in public +as well as to His explanations in private. +Hence their whole narrative is instinct with +life; a vivid picture of Jewish manners and +customs, rendered more definite and characteristic +by the moral light which then, for the +first time, shone upon it. Hence it is that +these few pages are replete with moral lessons +that never weary us in the perusal, and which +have been the source of unfailing illumination +to all succeeding ages.</p> + +<p>The verses which I have read, as the text of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> +this discourse, may well be taken as an illustration +of all that I have here said. They +may, without impropriety, be styled a day in +the life of Jesus of Nazareth. By observing +the manner in which our blessed Lord spent a +single day, we may form some conception of +the kind of life which He ordinarily led; and +we may, perchance, treasure up some lessons +which it were well if we should exemplify in +our daily practice.</p> + +<p>The place at which these events occurred +was near the head of the Sea of Galilee, where +it receives the waters of the upper Jordan. +This was one of the Savior's favorite places +of resort. Capernaum, Chorazin, and Bethsaida, +all in this immediate vicinity, are always +spoken of in the gospels as towns which +enjoyed the largest share of His ministerial +labors, and were distinguished most frequently +with the honor of His personal presence. +The scenery of the neighborhood is wild +and romantic. To the north and west, the eye +rests on the lofty summits of Lebanon and +Hermon. To the south, there opens upon the +view the blue expanse of the lake, enclosed by +frowning rocks, which here and there jut +over far into the waters, and then again retire +towards the land, leaving a level beach to invite +the labors of the fishermen. The people, +removed at a considerable distance from the +metropolis of Judea, cultivated those rural habits +with which the simple tastes of the Savior<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> +would most readily harmonize. Near this spot +was also one of the most frequented fords of +the Jordan, on the road from Damascus to +Jerusalem; and thus, while residing here, He +enjoyed unusual facilities for disseminating +throughout this whole region a knowledge of +those truths which He came on earth to promulgate.</p> + +<p>Some weeks previous to the time in which +the events spoken of in the text occurred, our +Lord had sent His disciples to announce the +approach of the kingdom of heaven, in all the +cities and villages which He Himself proposed +to visit. He conferred on them the power to +work miracles, in attestation of their authority, +and of the divine character of Him by +whom they were sent. He imposed upon +them strict rules of conduct, and directed +them to make known to every one who would +hear them the good news of the coming dispensation. +As soon as He sent them forth, He +Himself went immediately abroad to teach and +to preach in their cities. As their Master and +Lord, He might reasonably have claimed exemption +from the personal toil and the rigid +self-denials to which they were by necessity +subjected. But He had laid no claim to such +exemption. He commenced without delay the +performance of the very same duties which He +had imposed upon them. He felt himself +under obligation to set an example of obedience +to His own rules. "The Son of Man,"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> +said He, "came not to be ministered unto, +but to minister, and to give His life a ransom +for many." "Which," said He, "is greater, +he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? +but I am among you as He that serveth." +Would it not be well, if, in this respect, we +copied more minutely the example of our +Lord, and held ourselves responsible for the +performance of the very same duties which +we so willingly impose upon our brethren? +We best prove that we believe an act obligatory, +when we commence the performance of +it ourselves. Many zealous Christians employ +themselves in no other labor than that of +urging their brethren to effort. Our Savior +acted otherwise. In this respect, His example +is specially to be imitated by His ministers. +When they urge upon others a moral duty, +they must be the first to perform it. When +they inculcate an act of self-denial, they themselves +must make the noblest sacrifice. Can +we conceive of anything which could so much +increase the moral power of the ministry, and +rouse to a flame the dormant energy of the +churches, as obedience to this teaching of +Christ by the preachers of His gospel?</p> + +<p>It seems that the Savior had selected a +well-known spot, at the head of the lake, for +the place of meeting for his apostles, after this +their first missionary tour had been completed. +"The apostles gathered themselves unto +Jesus, and told Him all things, both what<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> +they had done, and what they had taught." +There is something delightful in this filial +confidence which these simple-hearted men +reposed in their almighty Redeemer. They +told Him of their success and their failure, +of their wisdom and their folly, of their reliance +and their unbelief. We can almost imagine +ourselves spectators of this meeting +between Christ and them, after this their first +separation from each other. The place appointed +was most probably some well-known +locality on the shore of the lake, under the +shadow of its overhanging rocks, where the +cool air from the bosom of the water refreshed +each returning laborer, as he came back +beaten out with the fatigues of travel, under +the burning sun of Syria. You can imagine +the joy with which each drew near to the Master, +after this temporary absence; and the +honest greetings with which every newcomer +was welcomed by those who had chanced to +arrive before him. We can seem to perceive +the Savior of men listening with affectionate +earnestness to the recital of their various adventures; +and interposing, from time to time, +a word either of encouragement or of caution, +as the character and circumstances of each +narrator required it. The bosom of each was +unveiled before the Searcher of Hearts, and +the consolation which each one needed was bestowed +upon him abundantly. The toilsomeness +of their journey was no longer remembered,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> +as each one received from the Son of +God the smile of His approbation. That was +truly a joyful meeting. Of all that company +there is not one who has forgotten that day; +nor will he forget it ever. With unreserved +frankness they told Jesus of all that they had +done, and what they had taught; of all their +acts, and all their conversations. Would it +not be better for us, if we cultivated more +assiduously this habit of intimate intercourse +with the Savior? Were we every day to tell +Jesus of all that we have done and said; did +we spread before Him our joys and our sorrows, +our faults and our infirmities, our successes +and our failures, we should be saved +from many an error and many a sin. Setting +the Lord always before us, He would be on +our right hand, and we should not be moved. +"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the +most High shall abide under the shadow of +the Almighty."</p> + +<p>The Savior perceived that the apostles +needed much instruction which could not be +communicated in a place where both He and +they were so well known. They had committed +many errors, which He preferred to +correct in private. By doing His will, they +had learned to repose greater confidence in +His wisdom, and were prepared to receive +from Him more important instruction. But +these lessons could not be delivered in the +hearing of a promiscuous audience. Nor was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> +this all. He perceived that the apostles were +worn out with their labors, and needed repose. +Surrounded as they were by the multitude, +which had already begun to collect about +them, rest and retirement were equally impossible. +"There were many coming and going, +and they had no leisure, even so much as to +eat." He therefore said to them, "Come ye +yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest +a while." For this purpose, He "took ship, +and crossed over with his disciples alone, and +went into a desert place belonging to Bethsaida."</p> + +<p>The religion of Christ imposes upon us +duties of retirement, as well as duties of publicity. +The apostles had been for some time +past before the eyes of all men, preaching and +working miracles. Their souls needed retirement. +"Solitude," said Cecil, "is my great +ordinance." They would be greatly improved +by private communion both with Him and +with each other. It was for the purpose of +affording them such a season of moral recreation, +that our Lord withdrew them from the +public gaze into a desert place. Nor was this +all. Their labor for some weeks past had +been severe. They had traveled on foot +under a tropical sun, reasoning with unbelievers, +instructing the ignorant, and comforting +the cast-down. Called upon, at all hours, +both of the day and night, to work cures on +those that were opprest with diseases, their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> +bodies, no less than their spirits, needed rest. +Our Lord saw this, and He made provision +for it. He withdrew them from labor, that +they might find, tho it were but for a day, +the repose which their exhausted natures demanded. +The religion of Christ is ever merciful, +and ever consistent in its benevolence. It +is thoughtful of the benefactor as well as the +recipient. It requires of us all labor and self-sacrifice, +but to these it affixes a limit. It +never commands us to ruin our health and +enfeeble our minds by unnatural exhaustion. +It teaches us to obey the laws of our physical +organization, and to prepare ourselves for the +labors of to-morrow by the judiciously conducted +labors of to-day. It was on this principle +that our Lord conducted His intercourse +with His disciples. "He knew their +frame, and remembered that they were dust."</p> + +<p>May we not from this incident derive a +lesson of practical instruction? I well know +that there are persons who are always sparing +themselves, who, while it is difficult to tell +what they do, are always complaining of the +crushing weight of their labors, and who are +rather exhausted with the dread of what they +shall do, than with the experience of what +they have actually done. It is not of those +that we speak. Those who do not labor have +no need of rest. It is to the honest, the painstaking, +the laborious, that we address the example +in the text. We sometimes meet with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> +the industrious, self-denying servant of +Christ, in feeble health, and with an exhausted +nature, bemoaning his condition, and +condemning himself because he can accomplish +no more, while so much yet remains to +be done. To such a one we may safely present +the example of the blessed Savior. When +His apostles had done to the utmost of their +strength, altho the harvest was great, and +the laborers few, He did not urge upon them +additional labor, nor tell them that because +there was so much to be done they must never +cease from doing. No; He tells them to turn +aside and rest for a while. It is as tho +He had said, "Your strength is exhausted; +you cannot be qualified for subsequent duty +until you be refreshed. Economize, then, +your power, that you may accomplish the +more." The Savior addresses the same language +to us now. When we are worn down +in His service, as in any other, He would have +us rest, not for the sake of self-indulgence, but +that we may be the better prepared for future +effort. We do nothing at variance with +His will, when we, with a good conscience, use +the liberty which he has thus conceded to us.</p> + +<p>Jesus, with His disciples, crossed the water, +and entered the desert; that is, the sparsely +inhabited country of Bethsaida. Desert, or +wilderness, in the New Testament, does not +mean an arid waste, but pasture land, forest, +or any district to which one could retire for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> +seclusion. Here, in the cool and tranquil +neighborhood of the lake, he began to instruct +His disciples, and, without interruption, +make known to them the mysteries of +the kingdom. It was one of those seasons +that the Savior Himself rarely enjoyed. +Everything tended to repose: the rustling +leaves, the rippling waves, the song of the +birds, heard more distinctly in this rural solitude, +all served to calm the spirit ruffled by +the agitations of the world, and prepared it to +listen to the truths which unveil to us eternity. +Here our Lord could unbosom Himself, +without reserve, to His chosen few, and +hold with them that communion which He +was rarely permitted to enjoy during His +ministry on earth.</p> + +<p>Soon, however, the whole scene is changed. +The multitude, whom he had so recently left, +having observed the direction in which He +had gone, have discovered the place of His +retreat. An immense crowd approaches, and +the little company is surrounded by a dense +mass of human beings pressing upon them on +every side. These are, however, only the +pioneers. At last, five thousand men, besides +women and children, are beheld thronging +around them.</p> + +<p>Some of these suitors present most importunate +claims. They are in search of cure for +diseases which have baffled the skill of the +medical profession, and, as a last resort, they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> +have come to the Messiah for aid. Here was +a parent bringing a consumptive child. There +were children bearing on a couch a paralytic +parent. Here was a sister leading a brother +blind from his birth, while her supplications +were drowned by the shout of a frenzied lunatic +who was standing by her side. Every one, +believing his own claim to be the most urgent, +prest forward with selfish importunity. +Each one, caring for no other than +himself, was striving to attain the front rank, +while those behind, disappointed, and fearing +to lose this important opportunity, were +eager to occupy the places of those more fortunate +than themselves. The necessary tumult +and disorder of such a scene you can better +imagine than I can describe.</p> + +<p>This was, doubtless, by no means a welcome +interruption. The apostles needed the time +for rest; for they were worn out in the public +service. They wanted it for instruction; for +such opportunities of intercourse with Christ +were rare. But what did they do? Did our +Lord inform the multitude that this day was +set apart for their own refreshment and improvement, +and that they could not be interrupted? +As He beheld them approaching, +did He quietly take to His boat, and leave +them to go home disappointed? Did He plead +His own convenience, or His need of repose, +as any reason for not attending to the pressing +necessities of His fellow men?</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span></p> + +<p>No, my brethren, very far from it. That +providence of God had brought these multitudes +before Him, and that same providence +forbade Him to send them away unblest. +He at once broke up the conference with His +disciples and addrest Himself to the work +before Him. His instructions were of inestimable +importance; but I doubt if even they +were as important as the example of deep +humility, exhaustless kindness, and affecting +compassion which He here exhibited. When +the Master places work before us which can +be done at no other time, our convenience must +yield to other men's necessities. "The Son of +Man came not to be ministered unto, but to +minister." You can imagine to yourself the +Savior rising from His seat, in the midst +of His disciples, and presenting Himself to +the approaching multitudes. His calm dignity +awes into silence this tumultuous gathering +of the people. Those who came out to +witness the tricks of an empiric, or listen to +the ravings of a fanatic, find themselves, unexpectedly, +in a presence that repels every +emotion but that of profound veneration. The +light-hearted and frivolous are awestruck by +the unearthly majesty that seems to clothe +the Messiah as with a garment. And yet it +was a majesty that shone forth conspicuous, +most of all, by the manifestation of unparalleled +goodness. Every eye that met the eye +of the Savior quailed before Him; for it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> +looked into a soul that had never sinned; and +the spirit of the sinner felt, for the first time, +the full power of immaculate virtue.</p> + +<p>Thus the Savior passed among the crowd, +and "healed all that had need of healing." +The lame walked, the lepers were cleansed, +the blind received their sight, the paralytic +were restored to soundness, and the bloom +of health revisited the cheeks of those that +but just now were sick unto death.</p> + +<p>The work to be done for the bodies of men +was accomplished, and there yet remained +some hours of the summer's day unconsumed. +The power and goodness displayed in this +miraculous healing would naturally predispose +the people to listen to the instructions +of the Savior. This was too valuable an +opportunity to be lost. Our Lord therefore +proceeded to speak to them of the things concerning +the kingdom of God. We can seem +to perceive the Savior seeking an eminence +from whence He could the more conveniently +address this vast assembly. You hear Him +unfold the laws of God's moral government. +He unmasks the hypocrisy of the Pharisees; +He rebukes the infidelity of the Sadducees; +He exposes the folly of the frivolous, as well +as of the selfish worldling; He speaks peaceably +to the humble penitent; He encourages +the meek, and comforts those that be cast +down. The intellect and the conscience of +this vast assembly are swayed at His will.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> +The soul of man bows down in reverence in +the presence of its Creator. "He stilleth the +noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, +and the tumult of the people." As He closes +His address, every eye is moistened with compunction +for sin. Every soul cherishes the +hope of amendment. Every one is conscious +that a new moral light has dawned upon his +soul, and that a new moral universe has been +unveiled to his spiritual vision. As the closing +words of the Savior fell upon their ears, +the whole multitude stood for a while unmoved, +as tho transfixt to the earth by some +mighty spell; until, at last, the murmur is +heard from thousands of voices, "Never man +spake like this man."</p> + +<p>But the shades of evening are gathering +around them. The multitude have nothing +to eat. To send them away fasting would be +inhuman, for divers of them came from far, +and many were women and children, who +could not perform their journey homeward +without previous refreshment. To purchase +food in the surrounding towns and villages +would be difficult; but even were this possible, +whence could the necessary funds be provided? +A famishing multitude was thus unexpectedly +cast upon the bounty of our Lord. +He had not tempted God by leading them +into the wilderness. They came to Him of +themselves, to hear His words and to be +healed of their infirmities. He could not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> +"send them away fasting, lest they should +faint by the way." In this dilemma, what +was to be done? He puts this question to +His disciples, and they can suggest no means +of relief. The little stock of provisions which +they had brought with them was barely sufficient +for themselves. They can perceive no +means whatever by which the multitude can +be fed, and they at once confess it.</p> + +<p>The Savior, however, commands the twelve +to give them to eat. They produce their slender +store of provisions, amounting to five +loaves and two small fishes. He commands the +multitude to sit down by companies on the +grass. As soon as silence is obtained, He lifts +up His eyes to heaven, and supplicates the +blessing of God upon their scanty meal. He +begins to break the loaves and fishes, and distribute +them to His disciples, and His disciples +distribute them to the multitude. He +continues to break and distribute. Basket +after basket is filled and emptied, yet the supply +is undiminished. Food is carried in +abundance to the famishing thousands. Company +after company is supplied with food, +but the five loaves and two fishes remain unexhausted. +At last, the baskets are returned +full, and it is announced that the wants of +the multitude are supplied. The miracle then +ceases, and the multiplication of food is at +an end.</p> + +<p>But even here the provident care of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> +Savior is manifested. Altho this food has +been so easily provided, it is not right that +it be lightly suffered to perish. Christ wrought +no miracles for the sake of teaching men +wastefulness. That food, by what means soever +provided, was a creature of God, and it +were sin to allow it to decay without accomplishing +the purposes for which it was created. +"Gather up the fragments," said the Master +of the feast, "that nothing be lost." "And +they gathered up the fragments that remained, +twelve baskets full."</p> + +<p>Dissimilar as are our circumstances to those +of our Lord, we may learn from this latter +incident a lesson of instruction.</p> + +<p>In the first place, as I have remarked, the +Savior did not lead the multitude into the +wilderness without making provision for their +sustenance. This would have been presumption. +They followed Him without His command, +and He found Himself with them in +this necessity. He had provided for His own +wants, but they had not provided for theirs. +The providence of God had, however, placed +Him in His present circumstances, and He +might therefore properly look to providence +for deliverance. This event, then, furnishes +the rule by which we are to be governed. +When we plunge ourselves into difficulty, by +a neglect of the means or by a misuse of the +faculties which God has bestowed upon us, +it is to be expected that He will leave us to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> +our own devices. But when, in the honest discharge +of our duties, we find ourselves in circumstances +beyond the reach of human aid, +we may then confidently look up to God for +deliverance. He will always take care of us +while we are in the spot where He has placed +us. When He appoints for us trials, He also +appoints for us the means of escape. The path +of duty, tho it may seem arduous, is ever +the path of safety. We can more easily maintain +ourselves in the most difficult position, +God being our helper, than in apparent security +relying on our own strength.</p> + +<p>The Savior, in full reliance upon God, with +only five loaves and two fishes, commenced the +distribution of food amongst the vast multitude. +Tho His whole store was barely sufficient +to supply the wants of His immediate +family, He began to share it with the thousands +who surrounded Him. Small as was +His provision at the commencement, it remained +unconsumed until the deed of mercy +was done, and the wants of the famished host +supplied. Nor were the disciples losers by +this act of charity. After the multitude had +eaten and were satisfied, twelve baskets full +of fragments remained, a reward for their +deed of benevolence.</p> + +<p>From this portion of the narrative, we may, +I think, learn that if we act in faith, and in +the spirit of Christian love, we may frequently +be justified in commencing the most important<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> +good work, even when in possession of apparently +inadequate means. If the work be of +God, He will furnish us with helpers as fast +as they are needed. In all ages, God has rewarded +abundantly simple trust in Him, and +has bestowed upon it in the highest honor. +We must, however, remember the conditions +upon which alone we may expect His aid, lest +we be led into fanaticism. The service which +we undertake must be such as God has commanded, +and His providence must either designate +us for the work, or, at least, open +the door by which we shall enter upon it. It +must be God's work, and not our own; for the +good of others, and not for the gratification +of our own passions; and, in the doing of it, +we must, first of all, make sacrifice of ourselves, +and not of others. Under such circumstances, +there is hardly a good design which +we may not undertake with cheerful hopes of +success, for God has promised us His assistance. +"If God be for us, who can be against +us?" The calculations of the men of this +world are of small account in such a matter. +It would have provoked the smile of an infidel +to behold the Savior commencing the work of +feeding five thousand men with a handful of +provisions. But the supply increased as fast +as it was needed, and it ceased not until all +that He had prayed for was accomplished.</p> + +<p>Perhaps, also, we may learn from this incident +another lesson. If I mistake not, it suggests<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> +to us that in works of benevolence we +are accustomed to rely too much on human, +and too little on divine, aid. When we attempt +to do good, we commence by forming +large associations, and suppose that our success +depends upon the number of men whom +we can unite in the promotion of our undertaking. +Every one is apt thus to forget his +own personal duty, and rely upon the labor +of others, and it is well if he does not put +his organization in the place of God Himself. +Would it not be better if we made benevolence +much more a matter between God and our +own souls, each one doing with his own hands, +in firm reliance on divine aid, the work which +Providence has placed directly before him? +Our Lord did not send to the villages round to +organize a general effort to relieve the famishing. +In reliance upon God, He set about to +work Himself, with just such means as God had +afforded Him. All the miracles of benevolence +have, if I mistake not, been wrought in +the same manner. The little band of disciples +in Jerusalem accomplished more for the conversion +of the world than all the Christians +of the present day united. And why? Because +every individual Christian felt that the +conversion of the world was a work for which +he himself, and not an abstraction that he +called the Church, was responsible. Instead of +relying on man for aid, every one looked up +directly to God, and went forth to the work.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span> +God was thus exalted, the power was confest +to be His own, and, in a few years, the standard +of the Cross was carried to the remotest +extremities of the then known world.</p> + +<p>Such has, I think, been the case ever since. +Every great moral reformation has proceeded +upon principles analogous of these. It was +Luther, standing up alone in simple reliance +upon God, that smote the Papal hierarchy; +and the effects of that blow are now agitating +the nations of Europe. Roger Williams, amid +persecution and banishment, held forth that +doctrine of soul-liberty which, in its onward +march, is disenthralling a world. Howard, +alone, undertook the work of showing mercy +to the prisoner, and his example is now enlisting +the choicest minds in Christendom in +this labor of benevolence. Clarkson, unaided, +a young man, and without influences, consecrated +himself to the work of abolishing the +slave trade; and, before he rested from his +labor, his country had repented of and forsaken +this atrocious sin. Raikes saw the children +of Gloucester profaning the Sabbath +day; he set on foot a Sabbath school on his +own account, and now millions of children are +reaping the benefit of his labors, and his example +has turned the attention of the whole +world to the religious instruction of the young. +With such facts before us, we surely should +be encouraged to attempt individually the accomplishment +of some good design, relying in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span> +humility and faith upon Him who is able to +grant prosperity to the feeblest effort put +forth in earnest reliance on His almightiness.</p> + +<p>Such were the occupations that filled up a +day in the life of Jesus of Nazareth. There +was not an act done for Himself; all was done +for others. Every hour was employed in the +labor which that hour set before Him. Private +kindness, the relief of distress, public +teaching, and ministration to the wants of +the famishing, filled up the entire day. Let +His disciples learn to follow His example. +Let us, like Him, forget ourselves, our own +wants, and our own weariness, that we may, +as he did, scatter blessings on every side, as +we move onward in the pathway of our daily +life. If such were the occupations of the Son +of God, can we do more wisely than to imitate +His example? Every disciple would then +be as a city set upon a hill, and men, seeing +our good works, would glorify our Father who +is in heaven. "Then would our righteousness +go forth as brightness, and our salvation as a +lamp that burneth."</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170"> </a><br /><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>VINET</h2> + +<h3>THE MYSTERIES OF CHRISTIANITY</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p><span class="smcap">Alexander Vinet</span>, the eminent Swiss +divine and author, was born at Ouchy, +Canton, in 1797. He was professor of +theology at Lausanne (1837-45), where +he gained reputation as a preacher, a +philosopher, and a writer. He was +tolerant tho critical, and many of his +utterances are marked by rare brilliancy. +His supreme and intense faith led him +to say: "The gospel is believed when it +has ceased to be to us an external and has +become an internal truth, when it has +become a fact in our consciousness. +Christianity is conscience raised to its +highest exercise." He died in 1847.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>VINET</h2> + +<h3>1797-1847</h3> + +<h4>THE MYSTERIES OF CHRISTIANITY</h4> + +<p><em>Things which have not entered into the heart of man.</em>—1 +Cor. ii., 9.</p> + + +<p>"I do not comprehend, therefore I do not +believe." "The gospel is full of +mysteries, therefore I do not receive +the gospel:"—such is one of the favorite +arguments of infidelity. To see how much is +made of this, and what confidence it inspires, +we might believe it solid, or, at least, +specious; but it is neither the one nor the +other; it will not bear the slightest attention, +the most superficial examination of reason; +and if it still enjoys some favor in the world, +this is but a proof of the lightness of our +judgments upon things worthy of our most +serious attention.</p> + +<p>Upon what, in fact, does this argument +rest? Upon the claim of comprehending +every thing in the religion which God has +offered or could offer us—a claim equally unjust, +unreasonable, useless. This we proceed +to develop.</p> + +<p>1. In the first place, it is an unjust claim. +It is to demand of God what He does not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span> +owe us. To prove this, let us suppose that +God has given a religion to man, and let us +further suppose that religion to be the gospel: +for this absolutely changes nothing to the +argument. We may believe that God was +free, at least, with reference to us, to give us +or not to give us a religion; but it must be +admitted that in granting it He contracts +engagements to us, and that the first favor +lays Him under a necessity of conferring +other favors. For this is merely to say that +God must be consistent, and that He finishes +what He has begun. Since it is by a written +revelation He manifests His designs respecting +us, it is necessary He should fortify that +revelation by all the authority which would +at least determine us to receive it; it is necessary +He should give us the means of judging +whether the men who speak to us in His name +are really sent by Him; in a word, it is +necessary we should be assured that the Bible +is truly the Word of God.</p> + +<p>It would not indeed be necessary that the +conviction of each of us should be gained by +the same kind of evidence. Some shall be +led to Christianity by the historical or external +arguments; they shall prove to themselves +the truth of the Bible as the truth of +all history is proved; they shall satisfy themselves +that the books of which it is composed +are certainly those of the times and of the +authors to which they are ascribed. This settled,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> +they shall compare the prophecies contained +in these ancient documents with the +events that have happened in subsequent +ages; they shall assure themselves of the reality +of the miraculous facts related in these +books, and shall thence infer the necessary +intervention of divine power, which alone +disposes the forces of nature, and can alone +interrupt or modify their action. Others, less +fitted for such investigations, shall be struck +with the internal evidence of the Holy Scriptures. +Finding there the state of their souls +perfectly described, their wants fully exprest, +and the true remedies for their maladies +completely indicated; struck with a character +of truth and candor which nothing can +imitate; in fine, feeling themselves in their +inner nature moved, changed, renovated, by +the mysterious influence of these holy writings, +they shall acquire, by such means, a conviction +of which they can not always give an +account to others, but which is not the less +legitimate, irresistible, and immovable. Such +is the double road by which an entrance is +gained into the asylum of faith. But it was +due from the wisdom of God, from His justice, +and, we venture to say it, from the honor of +His government, that He should open to man +this double road; for, if He desired man to be +saved by knowledge, on the same principle +He engaged Himself to furnish him the means +of knowledge.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span></p> + +<p>Behold, whence come the obligations of the +Deity with reference to us, which obligations +He has fulfilled. Enter on this double method +of proof. Interrogate history, time and +places, respecting the authenticity of the +Scriptures; grasp all the difficulties, sound all +the objections; do not permit yourselves to be +too easily convinced; be the more severe upon +that book, as it professes to contain the sovereign +rule of your life, and the disposal of +your destiny; you are permitted to do this, +nay, you are encouraged to do it, provided you +proceed to the investigation with the requisite +capacities and with pure intentions. Or, if +you prefer another method, examine, with an +honest heart, the contents of the Scriptures; +inquire, while you run over the words of +Jesus, if ever man spake like this Man; inquire +if the wants of your soul, long deceived, +and the anxieties of your spirit, long cherished +in vain, do not, in the teaching and work of +Christ, find that satisfaction and repose which +no wisdom was ever able to procure you; +breathe, if I may thus express myself, that +perfume of truth, of candor and purity, which +exhales from every page of the gospel; see, +if, in all these respects, it does not bear the +undeniable seal of inspiration and divinity. +Finally, test it, and if the gospel produces +upon you a contrary effect, return to the +books and the wisdom of men, and ask of them +what Christ has not been able to give you.</p> + +<p>But if, neglecting these two ways, made<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span> +accessible to you, and trodden by the feet of +ages, you desire, before all, that the Christian +religion should, in every point, render itself +comprehensible to your mind, and complacently +strip itself of all mysteries; if you wish +to penetrate beyond the veil, to find there, not +the aliment which gives life to the soul, but +that which would gratify your restless curiosity, +I maintain that you raise against God +a claim the most indiscreet, the most rash and +unjust; for He has never engaged, either +tacitly or expressly, to discover to you the +secret which your eye craves; and such +audacious importunity is fit to excite His indignation. +He has given you what He owed +you, more indeed than He owed you; the rest +is with Himself.</p> + +<p>If a claim so unjust could be admitted, +where, I ask you, would be the limit of your +demands? Already you require more from +God than He has accorded to angels; for these +eternal mysteries which trouble you, the harmony +of the divine prescience with human +freedom, the origin of evil and its ineffable +remedy, the incarnation of the eternal Word—the +relations of the God-man with His Father—the +atoning virtue of His sacrifice, the regenerating +efficacy of the Spirit-comforter, all +these things are secrets, the knowledge of +which is hidden from angels themselves, who, +according to the word of the Apostle, stoop +to explore their depths, and can not.</p> + +<p>If you reproach the Eternal for having<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> +kept the knowledge of these divine mysteries +to Himself, why do you not reproach Him for +the thousand other limits He has prescribed +for you? Why not reproach Him for +not having given you wings like a bird, to +visit the regions, which, till now, have been +scanned only by your eyes? Why not reproach +Him for not giving you, besides the +five senses with which you are provided, ten +other senses which He has perhaps granted +to other creatures, and which procure for +them perceptions of which you have no idea? +Why not, in fine, reproach Him for having +caused the darkness of night to succeed the +brightness of day invariably on the earth? +Ah! you do not reproach Him for that. You +love that night which brings rest to so many +fatigued bodies and weary spirits; which +suspends in so many wretches, the feeling of +grief; that night, during which orphans, +slaves, and criminals cease to be, because over +all their misfortunes and sufferings it spreads, +with the opiate of sleep, the thick veil of +oblivion; you love that night which, peopling +the deserts of the heavens with ten thousand +stars, not known to the day, reveals the +infinite to our ravished imagination.</p> + +<p>Well, then, why do you not, for a similar +reason, love the night of divine mysteries, +night, gracious and salutary, in which reason +humbles itself, and finds refreshment and +repose; where the darkness even is a revelation;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span> +where one of the principal attributes of +God, immensity, discovers itself much more +fully to our mind; where, in fine, the tender +relations He has permitted us to form with +Himself, are guarded from all admixture of +familiarity by the thought that the Being who +has humbled Himself to us, is, at the same +time, the inconceivable God who reigns before +all time, who includes in Himself all existences +and all conditions of existence, the center of +all thought, the law of all law, the supreme +and final reason of every thing! So that, if +you are just, instead of reproaching Him for +the secrets of religion, you will bless Him that +He has enveloped you in mysteries.</p> + +<p>2. But this claim is not only unjust toward +God; it is also in itself exceedingly unreasonable.</p> + +<p>What is religion? It is God putting Himself +in communication with man; the Creator +with the creature, the infinite with the finite. +There already, without going further, is a +mystery; a mystery common to all religions, +impenetrable in all religions. If, then, every +thing which is a mystery offends you, you are +arrested on the threshold, I will not say of +Christianity, but of every religion; I say, even +of that religion which is called natural, because +it rejects revelation and miracles; for it +necessarily implies, at the very least, a connection, +a communication of some sort between +God and man—the contrary being<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> +equivalent to atheism. Your claim prevents +you from having any belief; and because you +have not been willing to be Christians, it will +not allow you to be deists.</p> + +<p>"It is of no consequence," you say, "we +pass over that difficulty; we suppose between +God and us connections we can not conceive; +we admit them because they are necessary to +us. But this is the only step we are willing to +take: we have already yielded too much to +yield more." Say more, say you have granted +too much not to grant much more, not to +grant all! You have consented to admit, without +comprehending it, that there may be communications +from God to you, and from you +to God. But consider well what is implied in +such a supposition. It implies that you are +dependent, and yet free: this you do not comprehend; +it implies that the Spirit of God +can make itself understood by your spirit: this +you do not comprehend; it implies that your +prayers may exert an influence on the will of +God: this you do not comprehend. It is necessary +you should receive all these mysteries, +in order to establish with God connections the +most vague and superficial, and by the very +side of which atheism is placed. And when, +by a powerful effort with yourselves you have +done so much as to admit these mysteries, you +recoil from those of Christianity! You have +accepted the foundation, and refuse the superstructure! +You have accepted the principle<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span> +and refuse the details! You are right, no +doubt, so soon as it is proved to you, that the +religion which contains these mysteries does +not come from God; or rather, that these +mysteries contain contradictory ideas. But +you are not justified in denying them, for the +sole reason that you do not understand them; +and the reception you have given to the first +kind of mysteries compels you, by the same +rule, to receive the others.</p> + +<p>This is not all. Not only are mysteries an +inseparable part, nay, the very substance of +all religion, but it is absolutely impossible that +a true religion should not present a great +number of mysteries. If it is true, it ought +to teach more truths respecting God and +divine things than any other, than all others +together; but each of these truths has a relation +to the infinite, and by consequence borders +on a mystery. How should it be otherwise +in religion, when it is thus in nature +itself? Behold God in nature! The more He +gives us to contemplate, the more He gives to +astonish us. To each creature is attached +some mystery. A grain of sand is an abyss! +Now, if the manifestations which God has +made of Himself in nature suggest to the +observer a thousand questions which can not +be answered, how will it be, when to that +first revelation, another is added; when God +the Creator and Preserver reveals Himself +under new aspects as God the Reconciler and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> +Savior? Shall not mysteries multiply with +discoveries? With each new day shall we not +see associated a new night? And shall we not +purchase each increase of knowledge with an +increase of ignorance? Has not the doctrine +of grace, so necessary, so consoling, alone +opened a profound abyss, into which, for +eighteen centuries, rash and restless spirits +have been constantly plunging?</p> + +<p>It is, then, clearly necessary that Christianity +should, more than any other religion, +be mysterious, simply because it is true. Like +mountains, which, the higher they are, cast +the larger shadows, the gospel is the more +obscure and mysterious on account of its +sublimity. After this, will you be indignant +that you do not comprehend every thing in the +gospel? It would, forsooth, be a truly surprising +thing if the ocean could not be held +in the hollow of your hand, or uncreated +wisdom within the limits of your intelligence! +It would be truly unfortunate if a finite being +could not embrace the infinite, and that, in the +vast assemblage of things there should be some +idea beyond its grasp! In other words, it +would be truly unfortunate if God Himself +should know something which man does not +know!</p> + +<p>Let us acknowledge, then, how insensate is +such a claim when it is made with reference +to religion.</p> + +<p>But let us also recollect how much, in making<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span> +such a claim, we shall be in opposition to +ourselves; for the submission we dislike in +religion, we cherish in a thousand other things. +It happens to us every day to admit things +we do not understand, and to do so without +the least repugnance. The things, the knowledge +of which is refused us, are much more +numerous than we perhaps think. Few diamonds +are perfectly pure; still fewer truths +are perfectly clear. The union of our soul +with our body is a mystery—our most familiar +emotions and affections are a mystery—the +action of thought and of will is a mystery—our +very existence is a mystery. Why do we +admit these various facts? Is it because we +understand them? No, certainly, but because +they are self-evident, and because they are +truths by which we live. In religion we have +no other course to take. We ought to know +whether it is true and necessary; and once +convinced of these two points, we ought, like +the angels, to submit to the necessity of being +ignorant of some things. And why do we not +submit cheerfully to a privation which, after +all, is not one?</p> + +<p>3. To desire the knowledge of mysteries is +to desire what is utterly useless; it is to raise, +as I have said before, a claim the most vain +and idle. What in reference to us is the +object of the gospel? Evidently to regenerate +and save us. But it attains this end wholly +by the things it reveals. Of what use would it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span> +be to know those it conceals from us? We +possess the knowledge which can enlighten +our consciences, rectify our inclinations, renew +our hearts; what should we gain if we possest +other knowledge? It infinitely concerns +us to know that the Bible is the Word of God; +does it equally concern us to know in what +way the holy men that wrote it were moved +by the Holy Ghost? It is of infinite moment +to us to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of +God; need we know precisely in what way the +divine and human natures are united in His +adorable person? It is of infinite importance +for us to know that unless we are born again +we can not enter the kingdom of God, and +that the Holy Spirit is the author of the new +birth; shall we be further advanced if we know +the divine process by which that wonder is +performed? Is it not enough for us to know +the truths that save? Of what use, then, +would it be to know those which have not +the slightest bearing on our salvation? "Tho +I know all mysteries," says St. Paul, "and +have not charity, I am nothing." St. Paul +was content not to know, provided he had +charity; shall not we, following his example, +be content also without knowledge, provided +that, like him, we have charity, that is to say, +life?</p> + +<p>But some one will say "If the knowledge of +mysteries is really without influence on our +salvation, why have they been indicated to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span> +us at all?" What if it should be to teach us +not to be too prodigal of our "wherefores!" if +it should be to serve as an exercise of our +faith, a test of our submission! But we will +not stop with such a reply.</p> + +<p>Observe, I pray you, in what manner the +mysteries of which you complain have taken +their part in religion. You readily perceive +they are not by themselves, but associated +with truths which have a direct bearing on +your salvation. They contain them, they +serve to develop them; but they are not themselves +the truths that save. It is with these +mysteries as it is with the vessel that contains +a medicinal draft—it is not the vessel that +cures, but the draft; yet the draft could not +be presented without the vessel. Thus each +truth that saves is contained in a mystery, +which, in itself, has no power to save. So the +great work of expiation is necessarily attached +to the incarnation of the Son of God, which is +a mystery; so the sanctifying graces of the +new covenant are necessarily connected with +the effluence of the Holy Spirit, which is a +mystery; so, too, the divinity of religion finds +a seal and an attestation in the miracles, +which are mysteries. Everywhere the light +is born from darkness, and darkness accompanies +the light. These two orders of truths +are so united, so interlinked, that you can not +remove the one without the other, and each of +the mysteries you attempt to tear from religion<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span> +would carry with it one of the truths +which bear directly on your regeneration and +salvation. Accept the mysteries, then, not as +truths that can save you, but as the necessary +conditions of the merciful work of the Lord +in your behalf.</p> + +<p>The true point at issue in reference to +religion is this:—Does the religion which is +proposed to us change the heart, unite to +God, prepare for heaven? If Christianity produces +these effects, we will leave the enemies +of the cross free to revolt against its mysteries, +and tax them with absurdity. The gospel, we +will say to them, is then an absurdity; you +have discovered it. But behold what a new +species of absurdity that certainly is which +attaches man to all his duties, regulates +human life better than all the doctrines of +sages, plants in his bosom harmony, order, +and peace, causes him joyfully to fulfil all +the offices of civil life, renders him better +fitted to live, better fitted to die, and which, +were it generally received, would be the support +and safeguard of society! Cite to us, +among all human absurdities, a single one +which produces such effects. If that "foolishness" +we preach produces effects like these, +is it not natural to conclude that it is truth +itself? And if these things have not entered +the heart of man, it is not because they are +absurd, but because they are divine.</p> + +<p>Make but a single reflection. You are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> +obliged to confess that none of the religions +which man may invent can satisfy his wants, +or save his soul. Thereupon you have a +choice to make. You will either reject them +all as insufficient and false, and seek for +nothing better, since man can not invent better, +and then you will abandon to chance, to +caprice of temperament or of opinion, your +moral life and future destiny; or you will +adopt that other religion which some treat as +folly, and it will render you holy and pure, +blameless in the midst of a perverse generation, +united to God by love, and to your +brethren by charity, indefatigable in doing +good, happy in life, happy in death. Suppose, +after all this, you shall be told that this +religion is false; but meanwhile, it has restored +in you the image of God, reestablished +your primitive connections with that great +Being, and put you in a condition to enjoy life +and the happiness of heaven. By means of it +you have become such that at the last day, it +is impossible that God should not receive you +as His children and make you partakers of +His glory. You are made fit for paradise, +nay, paradise has commenced for you even +here, because you love. This religion has done +for you what all religions propose, and what +no other has realized. Nevertheless, by the +supposition, it is false! And what more could +it do, were it true? Rather do you not see that +this is a splendid proof of its truth? Do you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span> +not see that it is impossible that a religion +which leads to God should not come from +God, and that the absurdity is precisely that +of supposing that you can be regenerated by a +falsehood?</p> + +<p>Suppose that afterward, as at the first, you +do not comprehend. It seems necessary, then, +you should be saved by the things you do not +comprehend. Is that a misfortune? Are you +the less saved? Does it become you to demand +from God an explanation of an obscurity +which does not injure you, when, with reference +to every thing essential, He has been +prodigal of light? The first disciples of Jesus, +men without culture and learning, received +truths which they did not comprehend, and +spread them through the world. A crowd of +sages and men of genius have received, from +the hands of these poor people, truths which +they comprehended no more than they. The +ignorance of the one, and the science of the +other, have been equally docile. Do, then, +as the ignorant and the wise have done. +Embrace with affection those truths which +have never entered into your heart, and which +will save you. Do not lose, in vain discussions, +the time which is gliding away, and +which is bearing you into the cheering or +appalling light of eternity. Hasten to be +saved. Love now; one day you will know. +May the Lord Jesus prepare you for that +period of light, of repose, and of happiness!</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>SUMMERFIELD</h2> + +<h3>THE HEAVENLY INHERITANCE</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p><span class="smcap">John Summerfield</span> was born in England +in 1798, and came to New York in 1821, +where he soon became one of the most +popular and eloquent preachers of that +day. He belonged to the Methodist Communion +and his name is still perpetuated +in the names of many Methodist churches. +He was unusually simple and modest +in his tastes and habits, but when he +spoke from the pulpit he produced a great +impression by the force and daring of +his style. He gave promise of equaling +Whitefield as a pulpit orator, but he was +subject to delicate health and prematurely +died in 1825, twenty-seven years of age.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>SUMMERFIELD</h2> + +<h3>1798-1825</h3> + +<h4>THE HEAVENLY INHERITANCE</h4> + +<p><em>For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly +into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and +Saviour Jesus Christ.</em>—2 Peter i., 11.</p> + + +<p>Of all the causes which may be adduced +to account for the indifference which +is so generally manifested toward +those great concerns of eternity, in which men +are so awfully interested, none appears to +me so likely to resolve the mystery, as that unbelief +which lies at the core of every heart, +hindering repentance, and so making faith +impossible. Men hear that there is a hell to +shun, a heaven to win; and, though they give +their assent to both these truths, they never +impress them on their mind. It is plain that, +whatever their lips may confess, they never +believed with the heart, otherwise some effect +would have been produced in the life. The +germ of unbelief lies within, and discovers itself +in all that indifference which is displayed, +in the majority of that class of beings whose +existence is to be perpetuated throughout eternity. +If these thoughts do sometimes obtrude +themselves on their serious attention, they are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> +immediately banished from their minds; and +the dying exclamation of Moses may be taken +up with tears by every lover of perishing sinners: +"O! that they were wise, that they +understood this, that they would consider +their latter end!" When God, by His prophet +Isaiah, called the Israelites to a sense of their +awful departure from Him, His language was, +"My people do not know: My people do not +consider." How few are there like Mary, who +"ponder those things in their heart," who +are willing to look at themselves, to pry into +eternity, to put the question home,</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Shall I be with the damn'd cast out,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Or numbered with the bless'd?"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="noind">This question must sooner or later have a +place in your minds, or awful will be your +state indeed; let it reach your hearts to-day; +and if you pray to the Father of light, you +will soon be enabled in His light to discern +so much of yourselves as will cause you to +cry, "What shall I do to be saved?" While +we shall this morning attempt to point out +some of the privileges of the sons of God, oh! +may your hearts catch the strong desire to +be conformed to the living Head, that so an +abundant entrance may be administered unto +you also, into the everlasting kingdom of our +Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.</p> + +<p>The privilege to which our text leads us, is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span> +exclusively applicable to those to whom that +question has been solved by the Spirit of God; +those who have believed to the saving of their +souls; who have experienced redemption +through His blood, and the forgiveness of sins; +and who are walking in the fear of the Lord +and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost.</p> + +<p>I. The state to which we look forward: the +"everlasting kingdom of our Lord and +Savior."</p> + +<p>1. It is a kingdom. By this figurative expression +our Lord has described the state of +grace here and of glory hereafter; our happiness +in time and our happiness in eternity. +They were wisely so called: Jesus has said, as +well as done, all things well; for these two +states differ not in kind, but in degree; the +one is merely a preparative for the other, and +he who has been a subject of the former kingdom +will be a subject of the latter. Grace is +but the seed of glory, glory is the maturity +of grace; grace is but the bud of glory, glory +is grace full blown; grace is but the blossom +of glory, glory is the ripe fruit of grace; grace +is but the infant of glory, glory is the perfection +of grace. Hence our hymn beautifully +says, "The men of grace have found glory +begun below," agreeing with our Lord's own +words, "He that believeth hath everlasting +life"; he feels even here its glories beginning—a +foretaste of its bliss.</p> + +<p>Now the propriety with which these two<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span> +states are called kingdoms is manifest from +the analogy which might be traced between +them and the model of a human sovereignty. +Two or three of the outlines of this model will +be sufficient.</p> + +<p>In the idea of a kingdom it is implied that +in some part of its extent there is the residence +of a sovereign; for this is essential to +constitute it. Now in the kingdom of grace +the heart of the believer is made the residence +of the King invisible! "Know ye not that +your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost +which is in you?" Such know what that promise +means, "I will dwell in them, and they +shall be my people." St. Paul exultingly +cries, "Christ liveth in me."</p> + +<p>Again, it is essential that the inhabitants of +a kingdom be under the government of its +laws. An empire without laws is no sovereignty +at all; it ceases to be such, for every +inhabitant has an equal right to do that which +seems good in his own eyes. Now the subjects +of Christ's kingdom of grace are "not without +law, but are under a law to Christ"; they +do His righteous will!</p> + +<p>Lastly, it is essential that the subjects of a +kingdom be under the protection of the presiding +monarch, and that they repose their +confidence in him. To the subjects of the +kingdom of grace, Christ imparts His kingly +protection; this is their heritage: "No weapon +formed against them shall prosper"; nay, He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span> +imparts to them of His royal bounty, and they +enjoy all the blessings of an inward heaven.</p> + +<p>But how great the perfection of the kingdom +of glory mentioned in our text! Does +He make these vile bodies His residence here? +How much more glorious is His temple above! +how splendid the court of heaven! There, indeed, +he fixes His throne, and they see Him +as He is. Does He exercise His authority here +and rule His happy subjects by the law, the +perfect law of love? How much more in +heaven! He reigns there forever over them; +His government is there wholly by Himself; +He knows nothing of a rival there; His rule +is sole and perfect: there they serve Him day +and night. Are His subjects here partakers of +His kingly bounty? Much more in heaven! +He calls them to a participation of all the +joys, the spiritual joys which are at His right +hand, and the pleasures which are there forevermore. +Yet, after all our descriptions of +that glory, it is not yet revealed, and, therefore, +inconceivable. But who would not hail +such a Son of David? who would not desire to +be swayed by such a Prince of Peace? Whose +heart would not ascend with the affections of +our poet, "O! that with yonder sacred throng, +we at His feet may fall"?</p> + +<p>2. But it is an everlasting kingdom! Here it +rises in the scale of comparison. Weigh the +kingdoms of this world in this balance, and +they are found wanting; for on many we read<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> +their fatal history, and ere long we shall see +them all branded with the writing of the invisible +Agent, "The kingdom is taken from +thee, and given to a nation bringing forth +the fruits thereof"; "For the kingdoms of +this world have become the kingdoms of our +Lord and of his Christ"; they will be absorbed +and swallowed up in the fulness of +eternity, and leave not a wrack behind! +Every thing here is perishable! The towering +diadem of Caesar has fallen from his head +and crumbled into dust; and that kingdom +whose scepter once swayed the world, betwixt +whose colossal stride all nations were glad to +creep to find themselves dishonored graves, is +now forgotten, or, if its recollection be preserved, +its history is emphatically called "The +Decline and Fall."</p> + +<p>But bring the matter nearer home; apply +it not to multitudes of subjects, but to your +individual experience, and has not that good +teacher instructed you in this sad lesson? +We tremble to look at our earthly possessions +and employments, lest we should see them in +motion, spreading their wings to fly away! +How many are there already who, in talking +of their comforts, are obliged to go back in +their reckoning! Would not this be the language +of some of you: "I had—I had a husband, +the sharer of my joys, the soother of +my sorrows; but he is not! I had a wife, a +helpmeet for me; but where is she? I had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> +children to whom I looked up as my support +and staff in the decline of life, while passing +down the hill; but I am bereaved of my children! +I had health, and I highly prized its +wealth; but now my emaciated frame, my +shriveled system, and the pains of nature bespeak +that comfort fled! I had, or fondly +thought I had, happiness in possession! Then +I said with Job, 'I shall die in my nest!' +but ah! an unexpected blast passed over me, +and now my joys are blighted! 'They have +fled as a shadow, and continued not.'" Yes! +time promised you much! perhaps it performed +a little; but it can not do any thing +for you on which it can grave "eternal." Its +name is mortal, its nature is decay; it was +born with man, and when the generations of +men shall cease to exist, it will cease also: +"Time shall be no longer!" We know concerning +these that, "All flesh is as grass, and +all the glory of man as the flower of grass. +The grass withereth, and the flower fadeth, +but the word of the Lord endureth forever." +Yes! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; +glory can not corrupt! the crown of glory can +not fade! Why? Death will be destroyed; +Christ will put this last enemy under His +feet, and all will then be eternal life! Oh, +happy, happy kingdom; nay, thrice happy he +who shall be privileged to be its subject!</p> + +<p>3. It is the everlasting kingdom of our own +Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is His by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span> +claim: "Him hath God the Father highly +exalted"; yea, Him hath He appointed to be +"the judge of quick and dead"; for tho +by the sufferings of death He was made a +little lower than the angels, yet immediately +after His resurrection He declares that now +"All power is given unto him in heaven and +in earth"! The Father hath committed all +judgment unto the Son, and He has now the +disposal of the offices and privileges of the +empire among His faithful followers. This +is the idea that the penitent dying thief had +on the subject: "Lord, remember me when +thou comest into thy kingdom"; and St. +Paul expresses the same when he says to Timothy +in the confidence of faith, "The Lord +shall deliver me and preserve me unto his +heavenly kingdom." Oh! how pleasing the +thought to the child of God, that his ruler to +all eternity will be his elder Brother; for He +who sanctifieth and they who are sanctified +are all of one; and though He is heir of all +things, yet we, as younger branches of the +same heavenly family, shall be joint heirs, +fellow-heirs of the same glorious inheritance. +How great will be our joy to behold Him who +humbled Himself for us to death, even the +death of the cross, now exalted God over all, +blest for evermore; and while contemplating +Him under the character of our Lord and +Savior Jesus Christ, how great the relish +which will be given to that feeling of the redeemed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span> +which will constrain them to cry, +"Thou alone art worthy to receive glory, and +honor, and power."</p> + +<p>II. But the apostle reminds us of the entrance +into this kingdom!</p> + +<p>1. The entrance into this kingdom is death: +"By one man sin entered into the world, and +death by sin:"</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Death, like a narrow sea, divides<br /></span> +<span class="i1">That heavenly land from ours!"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="noind">"A messenger is sent to bring us to God, but +it is the King of Terrors. We enter the land +flowing with milk and honey, but it is through +the valley of the shadow of death." Yet fear +not, O thou child of God! there is no need that +thou, through the fear of death, shouldst be +all thy lifetime subject to bondage.</p> + +<p>2. No; hear the apostle: the entrance is +ministered unto thee! Death is but His minister; +he can not lock his ice-cold hand in thine +till He permit. Our Jesus has the keys of hell +and death; and till He liberates the vassal to +bring thee home, not a hair of thy head can +fall to the ground! Fear not, thou worm! +He who minds the sparrows appoints the time +for thy removal: fear not; only be thou always +ready, that, whenever the messenger +comes to take down the tabernacle in which +thy spirit has long made her abode, thou +mayest be able to exclaim, "Amen! even so,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span> +Lord Jesus, come quickly." Death need have +no terrors for thee; he is the vassal of thy +Lord, and, however unwilling to do Him reverence, +yet to Him that sits at God's right +hand shall even death pay, if not a joyful, yet +a trembling homage; nay, more:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"To Him shall earth and hell submit,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">And every foe shall fall,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Till death expires beneath His feet,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">And God is all in all."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Christ has already had one triumph over +death; His iron pangs could not detain the +Prince who has "life in himself"; and in +His strength thou shalt triumph, for the +power of Christ is promised to rest upon thee! +He has had the same entrance; His footsteps +marked the way, and His cry to thee is, "Follow +thou me." "My sheep," says He, "hear +my voice, and they do follow me"; they follow +Me gladly, even into this gloomy vale; +and what is the consequence? "They shall +never perish, neither shall any man pluck +them out of my hand."</p> + +<p>3. It is ministered unto you abundantly. +Perhaps the apostle means that the death of +some is distinguished by indulgences and honors +not vouchsafed to all. In the experience +of some, the passage appears difficult; in others +it is comparatively easy; they gently fall +asleep in Jesus. But we not only see diversities +in the mortal agony—this would be a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span> +small thing.... Some get in with sails +full spread and carrying a rich cargo indeed, +while others arrive barely on a single plank. +Some, who have long had their conversation +in heaven, are anxious to be wafted into the +celestial haven; while others, who never +sought God till alarmed at the speedy approach +of death, have little confidence,</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"And linger shivering on the brink,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">And fear to launch away."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="noind">This doctrine must have been peculiarly encouraging +to the early converts to whom St. +Peter wrote. From the tenor of both of his +epistles it is clear that they were in a state +of severe suffering, and in great danger of +apostatizing through fear of persecution. He +reminds them that if they hold fast their +professions, an abundant entrance will be administered +unto them. The death of the martyr +is far more glorious than that of the Christian +who concealed his profession through fear +of man. Witness the case of Stephen: he was +not ashamed of being a witness for Jesus in +the face of the violent death which awaited +him, and which crushed the tabernacle of his +devoted spirit; his Lord reserved the highest +display of His love and of His glory for that +awful hour! "Behold!" says he to his enemies, +while gnashing on him with their teeth, +"Behold! I see heaven opened, and the Son<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> +of man standing on the right hand of God"; +then, in the full triumph of faith, he cries +out, "Lord Jesus! receive my spirit!"</p> + +<p>But did these things apply merely to the +believers to whom St. Peter originally wrote? +No; you are the men to whom they equally +apply; according to your walk and profession +of that gospel will be the entrance which will +be ministered unto you. Some of you have +heard, in another of our houses, during the +past week, the dangerous tendency of the +spirit of fear, the fear of man. I would you +had all heard that discourse: alas! many who +have a name and a place among us are becoming +mere Sabbath-day worshipers in the +courts of the Lord, and lightly esteem the +daily means of grace. I believe this is one +cause at least why many are weak and sickly +among us in divine things. The inner man +does not make due increase; the world is stealing +a march unawares upon us. May God revive +among us the spirit of our fathers!</p> + +<p>These things, then, I say, equally apply to +you. Behold the strait, the royal, the king's +highway! Are you afraid of the reproach of +Christ?</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Ashamed of Jesus, that dear Friend,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">On whom our hopes of heaven depend?"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="noind">How soon would the world be overcome if +all who profess that faith were faithful to it!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span> +Wo to the rebellious children who compromise +truth with the world, and in effect deny +their Lord and Master! Who hath required +this at their hands? Do they not follow with +the crowd who cry, "Lord, Lord! and yet do +not the things which He says"? Will they +have the adoption and the glory? Will they +aim at the honor implied in these words, "Ye +are my witnesses?" Will ye indeed be sons? +Then see the path wherein His footsteps +shine! The way is open! see that ye walk +therein! The false apostles, the deceitful +workers shall have their reward; the same +that those of old had, the praise and esteem +of men; while the faith of those who truly call +Him Father and Lord, and who walk in the +light as He is in the light, who submit, like +Him and His true followers, to be counted as +"the filth of the world, and the offscouring of +all things", shall be found unto praise, and +honor, and glory!</p> + +<p>The true Christian does not seek to hide +himself in a corner; he lets his light shine before +men, whether they will receive it or not; +and thereby is his Father glorified. Having +thus served, by the will of God, the hour of +his departure at length arrives. The angels +beckon him away; Jesus bids him come; and +as he departs this life he looks back with a +heavenly smile on surviving friends, and is +enabled to say, "Whither I go, ye know, and +the way ye know." An entrance is ministered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span> +unto him abundantly into the everlasting +kingdom of his Lord and Savior.</p> + +<p>III. Having considered the state to which +we look, and the mode of our admission, let +us consider the condition of it. This is implied +in the word "so." "For so an entrance shall +be ministered unto you." In the preceding +part of this chapter, the apostle has pointed +out the meaning of this expression, and in the +text merely sums it all up in that short mode +of expression.</p> + +<p>The first condition he shows to be, the obtaining +like precious faith with him, through +the righteousness of God and our Savior +Jesus Christ. Not a faith which merely assents +to the truths of the gospel record, but +a faith which applies the merits of the death +of Christ to expiate my individual guilt; +which lays hold on Him as my sacrifice, and +produces, in its exercises, peace with God, a +knowledge of the divine favor, a sense of sin +forgiven, and a full certainty, arising from +a divine impression on the heart, made by the +Spirit of God, that I am accepted in the Beloved +and made a child of God.</p> + +<p>If those who profess the Gospel of Christ +were but half as zealous in seeking after this +enjoyment as they are in discovering creaturely +objections to its attainment, it would +be enjoyed by thousands who at present know +nothing of its happy reality. Such persons, +unfortunately for themselves, employ much<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span> +more assiduity in searching a vocabulary to +find out epithets of reproach to attach to those +who maintain the doctrine than in searching +that volume which declares that "if you are +sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son +into your hearts, crying Abba, Father"; and +that "he that believeth hath the witness in +himself." In whatever light a scorner may +view this doctrine now, the time will come +when, being found without the wedding garment, +he will be cast into outer darkness.</p> + +<p>O sinner! cry to God this day to convince +thee of thy need of this salvation, and then +thou wilt be in a condition to receive it:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Shalt know, shalt feel thy sins forgiven,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Bless'd with this antepast of heaven."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>But, besides this, the apostle requires that +we then henceforth preserve consciences void +of offense toward God and toward man. This +faith which obtains the forgiveness of sin +unites to Christ, and by this union we are +made, as St. Peter declares, "partakers of the +divine nature": and as He who has called +you is holy, so you are to be holy in all manner +of conversation. For yours is a faith +which not only casts out sin, but purifies the +heart—the conscience having been once +purged by the sprinkling of the blood of +Christ, you are not to suffer guilt to be again +contracted; for the salvation of Christ is not +only from the penalty, but from the very stain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span> +of sin; not only from its guilt, but from its +pollution; not only from its condemnation, +but from its very "in-being"; "The blood of +Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin"; and +"For this purpose was the Son of God manifested, +that he might destroy the works of +the devil." You are therefore required by +St. Peter, "to escape the corruption that is +in the world through lust," and thus to perfect +holiness in the fear of the Lord!</p> + +<p>Finally, live in progressive and practical +godliness. Not only possess, but practise, the +virtues of religion; not only practise, but increase +therein, abounding in the work of the +Lord! Lead up, hand in hand, in the same +delightful chorus, all the graces which adorn +the Christian character. Having the divine +nature, possessing a new and living principle, +let diligent exercise reduce it to practical holiness; +and you will be easily discerned from +those formal hypocrites, whose faith and religion +are but a barren and unfruitful speculation.</p> + +<p>To conclude: live to God—live for God—live +in God; and let your moderation be +known unto all men—the Lord is at hand: +"Therefore giving all diligence, add to your +faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and +to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, +patience; and to patience, godliness; and to +godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly +kindness, charity."</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>NEWMAN</h2> + +<h3>GOD'S WILL THE END OF LIFE</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p><span class="smcap">John Henry Newman</span> was born in London +in 1801. He won high honors at +Oxford, and in 1828 was appointed vicar +of the University Church, St. Mary's, and +with Keble and Pusey headed the Oxford +Movement. In the pulpit of St. Mary's +he soon showed himself to be a power. +His sermons, exquisite, tho simple in +style, chiefly deal with various phases of +personal religion which he illustrated with +a keen spiritual insight, a sympathetic +glow, an exalted earnestness and a breadth +of range, unparalleled in English pulpit +utterances before his time. His extreme +views on questions of catholicity, sacerdotalism +and the sacraments, as well as his +craving for an infallible authority in +matters of faith, shook his confidence in +the Church of England and he went over +to Rome in 1845. He was made Cardinal +in 1879 and died in 1890.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>NEWMAN</h2> + +<h3>1801-1890</h3> + +<h4>GOD'S WILL THE END OF LIFE</h4> + +<p><em>I came down from heaven not to do mine own will +but the will of him that sent me.</em>—John vi., 38.</p> + + +<p>I am going to ask you a question, my dear +brethren, so trite, and therefore so uninteresting +at first sight, that you may +wonder why I put it, and may object that it +will be difficult to fix the mind on it, and may +anticipate that nothing profitable can be made +of it. It is this: "Why were you sent into +the world?" Yet, after all, it is perhaps a +thought more obvious than it is common, more +easy than it is familiar; I mean it ought to +come into your minds, but it does not, and +you never had more than a distant acquaintance +with it, tho that sort of acquaintance +with it you have had for many years. Nay, +once or twice, perhaps you have been thrown +across the thought somewhat intimately, for a +short season, but this was an accident which +did not last. There are those who recollect +the first time, as it would seem, when it came +home to them. They were but little children, +and they were by themselves, and they spontaneously +asked themselves, or rather God<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> +spake in them, "Why am I here? how came +I here? who brought me here? What am I +to do here?" Perhaps it was the first act of +reason, the beginning of their real responsibility, +the commencement of their trial; perhaps +from that day they may date their capacity, +their awful power, of choosing between +good and evil, and of committing mortal sin. +And so, as life goes on, the thought comes vividly, +from time to time, for a short season +across their conscience; whether in illness, or +in some anxiety, or at some season of solitude, +or on hearing some preacher, or reading some +religious work. A vivid feeling comes over +them of the vanity and unprofitableness of +the world, and then the question recurs, +"Why then am I sent into it?"</p> + +<p>And a great contrast indeed does this vain, +unprofitable, yet overbearing world present +with such a question as that. It seems out of +place to ask such a question in so magnificent, +so imposing a presence, as that of the great +Babylon. The world professes to supply all +that we need, as if we were sent into it for +the sake of being sent here, and for nothing +beyond the sending. It is a great favor to +have an introduction to this august world. +This is to be our exposition, forsooth, of the +mystery of life. Every man is doing his own +will here, seeking his own pleasure, pursuing +his own ends; that is why he was brought +into existence. Go abroad into the streets of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span> +the populous city, contemplate the continuous +outpouring there of human energy, and +the countless varieties of human character, +and be satisfied! The ways are thronged, carriage-way +and pavement; multitudes are hurrying +to and fro, each on his own errand, or +are loitering about from listlessness, or from +want of work, or have come forth into the public +concourse, to see and to be seen, for amusement +or for display, or on the excuse of business. +The carriages of the wealthy mingle +with the slow wains laden with provisions or +merchandise, the productions of art or the demands +of luxury. The streets are lined with +shops, open and gay, inviting customers, and +widen now and then into some spacious square +or place, with lofty masses of brickwork or +of stone, gleaming in the fitful sunbeam, and +surrounded or fronted with what simulates a +garden's foliage. Follow them in another direction, +and you find the whole groundstead +covered with large buildings, planted thickly +up and down, the homes of the mechanical +arts. The air is filled, below, with a ceaseless, +importunate, monotonous din, which penetrates +even to your innermost chamber, and +rings in your ears even when you are not +conscious of it; and overhead, with a canopy +of smoke, shrouding God's day from the +realms of obstinate, sullen toil. This is the +end of man!</p> + +<p>Or stay at home, and take up one of those<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span> +daily prints, which are so true a picture of +the world; look down the columns of advertisements, +and you will see the catalog of +pursuits, projects, aims, anxieties, amusements, +indulgences which occupy the mind of +man. He plays many parts: here he has goods +to sell, there he wants employment; there +again he seeks to borrow money, here he offers +you houses, great seats or small tenements; +he has food for the million, and luxuries for +the wealthy, and sovereign medicines for the +credulous, and books, new and cheap, for the +inquisitive. Pass on to the news of the day, +and you will learn what great men are doing +at home and abroad: you will read of wars +and rumors of wars; of debates in the legislature; +of rising men, and old statesmen going +off the scene; of political contests in this city +or that country; of the collision of rival interests. +You will read of the money market, +and the provision market, and the market for +metals; of the state of trade, the call for manufactures, +news of ships arrived in port, of +accidents at sea, of exports and imports, of +gains and losses, of frauds and their detection. +Go forward, and you arrive at discoveries in +art and science, discoveries (so-called) in religion, +the court and royalty, the entertainments +of the great, places of amusement, +strange trials, offenses, accidents, escapes, exploits, +experiments, contests, ventures. Oh, +this curious restless, clamorous, panting being,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> +which we call life!—and is there to be no end +to all this? Is there no object in it? It never +has an end, it is forsooth its own object!</p> + +<p>And now, once more, my brethren, put aside +what you see and what you read of the world, +and try to penetrate into the hearts, and to +reach the ideas and the feelings of those who +constitute it; look into them as closely as you +can; enter into their houses and private rooms; +strike at random through the streets and +lanes: take as they come, palace and hovel, +office or factory, and what will you find? Listen +to their words, witness, alas! their works; +you will find in the main the same lawless +thoughts, the same unrestrained desires, the +same ungoverned passions, the same earthly +opinions, the same wilful deeds, in high and +low, learned and unlearned; you will find +them all to be living for the sake of living; +they one and all seem to tell you, "We are +our own center, our own end." Why are they +toiling? why are they scheming? for what are +they living? "We live to please ourselves; life +is worthless except we have our own way; we +are not sent here at all, but we find ourselves +here, and we are but slaves unless we can think +what we will, believe what we will, love what +we will, hate what we will, do what we will. +We detest interference on the part of God +or man. We do not bargain to be rich or to +be great; but we do bargain, whether rich or +poor, high or low, to live for ourselves, to live<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span> +for the lust of the moment, or, according to +the doctrine of the hour, thinking of the future +and the unseen just as much or as little +as we please."</p> + +<p>Oh, my brethren, is it not a shocking thought, +but who can deny its truth? The multitude +of men are living without any aim beyond this +visible scene; they may from time to time use +religious words, or they may profess a communion +or a worship, as a matter of course, +or of expedience, or of duty, but, if there was +sincerity in such profession, the course of the +world could not run as it does. What a contrast +is all this to the end of life, as it is set +before us in our most holy faith! If there +was one among the sons of men, who might +allowably have taken his pleasure, and have +done his own will here below, surely it was +He who came down on earth from the bosom +of the Father, and who was so pure and spotless +in that human nature which He put on +Him, that He could have no human purpose +or aim inconsistent with the will of His +Father. Yet He, the Son of God, the Eternal +Word, came, not to do His own will, but His +who sent Him, as you know very well is told +us again and again in Scripture. Thus the +Prophet in the Psalter, speaking in His person, +says, "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God." +And He says in the Prophet Isaiah, "The +Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I do +not resist; I have not gone back." And in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span> +the gospel, when He hath come on earth, "My +food is to do the will of him that sent me, +and to finish his work." Hence, too, in His +agony, He cried out, "Not my will, but thine, +be done;" and St. Paul, in like manner, says, +that "Christ pleased not himself;" and elsewhere, +that, "tho he was God's Son, yet +learned he obedience by the things which he +suffered." Surely so it was; as being indeed +the eternal coequal Son, His will was one +and the same with the Father's will, and He +had no submission of will to make; but He +chose to take on Him man's nature and +the will of that nature; he chose to take on +Him affections, feelings, and inclinations +proper to man, a will innocent indeed and +good, but still a man's will, distinct from +God's will; a will, which, had it acted simply +according to what was pleasing to its +nature, would, when pain and toil were to +be endured, have held back from an active +cooperation with the will of God. But, tho +He took on Himself the nature of man, He +took not on Him that selfishness, with which +fallen man wraps himself round, but in all +things He devoted Himself as a ready sacrifice +to His Father. He came on earth, not to +take His pleasure, not to follow His taste, not +for the mere exercise of human affection, but +simply to glorify His Father and to do His +will. He came charged with a mission, deputed +for a work; He looked not to the right<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span> +nor to the left, He thought not of Himself, He +offered Himself up to God.</p> + +<p>Hence it is that He was carried in the +womb of a poor woman, who, before His birth, +had two journeys to make, of love and of +obedience, to the mountains and to Bethlehem. +He was born in a stable, and laid in a manger. +He was hurried off to Egypt to sojourn there; +then He lived till He was thirty years of age +in a poor way, by a rough trade, in a small +house, in a despised town. Then, when He +went out to preach, He had not where to lay +His head; He wandered up and down the +country, as a stranger upon earth. He was +driven out into the wilderness, and dwelt +among the wild beasts. He endured heat and +cold, hunger and weariness, reproach and +calumny. His food was coarse bread, and +fish from the lake, or depended on the hospitality +of strangers. And as He had already +left His Father's greatness on high, and had +chosen an earthly home; so again, at that +Father's bidding, He gave up the sole solace +given Him in this world, and denied Himself +His mother's presence. He parted with her +who bore Him; He endured to be strange to +her; He endured to call her coldly "woman," +who was His own undefiled one, all beautiful, +all gracious, the best creature of His hands, +and the sweet nurse of His infancy. He put +her aside, as Levi, His type, merited the sacred +ministry, by saying to His parents and kinsmen,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span> +"I know you not." He exemplified in +His own person the severe maxim, which He +gave to His disciples, "He that loveth more +than me is not worthy of me." In all these +many ways He sacrificed every wish of His +own; that we might understand, that, if He, +the Creator, came into His world, not for His +own pleasure, but to do His Father's will, we +too have most surely some work to do, and +have seriously to bethink ourselves what that +work is.</p> + +<p>Yes, so it is; realize it, my brethren;—every +one who breathes, high and low, educated and +ignorant, young and old, man and woman, +has a mission, has a work. We are not sent +into this world for nothing; we are not born +at random; we are not here, that we may go +to bed at night, and get up in the morning, +toil for our bread, eat and drink, laugh and +joke, sin when we have a mind, and reform +when we are tired of sinning, rear a family +and die. God sees every one of us; He creates +every soul, He lodges it in the body, one by +one, for a purpose. He needs, He deigns to +need, every one of us. He has an end for +each of us; we are all equal in His sight, and +we are placed in our different ranks and stations, +not to get what we can out of them for +ourselves, but to labor in them for Him. As +Christ had His work, we too have ours; as +He rejoiced to do His work, we must rejoice +in ours also.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span></p> + +<p>St. Paul on one occasion speaks of the world +as a scene in a theater. Consider what is +meant by this. You know, actors on a stage +are on an equality with each other really, but +for the occasion they assume a difference of +character; some are high, some are low, some +are merry, and some sad. Well, would it not +be simple absurdity in any actor to pride himself +on his mock diadem, or his edgeless +sword, instead of attending to his part? What, +if he did but gaze at himself and his dress? +what, if he secreted, or turned to his own use, +what was valuable in it? Is it not his business, +and nothing else, to act his part well? +Common sense tells us so. Now we are all +but actors in this world; we are one and all +equal, we shall be judged as equals as soon as +life is over; yet, equal and similar in ourselves, +each has his special part at present, +each has his work, each has his mission,—not +to indulge his passions, not to make money, +not to get a name in the world, not to save +himself trouble, not to follow his bent, not to +be selfish and self-willed, but to do what God +puts on him to do.</p> + +<p>Look at the poor profligate in the gospel, +look at Dives; do you think he understood +that his wealth was to be spent, not on himself, +but for the glory of God?—yet forgetting +this, he was lost for ever and ever. I will tell +you what he thought, and how he viewed +things: he was a young man, and had succeeded<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span> +to a good estate, and he determined to +enjoy himself. It did not strike him that his +wealth had any other use than that of enabling +him to take his pleasure. Lazarus lay at +his gate; he might have relieved Lazarus; that +was God's will; but he managed to put conscience +aside, and he persuaded himself he +should be a fool, if he did not make the most +of this world, while he had the means. So he +resolved to have his fill of pleasure; and feasting +was to his mind a principal part of it. +"He fared sumptuously every day"; everything +belonging to him was in the best style, +as men speak; his house, his furniture, his +plate of silver and gold, his attendants, his +establishments. Everything was for enjoyment, +and for show, too; to attract the eyes +of the world, and to gain the applause and +admiration of his equals, who were the companions +of his sins. These companions were +doubtless such as became a person of such pretensions; +they were fashionable men; a collection +of refined, high-bred, haughty men, +eating, not gluttonously, but what was rare +and costly; delicate, exact, fastidious in their +taste, from their very habits of indulgence; +not eating for the mere sake of eating, or +drinking for the mere sake of drinking, but +making a sort of science of their sensuality; +sensual, carnal, as flesh and blood can be, with +eyes, ears, tongue steeped in impurity, every +thought, look, and sense, witnessing or ministering<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span> +to the evil one who ruled them; yet, +with exquisite correctness of idea and judgment, +laying down rules for sinning;—heartless +and selfish, high, punctilious, and disdainful +in their outward deportment, and shrinking +from Lazarus, who lay at the gate, as an +eye-sore, who ought for the sake of decency +to be put out of the way. Dives was one of +such, and so he lived his short span, thinking +of nothing but himself, till one day he got into +a fatal quarrel with one of his godless associates, +or he caught some bad illness; and +then he lay helpless on his bed of pain, cursing +fortune and his physician that he was no +better, and impatient that he was thus kept +from enjoying his youth, trying to fancy himself +mending when he was getting worse, and +disgusted at those who would not throw him +some word of comfort in his suspense, and +turning more resolutely from his Creator in +proportion to his suffering;—and then at last +his day came, and he died, and (oh! miserable!) +"was buried in hell." And so ended +he and his mission.</p> + +<p>This was the fate of your pattern and idol, +oh, ye, if any of you be present, young men, +who, tho not possest of wealth and rank, yet +affect the fashions of those who have them. +You, my brethren, have not been born splendidly, +or nobly; you have not been brought +up in the seats of liberal education; you have +no high connections; you have not learned<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span> +the manners nor caught the tone of good society; +you have no share of the largeness of +mind, the candor, the romantic sense of honor, +the correctness of taste, the consideration for +others, and the gentleness which the world +puts forth as its highest type of excellence; +you have not come near the courts of the +mansions of the great; yet you ape the sin +of Dives, while you are strangers to his refinement. +You think it the sign of a gentleman +to set yourselves above religion; to criticize +the religious and professors of religion; +to look at Catholic and Methodist with impartial +contempt; to gain a smattering of knowledge +on a number of subjects; to dip into a +number of frivolous publications, if they are +popular; to have read the latest novel; to have +heard the singer and seen the actor of the day; +to be well up with the news; to know the +names and, if so be, the persons of public men, +to be able to bow to them; to walk up and +down the street with your heads on high, and +to stare at whatever meets you; and to say +and do worse things, of which these outward +extravagances are but the symbol. And this +is what you conceive you have come upon the +earth for! The Creator made you, it seems, +oh, my children, for this work and office, to be +a bad imitation of polished ungodliness, to be +a piece of tawdry and faded finery, or a scent +which has lost its freshness, and does not but +offend the sense! O! that you could see how<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span> +absurd and base are such pretenses in the +eyes of any but yourselves! No calling of life +but is honorable; no one is ridiculous who acts +suitably to his calling and estate; no one, who +has good sense and humility, but may, in any +state of life, be truly well-bred and refined; +but ostentation, affectation, and ambitious efforts +are, in every station of life, high or low, +nothing but vulgarities. Put them aside, despise +them yourselves. Oh, my very dear sons, +whom I love, and whom I would fain serve;—oh, +that you could feel that you have souls! +oh, that you would have mercy on your souls! +oh, that, before it is too late, you would betake +yourselves to Him who is the source of +all that is truly high and magnificent and +beautiful, all that is bright and pleasant and +secure what you ignorantly seek, in Him +whom you so wilfully, so awfully despise!</p> + +<p>He, alone, the Son of God, "the brightness +of the Eternal Light, and the spotless mirror +of His Majesty," is the source of all good and +all happiness to rich and poor, high and low. +If you were ever so high, you would need +Him; if you were ever so low, you could offend +Him. The poor can offend Him; the +poor man can neglect his divinely appointed +mission as well as the rich. Do not suppose, +my brethren, that what I have said against +the upper or the middle class will not, if you +happen to be poor, also lie against you. +Though a man were as poor as Lazarus, he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span> +could be as guilty as Dives. If you were resolved +to degrade yourselves to the brutes of +the field, who have no reason and no conscience, +you need not wealth or rank to enable +you to do so. Brutes have no wealth; they +have no pride of life; they have no purple +and fine linen, no splendid table, no retinue +of servants, and yet they are brutes. They +are brutes by the law of their nature; they +are the poorest among the poor; there is not +a vagrant and outcast who is so poor as they; +they differ from him, not in their possessions, +but in their want of a soul, in that he has a +mission and they have not, he can sin and +they can not. Oh, my brethren, it stands to +reason, a man may intoxicate himself with a +cheap draft, as well as with a costly one; +he may steal another's money for his appetites, +though he does not waste his own upon +them; he may break through the natural and +social laws which encircle him, and profane +the sanctity of family duties, tho he be not +a child of nobles, but a peasant or artisan,—nay, +and perhaps he does so more frequently +than they. This is not the poor's +blessedness, that he has less temptations to +self-indulgence, for he has as many, but that +from his circumstances he receives the penances +and corrections of self-indulgence. Poverty +is the mother of many pains and sorrows +in their season, and these are God's messengers +to lead the soul to repentance; but,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span> +alas! if the poor man indulges his passions, +thinks little of religion, puts off repentance, +refuses to make an effort, and dies without +conversion, it matters nothing that he was +poor in this world, it matters nothing that he +was less daring than the rich, it matters not +that he promised himself God's favor, that he +sent for the priest when death came, and received +the last sacraments; Lazarus too, in +that case, shall be buried with Dives in hell, +and shall have had his consolation neither in +this world nor in the world to come.</p> + +<p>My brethren, the simple question is, whatever +a man's rank in life may be, does he in +that rank perform the work which God has +given him to do? Now then, let me turn to +others, of a very different description, and +let me hear what they will say, when the question +is asked them. Why, they will parry it +thus: "You give us no alternative," they will +say to me, "except that of being sinners or +saints. You put before us our Lord's pattern, +and you spread before us the guilt and ruin +of the deliberate transgressor; whereas we +have no intention of going so far one way or +the other; we do not aim at being saints, but +we have no desire at all to be sinners. We +neither intend to disobey God's will, nor to +give up our own. Surely there is a middle +way, and a safe one, in which God's will and +our will may both be satisfied. We mean to +enjoy both this world and the next. We will<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span> +guard against mortal sin; we are not obliged +to guard against venial; indeed it would be +endless to attempt it. None but saints do so; +it is the work of a life; we need have nothing +else to do. We are not monks, we are in the +world, we are in business, we are parents, we +have families; we must live for the day. It is +a consolation to keep from mortal sin; that +we do, and it is enough for salvation. It is +a great thing to keep in God's favor; what +indeed can we desire more? We come at due +time to the sacraments; this is our comfort +and our stay; did we die, we should die in +grace, and escape the doom of the wicked. +But if we once attempted to go further, where +should we stop? how will you draw the line +for us? The line between mortal and venial +sin is very distinct; we understand that; but +do you not see that, if we attended to our +venial sins, there would be just as much reason +to attend to one as to another? If we began to +repress our anger, why not also repress vainglory? +Why not also guard against niggardliness? +Why not also keep from falsehood, +from gossiping, from idling, from excess +in eating? And, after all, without venial +sin we never can be, unless indeed we have +the prerogative of the Mother of God, which +it would be almost heresy to ascribe to any +one but her. You are not asking us to be +converted; that we understand; we are converted, +we were converted a long time ago.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span> +You bid us aim at an indefinite vague something, +which is less than perfection, yet more +than obedience, and which, without resulting +in any tangible advantage, debars us from +the pleasures and embarrasses us in the duties +of this world."</p> + +<p>This is what you will say; but your premises, +my brethren, are better than your reasoning, +and your conclusions will not stand. +You have a right view why God has sent you +into the world; viz., in order that you may +get to heaven; it is quite true also that you +would fare well indeed if you found yourselves +there, you could desire nothing better; +nor, it is true, can you live any time without +venial sin. It is true also that you are not +obliged to aim at being saints; it is no sin +not to aim at perfection. So much is true and +to the purpose; but it does not follow from it +that you, with such views and feelings as you +have exprest, are using sufficient exertions +even for attaining purgatory. Has your religion +any difficulty in it, or is it in all respects +easy to you? Are you simply taking +your own pleasure in your mode of living, or +do you find your pleasure in submitting yourself +to God's pleasure? In a word, is your +religion a work? For if it be not, it is not +religion at all. Here at once, before going +into your argument, is a proof that it is an +unsound one, because it brings you to the conclusion +that, whereas Christ came to do a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span> +work, and all saints, nay, nay, and sinners to +do a work too, you, on the contrary, have no +work to do, because, forsooth, you are neither +sinners nor saints; or, if you once had a work, +at least that you have despatched it already, +and you have nothing upon your hands. You +have attained your salvation, it seems, before +your time, and have nothing to occupy you, +and are detained on earth too long. The work +days are over, and your perpetual holiday is +begun. Did then God send you, above all +other men, into the world to be idle in spiritual +matters? Is it your mission only to find +pleasure in this world, in which you are but +as pilgrims and sojourners? Are you more +than sons of Adam, who, by the sweat of their +brow, are to eat bread till they return to the +earth out of which they are taken? Unless +you have some work in hand, unless you are +struggling, unless you are fighting with yourselves, +you are no followers of those who +"through many tribulations entered into the +kingdom of God." A fight is the very token +of a Christian. He is a soldier of Christ; high +or low, he is this and nothing else. If you +have triumphed over all mortal sin, as you +seem to think, then you must attack your +venial sins; there is no help for it; there is +nothing else to do, if you would be soldiers of +Jesus Christ. But, oh, simple souls! to think +you have gained any triumph at all! No; you +cannot safely be at peace with any, even the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span> +least malignant, of the foes of God; if you +are at peace with venial sins, be certain that in +their company and under their shadow mortal +sins are lurking. Mortal sins are the children +of venial, which, tho they be not deadly +themselves, yet are prolific of death. You +may think that you have killed the giants who +had possession of your hearts, and that you +have nothing to fear, but may sit at rest under +your vine and under your fig-tree; but the +giants will live again, they will rise from the +dust, and, before you know where you are, +you will be taken captive and slaughtered by +the fierce, powerful, and eternal enemies of +God.</p> + +<p>The end of a thing is the test. It was our +Lord's rejoicing in His last solemn hour, that +He had done the work for which He was sent. +"I have glorified thee on earth." He says in +His prayer, "I have finished the work which +thou gavest me to do; I have manifested thy +name to the men whom thou hast given me +out of the world." It was St. Paul's consolation +also, "I have fought the good fight, I +have finished the course, I have kept the +faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a +crown of justice, which the Lord shall render +to me in that day, the just judge." Alas! +alas! how different will be our view of things +when we come to die, or when we have passed +into eternity, from the dreams and pretenses +with which we beguile ourselves now! What<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span> +will Babel do for us then? Will it rescue our +souls from the purgatory or the hell to which +it sends them? If we were created, it was +that we might serve God; if we have His gifts, +it is that we may glorify Him; if we have a +conscience, it is that we may obey it; if we +have the prospect of heaven, it is that we may +keep it before us; if we have light, that we +may follow it, if we have grace, that we may +save ourselves by means of it. Alas! alas! for +those who die without fulfilling their mission; +who were called to be holy, and lived in sin; +who were called to worship Christ, and who +plunged into this giddy and unbelieving +world; who were called to fight, and who remained +idle; who were called to be Catholics, +and who did but remain in the religion of +their birth! Alas for those who have had gifts +and talent, and have not used, or have misused, +or abused them; who have had wealth, +and have spent it on themselves; who have +had abilities, and have advocated what was +sinful, or ridiculed what was true, or scattered +doubts against what was sacred; who have had +leisure, and have wasted it on wicked companions, +or evil books, or foolish amusements! +Alas! for those of whom the best can be said +is, that they are harmless and naturally blameless, +while they never have attempted to +cleanse their hearts or to live in God's sight!</p> + +<p>The world goes on from age to age, but the +Holy Angels and Blessed Saints are always<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span> +crying Alas, alas! and Wo, wo! over the loss +of vocations, and the disappointment of hopes, +and the scorn of God's love, and the ruin of +souls. One generation succeeds another, and +whenever they look down upon earth from +their golden thrones, they see scarcely anything +but a multitude of guardian spirits, +downcast and sad, each following his own +charge, in anxiety, or in terror, or in despair, +vainly endeavoring to shield him from the +enemy, and failing because he will not be +shielded. Times come and go, and man will +not believe, that that is to be which is not yet, +or that what now is only continues for a season, +and is not eternity. The end is the trial; +the world passes; it is but a pageant and a +scene; the lofty palace crumbles, the busy city +is mute, the ships of Tarshish have sped away. +On heart and flesh death is coming; the veil +is breaking. Departing soul, how hast thou +used thy talents, thy opportunities, the light +poured around thee, the warnings given thee, +the grace inspired into thee? Oh, my Lord +and Savior, support me in that hour in the +strong arms of Thy sacraments, and by the +fresh fragrance of Thy consolations. Let the +absolving words be said over me, and the holy +oil sign and seal me, and Thy own body be +my food, and Thy blood my sprinkling; and +let my sweet mother Mary breathe on me, and +my angel whisper peace to me, and my glorious +saints, and my own dear father, Philip,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> +smile on me; that in them all, and through +them all, I may receive the gift of perseverance, +and die, as I desire to live, in Thy faith, +in Thy Church, in Thy service, and in Thy +love.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232"> </a><br /><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>BUSHNELL</h2> + +<h3>UNCONSCIOUS INFLUENCE</h3> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234"> </a></span></p> + + + + +<h4>BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE</h4> + + +<p><span class="smcap">Horace Bushnell</span> was born at Litchfield, +Connecticut, in 1802. Graduated at +Yale 1827. In 1833 he became pastor of +the North Congregational Church, Hartford, +Conn., resigned in 1859 and died +in 1876. He wrote many theological +works. Among them "Christian Nurture" +(1847), a book now looked upon as +of classical authority. Considerable discussion +among Calvinists was aroused by +his "Nature and the Supernatural," and +his "The Vicarious Sacrifice" (1865) as +being out of accord with the accepted +creeds of the Congregational churches. +He lacked the sympathy and dramatic +instinct necessary to great oratorical +achievement, but his sermons prove by +their profound suggestiveness that he was +a man of keen spiritual insight, and +preached with force and impressiveness. +His influence upon the ministers of America +in modifying theology and remolding +the general type of preaching is fairly +comparable with that of Robertson.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>BUSHNELL</h2> + +<h3>1802-1876</h3> + +<h4>UNCONSCIOUS INFLUENCE<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a></h4> + +<p><em>Then went in also that other disciple.</em>—John xx., 8.</p> + + +<p>In this slight touch or turn of history, is +opened to us, if we scan closely, one of the +most serious and fruitful chapters of +Christian doctrine. Thus it is that men are ever +touching unconsciously the springs of motion +in each other; thus it is that one man, without +thought or intention, or even a consciousness +of the fact, is ever leading some other after +him. Little does Peter think, as he comes up +where his doubting brother is looking into the +sepulcher, and goes straight in, after his +peculiar manner, that he is drawing in his +brother apostle after him. As little does John +think, when he loses his misgivings, and goes +into the sepulcher after Peter, that he is +following his brother. And just so, unaware +to himself, is every man, the whole race +through, laying hold of his fellow-man, to lead +him where otherwise he would not go. We +overrun the boundaries of our personality—we +flow together. A Peter leads a John, a +John goes after Peter, both of them unconscious +of any influence exerted or received.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span> +And thus our life and conduct are ever +propagating themselves, by a law of social +contagion, throughout the circles and times +in which we live.</p> + +<p>There are, then, you will perceive, two sorts +of influence belonging to man; that which is +active or voluntary, and that which is unconscious—that +which we exert purposely or in +the endeavor to sway another, as by teaching, +by argument, by persuasion, by threatenings, +by offers and promises, and that which flows +out from us, unaware to ourselves, the same +which Peter had over John when he led him +into the sepulcher. The importance of our +efforts to do good, that is of our voluntary +influence, and the sacred obligation we are +under to exert ourselves in this way, are often +and seriously insisted on. It is thus that +Christianity has become, in the present age, a +principle of so much greater activity than it +has been for many centuries before; and we +fervently hope that it will yet become far +more active than it now is, nor cease to multiply +its industry, till it is seen by all mankind +to embody the beneficence and the living +energy of Christ Himself.</p> + +<p>But there needs to be reproduced, at the +same time, and partly for this object, a more +thorough appreciation of the relative importance +of that kind of influence or beneficence +which is insensibly exerted. The tremendous +weight and efficacy of this, compared with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span> +the other, and the sacred responsibility laid +upon us in regard to this, are felt in no such +degree or proportion as they should be; and +the consequent loss we suffer in character, as +well as that which the Church suffers in +beauty and strength, is incalculable. The +more stress, too, needs to be laid on this subject +of insensible influence, because it is insensible; +because it is out of mind, and, when +we seek to trace it, beyond a full discovery.</p> + +<p>If the doubt occur to any of you, in the announcement +of this subject, whether we are +properly responsible for an influence which +we exert insensibly; we are not, I reply, except +so far as this influence flows directly +from our character and conduct. And this it +does, even much more uniformly than our +active influence. In the latter we may fail of +our end by a want of wisdom or skill, in +which case we are still as meritorious, in God's +sight, as if we succeeded. So, again, we may +really succeed, and do great good by our +active endeavors, from motives altogether base +and hypocritical, in which case we are as evil, +in God's sight, as if we had failed. But the +influences we exert unconsciously will almost +never disagree with our real character. They +are honest influences, following our character, +as the shadow follows the sun. And, therefore, +we are much more certainly responsible +for them, and their effects on the world. They +go streaming from us in all directions, tho<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span> +in channels that we do not see, poisoning or +healing around the roots of society, and +among the hidden wells of character. If good +ourselves, they are good; if bad, they are bad. +And, since they reflect so exactly our character, +it is impossible to doubt our responsibility +for their effects on the world. We must +answer not only for what we do with a purpose, +but for the influence we exert insensibly. +To give you any just impressions of the +breadth and seriousness of such a reckoning +I know to be impossible. No mind can trace +it. But it will be something gained if I am +able to awaken only a suspicion of the vast +extent and power of those influences, which +are ever flowing out unbidden upon society, +from your life and character.</p> + +<p>In the prosecution of my design, let me ask +of you, first of all, to expel the common prejudice +that there can be nothing of consequence +in unconscious influences, because they make +no report, and fall on the world unobserved. +Histories and biographies make little account +of the power men exert insensibly over each +other. They tell how men have led armies, +established empires, enacted laws, gained +causes, sung, reasoned, and taught—always +occupied in setting forth what they do with a +purpose. But what they do without purpose, +the streams of influence that flow out from +their persons unbidden on the world, they can +not trace or compute, and seldom even mention.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span> +So also the public laws make men +responsible only for what they do with a +positive purpose, and take no account of the +mischiefs or benefits that are communicated +by their noxious or healthful example. The +same is true in the discipline of families, +churches, and schools; they make no account +of the things we do, except we will them. +What we do insensibly passes for nothing, +because no human government can trace such +influences with sufficient certainty to make +their authors responsible.</p> + +<p>But you must not conclude that influences +of this kind are insignificant, because they are +unnoticed and noiseless. How is it in the +natural world? Behind the mere show, the +outward noise and stir of the world, nature +always conceals her hand of control, and the +laws by which she rules. Who ever saw with +the eye, for example, or heard with the ear, +the exertions of that tremendous astronomic +force, which every moment holds the compact +of the physical universe together? The lightning +is, in fact, but a mere firefly spark in +comparison; but, because it glares on the +clouds, and thunders so terribly in the ear, +and rives the tree or the rock where it falls, +many will be ready to think that it is a vastly +more potent agent than gravity.</p> + +<p>The Bible calls the good man's life a light, +and it is the nature of light to flow out spontaneously +in all directions, and fill the world<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span> +unconsciously with its beams. So the Christian +shines, it would say, not so much because +he will, as because he is a luminous object. +Not that the active influence of Christians is +made of no account in the figure, but only that +this symbol of light has its propriety in the +fact that their unconscious influence is the +chief influence, and has the precedence in its +power over the world. And yet, there are +many who will be ready to think that light is +a very tame and feeble instrument, because +it is noiseless. An earthquake, for example, +is to them a much more vigorous and effective +agency. Hear how it comes thundering +through solid foundations of nature. It rocks +a whole continent. The noblest works of man—cities, +monuments, and temples—are in a +moment leveled to the ground, or swallowed +down the opening gulfs of fire. Little do they +think that the light of every morning, the soft, +and genial, and silent light, is an agent many +times more powerful. But let the light of the +morning cease and return no more, let the +hour of morning come, and bring with it no +dawn; the outcries of a horror-stricken world +fill the air, and make, as it were, the darkness +audible. The beasts go wild and frantic at the +loss of the sun. The vegetable growths turn +pale and die. A chill creeps on, and frosty +winds begin to howl across the freezing earth. +Colder, and yet colder, is the night. The vital +blood, at length, of all creatures, stops congealed.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span> +Down goes the frost toward the +earth's center. The heart of the sea is frozen; +nay, the earthquakes are themselves frozen in, +under their fiery caverns. The very globe +itself, too, and all the fellow planets that have +lost their sun, are become mere balls of ice, +swinging silent in the darkness. Such is the +light, which revisits us in the silence of the +morning. It makes no shock or scar. It +would not wake an infant in his cradle. And +yet it perpetually new creates the world, rescuing +it each morning, as a prey, from night +and chaos. So the Christian is a light, even +"the light of the world," and we must not +think that, because he shines insensibly or +silently, as a mere luminous object, he is +therefore powerless. The greatest powers are +ever those which lie back of the little stirs and +commotion of nature; and I verily believe +that the insensible influences of good men are +much more potent than what I have called +their voluntary, or active, as the great silent +powers of nature are of greater consequence +than her little disturbances and tumults. The +law of human influences is deeper than many +suspect, and they lose sight of it altogether. +The outward endeavors made by good men or +bad to sway others, they call their influence; +whereas, it is, in fact, but a fraction, and, in +most cases, but a very small fraction, of the +good or evil that flows out of their lives. Nay, +I will even go further. How many persons do<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span> +you meet, the insensible influence of whose +manners and character is so decided as often +to thwart their voluntary influence; so that, +whatever they attempt to do, in the way of +controlling others, they are sure to carry the +exact opposite of what they intend! And it +will generally be found that, where men +undertake by argument or persuasion to exert +a power, in the face of qualities that make +them odious or detestable, or only not entitled +to respect, their insensible influence will be +too strong for them. The total effect of the +life is then of a kind directly opposite to the +voluntary endeavor, which, of course, does not +add so much as a fraction to it.</p> + +<p>I call your attention, next, to the twofold +powers of effect and expression by which man +connects with his fellow man. If we distinguish +man as a creature of language, and +thus qualified to communicate himself to +others, there are in him two sets or kinds of +language, one which is voluntary in the use, +and one that is involuntary; that of speech in +the literal sense, and that expression of the +eye, the face, the look, the gait, the motion, +the tone of cadence, which is sometimes called +the natural language of the sentiments. This +natural language, too, is greatly enlarged by +the conduct of life, that which, in business +and society, reveals the principles and spirit +of men. Speech, or voluntary language, is a +door to the soul, that we may open or shut<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span> +at will; the other is a door that stands open +evermore, and reveals to others constantly, +and often very clearly, the tempers, tastes, +and motives of their hearts. Within, as we +may represent, is character, charging the common +reservoir of influence, and through these +twofold gates of the soul pouring itself out on +the world. Out of one it flows at choice, and +whensoever we purpose to do good or evil to +men. Out of the other it flows each moment, +as light from the sun, and propagates itself +in all beholders.</p> + +<p>Then if we go to others, that is, to the subjects +of influence, we find every man endowed +with two inlets of impression; the ear and the +understanding for the reception of speech, and +the sympathetic powers, the sensibilities or +affections, for tinder to those sparks of emotion +revealed by looks, tones, manners and general +conduct. And these sympathetic powers, tho +not immediately rational, are yet inlets, open +on all sides, to the understanding and character. +They have a certain wonderful capacity +to receive impressions, and catch the +meaning of signs, and propagate in us whatsoever +falls into their passive molds from others. +The impressions they receive do not come +through verbal propositions, and are never +received into verbal propositions, it may be, +in the mind, and therefore many think nothing +of them. But precisely on this account +are they the more powerful, because it is as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span> +if one heart were thus going directly into +another, and carrying in its feelings with it. +Beholding, as in a glass, the feelings of our +neighbor, we are changed into the same image, +by the assimilating power of sensibility and +fellow-feeling. Many have gone so far, and +not without show, at least, of reason, as to +maintain that the look or expression, and even +the very features of children, are often +changed by exclusive intercourse with nurses +and attendants. Furthermore, if we carefully +consider, we shall find it scarcely possible to +doubt, that simply to look on bad and malignant +faces, or those whose expressions have +become infected by vice, to be with them and +become familiarized to them, is enough permanently +to affect the character of persons +of mature age. I do not say that it must of +necessity subvert their character, for the evil +looked upon may never be loved or welcomed +in practise; but it is something to have these +bad images in the soul, giving out their expressions +there, and diffusing their odor +among the thoughts, as long as we live. How +dangerous a thing is it, for example, for a +man to become accustomed to sights of cruelty? +What man, valuing the honor of his +soul, would not shrink from yielding himself +to such an influence? No more is it a thing +of indifference to become accustomed to look +on the manners, and receive the bad expression +of any kind of sin.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span></p> + +<p>The door of involuntary communication, I +have said, is always open. Of course we are +communicating ourselves in this way to others +at every moment of our intercourse or presence +with them. But how very seldom, in +comparison, do we undertake by means of +speech to influence others! Even the best +Christian, one who most improves his opportunities +to do good, attempts but seldom to +sway another by voluntary influence, whereas +he is all the while shining as a luminous +object unawares, and communicating of his +heart to the world.</p> + +<p>But there is yet another view of this double +line of communication which man has with +his fellow-men, which is more general, and +displays the import of the truth yet more +convincingly. It is by one of these modes of +communication that we are constituted members +of voluntary society, and by the other, +parts of a general mass, or members of involuntary +society. You are all, in a certain +view, individuals, and separate as persons +from each other; you are also, in a +certain other view, parts of a common body, +as truly as the parts of a stone. Thus if you +ask how it is that you and all men came without +your consent to exist in society, to be +within its power, to be under its laws, the +answer is, that while you are a man, you are +also a fractional element of a larger and more +comprehensive being, called society—be it the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span> +family, the church, the state. In a certain +department of your nature, it is open; its sympathies +and feelings are open. On this open +side you will adhere together, as parts of a +larger nature, in which there is a common +circulation of want, impulse, and law. Being +thus made common to each other voluntarily, +you become one mass, one consolidated social +body, animated by one life. And observe how +far this involuntary communication and sympathy +between the members of a state or a +family is sovereign over their character. It +always results in what we call the national or +family spirit; for there is a spirit peculiar to +every state and family in the world. Sometimes, +too, this national or family spirit takes +a religious or an irreligious character, and +appears almost to absorb the religious self-government +of individuals. What was the +national spirit of France, for example, at a +certain time, but a spirit of infidelity? What +is the religious spirit of Spain at this moment, +but a spirit of bigotry, quite as wide of Christianity +and destructive of character as the +spirit of falsehood? What is the family spirit +in many a house, but the spirit of gain, or +pleasure, or appetite, in which everything +that is warm, dignified, genial, and good in +religion, is visibly absent? Sometimes you +will almost fancy that you see the shapes of +money in the eyes of children. So it is that +we are led on by nations, as it were, to good<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[247]</a></span> +or bad immortality. Far down in the secret +foundations of life and society there lie concealed +great laws and channels of influence, +which make the race common to each other in +all the main departments or divisions of the +social mass, laws which often escape our notice +altogether, but which are to society as gravity +to the general system of God's works.</p> + +<p>But these are general considerations, and +more fit, perhaps, to give you a rational conception +of the modes of influence and their +relative power, than to verify that conception, +or establish its truth. I now proceed to add, +therefore, some miscellaneous proofs of a more +particular nature.</p> + +<p>And I mention, first of all, the instinct of +imitation in children. We begin our mortal +experience, not with acts grounded in judgment +or reason, or with ideas received through +language, but by simple imitation, and, under +the guidance of this, we lay our foundations. +The child looks and listens, and whatsoever +tone of feeling or manner of conduct is displayed +around him, sinks into his plastic, +passive soul, and becomes a mold of his being +ever after. The very handling of the nursery +is significant, and the petulance, the passion, +the gentleness, the tranquillity indicated by it, +are all reproduced in the child. His soul is +a purely receptive nature, and that for a +considerable period, without choice or selection. +A little further on he begins voluntarily<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[248]</a></span> +to copy everything he sees. Voice, +manner, gait, everything which the eye sees, +the mimic instinct delights to act over. And +thus we have a whole generation of future +men, receiving from us their beginnings, and +the deepest impulses of their life and immortality. +They watch us every moment, in the +family, before the hearth, and at the table; +and when we are meaning them no good or +evil, when we are conscious of exerting no +influence over them, they are drawing from us +impressions and molds of habit, which, if +wrong, no heavenly discipline can wholly remove; +or, if right, no bad associations utterly +dissipate. Now it may be doubted, I think, +whether, in all the active influence of our +lives, we do as much to shape the destiny of our +fellow-men as we do in this single article of +unconscious influence over children.</p> + +<p>Still further on, respect for others takes the +place of imitation. We naturally desire the +approbation or good opinion of others. You +see the strength of this feeling in the article +of fashion. How few persons have the nerve +to resist a fashion! We have fashions, too, +in literature, and in worship, and in moral +and religious doctrine, almost equally powerful. +How many will violate the best rules of +society, because it is the practise of the circle! +How many reject Christ because of friends or +acquaintance, who have no suspicion of the +influence they exert, and will not have,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[249]</a></span> +till the last days show them what they +have done! Every good man has thus +a power in his person, more mighty +than his words and arguments, and which +others feel when he little suspects it. Every +bad man, too, has a fund of poison in his +character, which is tainting those around him, +when it is not in his thoughts to do them +injury. He is read and understood. His +sensual tastes and habits, his unbelieving +spirit, his suppressed leer at religions, have +all a power, and take hold of the heart of +others, whether he will have it so or not.</p> + +<p>Again, how well understood is it that the +most active feelings and impulses of mankind +are contagious. How quick enthusiasm of any +sort is to kindle, and how rapidly it catches +from one to another, till a nation blazes in the +flame! In the case of the Crusades you have +an example where the personal enthusiasm +of one man put all the states of Europe in +motion. Fanaticism is almost equally contagious. +Fear and superstition always infect +the mind of the circle in which they are manifested. +The spirit of war generally becomes +an epidemic of madness, when once it has got +possession of a few minds. The spirit of party +is propagated in a similar manner. How any +slight operation in the market may spread, +like a fire, if successful, till trade runs wild +in a general infatuation, is well known. Now, +in all these examples, the effect is produced,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[250]</a></span> +not by active endeavor to carry influence, but +mostly by that insensible propagation which +follows, when a flame of any kind is once more +kindled.</p> + +<p>It is also true, you may ask, that the +religious spirit propagates itself or tends to +propagate itself in the same way? I see no +reason to question that it does. Nor does anything +in the doctrine of spiritual influences, +when rightly understood, forbid the supposition. +For spiritual influences are never separated +from the laws of thought in the individual, +and the laws of feeling and influence +in society. If, too, every disciple is to be an +"epistle known and read of all men," what +shall we expect, but that all men will be somehow +affected by the reading? Or if he is to be +a light in the world, what shall we look for, +but that others, seeing his good works, shall +glorify God on his account? How often is it +seen, too, as a fact of observation, that one +or a few good men kindle at length a holy +fire in the community in which they live, and +become the leaven of general reformation! +Such men give a more vivid proof in their +persons of the reality of religious faith than +any words or arguments could yield. They +are active; they endeavor, of course, to exert +a good voluntary influence; but still their +chief power lies in their holiness and the sense +they produce in others of their close relation +to God.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[251]</a></span></p> + +<p>It now remains to exhibit the very important +fact, that where the direct or active influence +of men is supposed to be great, even this +is due, in a principal degree, to that insensible +influence by which their arguments, reproofs, +and persuasions are secretly invigorating. +It is not mere words which turn men; it is the +heart mounting, uncalled, into the expression +of the features; it is the eye illuminated by +reason, the look beaming with goodness; it is +the tone of the voice, that instrument of the +soul, which changes quality with such amazing +facility, and gives out in the soft, the tender, +the tremulous, the firm, every shade of emotion +and character. And so much is there in +this, that the moral stature and character of +the man that speaks are likely to be well represented +in his manner. If he is a stranger, his +way will inspire confidence and attract good +will. His virtues will be seen, as it were, +gathering round him to minister words and +forms of thought, and their voices will be +heard in the fall of his cadences. And the +same is true of bad men, or men who have +nothing in their character corresponding to +what they attempt to do. If without heart or +interest you attempt to move another, the +involuntary man tells what you are doing in +a hundred ways at once. A hypocrite, endeavoring +to exert a good influence, only tries to +convey by words what the lying look, and the +faithless affectation, or dry exaggeration of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[252]</a></span> +his manner perpetually resists. We have it +for a fashion to attribute great or even prodigious +results to the voluntary efforts and +labors of men. Whatever they effect is commonly +referred to nothing but the immediate +power of what they do. Let us take an example, +like that of Paul, and analyze it. Paul +was a man of great fervor and enthusiasm. +He combined, withal, more of what is lofty +and morally commanding in his character, +than most of the very distinguished men of +the world. Having this for his natural character, +and his natural character exalted and +made luminous by Christian faith, and the +manifest indwelling of God, he had of course +an almost superhuman sway over others. +Doubtless he was intelligent, strong in argument, +eloquent, active, to the utmost of his +powers, but still he moved the world more by +what he was than by what he did. The +grandeur and spiritual splendor of his character +were ever adding to his active efforts an +element of silent power, which was the real +and chief cause of their efficacy. He convinced, +subdued, inspired, and led, because of the half-divine +authority which appeared in his conduct, +and his glowing spirit. He fought the +good fight, because he kept the faith, and filled +his powerful nature with influences drawn +from higher worlds.</p> + +<p>And here I must conduct you to a yet +higher example, even that of the Son of God,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[253]</a></span> +the light of the world. Men dislike to be +swayed by direct, voluntary influence. They +are jealous of such control, and are therefore +best approached by conduct and feeling, and +the authority of simple worth, which seem to +make no purposed onset. If goodness appears, +they welcome its celestial smile; if +heaven descends to encircle them, they yield +to its sweetness; if truth appears in the life, +they honor it with a secret homage; if personal +majesty and glory appear, they bow +with reverence, and acknowledge with shame +their own vileness. Now it is on this side of +human nature that Christ visits us, preparing +just that kind of influence which the spirit +of truth may wield with the most persuasive +and subduing effect. It is the grandeur of His +character which constitutes the chief power of +His ministry, not His miracles or teachings +apart from His character. Miracles were +useful, at the time, to arrest attention, +and His doctrine is useful at all times +as the highest revelation of truth possible +in speech; but the greatest truth of the +gospel, notwithstanding, is Christ Himself—a +human body becomes the organ of the +divine nature, and reveals, under the conditions +of an earthly life, the glory of God! +The Scripture writers have much to say, in +this connection, of the image of God; and an +image, you know, is that which simply represents, +not that which acts, or reasons, or persuades.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[254]</a></span> +Now it is this image of God which +makes the center, the sun itself, of the gospel. +The journeyings, teachings, miracles, and +sufferings of Christ, all had their use in bringing +out this image, or what is the same, in +making conspicuous the character and feelings +of God, both toward sinners and toward sin. +And here is the power of Christ—it is that +God's beauty, love, truth, and justice shines +through Him. It is the influence which flows +unconsciously and spontaneously out of +Christ, as the friend of man, the light of the +world, the glory of the Father, made visible. +And some have gone so far as to conjecture +that God made the human person, originally, +with a view to its becoming the organ or +vehicle by which He might reveal His communicable +attributes to other worlds. Christ, +they believe, came to inhabit this organ, that +He might execute a purpose so sublime. The +human person is constituted, they say, to be a +mirror of God; and God, being imaged in that +mirror, as in Christ, is held up to the view +of this and other worlds. It certainly is to +the view of this; and if the Divine nature can +use the organ so effectively to express itself +unto us, if it can bring itself, through the +looks, tones, motions, and conduct of a human +person, more close to our sympathies than +by any other means, how can we think +that an organ so communicative, inhabited +by us, is not always breathing our spirit<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[255]</a></span> +and transferring our image insensibly to +others?</p> + +<p>I have protracted the argument on this +subject beyond what I could have wished, +but I can not dismiss it without suggesting +a few thoughts necessary to its complete practical +effect.</p> + +<p>One very obvious and serious inference +from it, and the first which I will name, is, +that it is impossible to live in this world and +escape responsibility. It is not that they +alone, as you have seen, who are trying purposely +to convert or corrupt others, who exert +an influence; you can not live without exerting +influence. The doors of your soul are open +on others, and theirs on you. You inhabit a +house which is well-nigh transparent; and +what you are within, you are ever showing +yourself to be without, by signs that have no +ambiguous expression. If you had the seeds +of a pestilence in your body, you would not +have a more active contagion than you have in +your tempers, tastes, and principles. Simply +to be in this world, whatever you are, is to +exert an influence—an influence, too, compared +with which mere language and persuasion +are feeble. You say that you mean well; +at least, you think you mean to injure no one. +Do you injure no one? Is your example +harmless? Is it ever on the side of God and +duty? You can not reasonably doubt that +others are continually receiving impressions<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[256]</a></span> +from your character. As little you can doubt +that you must answer for these impressions. +If the influence you exert is unconsciously +exerted, then it is only the most sincere, the +truest expression of your character. And for +what can you be held responsible, if not for +this? Do not deceive yourselves in the thought +that you are at least doing no injury, and are, +therefore, living without responsibility; first, +make it sure that you are not every hour infusing +moral death insensibly into your children, +wives, husbands, friends, and acquaintances. +By a mere look or glance, not unlikely, you are +conveying the influence that shall turn the +scale of some one's immortality. Dismiss, +therefore, the thought that you are living +without responsibility; that is impossible. +Better is it frankly to admit the truth; and if +you will risk the influence of a character +unsanctified by duty and religion, prepare to +meet your reckoning manfully, and receive +the just recompense of reward.</p> + +<p>The true philosophy or method of doing +good is also here explained. It is, first of all +and principally, to be good—to have a character +that will of itself communicate good. +There must and will be active effort where +there is goodness of principle; but the latter +we should hold to be the principal thing, the +root and life of all. Whether it is a mistake +more sad or more ridiculous, to make mere +stir synonymous with doing good, we need<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[257]</a></span> +not inquire; enough, to be sure that one who +has taken up such a notion of doing good, is +for that reason a nuisance to the Church. The +Christian is called a light, not lightning. In +order to act with effect on others, he must +walk in the Spirit, and thus become the image +of goodness; he must be so akin to God, and so +filled with His dispositions, that he shall seem +to surround himself with a hallowed atmosphere. +It is folly to endeavor to make ourselves +shine before we are luminous. If the +sun without his beams should talk to the +planets, and argue with them till the final day, +it would not make them shine; there must be +light in the sun itself; and then they will +shine, of course. And this, my brethren, is +what God intends for you all. It is the great +idea of His gospel, and the work of His spirit, +to make you lights in the world. His greatest +joy is to give you character, to beautify your +example, to exalt your principles, and make +you each the depository of His own almighty +grace. But in order to do this, something is +necessary on your part—a full surrender of +your mind to duty and to God, and a perpetual +desire of this spiritual intimacy; having +this, having a participation thus of the +goodness of God, you will as naturally communicate +good as the sun communicates his +beams.</p> + +<p>Our doctrine of unconscious and undesigning +influence shows how it is, also, that the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[258]</a></span> +preaching of Christ is often unfruitful, and +especially in times of spiritual coldness. It +is not because truth ceases to be truth, nor, of +necessity, because it is preached in a less vivid +manner, but because there are so many influences +preaching against the preacher. He is +one, the people are many; his attempt to convince +and persuade is a voluntary influence; +their lives, on the other hand, and especially +the lives of those who profess what is better, +are so many unconscious influences ever +streaming forth upon the people, and back +and forth between each other. He preaches +the truth, and they, with one consent, are +preaching the truth down; and how can he +prevail against so many, and by a kind of +influence so unequal? When the people of +God are glowing with spiritual devotion to +Him, and love to men, the case is different; +then they are all preaching with the preacher, +and making an atmosphere of warmth for his +words to fall in; great is the company of them +that publish the truth, and proportionally +great its power. Shall I say more? Have you +not already felt, my brethren, the application +to which I would bring you? We do not exonerate +ourselves; we do not claim to be nearer +to God or holier than you; but, ah! you know +how easy it is to make a winter about us, or +how cold it feels! Our endeavor is to preach +the truth of Christ and His cross as clearly +and as forcefully as we can. Sometimes it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[259]</a></span> +has a visible effect, and we are filled with joy; +sometimes it has no effect, and then we +struggle on, as we must, but under great +oppression. Have we none among you that +preach against us in your lives? If we show +you the light of God's truth, does it never fall +on banks of ice; which if the light shows +through, the crystal masses are yet as cold +as before? We do not accuse you; that we +leave to God, and to those who may rise up +in the last day to testify against you. If they +shall come out of your own families; if they +are the children that wear your names, the +husband or wife of your affections; if they +declare that you, by your example, kept them +away from Christ's truth and mercy, we may +have accusations to meet of our own, and we +leave you to acquit yourselves as best you +may. I only warn you, here, of the guilt +which our Lord Jesus Christ will impute to +them that hinder His gospel.</p> + + + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"> + +<p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> Delivered to the American Christian Missionary +Society, Cincinnati, October, 1860.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"> + +<p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> This is an exact literal version of <i>Rebotayim +alphey shenan</i>. The Targum says, "The chariots of +God are two myriads—and two thousand angels draw +them." A myriad is 10,000—two myriads 20,000. +"To know this," Adam Clarke says, "we must die."</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"> + +<p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> So we have always translated this term, in this +passage.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"> + +<p><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> From "Sermons for the New Life," published by +Charles Scribner's Sons.</p></div></div> + +<div class="tn"><h3>Transcriber's note:</h3> +<p>Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note.</p> + +<p>Page 203: "the filth of the world, and the offscouring of +all things", shall be found unto praise, and +honor, and glory!—The transcriber has supplied the missing closing quoteation mark.</p> + +<p>Page 206: not only from its condemnation, +but from its very "in-being";—The transcriber has supplied the opening quotation mark.</p> +</div> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The World's Great Sermons, Volume 04, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WORLD'S GREAT SERMONS, VOL 4 *** + +***** This file should be named 44411-h.htm or 44411-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/4/4/4/1/44411/ + +Produced by Júlio Reis, Moisés S. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The World's Great Sermons, Volume 04 + L. Beecher to Bushnell + +Author: Various + +Release Date: December 12, 2013 [EBook #44411] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WORLD'S GREAT SERMONS, VOL 4 *** + + + + +Produced by J�lio Reis, Mois�s S. Gomes, Julia Neufeld and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + +Transcriber's note: + +Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). + +Small capital text has been replaced with all capitals. + + * * * * * + +[Illustration: Cover] + +[Illustration: titlepage] + + + + +_The World's Great Sermons_ + +VOLUME IV + +L. BEECHER TO BUSHNELL + + + + + THE + WORLD'S + GREAT + SERMONS + + COMPILED BY + GRENVILLE KLEISER + Formerly of Yale Divinity School Faculty; + Author of "How to Speak + in Public," Etc. + + With Assistance from Many of the Foremost + Living Preachers and Other Theologians + + INTRODUCTION BY + LEWIS O. BRASTOW, D.D. + Professor Emeritus of Practical Theology + in Yale University + + IN TEN VOLUMES + + VOLUME IV L. BEECHER TO BUSHNELL + + FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY + NEW YORK and LONDON + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1908, BY + FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY + _Printed in the United States of America_ + + + + +CONTENTS + + + VOLUME IV + + LYMAN BEECHER (1775-1863). _Page_ + The Government of God Desirable 1 + + CHANNING (1780-1842). + The Character of Christ 27 + + CHALMERS (1780-1847). + The Expulsive Power of a New Affection 53 + + ALEXANDER CAMPBELL (1788-1866). + The Missionary Cause 79 + + IRVING (1792-1834). + Preparation for Consulting the Oracles + of God 101 + + ARNOLD (1795-1842). + Alive in God 131 + + WAYLAND (1796-1865). + A Day in the Life of Jesus of Nazareth 145 + + VINET (1797-1847). + The Mysteries of Christianity 171 + + SUMMERFIELD (1798-1825). + The Heavenly Inheritance 189 + + NEWMAN (1801-1890). + God's Will the End of Life 207 + + BUSHNELL (1802-1876). + Unconscious Influence 233 + + + + +LYMAN BEECHER + +THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD DESIRABLE + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +LYMAN BEECHER was born in New Haven, Conn., in 1775. He graduated +from Yale in 1797, and in 1798 took charge of the Presbyterian +Church at Easthampton, Long Island. He first attracted attention +by his sermon on the death of Alexander Hamilton, and in 1810 +became pastor of the Congregational Church at Litchfield, Conn. In +the course of a pastorate of 16 years, he preached a remarkable +series of sermons on temperance and became recognized as one of +the foremost pulpit orators of the country. In 1826 he went to +Boston as pastor of the Hanover Street Congregational Church. Six +years later he became president of the Lane Theological Seminary in +Ohio, an office he retained for twenty years. In 1852 he returned +to Boston and subsequently retired to the house of his son, Henry +Ward Beecher, where he died in 1863. His public utterances, whether +platform or pulpit, were carefully elaborated. They were delivered +extemporaneously and sparkled with wit, were convincing by their +logic, and conciliating by their shrewd common sense. + + + + +LYMAN BEECHER + +1775-1863 + +THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD DESIRABLE + +_Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven_.--Matthew vi., 10. + + +In this passage we are instructed to pray that the world may be +governed, and not abandoned to the miseries of unrestrained sin; +that God Himself would govern, and not another; and that God would +administer the government of the world, in all respects, according +to His own pleasure. The passage is a formal surrender to God of +power and dominion over the earth, as entire as His dominion is in +His heaven. The petition, therefore, "Thy will be done," contains +the doctrine: + +That it is greatly to be desired that God should govern the world, +and dispose of men, in all respects, entirely according to His own +pleasure. + +The truth of this doctrine is so manifest, that it would seem to +rank itself in the number of self-evident propositions, incapable of +proof clearer than its own light, had not experience taught that, of +all truths, it is the most universally and bitterly controverted. +Plain as it is, it has occasioned more argument than any other +doctrine, and, by argument merely, has gained fewer proselytes; for +it is one of those controversies in which the heart decides wholly, +and argument, strong or feeble, is alike ineffectual. + +This consideration would present, on the threshold, a hopeless +impediment to further progress, did we not know, also, that +arguments a thousand times repeated, and as often resisted, may +at length become mighty through God, to the casting down of +imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against +the knowledge of God. I shall, therefore, suggest several +considerations, to confirm this most obvious truth, that it is +desirable that God should govern the world entirely according to His +own good pleasure. + +1. It is desirable that God should govern the world, and dispose of +all events, according to His pleasure, because He knows perfectly in +what manner it is best that the world should be governed. + +The best way of disposing of men and their concerns is that which +will effectually illustrate the glory of God. The glory of God is +His benevolence, and His natural attributes for the manifestation +of it, and sun of the moral universe, the light and life of His +kingdom. All the blessedness of the intelligent creation arises, +and ever will arise, from the manifestation and apprehension of the +glory of God. It was to manifest this glory that the worlds were +created. It was that there might be creatures to behold and enjoy +God, that His dominions were peopled with intelligent beings. And +it is that His holy subjects may see and enjoy Him, that He upholds +and governs the universe. The entire importance of our world, +therefore, and of men and their concerns, is relative, and is great +or small only as we are made to illustrate the glory of God. How +this important end shall be most effectually accomplished none but +Himself is able to determine. He, only, knows how so to order things +as that the existence of every being, and every event, shall answer +the purpose of its creation, and from the rolling of a world to the +fall of a sparrow shall conspire to increase the exhibitions of the +divine character, and expand the joy of the holy universe. + +An inferior intelligence at the helm of government might conceive +very desirable purposes of benevolence, and still be at a loss +as to the means most fit and effectual to accomplish them. But, +with God, there is no such deficiency. In Him, the knowledge which +discovered the end discovers also, with unerring wisdom, the most +appropriate means to bring it to pass. He is wise in heart; He hath +established the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by +His discretion. And is He not wise enough to be intrusted with the +government of the world? Who, then, shall be His counsellor? Who +shall supply the deficiencies of His skill? Oh, the presumption of +vain man! and, oh! the depths both of the wisdom and knowledge of +God! + +2. It is desirable that God should govern the world according to His +own pleasure, because He is entirely able to execute His purposes. + +A wise politician perceives, often, both the end and the means; and +is still unable to bring to pass his counsels, because the means, +though wise, are beyond his control. But God is as able to execute +as He is to plan. Having chosen the end, and selected the means, his +counsels stand. He is the Lord God omnipotent. The whole universe +is a storehouse of means; and when He speaks every intelligence +and every atom flies to execute His pleasure. The omnipotence of +God, in giving efficacy to His government, inspires and perpetuates +the ecstasy of heaven. "And a voice came out from the throne, +saying, Praise our God. And I heard as it were the voice of a great +multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of many +thunderings, saying Alleluia, the Lord God omnipotent reigneth." +What will that man do in heaven, who is afraid and reluctant to +commit to God the government of the earth? And what will become +of those who, unable to frustrate His counsels, murmur and rebel +against His providence? + +3. It is desirable that God should govern the world according to His +pleasure, because the pleasure of God is always good. + +The angels who kept not their first estate, and many wicked men, +have great knowledge, and skill, and power: and yet, on these +accounts, are only the more terrible; because they employ these +mighty faculties to do evil. And the government of God, were He a +being of malevolence, armed as He is with skill and power, would +justly fill the universe with dismay. But, as it is, brethren, "let +not your hearts be troubled." With God there is no perversion of +attributes. He is as good as He is wise and powerful. God is love! +Love is that glory of God which He has undertaken to express to His +intelligent creation in His works. The sole object of the government +of God, from beginning to end, is, to express His benevolence. +His eternal decrees, of which so many are afraid, are nothing +but the plan which God has devised to express His benevolence, +and to make His kingdom as vast and as blest as His own infinite +goodness desires. It was to show His glory--to express, in action, +His benevolence--that He created all the worlds that roll, and +rejoice, and speak His name, through the regions of space. It is to +accomplish the same blest design, that He upholds, and places under +law, every intelligent being, and directs every event, causing every +movement, in every world, to fall in, in its appointed time and +place, and to unite in promoting the grand result--the glory of God, +and the highest good of His kingdom. And is there a mortal, who, +from this great system of blest government, would wish this earth to +be an exception? What sort of beings must those be who are afraid of +a government administered by infinite benevolence, to express, so +far as it can be expressed, the infinite goodness of God? I repeat +the question,--What kind of characters must those be who feel as if +they had good reason to fear a government the sole object of which +is to express the immeasurable goodness of God? + +4. It is greatly to be desired that God should govern the world +according to His pleasure, because it is His pleasure to rule as a +moral governor. + +A moral government is a government exercised over free agents, +accountable beings; a government of laws, administered by motives. + +The importance of such a government below is manifest from the +consideration, that it is in His moral government, chiefly, that the +glory of God is displayed. + +The superintendence of an empty world, or a world of mere animals, +would not exhibit, at all, the moral character of God. The glory +of God, shining in His law, could never be made manifest, and the +brighter glory of God, as displayed in the gospel, must remain +forever hid; and all that happiness of which we are capable, as +moral beings, the joys of religion below, and the boundless joys of +heaven above, would be extinguished, in a moment, by the suspension +of the divine moral government. + +Will any pretend that the Almighty cannot maintain a moral +government on earth, if He governs according to His own pleasure? +Can He wield the elements, and control, at His pleasure, every work +of His hands, but just the mind of man? Is the most noble work of +God--that which is the most worthy of attention, and in reference to +which all beside is upheld and governed--itself wholly unmanageable? +Has Omnipotence formed minds, which, the moment they are made, +escape from His hands, and defy the control of their Maker? Has the +Almighty erected a moral kingdom which He cannot govern without +destroying its moral nature? Can He only watch, and mend, and +rectify, the lawless wanderings of mind? Has He filled the earth +with untamed and untamable spirits, whose wickedness and rebellion +He can merely mitigate, but cannot control? Does He superintend a +world of madmen, full of darkness and disorder, cheered and blest by +no internal pervading government of His own? Are we bound to submit +to all events, as parts of the holy providence of God; and yet, is +there actually no hand of God controlling the movements of the moral +world? But if the Almighty can, and if he does, govern the earth as +a part of His moral kingdom, is there any method of government more +safe and wise than that which pleases God? Can there be a better +government? We may safely pray, then, "Thy will be done in earth as +it is in heaven," without fearing at all the loss of moral agency; +for all the glory of God, in His Law and Gospel, and all the eternal +manifestations of glory to principalities and powers in heavenly +places, depend wholly upon the fact, that men, though living under +the government of God, and controlled according to His pleasure, are +still entirely free, and accountable for all the deeds done in the +body. There could be no justice in punishment and no condescension, +no wisdom, no mercy, in the glorious gospel, did not the government +of God, though administered according to His pleasure, include and +insure the accountable agency of man. + +Seeing, therefore, that all the glory of God, which He ever proposes +to manifest to the intelligent creation, is to be made known by +the Church, and is to shine in the face of Jesus Christ, and is to +depend upon the perfect consistency of the moral government of God +with human freedom, we have boundless assurance that, among His +absolute, immutable, eternal purposes, one, and a leading one, is, +so to govern the world according to His counsels, that, if men sin, +there shall be complete desert of punishment, and boundless mercy +in their redemption. + +5. It is greatly to be desired that God should rule in the earth +according to His pleasure, because it is His pleasure to govern the +world in mercy, by Jesus Christ. + +The government is in the hand of a Mediator, by whom God is +reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses +to them that believe. Mercy is the bestowment of pardon upon the +sinful and undeserving. Now, mankind are so eminently sinful, that +no government but one administered in infinite mercy, could afford +the least consolation. Had any being but the God of mercy sat upon +the throne, or any will but His will prevailed, there would have +been no plan of redemption, and no purposes of election, to perplex +and alarm the wicked. There would have been but one decree, and +that would have been, destruction to the whole race of man. Are +any reluctant to be entirely in the hands of God? Are they afraid +to trust Him to dispose of soul and body, for time and eternity? +Let them surrender their mercies, then, and go out naked from that +government which feeds, protects and comforts them. Let them give +up their Bibles, and relinquish the means of grace, and the hopes +of glory, and descend and make their bed in hell, where they have +long since deserved to be, and where they long since would have +been, if God had not governed the world according to His own good +pleasure. If they would escape the evils which they fear from the +hand of God, let them abandon the blessings they receive from it, +and they will soon discover whether the absolute dominion of God, +and their dependence upon Him, be, in reality, a ground of murmuring +and alarm. Our only hope of heaven arises from being entirely in +the hands of God. Our destruction could not be made more certain +than it would be were we to be given up to our own disposal, or +to the disposal of any being but God. Would sinful mortals change +their own hearts? Could the combined universe, without God, change +the depraved affections of men? Surely, then, we have cause for +unceasing joy, that we are in the hands of God; seeing He is a +God of mercy, and has decreed to rule in mercy, and actually is +administering the government of the world in mercy, by Jesus Christ. + +We have nothing to fear, from the entire dominion of God, which we +should not have cause equally to fear, as outcasts from the divine +government; but we have everything to hope, while He rules the earth +according to His most merciful pleasure. The Lord reigneth; let the +earth rejoice, let the multitude of the isles be glad. It is of the +Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions +fail not. + +6. It is greatly to be desired that God should dispose of mankind +according to His pleasure, because, if He does so, it is certain +that there will be no injustice done to anyone. + +He will do no injustice to His holy kingdom by any whom He saves. +He will bring none to heaven who are not holy, and prepared for +heaven. He will bring none there in any way not consistent with His +perfections, and the best good of His kingdom; none in any way but +that prescribed in the gospel, the way of faith in Jesus Christ, of +repentance for sin, and of good works as the constituted fruit and +evidence of faith. + +Earthly monarchs have their favorites, whom, if guilty of a +violation of the laws, they will often interpose to save, although +the welfare of the kingdom requires their punishment. But God has +no such favorites--He is no respecter of persons: He spared not the +angels: and upon the earth distinctions of intellect, or wealth, or +honor, will have no effect; he only that believeth shall be saved. +The great and the learned shall not be obtruded upon heaven without +holiness because they are great or learned; and the humble and +contrite shall not be excluded because they are poor, or ignorant, +or obscure. God has provided a way for all men to return to Him. +He has opened the door of their prison, and set open before them a +door of admission into the kingdom of His dear Son; and commanded +and entreated them to abandon their dreary abode, and come into +the glorious liberty of the sons of God. But all, with one consent, +refuse to comply. Each prefers his own loathsome dwelling to the +building of God, and chooses, stedfastly, the darkness of his own +dungeon, to the light of God's kingdom. But, as God has determined +that the redemption of His Son shall not be unavailing through human +obstinacy, so He hath chosen, in Christ, multitudes which no man +can number, that they should be holy and without blame before Him +in love. And in bringing these sons and daughters to glory, through +sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, He will +introduce not one whom all the inhabitants of heaven will not hail +joyfully, as the companion of their glory. And if God does in the +earth just as He pleases, He will make willing, and obedient, and +bring to heaven, just those persons who it was most desirable should +come. And He will bring just as many obstinate rebels to abandon +their prison, and enter cheerfully His kingdom, as infinite wisdom, +goodness, and mercy, see fit and desire. He will not mar His glory, +or the happiness of His kingdom, by bringing in too many, nor by +omitting to bring in enough. His redeemed kingdom, as to the number +and the persons who compose it, and the happiness included in it, +will be such as shall be wholly satisfactory to God, and to every +subject of His kingdom. + +And if God governs according to His pleasure, He will do no +injustice to His impenitent enemies. He will send to misery no +harmless animals without souls--no mere machines--none who have +done, or even attempted to do, as well as they could. He will leave +to walk in their own way none who do not deserve to be left; and +punish none for walking in it who did not walk therein knowingly, +deliberately and with wilful obstinacy. He will give up to death +none who did not choose death, and choose it with as entire freedom +as Himself chooses holiness; and who did not deserve eternal +punishment as truly as Himself deserves eternal praise. He will +send to hell none who are not opposed to Him, and to holiness, +and to heaven; none who are not, by voluntary sin and rebellion, +unfitted for heaven, and fitted for destruction, as eminently as +saints are prepared for glory. He will consign to perdition no poor, +feeble, inoffensive beings, sacrificing one innocent creature to +increase the happiness of another. He will cause the punishment of +the wicked to illustrate His glory, and thus indirectly to promote +the happiness of heaven. But God will not illumine heaven with His +glory, and fill it with praise, by sacrificing helpless, unoffending +creatures to eternal torment; nor will He doom to hell one whom +He will not convince also, that he deserves to go thither. The +justice of God, in the condemnation of the impenitent, will be as +unquestionable, as His infinite mercy will be in the salvation of +the redeemed. + +If the will of God is done on earth, among men, there will be no +more injustice done to the inhabitants of the earth than there is +done to the blessed in heaven. Was it ever known--did any ever +complain--was it ever conceived--that God was a tyrant, in heaven? +Why, then, should we question the justice of His government on +earth? Is He not the same God below as above? Are not all His +attributes equally employed? Does He not govern for the same end, +and will not His government below conspire to promote the same +joyful end as His government above? + +7. It is greatly to be desired that God should govern the world +according to His pleasure, because His own infinite blessedness, as +well as the happiness of His kingdom, depends upon His working all +things according to the counsel of His own will. + +Could the Almighty be prevented from expressing the benevolence +of His nature, according to His purposes, His present boundless +blessedness would become the pain of ungratified desire. God is +love, and His happiness consists in the exercise and expression +of it, according to His own eternal purpose, which He purposed in +Christ Jesus before the world began. It is therefore declared, +"The Lord hath made all things for himself;" that is, to express +and gratify His infinite benevolence. The moral excellence of God +does not consist in quiescent love, but in love active, bursting +forth, and abounding. Nor does the divine happiness arise from +the contemplation of idle perfections, but from perfections which +comprehend boundless capacity, and activity in doing good. + +From what has been said, we may be led to contemplate with +satisfaction the infinite blessedness of God. + +God is love! This is a disposition which, beyond all others, is +happy in its own nature. He is perfect in love; there is, therefore, +in His happiness no alloy. His love is infinite; and, of course, +His blessedness is unbounded. If the little holiness existing in +good men, though balanced by remaining sin, occasions, at times, +unutterable joy, how blessed must God be, who is perfectly and +infinitely holy! It is to be remembered, also, that the benevolence +of God is at all times perfectly gratified. The universe which God +has created and upholds, including what He has done, and what He +will yet do, will be brought into a condition which will satisfy His +infinite benevolence. The great plan of government which God has +chosen, and which His power and wisdom will execute, will embrace as +much good as in the nature of things is possible. He is not, like +erring man, straitened and perplexed, through lack of knowledge or +power. There is in His plan no defect, and in His execution no +failure. God, therefore, is infinitely happy in His holiness, and in +the expression of it which it pleases Him to make. + +The revolt of angels, the fall of man, and the miseries of sin, +do not, for a moment, interrupt the blessedness of God. They +were not, to Him, unexpected events, starting up suddenly while +the watchman of Israel slumbered. They were foreseen by God as +clearly as any other events of His government, and have occasioned +neither perplexity nor dismay. With infinite complacency He beholds +still His unshaken counsels, and with almighty hand rolls on His +undisturbed decrees. Surrounded by unnumbered millions, created +by His hand, and upheld by His power, He shines forth, God over +all, blest for ever. What an object of joyful contemplation, then, +is the blessedness of God! It is infinite; His boundless capacity +is full. It is eternal; He is God blest forever. The happiness of +the created universe is but a drop--a drop to the mighty ocean of +divine enjoyment. How delightful the thought, that in God there is +such an immensity of joy, beyond the reach of vicissitude! When we +look around below, a melancholy sensation pervades the mind. What +miserable creatures! What a wretched world! But when, from this +scene of darkness and misery, we look up to the throne of God, and +behold Him, high above the darkness and miseries of sin, dwelling +in light inaccessible and full of glory, the prospect brightens. If +a few rebels, who refuse to love and participate in His munificence, +are groping in darkness on His footstool, God is light, and in Him +there is no darkness at all. + +Those who are opposed to the decrees of God, and to His sovereignty, +as displayed in the salvation of sinners, are enemies of God. + +They are unwilling that His will should be done in earth as it is +in heaven; for the decrees of God are nothing but His choice as +to the manner in which He will govern His own kingdom. He did not +enter upon His government to learn wisdom by experience. Before +they were yet formed, His vast dominion lay open to His view; and +before He took the reins of created empire, He saw in what manner it +became Him to govern. His ways are everlasting. Known unto God are +all His works from the beginning. To be opposed to the decrees of +God, therefore, is to be unwilling that God should have any choice +concerning the government of the world. And can those be willing +that God should govern the world entirely according to His pleasure +who object to His having any pleasure upon the subject? To object +to the choice of God, with respect to the management of the world, +because it is eternal, is to object to the existence of God. A God +of eternal knowledge, without an eternal will or choice, would be a +God without moral character. + +To suppose that God did not know what events would exist in +His kingdom, is to divest Him of omniscience. To suppose that +He did know, and did not care,--had no choice, no purpose,--is +to blot out His benevolence, to nullify His wisdom and convert +His power into infinite indolence. To suppose that He did know, +and choose, and decree, and that events do not accord with His +purposes, is to suppose that God has made a world which He can +not govern; has undertaken a work too vast; has begun to build, +but is not able to finish. But to suppose that God did, from the +beginning, behold all things open and naked before Him, and that +He did choose, with unerring wisdom and infinite goodness, how to +govern His empire,--and yet at the same time, to employ heart, +and head, and tongue, in continual opposition to this great and +blessed truth,--is, most clearly, to cherish enmity to God and His +government. + +To object to the choice of God because it is immutable, is to cavil +against that which constitutes its consummating excellence. Caprice +is a most alarming feature in a bad government; but in a government +absolutely perfect, none, surely, can object to its immutability, +but those, who, if able, would alter it for the worse. + +To say that, if God always knew how to govern so as to display His +glory, and bless His kingdom, and always chooses thus to govern, +there can be, therefore, no accountable agency in the conduct of +His creatures, is to deny the possibility of a moral government, +to contradict the express testimony of God; and this, too, at the +expense of common sense, and the actual experience of every subject +of His moral government on earth. + +From the character of God, and the nature of His government, as +explained in this discourse, may be inferred, the nature and +necessity of unconditional submission to God. + +Unconditional submission is an entire surrender of the soul to +God, to be disposed of according to His pleasure,--occasioned by +confidence in His character as God. + +There are many who would trust the Almighty to regulate the rolling +of worlds, and to rule in the armies of heaven, just as He pleases; +and devils they would consign to His disposal, without the least +hesitation; and their own nation, if they were sure that God would +dispose of it according to their pleasure; even their own temporal +concerns they would risk in the hands of God, could they know that +all things would work together for their good; their souls, also, +they would cheerfully trust to His disposal, for the world to come, +if God would stipulate, at all events, to make them happy. + +And to what does all this amount? Truly, that they care much about +their own happiness, and their own will, but nothing at all about +the will of God, and the welfare of His kingdom. He may decree, +and execute His decrees, in heaven, and may turn its inhabitants +into machines, or uphold their freedom, as He pleases; and apostate +spirits are relinquished to their doom, whether just or unjust. It +is only when the government of God descends to particulars, and +draws near and enters their own selfish enclosures, and claims a +right to dispose of them, and extends its influence to the unseen +world, that selfishness and fear take the alarm. Has God determined +how to dispose of my soul? Ah! that alters the case. If He can, +consistently with freedom, govern angels, and devils, and nations, +how can He govern individuals? How can He dispose of me according to +His eternal purpose and I be free? Here reason, all-penetrating, and +all-comprehensive, becomes weak; the clouds begin to collect, and +the understanding, veiled by the darkness of the heart, can "find no +end, in wandering mazes lost." + +But if God has purposes of mercy in reserve for the sinner, he is +convinced, at length, of his sin, and finds himself in an evil case. +He reforms, prays, weeps, resolves, and re-resolves, regardless +of the righteousness of Christ, and intent only to establish a +righteousness of his own. But, through all his windings, sin cleaves +to him, and the law, with its fearful curse, pursues him. Whither +shall he flee? What shall he do? A rebel heart, that will not bow, +fills him with despair. An angry God, who will not clear the guilty, +fills him with terror. His strength is gone, his resources fail, +his mouth is stopped. With restless anxiety, or wild amazement, +he surveys the gloomy prospect. At length, amidst the wanderings +of despair, the character of God meets his eye. It is new, it is +amiable, and full of glory. Forgetful of danger, he turns aside +to behold this great sight; and while he gazes, new affections +awake in his soul, inspiring new confidence in God, and in His +holy government. Now God appears qualified to govern, and now he +is willing that He should govern, and willing himself to be in the +hands of God, to be disposed of according to His pleasure. What is +the occasion of this change? Has the divine character changed? There +is no variableness with God. Did he, then, misapprehend the divine +character? Was all this glory visible before? Or has a revelation +of new truth been granted? There has been no new revelation. The +character now admitted is the same which just before appeared so +gloomy and terrible. What, then, has produced this alteration? Has +a vision of angels appeared, to announce that God is reconciled? +Has some sudden light burst upon him, in token of forgiveness? Has +Christ been seen upon the cross, beckoning the sinner to come +to Him? Has heaven been thrown open to his admiring eyes? Have +enrapturing sounds of music stolen upon the ear, to entrance the +soul? Has some text of Scripture been sent to whisper that his +sins are forgiven, tho no repentance, nor faith, nor love, has +dawned in his soul? And does he now submit, because God has given +him assurance of personal safety? None of these. Considerations of +personal safety are, at the time, out of the question. It is the +uncreated, essential excellence of God, shining in upon the heart, +which claims the attention, fixes the adoring eye, and fills the +soul with love, and peace, and joy; and the act of submission is +past, before the subject begins to reflect upon his altered views, +with dawning hope of personal redemption. + +The change produced, then, is the effect of benevolence, raising +the affections of the soul from the world, and resting them upon +God. Holiness is now most ardently loved. This is seen to dwell in +God and His kingdom, and to be upheld and perfected by His moral +government. It is the treasure of the soul, and all the attributes +of God stand pledged to protect it. The solicitude, therefore, is +not merely, What will become of me? but, What, O Lord, will become +of Thy glory, and the glory of Thy kingdom? And in the character +of God, these inquiries are satisfactorily answered. If God be +glorified, and His kingdom upheld and made happy, the soul is +satisfied. There is nothing else to be anxious about; for individual +happiness is included in the general good, as the drop is included +in the ocean. + + + + +CHANNING + +THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +WILLIAM ELLERY CHANNING, the famous Unitarian divine, was born +at Newport, R. I., in 1780. He took his degree at Harvard in +1798, studied theology and was ordained pastor of the Federal +Street Church in Boston, 1803. He has been called the Apostle of +Unitarianism, because he was first among the orthodox divines of +New England to give Unitarianism a clear, dogmatic expression, as +he did in a sermon preached at the ordination of Jared Sparks, in +opposition to the current Calvinism of the day. But he hated the +controversy in which the publication of his views involved him and +professed in 1841, "I am little of a Unitarian and stand aloof +from all but those who strive and pray for clearer light." He had +made the acquaintance of Wordsworth and Coleridge on his visit to +England, and the latter justly described him as one who had "the +love of wisdom and the wisdom of love." He was a voluminous writer +on theological and literary subjects and what he wrote was vigorous, +of fastidious taste and fired with moral earnestness. He died in +1842. + + + + +CHANNING + +1780-1842 + +THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST + +_This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased_.--Matthew xvii., +5. + + +The character of Christ may be studied for various purposes. It +is singularly fitted to call forth the heart, to awaken love, +admiration, and moral delight. As an example it has no rival. As +an evidence of His religion perhaps it yields to no other proof; +perhaps no other has so often conquered unbelief. It is chiefly to +this last view of it that I now ask your attention. The character +of Christ is a strong confirmation of the truth of His religion. +As such I would now place it before you. I shall not, however, +think only of confirming your faith; the very illustrations which I +shall adduce for this purpose will show the claims of Jesus to our +reverence, obedience, imitation, and fervent love. + +The more we contemplate Christ's character as exhibited in the +gospel, the more we shall be impressed with its genuineness and +reality. It was plainly drawn from the life. The narratives of +the evangelists bear the marks of truth perhaps beyond all other +histories. They set before us the most extraordinary being who ever +appeared on earth, and yet they are as artless as the stories of +childhood. The authors do not think of themselves. They have plainly +but one aim, to show us their Master; and they manifest the deep +veneration which He inspired by leaving Him to reveal Himself, by +giving us His actions and sayings without comment, explanation, or +eulogy. + +You see in these narratives no varnishing, no high coloring, no +attempts to make His actions striking or to bring out the beauties +of His character. We are never pointed to any circumstance as +illustrative of His greatness. The evangelists write with a calm +trust in His character, with a feeling that it needed no aid from +their hands, and with a deep veneration, as if comment or praise of +their own were not worthy to mingle with the recital of such a life. + +It is the effect of our familiarity with the history of Jesus that +we are not struck by it as we ought to be. We read it before we are +capable of understanding its excellence. His stupendous works become +as familiar to us as the events of ordinary life, and His high +offices seem as much matters of course as the common relations which +men bear to each other. + +On this account it is fit for the ministers of religion to do what +the evangelists did not attempt, to offer comments on Christ's +character, to bring out its features, to point men to its higher +beauties, to awaken their awe by unfolding its wonderful majesty. +Indeed, one of our most important functions as teachers is to +give freshness and vividness to truths which have become worn, I +had almost said tarnished, by long and familiar handling. We have +to fight with the power of habit. Through habit men look on this +glorious creation with insensibility, and are less moved by the +all-enlightening sun than by a show of fireworks. It is the duty of +a moral and religious teacher almost to create a new sense in men, +that they may learn in what a world of beauty and magnificence they +live. And so in regard to Christ's character; men become used to it +until they imagine that there is something more admirable in a great +man of their own day, a statesman or a conqueror, than in Him the +latchet of whose shoes statesmen and conquerors are not worthy to +unloose. + +In this discourse I wish to show that the character of Christ, taken +as a whole, is one which could not have entered the thoughts of man, +could not have been imagined or feigned; that it bears every mark of +genuineness and truth; that it ought therefore to be acknowledged as +real and of divine origin. + +It is all-important, my friends, if we would feel the force of this +argument, to transport ourselves to the times when Jesus lived. We +are very apt to think that He was moving about in such a city as +this, or among a people agreeing with ourselves in modes of thinking +and habits of life. But the truth is, he lived in a state of society +singularly remote from our own. + +Of all the nations the Jewish was the most strongly marked. The Jew +hardly felt himself to belong to the human family. He was accustomed +to speak of himself as chosen by God, holy, clean; whilst the +Gentiles were sinners, dogs, polluted, unclean. His common dress, +the phylactery on his brow or arm, the hem of his garment, his food, +the ordinary circumstances of his life, as well as his temple, his +sacrifices, his ablutions, all held him up to himself as a peculiar +favorite of God, and all separated him from the rest of the world. +With other nations he could not eat or marry. They were unworthy +of his communion. Still, with all these notions of superiority he +saw himself conquered by those whom he despised. He was obliged to +wear the shackles of Rome, to see Roman legions in his territory, a +Roman guard near his temple, and a Roman tax-gatherer extorting, for +the support of an idolatrous government and an idolatrous worship, +what he regarded as due only to God. The hatred which burned in the +breast of the Jew toward his foreign oppressor perhaps never glowed +with equal intenseness in any other conquered state. + +He had, however, his secret consolation. The time was near, the +prophetic age was at hand, when Judea was to break her chains and +rise from the dust. Her long-promised king and deliverer was near, +and was coming to wear the crown of universal empire. From Jerusalem +was to go forth His law, and all nations were to serve the chosen +people of God. To this conqueror the Jews indeed ascribed the office +of promoting religion; but the religion of Moses, corrupted into +an outward service, was to them the perfection of human nature. +They clung to its forms with the whole energy of their souls. To +the Mosaic institution they ascribed their distinction from all +other nations. It lay at the foundation of their hopes of dominion. +I believe no strength of prejudice ever equalled the intense +attachment of the Jew to his peculiar national religion. You may +judge of its power by the fact of its having been transmitted +through so many ages, amidst persecution and sufferings which would +have subdued any spirit but that of a Jew. You must bring these +things to your mind. You must place yourselves in the midst of this +singular people. + +Among this singular people, burning with impatient expectation, +appeared Jesus of Nazareth. His first words were, "Repent, for +the kingdom of heaven is at hand." These words we hear with little +emotion; but to the Jews, who had been watching for this kingdom for +ages, and who were looking for its immediate manifestation, they +must have been awakening as an earthquake. Accordingly we find Jesus +thronged by multitudes which no building could contain. He repairs +to a mountain, as affording him advantages for addressing the crowd. +I see them surrounding Him with eager looks, and ready to drink in +every word from His lips. And what do I hear? Not one word of Judea, +of Rome, of freedom, of conquest, of the glories of God's chosen +people, and of the thronging of all nations to the temple on Mount +Zion. + +Almost every word was a death-blow to the hopes and feelings +which glowed through the whole people, and were consecrated under +the name of religion. He speaks of the long-expected kingdom of +heaven; but speaks of it as a felicity promised to, and only to be +partaken of by, the humble and pure in heart. The righteousness of +the Pharisees, that which was deemed the perfection of religion, +and which the new deliverer was expected to spread far and wide, +He pronounces worthless, and declares the kingdom of heaven, or of +the Messiah, to be shut against all who do not cultivate a new, +spiritual, and disinterested virtue. + +Instead of war and victory He commands His impatient hearers to +love, to forgive, to bless their enemies; and holds forth this +spirit of benignity, mercy, peace, as the special badge of the +people of the true Messiah. Instead of national interests and +glories, he commands them to seek first a spirit of impartial +charity and love, unconfined by the bounds of tribe or nation, and +proclaims this to be the happiness and honor of the reign for which +they hoped. Instead of this world's riches, which they expected +to flow from all lands into their own, He commands them to lay up +treasures in heaven, and directs them to an incorruptible, immortal +life, as the true end of their being. + +Nor is this all. He does not merely offer himself as a spiritual +deliverer, as the founder of a new empire of inward piety and +universal charity; He closes with language announcing a more +mysterious office. "Many will say unto Me in that day, Lord, +Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name, and in Thy name done +many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never +knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity." Here I meet +the annunciation of a character as august as it must have been +startling. I hear Him foretelling a dominion to be exercised in the +future world. He begins to announce, what entered largely into His +future teaching, that His power was not bounded to this earth. These +words I better understand when I hear Him subsequently declaring +that, after a painful death, He was to rise again and ascend to +heaven, and there, in a state of preeminent power and glory, was to +be the advocate and judge of the human race. + +Such are some of the views given by Jesus, of His character and +reign, in the Sermon on the Mount. Immediately afterwards I hear +another lesson from Him, bringing out some of these truths still +more strongly. A Roman centurion makes application to Him for the +cure of a servant whom he particularly valued; and on expressing, +in a strong manner, his conviction of the power of Jesus to heal at +a distance, Jesus, according to the historian, "marvelled, and said +to those that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so +great faith in Israel; and 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; but the children of the kingdom" +(that is, the Jews) "shall be cast out." + +Here all the hopes which the Jews had cherished of an exclusive or +peculiar possession of the Messiah's kingdom were crushed; and the +reception of the despised Gentile world to all His blessings, or, in +other words, the extension of His pure religion to the ends of the +earth, began to be proclaimed. + +Here I pause for the present, and I ask you whether the character +of Jesus be not the most extraordinary in history, and wholly +inexplicable on human principles. Review the ground over which we +have gone. Recollect that He was born and grew up a Jew in the midst +of Jews, a people burning with one passion, and throwing their whole +souls into the expectation of a national and earthly deliverer. +He grew up among them in poverty, seclusion, and labors fitted to +contract His thoughts, purposes, and hopes; and yet we find Him +escaping every influence of education and society. We find Him as +untouched by the feelings which prevailed universally around Him, +which religion and patriotism concurred to consecrate, which the +mother breathed into the ear of the child, and which the teacher of +the synagog strengthened in the adult, as if He had been brought up +in another world. We find Him conceiving a sublime purpose, such +as had never dawned on sage or hero, and see Him possessed with a +consciousness of sustaining a relation to God and mankind, and of +being invested with powers in this world and the world to come, such +as had never entered the human mind. Whence now, I ask, came the +conception of this character? + +Will any say it had its origin in imposture; that it was a +fabrication of a deceiver? I answer, the character claimed by Christ +excludes this supposition by its very nature. It was so remote +from all the ideas and anticipations of the times, so unfit to +awaken sympathy, so unattractive to the heathen, so exasperating +to the Jew, that it was the last to enter the mind of an impostor. +A deceiver of the dullest vision must have foreseen that it would +expose him to bitter scorn, abhorrence, and persecution, and that he +would be left to carry on his work alone, just as Jesus always stood +alone and could find not an individual to enter into His spirit and +design. What allurements an unprincipled, self-seeking man could +find to such an enterprise, no common ingenuity can discover. + +I affirm next that the sublimity of the character claimed by +Christ forbids us to trace it to imposture. That a selfish, +designing, depraved mind could have formed the idea and purpose +of a work unparalleled in beneficence, in vastness, and in moral +grandeur, would certainly be a strange departure from the laws of +the human mind. I add, that if an impostor could have lighted on +the conception of so sublime and wonderful a work as that claimed +by Jesus, he could not, I say, he could not have thrown into his +personation of it the air of truth and reality. The part would have +been too high for him. He would have overacted it or fallen short +of it perpetually. His true character would have rebelled against +his assumed one. We should have seen something strained, forced, +artificial, awkward, showing that he was not in his true sphere. To +act up to a character so singular and grand, and one for which no +precedent could be found, seems to me utterly impossible for a man +who had not the true spirit of it, or who was only wearing it as a +mask. + +Now, how stands the case with Jesus? Bred a Jewish peasant or +carpenter, He issues from obscurity, and claims for Himself a divine +office, a superhuman dignity, such as had not been imagined; and in +no instance does He fall below the character. The peasant, and still +more the Jew, wholly disappears. + +We feel that a new being, of a new order of mind, is taking a part +in human affairs. There is a native tone of grandeur and authority +in His teaching. He speaks as a being related to the whole human +race. His mind never shrinks within the ordinary limits of human +agency. A narrower sphere than the world never enters His thoughts. +He speaks in a natural, spontaneous style, of accomplishing the most +arduous and important change in human affairs. This unlabored manner +of expressing great thoughts is particularly worthy of attention. +You never hear from Jesus that swelling, pompous, ostentatious +language, which almost necessarily springs from an attempt to +sustain a character above our powers. He talks of His glories as one +to whom they were familiar, and of His intimacy and oneness with God +as simply as a child speaks of his connection with his parents. +He speaks of saving and judging the world, of drawing all men to +Himself, and of giving everlasting life, as we speak of the ordinary +powers which we exert. He makes no set harangues about the grandeur +of His office and character. His consciousness of it gives a hue to +His whole language, breaks out in indirect, undesigned expressions, +showing that it was the deepest and most familiar of His convictions. + +This argument is only to be understood by reading the Gospels with +a wakeful mind and heart. It does not lie on their surface, and it +is the stronger for lying beneath it. When I read these books with +care, when I trace the unaffected majesty which runs through the +life of Jesus, and see him never falling below His sublime claims +amidst poverty, and scorn, and in His last agony, I have a feeling +of the reality of His character which I can not express. I feel that +the Jewish carpenter could no more have conceived and sustained this +character under motives of imposture than an infant's arm could +repeat the deeds of Hercules, or his unawakened intellect comprehend +and rival the matchless works of genius. + +Am I told that the claims of Jesus had their origin not in +imposture, but in enthusiasm; that the imagination, kindled by +strong feeling, overpowered the judgment so far as to give Him the +notion of being destined to some strange and unparalleled work? I +know that enthusiasm, or a kindled imagination, has great power; +and we are never to lose sight of it, in judging of the claims of +religious teachers. But I say first, that, except in cases where it +amounts to insanity, enthusiasm works, in a greater or less degree, +according to a man's previous conceptions and modes of thought. + +In Judea, where the minds of men were burning with feverish +expectation of a messiah, I can easily conceive of a Jew imagining +that in himself this ardent conception, this ideal of glory, was to +be realized. I can conceive of his seating himself in fancy on the +throne of David, and secretly pondering the means of his appointed +triumphs. But that a Jew should fancy himself the Messiah, and at +the same time should strip that character of all the attributes +which had fired his youthful imagination and heart--that he should +start aside from all the feelings and hopes of his age, and should +acquire a consciousness of being destined to a wholly new career, +and one as unbounded as it was now--this is exceedingly improbable; +and one thing is certain that an imagination so erratic, so +ungoverned, and able to generate the conviction of being destined to +work so immeasurably disproportioned to the power of the individual, +must have partaken of insanity. + +Now, is it conceivable that an individual, mastered by so wild and +fervid an imagination, should have sustained the dignity claimed by +Christ, should have acted worthily the highest part ever assumed on +earth? Would not his enthusiasm have broken out amidst the peculiar +excitements of the life of Jesus, and have left a touch of madness +on his teaching and conduct? Is it to such a man that we should look +for the inculcation of a new and perfect form of virtue, and for the +exemplification of humanity in its fairest form? + +The charge of an extravagant, self-deluding enthusiasm is the last +to be fastened on Jesus. Where can we find the traces of it in His +history? Do we detect them in the calm authority of His precepts; in +the mild, practical and beneficial spirit of His religion; in the +unlabored simplicity of the language with which He unfolds His high +powers and the sublime truths of religion; or in the good sense, the +knowledge of human nature, which He always discovers in His estimate +and treatment of the different classes of men with whom He acted? +Do we discover this enthusiasm in the singular fact that, whilst He +claimed power in the future world, and always turned men's minds to +Heaven, He never indulged His own imagination or stimulated that of +His disciples by giving vivid pictures or any minute description of +that unseen state? + +The truth is, that, remarkable as was the character of Jesus, it was +distinguished by nothing more than by calmness and self-possession. +This trait pervades His other excellences. How calm was His piety! +Point me, if you can, to one vehement, passionate expression of +His religious feelings. Does the Lord's Prayer breathe a feverish +enthusiasm? The habitual style of Jesus on the subject of religion, +if introduced into many churches of His followers at the present +day, would be charged with coldness. The calm and the rational +character of His piety is particularly seen in the doctrine which He +so earnestly inculcates, that disinterested love and self-denying +service to our fellow creatures are the most acceptable worship we +can offer to our Creator. + +His benevolence, too, tho singularly earnest and deep, was composed +and serene. He never lost the possession of Himself in His sympathy +with others; was never hurried into the impatient and rash +enterprises of an enthusiastic philanthropy; but did good with the +tranquility and constancy which mark the providence of God. The +depth of this calmness may best be understood by considering the +opposition made to His claims. + +His labors were everywhere insidiously watched and industriously +thwarted by vindictive foes who had even conspired to compass, +through His death, the ruin of His cause. Now, a feverish +enthusiasm which fancies itself to be intrusted with a great work of +God is singularly liable to impatient indignation under furious and +malignant opposition. Obstacles increase its vehemence; it becomes +more eager and hurried in the accomplishment of its purposes, in +proportion as they are withstood. + +Be it therefore remembered that the malignity of Christ's foes, +tho never surpassed, and for the time triumphant, never robbed +Him of self-possession, roused no passion, and threw no vehemence +or precipitation into His exertions. He did not disguise from +Himself or His followers the impression made on the multitude by +His adversaries. He distinctly foresaw the violent death towards +which He was fast approaching. Yet, confiding in God and in the +silent progress of His truth, He possest His soul in peace. Not +only was He calm, but His calmness rises into sublimity when we +consider the storms which raged around Him and the vastness of the +prospects in which His spirit found repose. I say then that serenity +and self-possession were peculiarly the attributes of Jesus. I +affirm that the singular and sublime character claimed by Jesus +can be traced neither to imposture nor to an ungoverned, insane +imagination. It can only be accounted for by its truth, its reality. + +I began with observing how our long familiarity with Jesus blunts +our minds to His singular excellence. We probably have often +read of the character which He claimed, without a thought of its +extraordinary nature. But I know nothing so sublime. The plans and +labors of statesmen sink into the sports of children when compared +with the work which Jesus announced, and to which He devoted Himself +in life and death with a thorough consciousness of its reality. + +The idea of changing the moral aspect of the whole earth, of +recovering all nations to the pure and inward worship of one God +and to a spirit of divine and fraternal love, was one of which we +meet not a trace in philosopher or legislator before Him. The human +mind had given no promise of this extent of view. The conception of +this enterprise, and the calm, unshaken expectation of success in +one who had no station and no wealth, who cast from Him the sword +with abhorrence, and who forbade His disciples to use any weapons +but those of love, discover a wonderful trust in the power of God +and the power of love; and when to this we add that Jesus looked not +only to the triumph of His pure faith in the present world, but to +a mighty and beneficent power in Heaven, we witness a vastness of +purpose, a grandeur of thought and feeling so original, so superior +to the workings of all other minds, that nothing but our familiarity +can prevent our contemplation of it with wonder and profound awe. * +* * + +Here is the most striking view of Jesus. This combination of the +spirit of humanity, in its lowliest, tenderest form, with the +consciousness of unrivaled and divine glories, is the most wonderful +distinction of this wonderful character. Here we learn the chief +reason why He chose poverty and refused every peculiarity of manner +and appearance. He did this because He desired to come near to the +multitude of men, to make Himself accessible to all, to pour out +the fulness of His sympathy upon all, to know and weep over their +sorrows and sins, and to manifest His interest in their affections +and joys. + +I can offer but a few instances of this sympathy of Christ with +human nature in all its varieties of character and condition. But +how beautiful are they! At the very opening of His ministry we find +Him present at a marriage to which He and His disciples had been +called. Among the Jews this was an occasion of peculiar exhilaration +and festivity; but Jesus did not therefore decline it. He knew what +affections, joys, sorrows, and moral influences are bound up in this +institution, and He went to the celebration, not as an ascetic, to +frown on its bright hopes and warm congratulations, but to sanction +it by His presence and to heighten its enjoyments. + +How little does this comport with the solitary dignity which we +should have pronounced most accordant with His character, and what +a spirit of humanity does it breathe! But this event stands almost +alone in His history. His chief sympathy was not with them that +rejoice, but with the ignorant, sinful, sorrowful; and with these we +find Him cultivating an habitual intimacy. Tho so exalted in thought +and purpose, He chose uneducated men to be His chief disciples; and +He lived with them, not as a superior, giving occasional and formal +instruction, but became their companion traveled with them on foot, +slept in their dwellings, sat at their tables, partook of their +plain fare, communicated to them His truth in the simplest form; and +tho they constantly misunderstood Him and never perceived His full +meaning, He was never wearied with teaching them. + +So familiar was His intercourse that we find Peter reproving Him +with an affectionate zeal for announcing His approaching death, and +we find John leaning on His bosom. Of His last discourse to these +disciples I need not speak. It stands alone among all writings for +the union of tenderness and majesty. His own sorrows are forgotten +in His solicitude to speak peace and comfort to His humble followers. + +The depth of His human sympathies was beautifully manifested when +children were brought Him. His disciples, judging as all men would +judge, thought that He was sent to wear the crown of universal +empire, had too great a work before Him to give His time and +attention to children, and reproved the parents who brought them; +but Jesus, rebuking His disciples, called to Him the children. +Never, I believe, did childhood awaken such deep love as at that +moment. He took them in His arms and blest them, and not only said +that "of such was the kingdom of heaven," but added, "He that +receiveth a little child in My name, receiveth Me;" so entirely did +He identify Himself with this primitive, innocent, beautiful form of +human nature. + +There was no class of human beings so low as to be beneath His +sympathy. He not merely taught the publican and sinner, but, with +all His consciousness of purity, sat down and dined with them, and, +when reproved by the malignant Pharisee for such companionship, +answered by the touching parables of the Lost Sheep and the Prodigal +Son, and said, "I am come to seek and to save that which was lost." + +No personal suffering dried up this fountain of love in His breast. +On His way to the cross He heard some women of Jerusalem bewailing +Him, and at the sound, forgetting His own grief, He turned to +them and said, "Women of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for +yourselves and your children." On the cross, whilst His mind was +divided between intense suffering and the contemplation of the +infinite blessings in which His sufferings were to issue, His eye +lighted on His mother and John, and the sensibilities of a son and +a friend mingled with the sublime consciousness of the universal +Lord and Savior. Never before did natural affection find so tender +and beautiful an utterance. To His mother He said, directing her to +John, "Behold thy son; I leave My beloved disciple to take My place, +to perform My filial offices, and to enjoy a share of that affection +with which you have followed Me through life;" and to John He said, +"Behold thy mother; I bequeath to you the happiness of ministering +to My dearest earthly friend." Nor is this all. The spirit of +humanity had one higher triumph. Whilst His enemies surrounded +Him with a malignity unsoftened by His last agonies, and, to give +the keenest edge to insult, reminded Him scoffingly of the high +character and office which He had claimed, His only notice of them +was the prayer, "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do." + +Thus Jesus lived with men; with the consciousness of unutterable +majesty He joined a lowliness, gentleness, humanity, and sympathy, +which have no example in human history. I ask you to contemplate +this wonderful union. In proportion to the superiority of Jesus to +all around Him was the intimacy, the brotherly love, with which He +bound Himself to them. I maintain that this is a character wholly +remote from human conception. To imagine it to be the production +of imposture or enthusiasm shows a strange unsoundness of mind. I +contemplate it with a veneration second only to the profound awe +with which I look up to God. It bears no mark of human invention. It +was real. It belonged to and it manifested the beloved Son of God. + +But I have not done. May I ask your attention a few moments more? +We have not yet reached the depth of Christ's character. We have +not touched the great principle on which His wonderful sympathy was +founded, and which endeared to Him His office of universal Savior. +Do you ask what this deep principle was? I answer, it was His +conviction of the greatness of the human soul. He saw in man the +impress and image of the Divinity, and therefore thirsted for his +redemption, and took the tenderest interest in him, whatever might +be the rank, character, or condition in which he was found. This +spiritual view of man pervades and distinguishes the teaching of +Christ. + +Jesus looked on men with an eye which pierced beneath the material +frame. The body vanished before Him. The trappings of the rich, the +rags of the poor, were nothing to Him. He looked through them, as +tho they did not exist, to the soul; and there, amidst clouds of +ignorance and plague-spots of sin, He recognized a spiritual and +immortal nature, and the germs of power and perfection which might +be unfolded forever. In the most fallen and depraved man He saw a +being who might become an angel of light. + +Still more, He felt that there was nothing in Himself to which men +might not ascend. His own lofty consciousness did not sever Him from +the multitude; for He saw in His own greatness the model of what men +might become. So deeply was He thus imprest that, again and again, +in speaking of His future glories, He announced that in these His +true followers were to share. They were to sit on His throne and +partake of His beneficent power. + +Here I pause, and indeed I know not what can be added to heighten +the wonder, reverence, and love which are due to Jesus. When I +consider Him, not only as possest with the consciousness of an +unexampled and unbounded majesty, but as recognizing a kindred +nature in human beings, and living and dying to raise them to a +participation of His divine glories; and when I see Him under these +views allying Himself to men by the tenderest ties, embracing them +with a spirit of humanity which no insult, injury, or pain could +for a moment repel or overpower, I am filled with wonder as well +as reverence and love. I feel that this character is not of human +invention, that it was not assumed through fraud, or struck out +by enthusiasm; for it is infinitely above their reach. When I add +this character of Jesus to the other evidences of His religion, it +gives to what before seemed so strange a new and a vast accession of +strength; I feel as if I could not be deceived. + +The Gospels must be true; they were drawn from a living original; +they were founded on reality. The character of Jesus is not a +fiction; He was what He claimed to be, and what His followers +attested. Nor is this all. Jesus not only was, He is still the Son +of God, the Savior of the world. He exists now; He has entered +that heaven to which He always looked forward on earth. There He +lives and reigns. With a clear, calm faith I see Him in that state +of glory; and I confidently expect, at no distant period, to see +Him face to face. We have indeed no absent friend whom we shall so +surely meet. + +Let us then, my hearers, by imitation of His virtues and obedience +to His word, prepare ourselves to join Him in those pure mansions +where He is surrounding Himself with the good and pure of our race, +and will communicate to them forever His own spirit, power, and joy. + + + + +CHALMERS + +THE EXPULSIVE POWER OF A NEW AFFECTION + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + +THOMAS CHALMERS, theologian, preacher and philanthropist, was +born at Anstruther, near St. Andrews, Scotland, in 1780. In his +thirty-fifth year he experienced a profound religious change and +became a pronounced, tho independent, evangelical preacher. On being +appointed to the Tron Church in Glasgow, he set about to face what +he called "the home heathenism." During the week days he delivered +his series of "Astronomical Discourses," in which he endeavored +to bring science into harmony with Christianity. His "Commercial +Discourses" were designed to Christianize the principles of trade. +But he reduced pauperism chiefly by fighting against intemperance in +Glasgow. On being transferred to St. John's Parish, the largest, but +poorest in the city, he made Edward Irving his assistant. In 1828 he +was called to the chair of theology in Edinburgh University. + +But it was as a preacher that he exerted most influence by bringing +the evangelical message into relations with the science, the +culture, the thinking of his age. In doing this he carried his +hearers away by the blazing force of his eloquence. Many times in +his preaching he was "in an agony of earnestness," and one of his +hearers speaks of "that voice, that face, those great, simple, +living thoughts, those floods of resistless eloquence, that +piercing, shattering voice!" He died in 1847. + + + + +CHALMERS + +1780-1847 + +THE EXPULSIVE POWER OF A NEW AFFECTION + +_Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If +any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him_.--1 +John ii., 15. + + +There are two ways in which a practical moralist may attempt to +displace from the human heart its love of the world; either by a +demonstration of the world's vanity, so as that the heart shall +be prevailed upon simply to withdraw its regards from an object +that is not worthy of it; or, by setting forth another object, +even God, as more worthy of its attachment; so as that the heart +shall be prevailed upon, not to resign an old affection which +shall have nothing to succeed it, but to exchange an old affection +for a new one. My purpose is to show, that from the constitution +of our nature, the former method is altogether incompetent and +ineffectual--and that the latter method will alone suffice for the +rescue and recovery of the heart from the wrong affection that +domineers over it. After having accomplished this purpose, I shall +attempt a few practical observations. + +Love may be regarded in two different conditions. The first is when +its object is at a distance, and when it becomes love in a state of +desire. The second is when its object is in possession, and then it +becomes love in a state of indulgence. Under the impulse of desire, +man feels himself urged onward in some path or pursuit of activity +for its gratification. The faculties of his mind are put into busy +exercise. In the steady direction of one great and engrossing +interest, his attention is recalled from the many reveries into +which it might otherwise have wandered; and the powers of his body +are forced away from an indolence in which it else might have +languished; and that time is crowded with occupation, which but for +some object of keen and devoted ambition, might have driveled along +in successive hours of weariness and distaste--and tho hope does +not always enliven, and success does not always crown the career +of exertion, yet in the midst of this very variety, and with the +alternations of occasional disappointment, is the machinery of the +whole man kept in a sort of congenial play, and upholden in that +tone and temper which are most agreeable to it; insomuch that, if +through the extirpation of that desire which forms the originating +principle of all this movement, the machinery were to stop, and to +receive no impulse from another desire substituted in its place, the +man would be left with all his propensities to action in a state of +most painful and unnatural abandonment. A sensitive being suffers, +and is in violence, if, after having thoroughly rested from his +fatigue, or been relieved from his pain, he continue in possession +of powers without any excitement to these powers; if he possess a +capacity of desire without having an object of desire; or if he have +a spare energy upon his person, without a counterpart, and without a +stimulus to call it into operation. The misery of such a condition +is often realized by him who is retired from business, or who is +retired from law, or who is even retired from the occupations of the +chase, and of the gaming-table. Such is the demand of our nature for +an object in pursuit, that no accumulation of previous success can +extinguish it--and thus it is, that the most prosperous merchant, +and the most victorious general, and the most fortunate gamester, +when the labor of their respective vocations has come to a close, +are often found to languish in the midst of all their acquisitions, +as if out of their kindred and rejoicing element. It is quite in +vain, with such a constitutional appetite for employment in man, to +attempt cutting away from him the spring or the principle of one +employment, without providing him with another. The whole heart +and habit will rise in resistance against such an undertaking. The +else unoccupied female, who spends the hours of every evening at +some play of hazard, knows as well as you, that the pecuniary gain, +or the honorable triumph of a successful contest, are altogether +paltry. It is not such a demonstration of vanity as this that will +force her away from her dear and delightful occupation. The habit +can not so be displaced as to leave nothing but a negative and +cheerless vacancy behind it--tho it may be so supplanted as to be +followed up by another habit of employment, to which the power of +some new affection has constrained her. It is willingly suspended, +for example, on any single evening, should the time that is wont to +be allotted to gaming be required to be spent on the preparations of +an approaching assembly. + +The ascendant power of a second affection will do what no +exposition, however forcible, of the folly and worthlessness of the +first, ever could effectuate. And it is the same in the great world. +You never will be able to arrest any of its leading pursuits by a +naked demonstration of their vanity. It is quite in vain to think of +stopping one of these pursuits in any way else but by stimulating +to another. In attempting to bring a worthy man, intent and busied +with the prosecution of his objects, to a dead stand, you have not +merely to encounter the charm which he annexes to these objects, +but you have to encounter the pleasure which he feels in the very +prosecution of them. It is not enough, then, that you dissipate +the charm by your moral and eloquent and affecting exposure of +its illusiveness. You must address to the eye of his mind another +object, with a charm powerful enough to dispossess the first of its +influence, and to engage him in some other prosecution as full of +interest and hope and congenial activity as the former. It is this +which stamps an impotency on all moral and pathetic declamation +about the insignificance of the world. A man will no more consent +to the misery of being without an object, because that object is +a trifle, or of being without a pursuit, because that pursuit +terminates in some frivolous or fugitive acquirement, than he will +voluntarily submit himself to the torture, because that torture +is to be of short duration. If to be without desire and without +exertion altogether is a state of violence and discomfort, then the +present desire, with its correspondent train of exertion, is not to +be got rid of simply by destroying it. It must be by substituting +another desire, and another line or habit of exertion in its place, +and the most effectual way of withdrawing the mind from one object +is not by turning it away upon desolate and unpeopled vacancy, but +by presenting to its regards another object still more alluring. + +These remarks apply not merely to love considered in its state of +desire for an object not yet obtained. They apply also to love +considered in its state of indulgence, or placid gratification, +with an object already in possession. It is seldom that any of +our tastes are made to disappear by a mere process of natural +extinction. At least, it is very seldom that this is done through +the instrumentality of reasoning. It may be done by excessive +pampering, but it is almost never done by the mere force of +mental determination. But what can not be thus destroyed, may be +dispossest--and one taste may be made to give way to another, and +to lose its power entirely as the reigning affection of the mind. +It is thus that the boy ceases, at length, to be the slave of his +appetite; but it is because a manlier taste has now brought it into +subordination, and that the youth ceases to idolize pleasure; but +it is because the idol of wealth has become the stronger and gotten +the ascendency, and that even the love of money ceases to have +the mastery over the heart of many a thriving citizen; but it is +because, drawn into the whirl of city politics, another affection +has been wrought into his moral system, and he is now lorded over +by the love of power. There is not one of these transformations +in which the heart is left without an object. Its desire for one +particular object may be conquered; but as to its desire for having +some one object or other, this is unconquerable. Its adhesion to +that on which it has fastened the preference of its regards, can not +willingly be overcome by the rending away of a simple separation. +It can be done only by the application of something else, to which +it may feel the adhesion of a still stronger and more powerful +preference. Such is the grasping tendency of the human heart, that +it must have a something to lay hold of--and which, if wrested away +without the substitution of another something in its place, would +leave a void and a vacancy as painful to the mind as hunger is to +the natural system. It may be dispossest of one object, or of any, +but it can not be desolated of all. Let there be a breathing and +a sensitive heart, but without a liking and without affinity to +any of the things that are around it, and in a state of cheerless +abandonment, it would be alive to nothing but the burden of its +own consciousness, and feel it to be intolerable. It would make no +difference to its owner, whether he dwelt in the midst of a gay and +a goodly world, or, placed afar beyond the outskirts of creation, he +dwelt a solitary unit in dark and unpeopled nothingness. The heart +must have something to cling to--and never, by its own voluntary +consent, will it so denude itself of all its attachments that there +shall not be one remaining object that can draw or solicit it. + +The misery of a heart thus bereft of all relish for that which is +wont to minister enjoyment, is strikingly exemplified in those +who, satiated with indulgence, have been so belabored, as it were, +with the variety and the poignancy of the pleasurable sensations +that they have experienced, that they are at length fatigued out +of all capacity for sensation whatever. The disease of ennui is +more frequent in the French metropolis, where amusement is more +exclusively the occupation of higher classes, than it is in the +British metropolis, where the longings of the heart are more +diversified by the resources of business and politics. There are the +votaries of fashion, who, in this way, have at length become the +victims of fashionable excess; in whom the very multitude of their +enjoyments has at last extinguished their power of enjoyment; who, +with the gratifications of art and nature at command, now look upon +all that is around them with an eye of tastelessness; who, plied +with the delights of sense and of splendor even to weariness, and +incapable of higher delights, have come to the end of all their +perfection, and, like Solomon of old, found it to be vanity and +vexation. The man whose heart has thus been turned into a desert +can vouch for the insupportable languor which must ensue, when one +affection is thus plucked away from the bosom, without another +to replace it. It is not necessary that a man receive pain from +anything, in order to become miserable. It is barely enough that he +looks with distaste to everything, and in that asylum which is the +repository of minds out of joint, and where the organ of feeling +as well as the organ of intellect has been impaired, it is not in +the cell of loud and frantic outcries where you will meet with the +acme of mental suffering; but that is the individual who outpeers +in wretchedness all his fellows, who throughout the whole expanse +of nature and society meets not an object that has at all the power +to detain or to interest him; who neither in earth beneath, nor in +heaven above, knows of a single charm to which his heart can send +forth one desirous or responding movement; to whom the world, in +his eye a vast and empty desolation, has left him nothing but his +own consciousness to feed upon, dead to all that is without him, +and alive to nothing but to the load of his own torpid and useless +existence. + +We know not a more sweeping interdict upon the affections of nature, +than that which is delivered by the apostle in the verse before +us. To bid a man into whom there is not yet entered the great +and ascendant influence of the principle of regeneration, to bid +him withdraw his love from all the things that are in the world, +is to bid him give up all the affections that are in his heart. +The world is the all of a natural man. He has not a taste, nor a +desire, that points not to a something placed within the confines +of its visible horizon. He loves nothing above it, and he cares for +nothing beyond it; and to bid him love not the world is to pass a +sentence of expulsion on all the inmates of his bosom. To estimate +the magnitude and the difficulty of such a surrender, let us only +think that it were just as arduous to prevail on him not to love +wealth, which is but one of the things in the world, as to prevail +on him to set wilful fire to his own property. This he might do +with sore and painful reluctance, if he saw that the salvation of +his life hung upon it. But this he would do willingly if he saw +that a new property of tenfold value was instantly to emerge from +the wreck of the old one. In this case there is something more than +the mere displacement of an affection. There is the overbearing of +one affection by another. But to desolate his heart of all love +for the things of the world without the substitution of any love +in its place, were to him a process of as unnatural violence as to +destroy all the things he has in the world, and give him nothing in +their room. So if to love not the world be indispensable to one's +Christianity, then the crucifixion of the old man is not too strong +a term to mark that transition in his history, when all old things +are done away, and all things are become new. + +The love of the world can not be expunged by a mere demonstration +of the world's worthlessness. But may it not be supplanted by +the love of that which is more worthy than itself? The heart can +not be prevailed upon to part with the world, by a simple act of +resignation. But may not the heart be prevailed upon to admit into +its preference another, who shall subordinate the world, and bring +it down from its wonted ascendency? If the throne which is placed +there must have an occupier, and the tyrant that now reigns has +occupied it wrongfully, he may not leave a bosom which would rather +detain him than be left in desolation. But may he not give way to +the lawful Sovereign, appearing with every charm that can secure +His willing admittance, and taking unto Himself His great power to +subdue the moral nature of man, and to reign over it? In a word, if +the way to disengage the heart from the positive love of one great +and ascendant object is to fasten it in positive love to another, +then it is not by exposing the worthlessness of the former, but by +addressing to the mental eye the worth and excellence of the latter, +that all old things are to be done away, and all things are to +become new. + +This, we trust, will explain the operation of that charm which +accompanies the effectual preaching of the gospel. The love of +God, and the love of the world, are two affections, not merely +in a state of rivalship, but in a state of enmity, and that so +irreconcilable that they can not dwell together in the same bosom. +We have already affirmed how impossible it were for the heart, +by any innate elasticity of its own, to cast the world away from +it, and thus reduce itself to a wilderness. The heart is not so +constituted, and the only way to dispossess it of an old affection +is by the expulsive power of a new one. Nothing can exceed the +magnitude of the required change in a man's character--when bidden, +as he is in the New Testament, to love not the world; no, nor any +of the things that are in the world--for this so comprehends all +that is dear to him in existence as to be equivalent to a command +of self-annihilation. But the same revelation which dictates so +mighty an obedience places within our reach as mighty an instrument +of obedience. It brings for admittance, to the very door of our +heart, an affection which, once seated upon its throne, will either +subordinate every previous inmate, or bid it away. Beside the world +it places before the eye of the mind Him who made the world, and +with this peculiarity, which is all its own--that in the gospel do +we so behold God as that we may love God. It is there, and there +only, where God stands revealed as an object of confidence to +sinners--and where our desire after Him is not chilled into apathy +by that barrier of human guilt which intercepts every approach +that is not made to Him through the appointed Mediator. It is the +bringing in of this better hope, whereby we draw nigh unto God--and +to live without hope is to live without God, and if the heart be +without God the world will then have all the ascendency. It is God +apprehended by the believer as God in Christ who alone can dispost +it from this ascendency. It is when He stands dismantled of the +terrors which belong to Him as an offended lawgiver, and when we +are enabled by faith, which is His own gift, to see His glory in +the face of Jesus Christ, and to hear His beseeching voice, as it +protests good-will to men, and entreats the return of all who will +to a full pardon, and a gracious acceptance--it is then that a love +paramount to the love of the world, and at length expulsive of it, +first arises in the regenerating bosom. It is when released from +the spirit of bondage, with which love can not dwell, and when +admitted into the number of God's children, through the faith that +is in Christ Jesus, the spirit of adoption is poured upon us--it +is then that the heart, brought under the mastery of one great and +predominant affection, is delivered from the tyranny of its former +desires, and in the only way in which deliverance is possible. And +that faith which is revealed to us from heaven, as indispensable to +a sinner's justification in the sight of God, is also the instrument +of the greatest of all moral and spiritual achievements on a +nature dead to the influence, and beyond the reach of every other +application. + +Let us not cease then to ply the only instrument of powerful and +positive operation, to do away from you the love of the world. Let +us try every legitimate method of finding access to your hearts for +the love of Him who is greater than the world. For this purpose +let us, if possible, clear away that shroud of unbelief which so +hides and darkens the face of Deity. Let us insist on His claims to +your affection; and whether in the shape of gratitude, or in the +shape of esteem, let us never cease to affirm that in the whole of +that wondrous economy, the purpose of which is to reclaim a sinful +world unto Himself, He, the God of love, so sets Himself forth in +characters of endearment that naught but faith, and naught but +understanding are wanting, on your part, to call forth the love of +your hearts back again. + +And here let me advert to the incredulity of a worldly man when +he brings his own sound and secular experience to bear upon the +high doctrines of Christianity, when he looks on regeneration as +a thing impossible, when, feeling, as he does, the obstinacies +of his own heart on the side of things present, and casting an +intelligent eye, much exercised perhaps in the observation of +human life, on the equal obstinacies of all who are around him, he +pronounces this whole matter about the crucifixion of the old man, +and the resurrection of a new man in his place, to be in downright +opposition to all that is known and witnessed of the real nature of +humanity. We think that we have seen such men, who, firmly trenched +in their own vigorous and home-bred sagacity, and shrewdly regardful +of all that passes before them through the week, and upon the +scenes of ordinary business, look on that transition of the heart +by which it gradually dies unto time, and awakens in all the life +of a new-felt and ever-growing desire toward God, as a mere Sabbath +speculation; and who thus, with all their attention engrossed upon +the concerns of earthliness, continue unmoved, to the end of their +days, among the feelings, and the appetites, and the pursuits of +earthliness. If the thought of death, and another state of being +after it, comes across them at all, it is not with a change so +radical as that of being born again that they ever connect the idea +of preparation. They have some vague conception of its being quite +enough that they acquit themselves in some decent and tolerable +way of their relative obligations; and that, upon the strength of +some such social and domestic moralities as are often realized by +him in whose heart the love of God has never entered, they will be +transplanted in safety from this world, where God is the Being with +whom, it may almost be said that, they have had nothing to do, to +that world where God is the Being with whom they will have mainly +and immediately to do throughout all eternity. They will admit all +that is said of the utter vanity of time, when taken up with as +a resting-place. But they resist every application made upon the +heart of man, with the view of so shifting its tendencies that it +shall not henceforth find in the interests of time all its rest +and all its refreshment. They, in fact, regard such an attempt as +an enterprise that is altogether aerial--and with a tone of secular +wisdom, caught from the familiarities of every day of experience, +do they see a visionary character in all that is said of setting +our affections on the things that are above; and of walking by +faith; and of keeping our hearts in such a love of God as shall shut +out from them the love of the world; and of having no confidence +in the flesh; and of so renouncing earthly things as to have our +conversation in heaven. + +Now, it is altogether worthy of being remarked of those men who +thus disrelish spiritual Christianity, and, in fact, deem it an +impracticable acquirement, how much of a piece their incredulity +about the demands of Christianity, and their incredulity about the +doctrines of Christianity, are with one another. No wonder that they +feel the work of the New Testament to be beyond their strength, so +long as they hold the words of the New Testament to be beneath their +attention. Neither they nor anyone else can dispossess the heart +of an old affection, but by the impulsive power of a new one--and, +if that new affection be the love of God, neither they nor anyone +else can be made to entertain it, but on such a representation of +the Deity as shall draw the heart of the sinner toward Him. Now +it is just their belief which screens from the discernment of +their minds this representation. They do not see the love of God +in sending His Son into the world. They do not see the expression +of His tenderness to men, in sparing Him not, but giving Him up +unto the death for us all. They do not see the sufficiency of the +atonement, or of the sufferings that were endured by Him who bore +the burden that sinners should have borne. They do not see the +blended holiness and compassion of the Godhead, in that He passed +by the transgressions of His creatures, yet could not pass them by +without an expiation. It is a mystery to them how a man should pass +to the state of godliness from a state of nature--but had they only +a believing view of God manifest in the flesh, this would resolve +for them the whole mystery of godliness. As it is, they can not get +quit of their old affections, because they are out of sight from +all those truths which have influence to raise a new one. They are +like the children of Israel in the land of Egypt, when required to +make bricks without straw they cannot love God, while they want the +only food which can aliment this affection in a sinner's bosom--and +however great their errors may be, both in resisting the demands of +the gospel as impracticable, and in rejecting the doctrines of the +gospel as inadmissible, yet there is not a spiritual man (and it is +the prerogative of him who is spiritual to judge all men) who will +not perceive that there is a consistency in these errors. + +But if there be a consistency in the errors, in like manner, is +there a consistency in the truths which are opposite to them? The +man who believes in the peculiar doctrines will readily bow to +the peculiar demands of Christianity. When he is told to love God +supremely, this may startle another, but it will not startle him +to whom God has been revealed in peace, and in pardon, and in all +the freeness of an offered reconciliation. When told to shut out +the world from his heart, this may be impossible with him who has +nothing to replace it--but not impossible with him who has found +in God a sure and satisfying portion. When told to withdraw his +affections from the things that are beneath, this were laying +an order of self-extinction upon the man, who knows not another +quarter in the whole sphere of his contemplation to which he could +transfer them, but it were not grievous to him whose view had been +opened to the loveliness and glory of the things that are above, +and can there find, for every feeling of his soul, a most ample and +delighted occupation. When told to look not to the things that are +seen and temporal, this were blotting out the light of all that is +visible from the prospect of him in whose eye there is a wall of +partition between guilty nature and the joys of eternity--but he who +believes that Christ has broken down this wall finds a gathering +radiance upon his soul, as he looks onward in faith to the things +that are unseen and eternal. Tell a man to be holy--and how can he +compass such a performance, when his fellowship with holiness is a +fellowship of despair? It is the atonement of the cross reconciling +the holiness of the lawgiver with the safety of the offender, that +hath opened the way for a sanctifying influence into the sinner's +heart, and he can take a kindred impression from the character of +God now brought nigh, and now at peace with him. Separate the demand +from the doctrine, and you have either a system of righteousness +that is impracticable, or a barren orthodoxy. Bring the demand and +the doctrine together, and the true disciple of Christ is able to +do the one, through the other strengthening him. The motive is +adequate to the movement; and the bidden obedience to the gospel is +not beyond the measure of his strength, just because the doctrine of +the gospel is not beyond the measure of his acceptance. The shield +of faith, and the hope of salvation, and the Word of God, and the +girdle of truth, these are the armor that he has put on; and with +these the battle is won, and the eminence is reached, and the man +stands on the vantage ground of a new field and a new prospect. The +effect is great, but the cause is equal to it, and stupendous as +this moral resurrection to the precepts of Christianity undoubtedly +is, there is an element of strength enough to give it being and +continuance in the principles of Christianity. + +The object of the gospel is both to pacify the sinner's conscience +and to purify his heart; and it is of importance to observe, that +what mars the one of these objects mars the other also. The best +way of casting out an impure affection is to admit a pure one; and +by the love of what is good to expel the love of what is evil. Thus +it is, that the freer gospel, the more sanctifying is the gospel; +and the more it is received as a doctrine of grace, the more will +it be felt as a doctrine according to godliness. This is one of the +secrets of the Christian life, that the more a man holds of God as +a pensioner, the greater is the payment of service that He renders +back again. On the venture of "Do this and live," a spirit of +fearfulness is sure to enter; and the jealousies of a legal bargain +chase away all confidence from the intercourse between God and man; +and the creature striving to be square and even with his creator +is, in fact, pursuing all the while his own selfishness instead +of God's glory; and with all the conformities which he labors to +accomplish, the soul of obedience is not there, the mind is not +subject to the law of God, nor indeed under such an economy ever can +be. It is only when, as in the gospel, acceptance is bestowed as a +present, without money and without price, that the security which +man feels in God is placed beyond the reach of disturbance, or that +he can repose in Him as one friend reposes in another; or that any +liberal and generous understanding can be established betwixt them, +the one party rejoicing over the other to do him good, the other +finding that the truest gladness of his heart lies in the impulse +of a gratitude by which it is awakened to the charms of a new moral +existence. Salvation by grace--salvation by free grace--salvation +not of works, but according to the mercy of God, salvation on such a +footing is not more indispensable to the deliverance of our persons +from the hand of justice than it is to the deliverance of our hearts +from the chill and the weight of ungodliness. Retain a single shred +or fragment of legality with the gospel, and you raise a topic of +distrust between man and God. You take away from the power of the +gospel to melt and to conciliate. For this purpose the freer it is +the better it is. That very peculiarity which so many dread as the +germ of Antinomianism, is, in fact, the germ of a new spirit and a +new inclination against it. Along with the lights of a free gospel +does there enter the love of the gospel, which, in proportion as you +impair the freeness, you are sure to chase away. And never does the +sinner find within himself so mighty a moral transformation as when, +under the belief that he is saved by grace, he feels constrained +thereby to offer his heart a devoted thing, and to deny ungodliness. + +To do any work in the best manner, you would make use of the fittest +tools for it. And we trust that what has been said may serve in +some degree for the practical guidance of those who would like to +reach the great moral achievement of our text, but feel that the +tendencies and desires of nature are too strong for them. We know +of no other way by which to keep the love of the world out of our +heart than to keep in our hearts the love of God--and no other way +by which to keep our hearts in the love of God, than by building +ourselves on our most holy faith. That denial of the world which +is not possible to him that dissents from the gospel testimony, is +possible, even as all things are possible, to him that believeth. +To try this without faith is to work without the right tool or +the right instrument. But faith worketh by love; and the way of +expelling from the heart the love that transgresseth the law is to +admit into its receptacles the love which fulfilleth the law. + +Conceive a man to be standing on the margin of this green world, and +that, when he looked toward it, he saw abundance smiling upon every +field, and all the blessings which earth can afford scattered in +profusion throughout every family, and the light of the sun sweetly +resting upon all the pleasant habitations, and the joys of human +companionship brightening many a happy circle of society; conceive +this to be the general character of the scene upon one side of his +contemplation, and that on the other, beyond the verge of the goodly +planet on which he was situated, he could descry nothing but a dark +and fathomless unknown. Think you that he would bid a voluntary +adieu to all the brightness and all the beauty that were before +him upon earth, and commit himself to the frightful solitude away +from it? Would he leave its peopled dwelling places, and become a +solitary wanderer through the fields of nonentity? If space offered +him nothing but a wilderness, would he for it abandon the home-bred +scenes of life and cheerfulness that lay so near, and exerted such +a power of urgency to detain him? Would not he cling to the regions +of sense, and of life, and of society? Shrinking away from the +desolation that was beyond it, would not he be glad to keep his firm +footing on the territory of this world, and to take shelter under +the silver canopy that was stretched over it? + +But if, during the time of his contemplation, some happy island of +the blest had floated by, and there had burst upon his senses the +light of surpassing glories, and its sounds of sweeter melody, and +he clearly saw there a purer beauty rested upon every field, and a +more heartfelt joy spread itself among all the families, and he +could discern there a peace, and a piety, and a benevolence which +put a moral gladness into every bosom, and united the whole society +in one rejoicing sympathy with each other, and with the beneficent +Father of them all. Could he further see that pain and mortality +were there unknown, and above all, that signals of welcome were hung +out, and an avenue of communication was made before him--perceive +you not that what was before the wilderness, would become the land +of invitation, and that now the world would be the wilderness? +What unpeopled space could not do, can be done by space teeming +with beatific scenes, and beatific society. And let the existing +tendencies of the heart be what they may to the scene that is near +and visible around us, still if another stood revealed to the +prospect of man, either through the channel of faith or through +the channel of his senses--then, without violence done to the +constitution of his moral nature, may he die unto the present world, +and live to the lovelier world that stands in the distance away from +it. + + + + +CAMPBELL + +THE MISSIONARY CAUSE + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + +ALEXANDER CAMPBELL, prominent in the body known as Disciples or +Christians, was born in Ireland in 1788, and received his education +in Glasgow University. In 1809 he emigrated to the United States +and took charge of a Presbyterian congregation in Bethany, Va. He +did not long remain in this pastorate, but proceeded to institute a +society based upon the abolition of all confessions and formularies +and the acknowledgment of the text of the Holy Scriptures as the +sole creed of the Church. In 1841 he founded Bethany College +(Bethany, Va.), and remained its president until his death in 1866. +In 1823 he founded the _Christian Baptist_, changed its name in 1829 +to the _Millennial Harbinger_, but abandoned it three years before +his death. He was a prolific controversial writer and published over +fifty volumes, among which were hymn books and a translation of the +New Testament. + + + + +CAMPBELL + +1788-1866 + +THE MISSIONARY CAUSE[1] + + [1] Delivered to the American Christian Missionary Society, + Cincinnati, October, 1860. + +_He that winneth souls is wise._--Prov. xi., 30. + + +The missionary cause is older than the material universe. It was +celebrated by Job--the oldest poet on the pages of time. + +Jehovah challenges Job to answer Him a few questions on the +institutions of the universe. "Gird up now thy loins," said He; "and +I will demand of thee a few responses. Where wast thou when I laid +the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding. +Who has fixt the measure thereof? Or who has stretched the line upon +it? What are the foundations thereof? Who has laid the corner-stone +thereof when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of +God shouted for joy? Who shut up the sea with doors when it burst +forth issuing from the womb of eternity--when I made a cloud its +garment, and thick darkness its swaddling band? I appointed its +limits, saying, Thus far shalt thou come, but no farther; and here +shall the pride of thy waves be stayed. + +"Has the rain a father? Who has begotten the drops of the dew? Who +was the mother of the ice? And the hoar-frost of heaven, who has +begotten it? Can mortal man bind the bands of the Seven Stars, or +loose the cords of Orion? Can he bring forth and commission the +twelve signs of the Zodiac, or bind Arcturus with his seven sons? + +"Knowest thou, oh man, the missionaries of the starry heavens? Canst +thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may +cover thee? Canst thou command the lightnings, so that they may say +to thee, Here we are? Who can number the clouds in wisdom? Or who +can pour out the bottles of heaven upon the thirsty fields?" + +If such be a single page in the volume of God's physical +missionaries, what must be its contents could we, by the telescope +of an angel, survey one single province of the universe, of +universes, which occupy topless, bottomless, boundless space! + +We have data in the Bible, and, in the phenomena of the material +universe, sufficient to authorize the assumption that the missionary +idea circumscribes and permeates the entire area of creations. + +Need we inquire into the meaning of a celestial title given to the +tenantries of the heaven of heavens? But you all, my Christian +brethren, know it. You anticipate me. The sweet poet of Israel told +you long since, in his sixty-eighth ode, that the chariots of God +are about twenty thousand of angels.[2] + + [2] This is an exact literal version of _Rebotayim alphey shenan_. + The Targum says, "The chariots of God are two myriads--and two + thousand angels draw them." A myriad is 10,000--two myriads 20,000. + "To know this," Adam Clarke says, "we must die." + +And what is an angel but a messenger, a missionary? Hence the seven +angels of the seven churches in Asia were seven missionaries, or +messengers, sent to John in his exile; and by these John wrote +letters to the seven congregations in Asia. + +Figuratively, God makes the winds and lightnings his angels, his +messengers of wrath or of mercy, as the case may be. + +But we are a missionary society--a society assembled from all points +of the compass, assembled, too, we hope, in the true missionary +spirit, which is the spirit of Christianity in its primordial +conception. God Himself instituted it. Moses is the oldest +missionary whose name is inscribed on the rolls of time. + +He was the first divine missionary, and, if we except John the +Baptist, he was the second in rank and character to the Lord Messiah +Himself. + +Angels and missionaries are rudimentally but two names for the same +officers. But of the incarnate Word, God's only begotten Son, He +says, "Thou art my son, the beloved, in whom I delight." And He +commands the world of humanity to hearken to Him. He was, indeed, +God's own special ambassador, invested with all power in heaven +and on earth--a true, a real, an everlasting plenipotentiary, +having vested in Him all the rights of God and all the rights of +man. And were not all the angels of heaven placed under Him as His +missionaries, sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation? + +His commission, given to the twelve apostles, is a splendid and +glorious commission. Its preamble is wholly unprecedented--"All +authority in heaven and on earth is given to me." In pursuance +thereof, he gave commission to His apostles, saying, "Go, convert +all the nations, immersing them into the name of the Father, and +of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all +things whatever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you always, +even to the end of the world." Angels, apostles and evangelists +were placed under this command, and by Him commissioned as His +ambassadors to the world. + +The missionary institution, we repeat, is older than Adam--older +than our earth. It is coeval with the origin of angels. + +Satan had been expelled from heaven before Adam was created. His +assault upon our mother Eve, by an incarnation in the most subtle +animal in Paradise, is positive proof of the intensity of his +malignity to God and to man. He, too, has his missionaries in the +whole area of humanity. Michael and his angels, or missionaries, +are, and long have been, in conflict against the devil and his +missionaries. The battle, in this our planet, is yet in progress, +and therefore missionaries are in perpetual demand. Hence the +necessity incumbent on us to carry on this warfare as loyal subjects +of the Hero of our redemption. + +The Christian armory is well supplied with all the weapons essential +to the conflict. We need them all. "We wrestle not against flesh +and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the +rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in the +regions of the air." Hence the need of having our "loins girded with +the truth"; having on the breastplate of righteousness, our feet +shod with the preparation to publish the gospel of peace, taking +the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the +Spirit, the Word of God, always praying and making supplication for +our fellow-missionaries and for all saints. + +The missionary fields are numerous and various. They are both +domestic and foreign. The harvest is great in both. The laborers are +still few, comparatively very few, in either of them. + +The supply is not a tithe of the demand. The Macedonians cry, "Come +over and help us;" "Send us an evangelist;" "Send us missionaries;" +"The fields are large, the people are desirous, anxious, to hear +the original gospel. What can you do for us?" Nothing! Nothing! My +brethren, ought this so to be? + +Schools for the prophets are wanting. But there is a too general +apathy or indifference on the subject. We pray to the Lord of the +harvest to send our reapers to gather it into His garner. But what +do we besides praying for it? Do we work for it? Suppose a farmer +should pray to the Lord for an abundant harvest next year, and +should never, in seed-time, turn over one furrow or scatter one +handful of seed: what would we think of him? Would not his neighbors +regard him as a monomaniac or a simpleton? And wherein does he excel +such a one in wisdom or in prudence who prays to the Lord to send +out reapers--missionaries, or evangelists--to gather a harvest of +souls, when he himself never gives a dollar to a missionary, or the +value of it, to enable him to go into the field? Can such a person +be in earnest, or have one sincere desire in his heart to effect +such an object or purpose? We must confess that we could have no +faith either in his head or in his heart. + +The heavenly missionaries require neither gold nor silver, neither +food nor raiment. Not so the earthly missionaries. They themselves, +their wives and children, demand both food and clothing, to say +nothing of houses and furniture. Their present home is not + + "The gorgeous city, garnish'd like a bride, + Where Christ for spouse expected is to pass, + The walls of jasper compass'd on each side, + And streets all paved with gold, more bright than glass." + +If such were the missionary's home on earth, he might, indeed, +labor gratuitously all the days of his life. In an humble +cottage--rather an unsightly cabin--we sometimes see the wife of +his youth, in garments quite as unsightly as those of her children, +impatiently waiting "their sire's return, to climb to his knees the +envied kiss to share." But, when the supper table is spread, what a +beggarly account of almost empty plates and dishes! Whose soul would +not sicken at such a sight? I have twice, if not thrice, in days +gone by, when travelling on my early missionary tours--over not the +poorest lands nor the poorest settlements, either--witnessed some +such cases, and heard of more. + +I was then my own missionary, with the consent, however, of one +church. I desired to mingle with all classes of religious society, +that I might personally and truthfully know, not the theories, but +the facts and the actualities, of the Christian ministry and the +so-called Christian public. I spent a considerable portion of my +time during the years 1812, '13, '14, '15, '16, traveling throughout +western Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. + +I then spent seven years in reviewing my past studies, and in +teaching the languages and the sciences--after which I extended my +evangelical labors into other States and communities, that I might +still more satisfactorily apprehend and appreciate the _status_, +or the actual condition, of the nominally and profest religious or +Christian world. + +Having shortly after my baptism connected myself with the Baptist +people, and attending their associations as often as I could, I +became more and more penetrated with the conviction that theory +had usurped the place of faith, and that consequently, human +institutions had been, more or less, substituted for the apostolic +and the divine. + +During this period of investigation I had the pleasure of forming an +intimate acquaintance with sundry Baptist ministers, East and West, +as well as with the ministry of other denominations. Flattering +prospects of usefulness on all sides began to expand before me +and to inspire me with the hope of achieving a long-cherished +object--doing some good in the advocacy of the primitive and +apostolic gospel--having in the year 1820 a discussion on the +subject of the first positive institution enacted by the Lord +Messiah, and in A. D. 1823 another on the same subject--the former +more especially on the subject and action of Christian baptism, +the latter more emphatically on the design of that institution tho +including the former two. + +These discussions, more or less, embraced the rudimental elements +of the Christian institution, and gave to the public a bold relief +outline of the whole genius, spirit, letter and doctrine of the +gospel. + +Its missionary spirit, tho not formally propounded, was yet +indicated, in these discussions; because this institution was the +terminus of the missionary work. It was a component element of +the gospel, as clearly seen in the commission of the enthroned +Messiah. Its preamble is the superlative fact of the whole Bible. +We regret, indeed, that this most sublime preamble has been so much +lost sight of even by the present living generation. If we ask when +the Church of Jesus Christ began or when the reign of the Heavens +commenced, the answer, in what is usually called Christendom, will +make it either to be contemporaneous with the ministry of John the +Harbinger, or with the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. We will +find one of these two opinions almost universally entertained. +The Baptists are generally much attached to John the Baptist; the +Pedobaptists, to the commencement of Christ's public ministry. +John the Baptist was the first Christian missionary with a very +considerable class of living Baptists; the birth of Christ is the +most popular and orthodox theory at the respective meridians of +Lutheranism, Calvinism, and Arminianism. + +But, by the more intelligent, the resurrection, or the ascension +of the Lord Jesus Christ, is generally regarded as the definite +commencement of the Christian age or institution. + +Give us Paul's or Peter's testimony, against that of all +theologians, living or dead. Let us look at the facts. + +Did not the Savior teach His personal pupils, or disciples, to +pray, "Thy kingdom"--more truthfully, "Thy reign--come"? Does any +king's reign or kingdom commence with his birth? Still less with his +death? Did not our Savior Himself, in person, decline the honors of +a worldly or temporal prince? Did He not declare that His kingdom +"is not of this world"? Did He not say that He was going hence, or +leaving this world, to receive or obtain a kingdom? And were not the +keys of the kingdom first given to Peter to open, to announce it? +And did he not, when in Jerusalem, on the first Pentecost, after the +ascension of the Lord Jesus, make a public proclamation, saying, +"Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made (or +constituted) the identical Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Mary, both +the Lord and the Christ, or the anointed Lord"? + +Do kings reign before they are crowned? Before they are anointed? +There was not a Christian Church on earth, or any man called a +Christian, until after the consecration and coronation of Jesus of +Nazareth as the Christ of God. + +The era of a son's birth was never, since the world began, the era +of his reign or of the commencement of it. It is a strange fact, +to me a wonderful fact, and, considering the age in which we live, +an overwhelming fact, that we, as a community, are the only people +on the checkered map of all Christendom, Greek, Roman, Anglican or +American, that preach and teach that the commonly called Christian +era is not the era or the commencement of the Christian Church or +kingdom of the Lord Jesus the Christ. + +The kingdom of the Christ could not antedate His coronation. +Hence Peter, in announcing His coronation, after His ascension, +proclaimed, saying, "Let all the house of Israel know assuredly +that God has made--_touton ton Ieesoun_--the same, the identical +Jesus whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ"; or, in other +words, has crowned Him the legitimate Lord of all. Then indeed His +reign began. Then was verified the oracle uttered by the royal +bard of Israel, "Jehovah said to my Jehovah"--or, "the Lord said +to my Lord,"--"Sit thou on my right hand till I make thy foes thy +footstool." + +Hence He could say, and did say, to His apostles, "All authority in +the heavens and on the earth is given to me." In pursuance thereof, +"Go you into all the world, proclaim the gospel to the whole +creation; assuring them that everyone who believes this proclamation +and is immersed into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of +the Holy Spirit, shall be saved." + +Here, then, the missionary field is declared to be the whole +world--the broad earth. They were, as we are afterwards informed, +to begin at the first capital in the land of Judea, then to proceed +to Samaria, the capital of the ten tribes, and thence to the last +domicile of man on earth. + +There was, and there is still, in all this arrangement, a gracious +and a glorious propriety. + +The Jews had murdered the Messiah under the false charge of an +impostor. Was it not, then, divinely grand and supremely glorious to +make this awfully bloodstained capital the beginning, the fountain, +of the gospel age and mission? Hence it was decreed that all the +earth should be the parish, and all the nations and languages +of earth the objects, and millions of them the subjects, of the +redeeming grace and tender mercies of our Savior and our God. + +What an extended and still extending area is the missionary field! +There are the four mighty realms of Pagandom, of Papaldom, of +Mohammedandom and of ecclesiastic Sectariandom. These are, one and +all, essentially and constitutionally, more or less, not of the +apostolic Christendom. + +The divinely inspired constitution of the Church contains only +seven articles. These are the seven hills, not of Rome, but of the +true Zion of Israel's God. Paul's summary of them is found in the +following words: "One body, one spirit, one hope, one Lord, one +faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all." + +The clear perception, the grateful reception, the cordial +entertainment of these seven divinely constructed and instituted +pillars, are the alone sufficient, and the all-sufficient, +foundation--the indestructible basis--of Christ's kingdom on this +earth, and of man's spiritual and eternal salvation in the full +enjoyment of himself, his Creator, his Redeemer, and the whole +universe of spiritual intelligence through all the circles and +the cycles of an infinite, an everlasting future of being and of +blessedness. + +The missionary spirit is, indeed, an emanation of the whole Godhead. +God the Father sent His Son, His only begotten Son, into our world. +The Son sent the Holy Spirit to bear witness through His twelve +missionaries, the consecrated and Heaven-inspired apostles. They +proclaimed the glad tidings of great joy to all people--to the +Jews, to the Samaritans, to the Gentiles, of all nations, kindreds +and tongues. They gave in solemn charge to others to sound out and +proclaim the glad tidings of great joy to all people. And need we +ask, is not the Christian Church itself, in its own institution and +constitution, virtually and essentially a missionary institution? +Does not Paul formally state to the Thessalonians in his first +epistle that from them sounded out the Word of the Lord not only in +Macedonia and in Achaia, but in every place? + +No man can really or truthfully enjoy the spiritual, the +soul-stirring, the heart-reviving honors and felicities of the +Christian institution and kingdom, who does not intelligently, +cordially and efficiently espouse the missionary cause. + +In other words, he must feel, he must have compassion for his +fellow man; and, still further, he must practically sympathize +with him in communicating to his spiritual necessities as well +as to his physical wants and infirmities. The true ideal of all +perfection--our blest and blissful Redeemer--went about continually +doing good--to both the souls and the bodies of his fellow men; +healing all that were, in body, soul or spirit, opprest by Satan, +the enemy of God and of man. + +To follow his example is the grand climax of humanity. It is not +necessary to this end that he should occupy the pulpit. There are, +as we conceive, myriads of Christian men in the private walks +of life, who never aspired to the "sacred desk," that will far +outshine, in eternal glory and blessedness, hosts of the reverend, +the boasted and the boastful right reverend occupants of the sacred +desks of this our day and generation. + +But Solomon has furnished our motto:--"He that winneth" or taketh +"souls is wise" (Prov. xi. 30). Was he not the wisest of men, the +most potent and the richest of kings, that ever lived? He had, +therefore, all the means and facilities of acquiring what we call +knowledge--the knowledge of men and things; and, consequently, the +value of men and things was legitimately within the area of his +understanding; or, in this case, we might prefer to say, with all +propriety, within the area of his comprehension. + +Need I say that comprehension incomparably transcends apprehension? +Simpletons may apprehend, but only wise men can comprehend +anything. Solomon's rare gift was, that both his apprehension and +his comprehension transcended those of all other men, and gave him +a perspicacity and promptitude of decision never before or since +possest by any man. His oracles, indeed, were the oracles of God. +But God especially gave to him a power and opportunity of making +one grand experiment and development for the benefit of his living +contemporaries, and of all posterity, to whom God presents his +biography, his Proverbs and his Ecclesiastes. + +"The winning of souls" is, therefore, the richest and best +business, trade or calling, according to Solomon, ever undertaken +or prosecuted by mortal man. Paul was fully aware of this, and +therefore had always in his eye a "triple crown"--"a crown of +righteousness," a "crown of life," a "crown of glory." And even in +this life he had "a crown of rejoicing," in prospect of an exceeding +and eternal weight of glory, imperishable in the heavens. + +There is, too, a present reward, a present pleasure, a present joy +and peace which the wisdom, and the riches, and the dignity, and +the glory, and the honors of this world never did, never can, and +consequently never will, confer on its most devoted and persevering +votaries. + +There is, indeed, a lawful and an honorable covetousness, which any +and every Christian, man and woman, may cultivate and cherish. + +Paul himself justifies the poetic license, when he says, "Covet +earnestly the best gifts." + +The best gifts in his horizon, however, were those which, when +duly cultivated and employed, confer the greatest amount of profit +and felicity upon others. We should, indeed, desire, even covet, +the means and the opportunities of beatifying and aggrandizing one +another with the true riches, the honors and the dignities that +appertain to the spiritual, the heavenly and the eternal inheritance. + +But we need not propound to your consideration or inquiry the +claims--the paramount, the transcendent claims--which our +enjoyment of the gospel and its soul-cheering, soul-animating, +soul-enrapturing influences present to us as arguments and motives +to extend and to animate its proclamation by every instrumentality +and means which we can legitimately employ, to present it in all its +attractions and claims upon the understanding, the conscience and +the affections of our contemporaries, in our own country and in all +others, as far as our most gracious and bountiful Benefactor affords +the means and the opportunities of co-operating with Him, in the +rescue and recovery of our fellow men, who, without such means and +efforts, must forever perish, as aliens and enemies, in heart and +in life, to God and to His divinely-commissioned ambassador, the +glorious Messiah. + +We plead for the original apostolic gospel and its positive +institutions. If the great apostles Peter and Paul--the former to +the Jews and the latter to the Gentiles--announced the true gospel +of the grace of God, shall we hesitate a moment on the propriety +and the necessity, divinely imposed upon us, of preaching the same +gospel which they preached, and in advocating the same institutions +which they established, under the plenary inspiration and direction +of the Holy Spirit? Can we improve upon their institutions and +enactments? What means that singular imperative enunciated by the +evangelical prophet Isaiah (Isa. viii.), "Bind up the testimony, +seal the law among my disciples?" What were its antecedents? +Hearken! The prophet had just foretold. He, the subject of this +oracle, viz: "The desire of all nations," was coming to be a +sanctuary; but not a sanctuary alone, but for a stone of stumbling +and a rock of offense (as at this day) to both the houses of +Israel--for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. + +The Church, therefore, of right is, and ought to be, a great +missionary society. Her parish is the whole earth, from sea to sea, +and from the Euphrates to the last domicile of man. + +But the crowning and consummating argument of the missionary +cause has not been fully presented. There is but one word, in the +languages of earth, that fully indicates it. And that word indicates +neither less nor more than what is represented--literally, exactly, +perspicuously represented--by the word philanthropy. But this being +a Greek word needs, perhaps in some cases, an exact definition. +And to make it memorable we will preface it with the statement of +the fact that this word is found but twice in the Greek original +New Testament (Acts xxviii., 2, and Titus iii., 4.). In the first +passage this word is, in the common version, translated "kindness," +and in the second, "love toward man." Literally and exactly, it +signifies the love of man, objectively; but, more fully exprest, the +love of one to another. + +The love of God to man is one form of philanthropy; the love of +angels to one man is another form of philanthropy; and the love of +man to man, as such, is the true philanthropy of the law. It is +not the love of one man to another man, because of favors received +from him; this is only gratitude. It is not the love of one man to +another man, because of a common country: this is mere patriotism. +It is not the love of man to man, because of a common ancestry: +this is mere natural affection. But it is the love of man to man, +merely because he is a man. This is pure philanthropy. Such was the +love of God to man as exhibited in the gift of His dearly beloved +Son as a sin-offering for him. This is the name which the inspired +writers of the New Testament give it. So Paul uses it, Titus iii. +and iv. It should have been translated, "After that the kindness and +philanthropy of God our Savior appeared." Again, Acts xxviii., 2, +"The barbarous people of the Island of Melita showed us no little +philanthropy.[3] They kindled a fire for us on their island, +because of the impending rain and the cold." + + [3] So we have always translated this term, in this passage. + +There are, indeed, many forms and demonstrations of philanthropy. +For one good man another good man might presume to die. But the +philanthropy of God to man incomparably transcends all other forms +of philanthropy known on earth or reported from heaven. + +While we were sinners, in positive and actual rebellion against our +Father and our God, He freely gave up His only begotten and dearly +beloved Son, as a sin-offering for us, and laid upon Him, or placed +in His account, the sin, the aggregate sin, of the world. He became +in the hand of His Father and our Father a sin-offering for us. He +took upon Himself, and His Father "laid upon him, the iniquity of us +all." Was ever love like this? Angels of all ranks, spirits of all +capacities, still contemplate it with increasing wonder and delight. + +This gospel message is to be announced to all the world, to men of +every nation under heaven. And this, too, with the promise of the +forgiveness of sins and of a life everlasting in the heavens, to +everyone who will cordially accept and obey it. + + + + +IRVING + +PREPARATION FOR CONSULTING THE ORACLES OF GOD + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + +EDWARD IRVING was born at Annan, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, in 1792. +He was an early friend and lover of Jane Welsh, who afterwards +married Thomas Carlyle. He showed ability at school, but had also a +taste for the preaching of extreme Presbyterian seceders from the +Church of Scotland. After graduating at the University of Edinburgh, +in 1809, he began life by teaching school, but obtained a license +to preach in 1815. He became assistant to Chalmers at Glasgow in +1819, where, great preacher as he was, he felt himself eclipsed by +Chalmers, and in 1822 accepted the pulpit at a chapel in Hatton +Garden, London. Here he leapt into fame. His melodious and resonant +voice, his noble presence and the beauty of his features, enhanced +the eloquence of his language. Eventually he became unbalanced +by the adulation of the aristocratic and intellectual crowd that +listened to him. They, however, grew tired of his prophecies and +denunciations, and his eccentricities of judgment finally led +to disruption, and "after a few years of futile but splendid +evangelization, he died a broken-hearted man, tender and true to the +last, altho the victim of unsubstantial religious vagaries." Carlyle +wrote a touching memoir of his life. He died in 1834. + + + + +IRVING + +1792-1834 + +PREPARATION FOR CONSULTING THE ORACLES OF GOD + +_Search the scriptures._--John v., 39. + + +There was a time when each revelation of the word of God had an +introduction into this earth, which neither permitted men to doubt +whence it came, nor wherefore it was sent. If at the giving of each +several truth a star was not lighted up in heaven, as at the birth +of the Prince of Truth, there was done upon the earth a wonder, to +make her children listen to the message of their Maker. The Almighty +made bare His arm; and, through mighty acts shown by His holy +servants, gave demonstration of His truth, and found for it a sure +place among the other matters of human knowledge and belief. + +But now the miracles of God have ceased, and nature, secure and +unmolested, is no longer called on for testimonies to her Creator's +voice. No burning bush draws the footsteps to His presence chamber; +no invisible voice holds the ear awake; no hand cometh forth from +the obscurity to write His purposes in letters of flame. The vision +is shut up, and the testimony is sealed, and the Word of the Lord is +ended, and this solitary volume, with its chapters and verses, is +the sum total of all for which the chariot of heaven made so many +visits to the earth, and the Son of God Himself tabernacled and +dwelt among us. + +The truth which it contains once dwelt undivulged in the bosom of +God; and, on coming forth to take its place among things revealed, +the heavens and the earth, and nature, through all her chambers, +gave reverent welcome. Beyond what it contains, the mysteries of the +future are unknown. To gain it acceptation and currency, the noble +company of martyrs testified unto the death. The general assembly of +the first-born in heaven made it the day-star of their hopes, and +the pavilion of their peace. Its every sentence is charmed with the +power of God, and powerful to the everlasting salvation of souls. + +Having our minds filled with these thoughts of the primeval divinity +of revealed wisdom when she dwelt in the bosom of God, and was of +His eternal Self a part, long before He prepared the heavens, or +set a compass upon the face of the deep; revolving also how, by +the space of four thousand years, every faculty of mute nature did +solemn obeisance to this daughter of the Divine mind, whenever He +pleased to commission her forth to the help of mortals; and further +meditating upon the delights which she had of old with the sons of +men, the height of heavenly temper to which she raised them, and the +offspring of magnanimous deeds which these two--the wisdom of God, +and the soul of man--did engender between themselves--meditating, I +say, upon these mighty topics, our soul is smitten with grief and +shame to remark how in this latter day she hath fallen from her high +estate; and fallen along with her the great and noble character of +men. Or, if there be still a few names, as of the missionary martyr, +to emulate the saints of old--how to the commonalty of Christians +her oracles have fallen into a household commonness, and her visits +into a cheap familiarity; while by the multitude she is mistaken +for a minister of terror sent to oppress poor mortals with moping +melancholy, and inflict a wound upon the happiness of human kind. + +For there is now no express stirring up the faculties to meditate +her high and heavenly strains--there is no formal sequestration +of the mind from all other concerns, on purpose for her special +entertainment--there is no house of solemn seeking and solemn +waiting for a spiritual frame, before entering and listening to +the voice of the Almighty's wisdom. Who feels the sublime dignity +there is in a saying, fresh descended from the porch of heaven? Who +feels the awful weight there is in the least iota that hath dropped +from the lips of God? Who feels the thrilling fear or trembling +hope there is in words whereon the destinies of himself do hang? +Who feels the swelling tide of gratitude within his breast, for +redemption and salvation, instead of flat despair and everlasting +retribution? Yea, that which is the guide and spur of all duty, +the necessary aliment of Christian life, the first and the last +of Christian knowledge and Christian feeling, hath, to speak the +best, degenerated in these days to stand, rank and file, among +those duties whereof it is parent, preserver, and commander. And, +to speak not the best, but the fair and common truth, this book, +the offspring of the Divine mind, and the perfection of heavenly +wisdom, is permitted to lie from day to day, perhaps from week to +week, unheeded and unperused, never welcome to our happy, healthy, +and energetic moods; admitted, if admitted at all, in seasons of +sickness, feeble-mindedness, and disabling sorrow. Yes, that which +was sent to be a spirit of ceaseless joy and hope within the heart +of man, is treated as the enemy of happiness, and the murderer of +enjoyment; and eyed askance, as the remembrancer of death, and the +very messenger of hell. + +Oh! if books had but tongues to speak their wrongs, then might this +book well exclaim: Hear, O heavens! and give ear, O earth! I came +from the love and embrace of God, and mute nature, to whom I brought +no boon, did me rightful homage. To men I come, and my words were +to the children of men. I disclosed to you the mysteries hereafter, +and the secrets of the throne of God. I set open to you the gates +of salvation, and the way of eternal life, hitherto unknown. +Nothing in heaven did I withhold from your hope and ambition; and +upon your earthly lot I poured the full horn of Divine providence +and consolation. But ye requited me with no welcome, ye held no +festivity on my arrival; ye sequester me from happiness and heroism, +closeting me with sickness and infirmity: ye make not of me, nor use +me for, your guide to wisdom and prudence, but put me into a place +in your last of duties, and withdraw me to a mere corner of your +time; and most of ye set me at naught and utterly disregard me. I +come, the fulness of the knowledge of God; angels delighted in my +company, and desired to dive into my secrets. But ye, mortals, place +masters over me, subjecting me to the discipline and dogmatism of +men, and tutoring me in your schools of learning. I came, not to be +silent in your dwellings, but to speak welfare to you and to your +children. I came to rule, and my throne to set up in the hearts of +men. Mine ancient residence was the bosom of God; no residence will +I have but the soul of an immortal; and if you had entertained me, +I should have possest you of the peace which I had with God, "when +I was with Him and was daily His delight, rejoicing always before +Him. Because I have called you and ye have refused, I have stretched +out my hand and no man regarded; but ye have set at naught all my +counsel and would none of my reproof; I also will laugh at your +calamity, and mock when your fear cometh as desolation, and your +destruction cometh as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish cometh +upon you. Then shall they cry upon me, but I will not answer; they +shall seek me early, but they shall not find me." + +From this cheap estimation and wanton neglect of God's counsel, +and from the terror of the curse consequent thereon, we have +resolved, in the strength of God, to do our endeavor to deliver this +congregation of His intelligent and worshiping people--an endeavor +which we make with a full perception of the difficulties to be +overcome on every side, within no less than without the sacred pale; +and upon which we enter with the utmost diffidence of our powers, +yet with the full purpose of straining them to the utmost, according +to the measure with which it hath pleased God to endow our mind. And +do Thou, O Lord, from whom cometh the perception of truth, vouchsafe +to Thy servant an unction from Thine own Spirit, who searcheth all +things, yes, the deep things of God; and vouchsafe to Thy people +"the hearing ear and the understanding heart, that they may hear +and understand, and their souls may live!" + +Before the Almighty made His appearance upon Sinai, there were +awful precursors sent to prepare His way; while He abode in sight, +there were solemn ceremonies and a strict ritual of attendance; +when He departed, the whole camp set itself to conform unto His +revealed will. Likewise, before the Savior appeared, with His +better law, there was a noble procession of seers and prophets, who +decried and warned the world of His coming; when He came there were +solemn announcements in the heavens and on the earth; He did not +depart without due honors; and then followed, on His departure, a +succession of changes and alterations which are still in progress, +and shall continue in progress till the world's end. This may serve +to teach us, that a revelation of the Almighty's will makes demand +for these three things, on the part of those to whom it is revealed: +A due preparation for receiving it; a diligent attention to it while +it is disclosing; a strict observance of it when it is delivered. + +In the whole book of the Lord's revelations you shall search in +vain for one which is devoid of these necessary parts. Witness the +awestruck Isaiah, while the Lord displayed before him the sublime +pomp of His presence; and, not content with overpowering the frail +sense of the prophet, dispatched a seraph to do the ceremonial of +touching his lip with hallowed fire, all before He uttered one word +into his astonished ear. Witness the majestic apparition to Saint +John, in the Apocalypse, of all the emblematical glory of the Son of +Man, allowed to take silent effect upon the apostle's spirit, and +prepare it for the revelation of things to come. These heard with +all their absorbed faculties, and with all their powers addrest them +to the bidding of the Lord. But, if this was in aught flinched from, +witness, in the persecution of the prophet Jonah, the fearful issues +which ensued. From the presence of the Lord he could not flee. Fain +would he have escaped to the uttermost parts of the earth; but in +the mighty waters the terrors of the Lord fell upon him; and when +engulfed in the deep, and entombed in the monster of the deep, still +the Lord's word was upon the obdurate prophet, who had no rest, +not the rest of the grave, till he had fulfilled it to the very +uttermost. + +Now, judging that every time we open the pages of this holy book, we +are to be favored with no less than a communication from on high, +in substance the same as those whereof we have detailed the three +distinct and several parts, we conceive it due to the majesty of Him +who speaks, that we, in like manner, discipline our spirits with a +due preparation, and have them in proper frame, before we listen +to the voice; that, while it is disclosing to us the important +message, we be wrapt in full attention; and that, when it hath +disburdened itself into our opened and enlarged spirits, we proceed +forthwith to the business of its fulfilment, whithersoever and to +whatsoever it summon us forth. Upon each of these three duties, +incumbent upon one who would not forego the benefit of a heavenly +message, we will discourse apart, addressing ourselves in this +discourse to the first-mentioned of the three. + +The preparation for the announcement.--"When God uttereth His +voice," says the Psalmist, "coals of fire are kindled; the hills +melt down like wax; the earth quakes; and deep proclaims itself +unto hollow deep." These sensible images of the Creator have now +vanished, and we are left alone, in the deep recesses of the +meditative mind, to discern His coming forth. No trump of heaven +now speaketh in the world's ear. No angelic conveyance of Heaven's +will taketh shape from the vacant air; and having done his errand, +retireth into his airy habitation. No human messenger putteth forth +his miraculous hand to heal nature's unmedicable wounds, winning +for his words a silent and astonished audience. Majesty and might +no longer precede the oracles of Heaven. They lie silent and +unobtrusive, wrapt up in their little compass, one volume among +many, innocently handed to and fro, having no distinction but that +in which our mustered thoughts are enabled to invest them. The want +of solemn preparation and circumstantial pomp, the imagination +of the mind hath now to supply. The presence of the Deity, and +the authority of His voice, our thoughtful spirits must discern. +Conscience must supply the terrors that were wont to go before Him; +and the brightness of His coming, which the sense can no longer +behold, the heart, ravished with His word, must feel. + +For the solemn vocation of all her powers, to do her Maker honor and +give Him welcome, it is, at the very least, necessary that the soul +stand absolved from every call. Every foreign influence or authority +arising out of the world, or the things of the world, should be +burst when about to stand before the fountain of all authority; +every argument, every invention, every opinion of man forgot, when +about to approach to the Father and oracle of all intelligence. +And as subjects, when their honors, with invitations, are held +disengaged, tho preoccupied with a thousand appointments, so, upon +an audience, fixt and about to be holden with the King of Kings, it +will become the honored mortal to break loose from all thraldom of +men and things, and be arrayed in liberty of thought and action to +drink in the rivers of His pleasure, and to perform the mission of +His lips. + +Now far otherwise it hath appeared to us, that Christians as well +as worldly men come to this most august occupation of listening +to the word of God; preoccupied and prepossest, inclining to it a +partial ear, and straitened understanding, and a disaffected will. + +The Christian public are prone to preoccupy themselves with the +admiration of those opinions by which they stand distinguished as +a Church or sect from other Christians, and instead of being quite +unfettered to receive the whole counsel of the Divinity, they are +prepared to welcome it no further than it bears upon, and stands +with opinions which they already favor. To this pre-judgment +the early use of catechisms mainly contributes, which, however +serviceable in their place, have the disadvantage of presenting +the truth in a form altogether different from what it occupies +in the world itself. In the one it is presented to the intellect +chiefly (and in our catechisms to an intellect of a very subtle +order), in the other it is presented more frequently to the heart, +to the affections, to the emotions, to the fancy, and to all the +faculties of the soul. In early youth, which is so applied to +those compilations, an association takes place between religion +and intellect, and a divorcement of religion from the other powers +of the inner man. This derangement, judging from observation +and experience, it is exceedingly difficult to put to rights in +afterlife; and so it comes to pass, that in listening to the +oracles of religion, the intellect is chiefly awake, and the +better parts of the message--those which address the heart and its +affections, those which dilate and enlarge our admiration of the +Godhead, and those which speak to the various sympathies of our +nature--we are, by the injudicious use of these narrow epitomes, +disqualified to receive. + +In the train of these comes controversy with its rough voice and +unmeek aspect, to disqualify the soul for a full and fair audience +of its Maker's word. The points of the faith we have been called +on to defend, or which are reputable with our party, assume, in +our esteem, an importance disproportionate to their importance +in the Word, which we come to relish chiefly when it goes to +sustain them, and the Bible is hunted for arguments and texts +of controversy, which are treasured up for future service. The +solemn stillness which the soul should hold before his Maker, so +favorable to meditation and rapt communion with the throne of God, +is destroyed at every turn by suggestions of what is orthodox and +evangelical--where all is orthodox and evangelical; the spirit of +such readers becomes lean, being fed with abstract truths and formal +propositions; their temper uncongenial, being ever disturbed with +controversial suggestions; their prayers undevout recitals of their +opinions; their discourse technical announcements of their faith. +Intellect, old intellect, hath the sway over heavenward devotion +and holy fervor. Man, contentious man, hath the attention which the +unsearchable God should undivided have; and the fine, full harmony +of heaven's melodious voice, which, heard apart, were sufficient +to lap the soul in ecstasies unspeakable, is jarred and interfered +with, and the heavenly spell is broken by the recurring conceits, +sophisms, and passions of men. Now truly an utter degradation it is +of the Godhead to have His word in league with that of man, or any +council of men. What matter to me whether the Pope, or any work of +any mind, be exalted to the quality of God? If any helps are to be +imposed for the understanding, or safeguarding, or sustaining of +the word, why not the help of statues and pictures of my devotions? +Therefore, while the warm fancies of the Southerns have given their +idolatry to the ideal forms of noble art, let us Northerns beware we +give not our idolatry to the cold and coarse abstractions of human +intellect. + +For the preoccupations of worldly minds, they are not to be reckoned +up, being manifold as their favorite passions and pursuits. One +thing only can be said, that before coming to the oracles of God +they are not preoccupied with the expectation and fear of Him. No +chord in their heart is in unison with things unseen; no moments are +set apart for religious thought and meditation; no anticipations +of the honored interview; no prayer of preparation like that of +Daniel before Gabriel was sent to teach him; no devoutness like +that of Cornelius before the celestial visitation; no fastings like +that of Peter before the revelation of the glory of the Gentiles! +Now to minds which are not attuned to holiness, the words of God +find no entrance, striking heavy on the ear, seldom making way +to the understanding, almost never to the heart. To spirits hot +with conversation, perhaps heady with argument, uncomposed by +solemn thought, but ruffled and in uproar from the concourse of +worldly interests, the sacred page may be spread out, but its +accents are drowned in the noise which hath not yet subsided in +the breast. All the awe, and pathos, and awakened consciousness +of a Divine approach, imprest upon the ancients by the procession +of solemnities, is to worldly men without a substitute. They have +not yet solicited themselves to be in readiness. In a usual mood +and vulgar frame they come to God's word as to other compositions, +reading it without any active imaginations about Him who speaks; +feeling no awe of a sovereign Lord, nor care of a tender Father, +nor devotion to a merciful Savior. Nowise deprest themselves out +of their wonted dependence, nor humiliated before the King of +Kings--no prostrations of the soul, nor falling at His feet as +dead--no exclamation, as of Isaiah, "Wo is me, for I am of unclean +lips!"--no request "Send me"--nor fervent ejaculation of welcome, as +of Samuel, "Lord, speak, for Thy servant heareth!" Truly they feel +toward His word much as to the word of an equal. No wonder it shall +fail of happy influence upon the spirits which have, as it were, on +purpose, disqualified themselves for its benefits by removing from +the regions of thought and feeling which it accords with, into other +regions, which it is of too severe dignity to affect, otherwise +than with stern menace and direful foreboding! If they would have +it bless them and do them good, they must change their manner of +approaching it, and endeavor to bring themselves into that prepared, +and collected, and reverential frame which becomes an interview with +the High and Holy One who inhabiteth the praises of eternity. + +Having thus spoken without equivocation, and we hope without +offense, to the contradictoriness and preoccupation with which +Christians and worldly men are apt to come to the perusal of the +Word of God, we shall now set forth the two master-feelings under +which we shall address ourselves to the sacred occupation. + +It is a good custom, inherited from the hallowed days of Scottish +piety, and in our cottages still preserved, tho in our cities +generally given up, to preface the morning and evening worship of +the family with a short invocation of blessing from the Lord. This +is in unison with the practise and recommendation of pious men, +never to open the Divine Word without a silent invocation of the +Divine Spirit. But no address to heaven is of any virtue, save as +it is the expression of certain pious sentiments with which the +mind is full and overflowing. Of those sentiments which befit the +mind that comes into conference with its Maker, the first and most +prominent should be gratitude for His ever having condescended to +hold commerce with such wretched and fallen creatures. Gratitude +not only expressing itself in proper terms, but possessing the mind +with one abiding and over-mastering mood, under which it shall sit +imprest the whole duration of the interview. Such an emotion as +can not utter itself in language--tho by language it indicates its +presence--but keeps us in a devout and adoring frame, while the Lord +is uttering His voice. + +Go visit a desolate widow with consolation, and help, and fatherhood +of her orphan children--do it again and again--and your presence, +the sound of your approaching footstep, the soft utterance of +your voice, the very mention of your name, shall come to dilate +her heart with a fulness which defies her tongue to utter, but +speaking by the tokens of a swimming eye, and clasped hands, and +fervent ejaculations to heaven upon your head! No less copious +acknowledgment of God, the author of our well-being, and the Father +of our better hopes, ought we to feel when His Word discloseth to +us the excess of His love. Tho a veil be now cast over the Majesty +which speaks, it is the voice of the Eternal which we hear, coming +in soft cadences to win our favor, yet omnipotent as the voice of +the thunder, and overpowering as the rushing of many waters. And tho +the evil of the future intervene between our hand and the promised +goods, still are they from His lips who speaks, and it is done, +who commands, and all things stand fast. With no less emotion, +therefore, should this book be opened, than if, like him in the +Apocalypse, you saw the voice which spake; or, like him in the +trance, you were into the third heaven translated, companying and +communing with the realities of glory which the eye hath not seen, +nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived. + +Far and foreign from such an opened and awakened bosom is that cold +and formal hand which is generally laid upon the sacred volume; +that unfeeling and unimpressive tone with which its accents are +pronounced; and that listless and incurious ear into which its +blessed sounds are received. How can you, thus unimpassioned, +hold communion with themes in which everything awful, vital, and +endearing meet together? Why is not curiosity, curiosity ever +hungry, on edge to know the doings and intentions of Jehovah, King +of Kings? Why is not interest, interest ever awake, on tip-toe +to hear the future destiny of itself? Why is not the heart, that +panteth over the world after love and friendship, overpowered with +the full tide of the divine acts and expressions of love? Where is +nature gone when she is not moved with the tender mercy of Christ? +Methinks the affections of men are fallen into the yellow leaf. Of +the poets which charm the world's ear, who is he that inditeth a +song unto his God? Some will tune their harps to sensual pleasure, +and by the enchantment of their genius well-nigh commend their +unholy themes to the imagination of saints. Others, to the high +and noble sentiments of the heart, will sing of domestic joys and +happy unions, casting around sorrow the radiancy of virtue, and +bodying forth, in undying forms, the short-lived visions of joy! +Others have enrolled themselves the high-priests of mute nature's +charms, enchanting her echoes with their minstrelsy, and peopling +her solitudes with the bright creatures of their fancy. But when, +since the days of the blind master of English song, hath any poured +forth a lay worthy of the Christian theme? Nor in philosophy, "the +palace of the soul," have men been more mindful of their Maker. +The flowers of the garden and the herbs of the field have their +unwearied devotees, crossing the ocean, wayfaring in the desert, and +making devout pilgrimages to every region of nature for offerings +to their patron muse. The rocks, from their residences among the +clouds to their deep rests in the dark bowels of the earth, have +a bold and most venturous priesthood, who see in their rough and +flinty faces a more delectable image to adore than in the revealed +countenance of God. And the political warfare of the world is a very +Moloch, who can at any time command his hecatomb of human victims. +But the revealed suspense of God, to which the harp of David, and +the prophetic lyre of Isaiah were strung, the prudence of God, which +the wisest of men coveted after, preferring it to every gift which +heaven could confer, and the eternal intelligence Himself in human +form, and the unction of the Holy One which abideth--these the +common heart of man hath forsaken, and refused to be charmed withal. + +I testify, that there ascendeth not from earth a hosanna of her +children to bear witness in the ear of the upper regions to the +wonderful manifestations of her God! From a few scattered hamlets +in a small portion of her territory a small voice ascendeth, like +the voice of one crying in the wilderness. But to the service of our +general Preserver there is no concourse, from Dan unto Beersheba, +of our people, the greater part of whom, after two thousand years +of apostolic commission, have not the testimonials of our God; and +the multitude of those who disrespect or despise them! + +But, to return from this lamentation, which may God hear, who +doth not disregard the cries of His afflicted people! With the +full sense of obligation to the giver, combine a humble sense of +your own incapacity to value and to use the gift of His oracles. +Having no taste whatever for the mean estimates which are made, +and the coarse invectives that are vented, against human nature, +which, tho true in the main, are often in the manner so unfeeling +and triumphant, as to reveal hot zeal rather than tender and deep +sorrow, we will not give in to this popular strain. And yet it is a +truth by experience, revealed, that tho there be in man most noble +faculties, and a nature restless after the knowledge and truth of +things, there are toward God and His revealed will an indisposition +and a regardlessness, which the most tender and enlightened +consciences are the most ready to acknowledge. Of our emancipated +youth, who, bound after the knowledge of the visible works of God, +and the gratification of the various instincts of nature, how few +betake themselves at all, how few absorb themselves with the study +and obedience of the Word of God! And when, by God's visitation, we +address ourselves to the task, how slow is our progress and how +imperfect our performance! It is most true that nature is unwilling +to the subject of the Scriptures. The soul is previously possest +with adverse interests; the world hath laid an embargo on her +faculties, and monopolized them to herself; old habit hath perhaps +added to his almost incurable callousness; and the enemy of God and +man is skilful to defend what he hath already won. So circumstanced, +and every man is so circumstanced, we come to the audience of +the Word of God, and listen in the worse tune than a wanton to a +sermon, or a hardened knave to a judicial address. Our understanding +is prepossest with a thousand idols of the world--religious or +irreligious--which corrupt the reading of the Word into a straining +of the text to their service, and when it will not strain, cause it +to be skimmed, and perhaps despised or hated. Such a thing as a free +and unlimited reception of all parts of the Scripture into the mind, +is a thing most rare to be met with, and when met with will be found +the result of many a sore submission of nature's opinions as well as +of nature's likings. + +But the Word, as hath been said, is not for the intellect alone, +but for the heart, and for the will. Now if any one be so wedded +to his own candor as to think he doth accept the divine truth +unabated, surely no one will flatter himself into the belief that +his heart is attuned and enlarged for all divine commandments. +The man who thus misdeems of himself must, if his opinions were +just, be like a sheet of fair paper, unblotted and unwritten on; +whereas all men are already occupied, to the very fulness, with +other opinions and attachments and desires than the Word reveals. +We do not grow Christians by the same culture by which we grow men, +otherwise what need of divine revelation, and divine assistance? +But being unacquainted from the womb with God, and attached to what +is seen and felt, through early and close acquaintance, we are +ignorant and detached from what is unseen and unfelt. The Word is +a novelty to our nature, its truths fresh truths, its affections +fresh affections, its obedience gathered from the apprehension +of nature and the commerce of the worldly life. Therefore there +needeth, in one that would be served from this storehouse opened +by heaven, a disrelish of his old acquisitions, and a preference +of the new, a simple, child-like teachableness, an allowance of +ignorance and error, with whatever else beseems an anxious learner. +Coming to the Word of God, we are like children brought into the +conversations of experienced men; and we should humbly listen and +reverently inquire; or we are like raw rustics introduced into high +and polished life, and we should unlearn our coarseness, and copy +the habits of the station; nay we are like offenders caught, and +for the moment committed to the bosom of honorable society, with +the power of regaining our lost condition and inheriting honor and +trust--therefore we should walk softly and tenderly, covering our +former reproach with modesty and humbleness, hasting to redeem our +reputation by distinguished performances, against offense doubly +guarded, doubly watchful for dangerous and extreme positions to +demonstrate our recovered goodness. + +These two sentiments--devout veneration of God for His unspeakable +gift, and deep distrust of our capacity to estimate and use it +aright--will generate in the mind a constant aspiration after the +guidance and instruction of a higher power; the first sentiment of +goodness remembered, emboldening us to draw near to Him who first +drew near to us, and who with Christ will not refuse us any gift; +the second sentiment, of weakness remembered, teaching us our need, +and prompting us by every interest of religion and every feeling of +helplessness to seek of Him who hath said, "If any one lack wisdom +let him ask God, who giveth liberally and upbraideth not." The soul +which under these two master-feelings cometh to read, shall not +read without profit. Every new revelation, feeding his gratitude +and nourishing his former ignorance, will confirm the emotions he +is under, and carry them onward to an unlimited dimension. Such +a one will prosper in the way; enlargement of the inner man will +be his portion and the establishment in the truth his exceeding +great reward. "In the strength of the Lord shall his right hand get +victory--even in the name of the Lord of Hosts. His soul shall also +flourish with the fruits of righteousness from the seed of the word, +which liveth and abideth forever." + +Thus delivered from prepossessions of all other masters, and arrayed +in the raiment of humility and love, the soul should advance to the +meeting of her God; and she should call a muster of her faculties +and have all her poor grace in attendance, and anything she knows +of His excellent works and exalted ways she should summon up to +her remembrance; her understanding she should quicken, her memory +refresh, her imagination stimulate, her affections cherish, and her +conscience arouse. All that is within her should be stirred up, her +whole glory should awake and her whole beauty display itself for the +meeting of her King. As His hand-maiden she should meet Him; His own +handiwork, tho sore defaced, yet seeking restoration; His humble, +because offending, servant--yet nothing slavish, tho humble--nothing +superstitious, tho devout--nothing tame, tho modest in her demeanor; +but quick and ready, all addrest and wound up for her Maker's will. + +How different the ordinary proceeding of Christians, who, with +timorous, mistrustful spirits, with an abeyance of intellect, and a +dwarfish reduction of their natural powers, enter to the conference +of the Word of God! The natural powers of man are to be mistrusted, +doubtless, as the willing instruments of the evil one; but they +must be honored also as the necessary instruments of the Spirit of +God, whose operation is a dream, if it be not through knowledge, +intellect, conscience, and action. Now Christians, heedless of the +grand resurrection of the mighty instruments of thought and action, +at the same time coveting hard after holy attainment, do often +resign the mastery of themselves, and are taken into the counsel +of the religious world--whirling around the eddy of some popular +leader--and so drifted, I will not say from godliness, but drifted +certainly from that noble, manly and independent course, which, +under steerage of the Word of God, they might safely have pursued +for the precious interests of their immortal souls. Meanwhile these +popular leaders, finding no necessity for strenuous endeavors +and high science in the ways of God, but having a gathering host +to follow them, deviate from the ways of deep and penetrating +thought--refuse the contest with the literary and accomplished +enemies of the faith--bring a contempt upon the cause in which +mighty men did formerly gird themselves to the combat--and so cast +the stumbling-block of a mistaken paltryness between enlightened +men and the cross of Christ! So far from this simple-mindedness (but +its proper name is feeble-mindedness), Christians should be--as +aforetime in this island they were wont to be--the princes of human +intellect, the lights of the world, the salt of the political and +social state. Till they come forth from the swaddling-bands, in +which foreign schools have girt them, and walk boldly upon the +high places of human understanding, they shall never obtain that +influence in the upper regions of knowledge and power, of which, +unfortunately, they have not the apostolic unction to be in quest. +They will never be the master and commanding spirit of the time, +until they cast off the wrinkled and withered skin of an obsolete +old age, and clothe themselves with intelligence as with a garment, +and bring forth the fruits of power and love and of a sound mind. + +Mistake us not, for we steer in a narrow, very narrow channel, with +rocks of popular prejudice on every side. While we thus invocate +to the reading of the Word, the highest strains of the human soul, +mistake us not as derogating from the office of the Spirit of God. +Far be it from any Christian, much further from any Christian +pastor, to withdraw from God the honor which is everywhere His due; +but there most of all His due where the human mind labored alone +for thousands of years, and labored with no success--viz., the +regeneration of itself, and its restoration to the last semblance +of the divinity! Oh! let him be reverently inquired after, +devoutly meditated on, and most thankfully acknowledged in every +step of progress from the soul's fresh awakening out of her dark, +oblivious sleep--even to her ultimate attainment upon earth and +full accomplishment for heaven. And there may be a fuller choir +of awakened men to advance His honor and glory here on earth, and +hereafter in heaven above; let the saints bestir themselves like +angels and the ministers of religion like archangels strong! And +now at length let us have a demonstration made of all that is +noble in thought, and generous in action, and devoted in piety, +for bestirring this lethargy, and breaking the bonds of hell, and +redeeming the whole world to the service of its God and King! + + + + +ARNOLD + +ALIVE IN GOD + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +Thomas Arnold, schoolmaster and preacher, was born at West Cowes, +Isle of Wight, in 1795. He was educated at Oxford, and after his +graduation taught as fellow of Oriel College, until in 1820 he +removed to Laleham near Haines and took pupils to prepare for the +universities. In 1827 he was elected to the head mastership of +Rugby, and took priest's orders before entering upon his duties. +At Rugby he remained till his death in 1842. His great work as an +educator consisted in teaching boys the duty of self-government, +self-control and freedom of intellectual judgement. His sermons in +the school chapel were distinguished by simplicity and profound +moral and religious earnestness. + + + + +ARNOLD + +1795-1842 + +ALIVE IN GOD + +_God is not the God of the dead, but of the living._--Matt. xxii., +32. + + +We hear these words as a part of our Lord's answer to the Sadducees; +and as their question was put in evident profaneness, and the answer +to it is one which to our minds is quite obvious and natural, so we +are apt to think that in this particular story there is less than +usual that particularly concerns us. But it so happens that our Lord +in answering the Sadducees has brought in one of the most universal +and most solemn of all truths,--which is indeed implied in many +parts of the Old Testament, but which the Gospel has revealed to us +in all its fulness,--the truth contained in the words of the text, +that "God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." + +I would wish to unfold a little what is contained in these words +which we often hear, even, perhaps, without quite understanding +them, and many times oftener without fully entering into them. And +we may take them, without fully entering into them. And we may take +them, first, in their first part, where they say that "God is not +the God of the dead." + +The word "dead," we know, is constantly used in Scripture in a +double sense, as meaning those who are dead spiritually as well as +those who are dead naturally. And in either sense the words are +alike applicable: "God is not the God of the dead." + +God's not being the God of the dead signifies two things: that they +who are without Him are dead, as well as that they who are dead are +also without Him. So far as our knowledge goes respecting inferior +animals they appear to be examples of this truth. They appear to +us to have no knowledge of God; and we are not told that they have +any other life than the short one of which our senses inform us. +I am well aware that our ignorance of their condition is so great +that we may not dare to say anything of them positively; there may +be a hundred things true respecting them which we neither know nor +imagine. I would only say that according to that most imperfect +light in which we see them the two points of which I have been +speaking appear to meet in them: we believe that they have no +consciousness of God, and we believe that they will die. And so far, +therefore, they afford an example of the agreement, if I may so +speak, between these two points; and were intended, perhaps, to be +to our view a continual image of it. But we had far better speak of +ourselves. And here, too, it is the case that "God is not the God of +the dead." If we are without Him we are dead, and if we are dead we +are without Him; in other words, the two ideas of death and absence +from God are in fact synonymous. + +Thus, in the account given of the fall of man, the sentence of death +and of being cast out of Eden go together; and if any one compares +the description of the second Eden in the Revelation, and recollects +how especially it is there said that God dwells in the midst of it, +and is its light by day and night, he will see that the banishment +from the first Eden means a banishment from the presence of God. +And thus, in the day that Adam sinned he died; for he was cast out +of Eden immediately, however long he may have moved about afterward +upon the earth where God was not. And how very strong to the same +point are the words of Hezekiah's prayer, "The grave cannot praise +Thee, Death cannot celebrate Thee; they that go down into the pit +cannot hope for Thy truth"; words which express completely the +feeling that God is not the God of the dead. This, too, appears to +be the sense generally of the expression used in various parts of +the Old Testament, "Thou shalt surely die." + +It is, no doubt, left purposely obscure; nor are we ever told in +so many words all that is meant by death; but, surely, it always +implies a separation from God, and the being--whatever the notion +may extend to--the being dead to Him. + +Thus, when David had committed his great sin and had expressed his +repentance for it, Nathan tells him, "The Lord also hath put away +thy sin; thou shalt not die"; which means most expressively, thou +shalt not die to God. + +In one sense David died, as all men die; nor was he by any means +freed from the punishment of his sin; he was not, in that sense, +forgiven, but he was allowed still to regard God as his God; and +therefore his punishments were but fatherly chastisements from God's +hand, designed for his profit that he might be partaker of God's +holiness. + +And thus altho Saul was sentenced to lose his kingdom, and altho he +was killed with his sons on Mount Gilboa, yet I do not think that +we find the sentence passed upon him, "Thou shalt surely die"; and +therefore we have no right to say that God had ceased to be his God +altho He visited him with severe chastisements and would not allow +him to hand down to his sons the crown of Israel. Observe also the +language of the eighteenth chapter of Ezekiel, where the expressions +occur so often, "He shall surely live," and "He shall surely die." + +We have no right to refer these to a mere extension on the one +hand, or a cutting short on the other, of the term of earthly +existence. The promise of living long in the land or, as in +Hezekiah's case, of adding to his days fifteen years, is very +different from the full and unreserved blessing, "Thou shalt surely +live." And we know, undoubtedly, that both the good and the bad to +whom Ezekiel spoke died alike the natural death of the body. But +the peculiar force of the promise and of the threat was, in the +one case, Thou shalt belong to God; in the other, Thou shalt cease +to belong to Him; although the veil was not yet drawn up which +concealed the full import of those terms, "belonging to God," and +"ceasing to belong to Him": nay, can we venture to affirm that it is +fully drawn aside even now? + +I have dwelt on this at some length, because it really seems to +place the common state of the minds of too many amongst us in a +light which is exceedingly awful; for if it be true, as I think +the Scripture implies, that to be dead and to be without God are +precisely the same thing, then can it be denied that the symptoms of +death are strongly marked upon many of us? Are there not many who +never think of God or care about His service? Are there not many +who live, to all appearance, as unconscious of His existence, as we +fancy the inferior animals to be? + +And is it not quite clear that to such persons God cannot be said +to be their God? He may be the God of heaven and earth, the God of +the universe, the God of Christ's Church; but He is not their God, +for they feel to have nothing at all to do with Him; and therefore, +as He is not their God, they are, and must be according to the +Scripture, reckoned among the dead. + +But God is the God "of the living." That is, as before, all who are +alive live unto Him; all who live unto Him are alive. "God said, I +am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob"; +and therefore, says our Lord, "Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob are not +and cannot be dead." They cannot be dead, because God owns them: He +is not ashamed to be called their God; therefore they are not cast +out from Him; therefore, by necessity, they live. + +Wonderful, indeed, is the truth here implied, in exact agreement, as +we have seen, with the general language of Scripture; that, as she +who but touched the hem of Christ's garment was in a moment relieved +from her infirmity, so great was the virtue which went out from Him; +so they who are not cast out from God, but have anything whatever to +do with Him, feel the virtue of His gracious presence penetrating +their whole nature; because He lives, they must live also. + +Behold, then, life and death set before us; not remote (if a few +years be, indeed, to be called remote), but even now present before +us; even now suffered or enjoyed. Even now, we are alive unto God, +or dead unto God; and, as we are either the one or the other, so we +are, in the highest possible sense of the terms, alive or dead. In +the highest possible sense of the terms; but who can tell what that +highest possible sense of the terms is? So much has, indeed, been +revealed to us, that we know now that death means a conscious and +perpetual death, as life means a conscious and perpetual life. + +But greatly, indeed, do we deceive ourselves, if we fancy that, +by having thus much told us, we have also risen to the infinite +heights, or descended to the infinite depths, contained in those +little words, life and death. They are far higher, and far deeper, +than ever thought or fancy of man has reached to. But, even on the +first edge of either, at the visible beginnings of that infinite +ascent or descent, there is surely something which may give us a +foretaste of what is beyond. Even to us in this mortal state, even +to you, advanced but so short a way on your very earthly journey, +life and death have a meaning: to be dead unto God, or to be alive +to Him, are things perceptibly different. + +For, let me ask of those who think least of God, who are most +separate from Him, and most without Him, whether there is not now +actually, perceptibly, in their state, something of the coldness, +the loneliness, the fearfulness of death? I do not ask them whether +they are made unhappy by the fear of God's anger; of course they are +not: for they who fear God are not dead to Him, nor He to them. + +The thought of Him gives them no disquiet at all; this is the very +point we start from. But I would ask them whether they know what +it is to feel God's blessing. For instance: we all of us have our +troubles of some sort or other, our disappointments, if not our +sorrows. In these troubles, in these disappointments,--I care not +how small they may be,--have they known what it is to feel that +God's hand is over them; that these little annoyances are but +His fatherly correction; that He is all the time loving us, and +supporting us? In seasons of joy, such as they taste very often, +have they known what it is to feel that they are tasting the +kindness of their heavenly Father, that their good things come from +His hand and are but an infinitely slight foretaste of His love? +Sickness, danger; I know that they come to many of us but rarely; +but if we have known them, or at least sickness, even in its lighter +form, if not in its graver,--have we felt what it is to know that we +are in our Father's hands, that He is with us, and will be with us +to the end; that nothing can hurt those whom He loves? + +Surely, then, if we have never tasted anything of this: if in +trouble, or in joy, or in sickness, we are left wholly to ourselves +to bear as we can and enjoy as we can; if there is no voice that +ever speaks out of the heights and the depths around us to give any +answer to our own; if we are thus left to ourselves in this vast +world,--there is in this a coldness and a loneliness; and whenever +we come to be, of necessity, driven to be with our own hearts alone, +the coldness and the loneliness must be felt. But consider that the +things which we see around us cannot remain with us nor we with +them. The coldness and loneliness of the world, without God, must +be felt more and more as life wears on; in every change of our own +state, in every separation from or loss of a friend, in every more +sensible weakness of our own bodies, in every additional experience +of the uncertainty of our own counsels,--the deathlike feeling will +come upon us more and more strongly: we shall gain more of that +fearful knowledge which tells us that "God is not the God of the +dead." + +And so, also, the blessed knowledge that He is the God "of the +living" grows upon those who are truly alive. Surely He "is not far +from every one of us." No occasion of life fails to remind those who +live unto Him that He is their God and that they are His children. +On light occasions or on grave ones, in sorrow and in joy, still the +warmth of His love is spread, as it were, all through the atmosphere +of their lives; they forever feel His blessing. And if it fills +them with joy unspeakable even now, when they so often feel how +little they deserve it; if they delight still in being with God, and +in living to Him, let them be sure that they have in themselves the +unerring witness of life eternal: God is the God of the living, and +all who are with Him must live. + +Hard it is, I well know, to bring this home in any degree to the +minds of those who are dead; for it is of the very nature of the +dead that they can hear no words of life. But it has happened that, +even whilst writing what I have just been uttering to you, the news +reached me that one who two months ago was one of your number, who +this very half-year has shared in all the business and amusements of +this place, is passed already into that state where the meanings of +the terms life and death are become fully revealed. He knows what it +is to live unto God and what it is to die to Him. Those things which +are to us unfathomable mysteries are to him all plain: and yet but +two months ago he might have thought himself as far from attaining +this knowledge as any of us can do. Wherefore it is clear that these +things, life and death, may hurry their lesson upon us sooner than +we deem of, sooner than we are prepared to receive it. And that +were indeed awful, if, being dead to God, and yet little feeling it +because of the enjoyments of our worldly life, those enjoyments +were on a sudden to be struck away from us, and we should find then +that to be dead to God was death indeed, a death from which there is +no waking, and in which there is no sleeping forever. + + + + +WAYLAND + +A DAY IN THE LIFE OF JESUS OF NAZARETH + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +Francis Wayland, preacher and philosopher, was born in New York, +in 1796. He graduated at Union College in 1813 and in 1816 entered +Hudson Theological Seminary. His first charge was the First +Baptist Church in Boston. Here he established his reputation as an +able and vigorous pulpit orator. Five years later he accepted a +chair in Union College, but in 1827 entered upon an incumbency of +twenty-eight years as President of Brown University, Providence. +This institution he built up on a broad and liberal basis, quite +emancipating it from narrow sectarianism. In 1855 he became pastor +of the First Baptist Church in Providence and died in 1865. + + + + +WAYLAND + +1796-1865 + +A DAY IN THE LIFE OF JESUS OF NAZARETH + +_And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they +had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert +place, belonging to the city called Bethsaida. And the people +when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake +unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of +healing. And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, +and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into +the towns and country round about, and lodge and get victuals: for +we are here in a desert place. But he said unto them, Give ye them +to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two +fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people. For +they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, +Make them sit down by fifties in a company. And they did so, and +made them all sit down. Then he took the five loaves and the two +fishes and looking up to heaven, he blessed them and brake, and gave +to the disciples to set before the multitude. And they did eat, and +were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained +to them twelve baskets._--Luke ix., 10-17. + + +It was the sagacious opinion of, I think, the late Professor +Porson, that he would rather see a single copy of a daily newspaper +of ancient Athens, than read all the commentaries upon the +Grecian tragedies that have ever been written. The reason for +this preference is obvious. A single sheet, similar to our daily +newspapers, published in the time of Pericles, would admit us at +once to a knowledge of the habits, manners, modes of opinion, +political relations, social condition, and moral attainments of +the people, such as we never could gain from the study of all the +writers that have ever attempted to illustrate the nature of Grecian +civilization. + +The same remark is true in respect to our knowledge of the character +of individuals who have lived in a former age. What would we not, +at the present day, give for a few pages of the private diary of +Julius Cesar, or Cicero, or Brutus, or Augustus; or for the minute +reminiscences of any one who had spent a few days in the company of +either of these distinguished men? What a flood of life would the +discovery of such a manuscript throw upon Roman life, but especially +upon the private opinions, the motives, the aspirations, the moral +estimates of the men whose names have become household words +throughout the world! A few such pages might, perchance, dissipate +the authority of many a bulky folio on which we now rely with +implicit confidence. Not only would the characters of these heroes +of antiquity stand out in bolder relief than they have ever done +before, but the individuals themselves would be brought within the +range of our personal sympathy; and we should seem to commune with +them as we do with an intimate acquaintance. + +It is worthy of remark, that we are favored with a larger portion +of this kind of information, respecting Jesus of Nazareth, than +almost any other distinguished person that has ever lived. He left +no writings Himself; hence all that we know of Him has been written +by others. The narrators, however, were the personal attendants, and +not the mere auditors or pupils of their master. The apostles were +members of the family of Jesus; they traveled with Him, on foot, +throughout the length and breadth of Palestine; they partook with +Him of his frugal meals, and bore with Him the trial of hunger, +weariness, and want of shelter; they followed Him through the lonely +wilderness and the crowded street; they saw His miracles in every +variety of form, and listened to His discourses in public as well +as to His explanations in private. Hence their whole narrative is +instinct with life; a vivid picture of Jewish manners and customs, +rendered more definite and characteristic by the moral light which +then, for the first time, shone upon it. Hence it is that these few +pages are replete with moral lessons that never weary us in the +perusal, and which have been the source of unfailing illumination to +all succeeding ages. + +The verses which I have read, as the text of this discourse, may +well be taken as an illustration of all that I have here said. They +may, without impropriety, be styled a day in the life of Jesus of +Nazareth. By observing the manner in which our blessed Lord spent a +single day, we may form some conception of the kind of life which +He ordinarily led; and we may, perchance, treasure up some lessons +which it were well if we should exemplify in our daily practice. + +The place at which these events occurred was near the head of the +Sea of Galilee, where it receives the waters of the upper Jordan. +This was one of the Savior's favorite places of resort. Capernaum, +Chorazin, and Bethsaida, all in this immediate vicinity, are always +spoken of in the gospels as towns which enjoyed the largest share of +His ministerial labors, and were distinguished most frequently with +the honor of His personal presence. The scenery of the neighborhood +is wild and romantic. To the north and west, the eye rests on the +lofty summits of Lebanon and Hermon. To the south, there opens upon +the view the blue expanse of the lake, enclosed by frowning rocks, +which here and there jut over far into the waters, and then again +retire towards the land, leaving a level beach to invite the labors +of the fishermen. The people, removed at a considerable distance +from the metropolis of Judea, cultivated those rural habits with +which the simple tastes of the Savior would most readily harmonize. +Near this spot was also one of the most frequented fords of the +Jordan, on the road from Damascus to Jerusalem; and thus, while +residing here, He enjoyed unusual facilities for disseminating +throughout this whole region a knowledge of those truths which He +came on earth to promulgate. + +Some weeks previous to the time in which the events spoken of in +the text occurred, our Lord had sent His disciples to announce the +approach of the kingdom of heaven, in all the cities and villages +which He Himself proposed to visit. He conferred on them the power +to work miracles, in attestation of their authority, and of the +divine character of Him by whom they were sent. He imposed upon them +strict rules of conduct, and directed them to make known to every +one who would hear them the good news of the coming dispensation. +As soon as He sent them forth, He Himself went immediately abroad +to teach and to preach in their cities. As their Master and Lord, +He might reasonably have claimed exemption from the personal +toil and the rigid self-denials to which they were by necessity +subjected. But He had laid no claim to such exemption. He commenced +without delay the performance of the very same duties which He +had imposed upon them. He felt himself under obligation to set an +example of obedience to His own rules. "The Son of Man," said He, +"came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His +life a ransom for many." "Which," said He, "is greater, he that +sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? but I am among you as He that +serveth." Would it not be well, if, in this respect, we copied more +minutely the example of our Lord, and held ourselves responsible +for the performance of the very same duties which we so willingly +impose upon our brethren? We best prove that we believe an act +obligatory, when we commence the performance of it ourselves. Many +zealous Christians employ themselves in no other labor than that +of urging their brethren to effort. Our Savior acted otherwise. +In this respect, His example is specially to be imitated by His +ministers. When they urge upon others a moral duty, they must be +the first to perform it. When they inculcate an act of self-denial, +they themselves must make the noblest sacrifice. Can we conceive +of anything which could so much increase the moral power of the +ministry, and rouse to a flame the dormant energy of the churches, +as obedience to this teaching of Christ by the preachers of His +gospel? + +It seems that the Savior had selected a well-known spot, at the +head of the lake, for the place of meeting for his apostles, after +this their first missionary tour had been completed. "The apostles +gathered themselves unto Jesus, and told Him all things, both +what they had done, and what they had taught." There is something +delightful in this filial confidence which these simple-hearted +men reposed in their almighty Redeemer. They told Him of their +success and their failure, of their wisdom and their folly, of +their reliance and their unbelief. We can almost imagine ourselves +spectators of this meeting between Christ and them, after this +their first separation from each other. The place appointed was +most probably some well-known locality on the shore of the lake, +under the shadow of its overhanging rocks, where the cool air from +the bosom of the water refreshed each returning laborer, as he came +back beaten out with the fatigues of travel, under the burning sun +of Syria. You can imagine the joy with which each drew near to the +Master, after this temporary absence; and the honest greetings with +which every newcomer was welcomed by those who had chanced to arrive +before him. We can seem to perceive the Savior of men listening with +affectionate earnestness to the recital of their various adventures; +and interposing, from time to time, a word either of encouragement +or of caution, as the character and circumstances of each narrator +required it. The bosom of each was unveiled before the Searcher of +Hearts, and the consolation which each one needed was bestowed upon +him abundantly. The toilsomeness of their journey was no longer +remembered, as each one received from the Son of God the smile +of His approbation. That was truly a joyful meeting. Of all that +company there is not one who has forgotten that day; nor will he +forget it ever. With unreserved frankness they told Jesus of all +that they had done, and what they had taught; of all their acts, +and all their conversations. Would it not be better for us, if we +cultivated more assiduously this habit of intimate intercourse with +the Savior? Were we every day to tell Jesus of all that we have +done and said; did we spread before Him our joys and our sorrows, +our faults and our infirmities, our successes and our failures, we +should be saved from many an error and many a sin. Setting the Lord +always before us, He would be on our right hand, and we should not +be moved. "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High +shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." + +The Savior perceived that the apostles needed much instruction which +could not be communicated in a place where both He and they were so +well known. They had committed many errors, which He preferred to +correct in private. By doing His will, they had learned to repose +greater confidence in His wisdom, and were prepared to receive from +Him more important instruction. But these lessons could not be +delivered in the hearing of a promiscuous audience. Nor was this +all. He perceived that the apostles were worn out with their labors, +and needed repose. Surrounded as they were by the multitude, which +had already begun to collect about them, rest and retirement were +equally impossible. "There were many coming and going, and they had +no leisure, even so much as to eat." He therefore said to them, +"Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while." +For this purpose, He "took ship, and crossed over with his disciples +alone, and went into a desert place belonging to Bethsaida." + +The religion of Christ imposes upon us duties of retirement, as +well as duties of publicity. The apostles had been for some time +past before the eyes of all men, preaching and working miracles. +Their souls needed retirement. "Solitude," said Cecil, "is my great +ordinance." They would be greatly improved by private communion both +with Him and with each other. It was for the purpose of affording +them such a season of moral recreation, that our Lord withdrew them +from the public gaze into a desert place. Nor was this all. Their +labor for some weeks past had been severe. They had traveled on foot +under a tropical sun, reasoning with unbelievers, instructing the +ignorant, and comforting the cast-down. Called upon, at all hours, +both of the day and night, to work cures on those that were opprest +with diseases, their bodies, no less than their spirits, needed +rest. Our Lord saw this, and He made provision for it. He withdrew +them from labor, that they might find, tho it were but for a day, +the repose which their exhausted natures demanded. The religion of +Christ is ever merciful, and ever consistent in its benevolence. +It is thoughtful of the benefactor as well as the recipient. It +requires of us all labor and self-sacrifice, but to these it affixes +a limit. It never commands us to ruin our health and enfeeble our +minds by unnatural exhaustion. It teaches us to obey the laws of +our physical organization, and to prepare ourselves for the labors +of to-morrow by the judiciously conducted labors of to-day. It was +on this principle that our Lord conducted His intercourse with His +disciples. "He knew their frame, and remembered that they were dust." + +May we not from this incident derive a lesson of practical +instruction? I well know that there are persons who are always +sparing themselves, who, while it is difficult to tell what they do, +are always complaining of the crushing weight of their labors, and +who are rather exhausted with the dread of what they shall do, than +with the experience of what they have actually done. It is not of +those that we speak. Those who do not labor have no need of rest. It +is to the honest, the painstaking, the laborious, that we address +the example in the text. We sometimes meet with the industrious, +self-denying servant of Christ, in feeble health, and with an +exhausted nature, bemoaning his condition, and condemning himself +because he can accomplish no more, while so much yet remains to be +done. To such a one we may safely present the example of the blessed +Savior. When His apostles had done to the utmost of their strength, +altho the harvest was great, and the laborers few, He did not urge +upon them additional labor, nor tell them that because there was so +much to be done they must never cease from doing. No; He tells them +to turn aside and rest for a while. It is as tho He had said, "Your +strength is exhausted; you cannot be qualified for subsequent duty +until you be refreshed. Economize, then, your power, that you may +accomplish the more." The Savior addresses the same language to us +now. When we are worn down in His service, as in any other, He would +have us rest, not for the sake of self-indulgence, but that we may +be the better prepared for future effort. We do nothing at variance +with His will, when we, with a good conscience, use the liberty +which he has thus conceded to us. + +Jesus, with His disciples, crossed the water, and entered the +desert; that is, the sparsely inhabited country of Bethsaida. +Desert, or wilderness, in the New Testament, does not mean an arid +waste, but pasture land, forest, or any district to which one could +retire for seclusion. Here, in the cool and tranquil neighborhood +of the lake, he began to instruct His disciples, and, without +interruption, make known to them the mysteries of the kingdom. It +was one of those seasons that the Savior Himself rarely enjoyed. +Everything tended to repose: the rustling leaves, the rippling +waves, the song of the birds, heard more distinctly in this rural +solitude, all served to calm the spirit ruffled by the agitations of +the world, and prepared it to listen to the truths which unveil to +us eternity. Here our Lord could unbosom Himself, without reserve, +to His chosen few, and hold with them that communion which He was +rarely permitted to enjoy during His ministry on earth. + +Soon, however, the whole scene is changed. The multitude, whom he +had so recently left, having observed the direction in which He had +gone, have discovered the place of His retreat. An immense crowd +approaches, and the little company is surrounded by a dense mass of +human beings pressing upon them on every side. These are, however, +only the pioneers. At last, five thousand men, besides women and +children, are beheld thronging around them. + +Some of these suitors present most importunate claims. They are in +search of cure for diseases which have baffled the skill of the +medical profession, and, as a last resort, they have come to the +Messiah for aid. Here was a parent bringing a consumptive child. +There were children bearing on a couch a paralytic parent. Here +was a sister leading a brother blind from his birth, while her +supplications were drowned by the shout of a frenzied lunatic who +was standing by her side. Every one, believing his own claim to be +the most urgent, prest forward with selfish importunity. Each one, +caring for no other than himself, was striving to attain the front +rank, while those behind, disappointed, and fearing to lose this +important opportunity, were eager to occupy the places of those more +fortunate than themselves. The necessary tumult and disorder of such +a scene you can better imagine than I can describe. + +This was, doubtless, by no means a welcome interruption. The +apostles needed the time for rest; for they were worn out in +the public service. They wanted it for instruction; for such +opportunities of intercourse with Christ were rare. But what did +they do? Did our Lord inform the multitude that this day was set +apart for their own refreshment and improvement, and that they could +not be interrupted? As He beheld them approaching, did He quietly +take to His boat, and leave them to go home disappointed? Did He +plead His own convenience, or His need of repose, as any reason for +not attending to the pressing necessities of His fellow men? + +No, my brethren, very far from it. That providence of God had +brought these multitudes before Him, and that same providence +forbade Him to send them away unblest. He at once broke up the +conference with His disciples and addrest Himself to the work +before Him. His instructions were of inestimable importance; but +I doubt if even they were as important as the example of deep +humility, exhaustless kindness, and affecting compassion which He +here exhibited. When the Master places work before us which can be +done at no other time, our convenience must yield to other men's +necessities. "The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but +to minister." You can imagine to yourself the Savior rising from +His seat, in the midst of His disciples, and presenting Himself +to the approaching multitudes. His calm dignity awes into silence +this tumultuous gathering of the people. Those who came out to +witness the tricks of an empiric, or listen to the ravings of a +fanatic, find themselves, unexpectedly, in a presence that repels +every emotion but that of profound veneration. The light-hearted +and frivolous are awestruck by the unearthly majesty that seems +to clothe the Messiah as with a garment. And yet it was a majesty +that shone forth conspicuous, most of all, by the manifestation of +unparalleled goodness. Every eye that met the eye of the Savior +quailed before Him; for it looked into a soul that had never +sinned; and the spirit of the sinner felt, for the first time, the +full power of immaculate virtue. + +Thus the Savior passed among the crowd, and "healed all that had +need of healing." The lame walked, the lepers were cleansed, +the blind received their sight, the paralytic were restored to +soundness, and the bloom of health revisited the cheeks of those +that but just now were sick unto death. + +The work to be done for the bodies of men was accomplished, and +there yet remained some hours of the summer's day unconsumed. The +power and goodness displayed in this miraculous healing would +naturally predispose the people to listen to the instructions of +the Savior. This was too valuable an opportunity to be lost. Our +Lord therefore proceeded to speak to them of the things concerning +the kingdom of God. We can seem to perceive the Savior seeking +an eminence from whence He could the more conveniently address +this vast assembly. You hear Him unfold the laws of God's moral +government. He unmasks the hypocrisy of the Pharisees; He rebukes +the infidelity of the Sadducees; He exposes the folly of the +frivolous, as well as of the selfish worldling; He speaks peaceably +to the humble penitent; He encourages the meek, and comforts those +that be cast down. The intellect and the conscience of this vast +assembly are swayed at His will. The soul of man bows down in +reverence in the presence of its Creator. "He stilleth the noise of +the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people." +As He closes His address, every eye is moistened with compunction +for sin. Every soul cherishes the hope of amendment. Every one is +conscious that a new moral light has dawned upon his soul, and that +a new moral universe has been unveiled to his spiritual vision. As +the closing words of the Savior fell upon their ears, the whole +multitude stood for a while unmoved, as tho transfixt to the earth +by some mighty spell; until, at last, the murmur is heard from +thousands of voices, "Never man spake like this man." + +But the shades of evening are gathering around them. The multitude +have nothing to eat. To send them away fasting would be inhuman, +for divers of them came from far, and many were women and children, +who could not perform their journey homeward without previous +refreshment. To purchase food in the surrounding towns and villages +would be difficult; but even were this possible, whence could +the necessary funds be provided? A famishing multitude was thus +unexpectedly cast upon the bounty of our Lord. He had not tempted +God by leading them into the wilderness. They came to Him of +themselves, to hear His words and to be healed of their infirmities. +He could not "send them away fasting, lest they should faint by the +way." In this dilemma, what was to be done? He puts this question to +His disciples, and they can suggest no means of relief. The little +stock of provisions which they had brought with them was barely +sufficient for themselves. They can perceive no means whatever by +which the multitude can be fed, and they at once confess it. + +The Savior, however, commands the twelve to give them to eat. They +produce their slender store of provisions, amounting to five loaves +and two small fishes. He commands the multitude to sit down by +companies on the grass. As soon as silence is obtained, He lifts +up His eyes to heaven, and supplicates the blessing of God upon +their scanty meal. He begins to break the loaves and fishes, and +distribute them to His disciples, and His disciples distribute them +to the multitude. He continues to break and distribute. Basket after +basket is filled and emptied, yet the supply is undiminished. Food +is carried in abundance to the famishing thousands. Company after +company is supplied with food, but the five loaves and two fishes +remain unexhausted. At last, the baskets are returned full, and +it is announced that the wants of the multitude are supplied. The +miracle then ceases, and the multiplication of food is at an end. + +But even here the provident care of the Savior is manifested. Altho +this food has been so easily provided, it is not right that it be +lightly suffered to perish. Christ wrought no miracles for the +sake of teaching men wastefulness. That food, by what means soever +provided, was a creature of God, and it were sin to allow it to +decay without accomplishing the purposes for which it was created. +"Gather up the fragments," said the Master of the feast, "that +nothing be lost." "And they gathered up the fragments that remained, +twelve baskets full." + +Dissimilar as are our circumstances to those of our Lord, we may +learn from this latter incident a lesson of instruction. + +In the first place, as I have remarked, the Savior did not lead +the multitude into the wilderness without making provision for +their sustenance. This would have been presumption. They followed +Him without His command, and He found Himself with them in this +necessity. He had provided for His own wants, but they had not +provided for theirs. The providence of God had, however, placed +Him in His present circumstances, and He might therefore properly +look to providence for deliverance. This event, then, furnishes +the rule by which we are to be governed. When we plunge ourselves +into difficulty, by a neglect of the means or by a misuse of the +faculties which God has bestowed upon us, it is to be expected +that He will leave us to our own devices. But when, in the honest +discharge of our duties, we find ourselves in circumstances beyond +the reach of human aid, we may then confidently look up to God for +deliverance. He will always take care of us while we are in the +spot where He has placed us. When He appoints for us trials, He +also appoints for us the means of escape. The path of duty, tho it +may seem arduous, is ever the path of safety. We can more easily +maintain ourselves in the most difficult position, God being our +helper, than in apparent security relying on our own strength. + +The Savior, in full reliance upon God, with only five loaves and +two fishes, commenced the distribution of food amongst the vast +multitude. Tho His whole store was barely sufficient to supply +the wants of His immediate family, He began to share it with the +thousands who surrounded Him. Small as was His provision at the +commencement, it remained unconsumed until the deed of mercy was +done, and the wants of the famished host supplied. Nor were the +disciples losers by this act of charity. After the multitude had +eaten and were satisfied, twelve baskets full of fragments remained, +a reward for their deed of benevolence. + +From this portion of the narrative, we may, I think, learn that +if we act in faith, and in the spirit of Christian love, we may +frequently be justified in commencing the most important good +work, even when in possession of apparently inadequate means. If +the work be of God, He will furnish us with helpers as fast as they +are needed. In all ages, God has rewarded abundantly simple trust +in Him, and has bestowed upon it in the highest honor. We must, +however, remember the conditions upon which alone we may expect His +aid, lest we be led into fanaticism. The service which we undertake +must be such as God has commanded, and His providence must either +designate us for the work, or, at least, open the door by which we +shall enter upon it. It must be God's work, and not our own; for the +good of others, and not for the gratification of our own passions; +and, in the doing of it, we must, first of all, make sacrifice of +ourselves, and not of others. Under such circumstances, there is +hardly a good design which we may not undertake with cheerful hopes +of success, for God has promised us His assistance. "If God be for +us, who can be against us?" The calculations of the men of this +world are of small account in such a matter. It would have provoked +the smile of an infidel to behold the Savior commencing the work +of feeding five thousand men with a handful of provisions. But the +supply increased as fast as it was needed, and it ceased not until +all that He had prayed for was accomplished. + +Perhaps, also, we may learn from this incident another lesson. If +I mistake not, it suggests to us that in works of benevolence we +are accustomed to rely too much on human, and too little on divine, +aid. When we attempt to do good, we commence by forming large +associations, and suppose that our success depends upon the number +of men whom we can unite in the promotion of our undertaking. Every +one is apt thus to forget his own personal duty, and rely upon the +labor of others, and it is well if he does not put his organization +in the place of God Himself. Would it not be better if we made +benevolence much more a matter between God and our own souls, each +one doing with his own hands, in firm reliance on divine aid, the +work which Providence has placed directly before him? Our Lord did +not send to the villages round to organize a general effort to +relieve the famishing. In reliance upon God, He set about to work +Himself, with just such means as God had afforded Him. All the +miracles of benevolence have, if I mistake not, been wrought in the +same manner. The little band of disciples in Jerusalem accomplished +more for the conversion of the world than all the Christians of the +present day united. And why? Because every individual Christian felt +that the conversion of the world was a work for which he himself, +and not an abstraction that he called the Church, was responsible. +Instead of relying on man for aid, every one looked up directly to +God, and went forth to the work. God was thus exalted, the power +was confest to be His own, and, in a few years, the standard of the +Cross was carried to the remotest extremities of the then known +world. + +Such has, I think, been the case ever since. Every great moral +reformation has proceeded upon principles analogous of these. It +was Luther, standing up alone in simple reliance upon God, that +smote the Papal hierarchy; and the effects of that blow are now +agitating the nations of Europe. Roger Williams, amid persecution +and banishment, held forth that doctrine of soul-liberty which, +in its onward march, is disenthralling a world. Howard, alone, +undertook the work of showing mercy to the prisoner, and his example +is now enlisting the choicest minds in Christendom in this labor of +benevolence. Clarkson, unaided, a young man, and without influences, +consecrated himself to the work of abolishing the slave trade; and, +before he rested from his labor, his country had repented of and +forsaken this atrocious sin. Raikes saw the children of Gloucester +profaning the Sabbath day; he set on foot a Sabbath school on his +own account, and now millions of children are reaping the benefit of +his labors, and his example has turned the attention of the whole +world to the religious instruction of the young. With such facts +before us, we surely should be encouraged to attempt individually +the accomplishment of some good design, relying in humility and +faith upon Him who is able to grant prosperity to the feeblest +effort put forth in earnest reliance on His almightiness. + +Such were the occupations that filled up a day in the life of Jesus +of Nazareth. There was not an act done for Himself; all was done +for others. Every hour was employed in the labor which that hour +set before Him. Private kindness, the relief of distress, public +teaching, and ministration to the wants of the famishing, filled +up the entire day. Let His disciples learn to follow His example. +Let us, like Him, forget ourselves, our own wants, and our own +weariness, that we may, as he did, scatter blessings on every side, +as we move onward in the pathway of our daily life. If such were the +occupations of the Son of God, can we do more wisely than to imitate +His example? Every disciple would then be as a city set upon a hill, +and men, seeing our good works, would glorify our Father who is in +heaven. "Then would our righteousness go forth as brightness, and +our salvation as a lamp that burneth." + + + + +VINET + +THE MYSTERIES OF CHRISTIANITY + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +ALEXANDER VINET, the eminent Swiss divine and author, was born at +Ouchy, Canton, in 1797. He was professor of theology at Lausanne +(1837-45), where he gained reputation as a preacher, a philosopher, +and a writer. He was tolerant tho critical, and many of his +utterances are marked by rare brilliancy. His supreme and intense +faith led him to say: "The gospel is believed when it has ceased +to be to us an external and has become an internal truth, when it +has become a fact in our consciousness. Christianity is conscience +raised to its highest exercise." He died in 1847. + + + + +VINET + +1797-1847 + +THE MYSTERIES OF CHRISTIANITY + +_Things which have not entered into the heart of man._--1 Cor. ii., +9. + + +"I do not comprehend, therefore I do not believe." "The gospel is +full of mysteries, therefore I do not receive the gospel:"--such is +one of the favorite arguments of infidelity. To see how much is made +of this, and what confidence it inspires, we might believe it solid, +or, at least, specious; but it is neither the one nor the other; +it will not bear the slightest attention, the most superficial +examination of reason; and if it still enjoys some favor in the +world, this is but a proof of the lightness of our judgments upon +things worthy of our most serious attention. + +Upon what, in fact, does this argument rest? Upon the claim of +comprehending every thing in the religion which God has offered or +could offer us--a claim equally unjust, unreasonable, useless. This +we proceed to develop. + +1. In the first place, it is an unjust claim. It is to demand of God +what He does not owe us. To prove this, let us suppose that God has +given a religion to man, and let us further suppose that religion to +be the gospel: for this absolutely changes nothing to the argument. +We may believe that God was free, at least, with reference to us, +to give us or not to give us a religion; but it must be admitted +that in granting it He contracts engagements to us, and that the +first favor lays Him under a necessity of conferring other favors. +For this is merely to say that God must be consistent, and that He +finishes what He has begun. Since it is by a written revelation +He manifests His designs respecting us, it is necessary He should +fortify that revelation by all the authority which would at least +determine us to receive it; it is necessary He should give us the +means of judging whether the men who speak to us in His name are +really sent by Him; in a word, it is necessary we should be assured +that the Bible is truly the Word of God. + +It would not indeed be necessary that the conviction of each of +us should be gained by the same kind of evidence. Some shall be +led to Christianity by the historical or external arguments; they +shall prove to themselves the truth of the Bible as the truth of +all history is proved; they shall satisfy themselves that the +books of which it is composed are certainly those of the times and +of the authors to which they are ascribed. This settled, they +shall compare the prophecies contained in these ancient documents +with the events that have happened in subsequent ages; they shall +assure themselves of the reality of the miraculous facts related in +these books, and shall thence infer the necessary intervention of +divine power, which alone disposes the forces of nature, and can +alone interrupt or modify their action. Others, less fitted for +such investigations, shall be struck with the internal evidence +of the Holy Scriptures. Finding there the state of their souls +perfectly described, their wants fully exprest, and the true +remedies for their maladies completely indicated; struck with a +character of truth and candor which nothing can imitate; in fine, +feeling themselves in their inner nature moved, changed, renovated, +by the mysterious influence of these holy writings, they shall +acquire, by such means, a conviction of which they can not always +give an account to others, but which is not the less legitimate, +irresistible, and immovable. Such is the double road by which an +entrance is gained into the asylum of faith. But it was due from the +wisdom of God, from His justice, and, we venture to say it, from +the honor of His government, that He should open to man this double +road; for, if He desired man to be saved by knowledge, on the same +principle He engaged Himself to furnish him the means of knowledge. + +Behold, whence come the obligations of the Deity with reference +to us, which obligations He has fulfilled. Enter on this double +method of proof. Interrogate history, time and places, respecting +the authenticity of the Scriptures; grasp all the difficulties, +sound all the objections; do not permit yourselves to be too easily +convinced; be the more severe upon that book, as it professes to +contain the sovereign rule of your life, and the disposal of your +destiny; you are permitted to do this, nay, you are encouraged +to do it, provided you proceed to the investigation with the +requisite capacities and with pure intentions. Or, if you prefer +another method, examine, with an honest heart, the contents of the +Scriptures; inquire, while you run over the words of Jesus, if ever +man spake like this Man; inquire if the wants of your soul, long +deceived, and the anxieties of your spirit, long cherished in vain, +do not, in the teaching and work of Christ, find that satisfaction +and repose which no wisdom was ever able to procure you; breathe, +if I may thus express myself, that perfume of truth, of candor and +purity, which exhales from every page of the gospel; see, if, in all +these respects, it does not bear the undeniable seal of inspiration +and divinity. Finally, test it, and if the gospel produces upon you +a contrary effect, return to the books and the wisdom of men, and +ask of them what Christ has not been able to give you. + +But if, neglecting these two ways, made accessible to you, +and trodden by the feet of ages, you desire, before all, that +the Christian religion should, in every point, render itself +comprehensible to your mind, and complacently strip itself of all +mysteries; if you wish to penetrate beyond the veil, to find there, +not the aliment which gives life to the soul, but that which would +gratify your restless curiosity, I maintain that you raise against +God a claim the most indiscreet, the most rash and unjust; for He +has never engaged, either tacitly or expressly, to discover to you +the secret which your eye craves; and such audacious importunity is +fit to excite His indignation. He has given you what He owed you, +more indeed than He owed you; the rest is with Himself. + +If a claim so unjust could be admitted, where, I ask you, would be +the limit of your demands? Already you require more from God than He +has accorded to angels; for these eternal mysteries which trouble +you, the harmony of the divine prescience with human freedom, the +origin of evil and its ineffable remedy, the incarnation of the +eternal Word--the relations of the God-man with His Father--the +atoning virtue of His sacrifice, the regenerating efficacy of the +Spirit-comforter, all these things are secrets, the knowledge of +which is hidden from angels themselves, who, according to the word +of the Apostle, stoop to explore their depths, and can not. + +If you reproach the Eternal for having kept the knowledge of +these divine mysteries to Himself, why do you not reproach Him +for the thousand other limits He has prescribed for you? Why not +reproach Him for not having given you wings like a bird, to visit +the regions, which, till now, have been scanned only by your eyes? +Why not reproach Him for not giving you, besides the five senses +with which you are provided, ten other senses which He has perhaps +granted to other creatures, and which procure for them perceptions +of which you have no idea? Why not, in fine, reproach Him for having +caused the darkness of night to succeed the brightness of day +invariably on the earth? Ah! you do not reproach Him for that. You +love that night which brings rest to so many fatigued bodies and +weary spirits; which suspends in so many wretches, the feeling of +grief; that night, during which orphans, slaves, and criminals cease +to be, because over all their misfortunes and sufferings it spreads, +with the opiate of sleep, the thick veil of oblivion; you love that +night which, peopling the deserts of the heavens with ten thousand +stars, not known to the day, reveals the infinite to our ravished +imagination. + +Well, then, why do you not, for a similar reason, love the night +of divine mysteries, night, gracious and salutary, in which reason +humbles itself, and finds refreshment and repose; where the darkness +even is a revelation; where one of the principal attributes of God, +immensity, discovers itself much more fully to our mind; where, in +fine, the tender relations He has permitted us to form with Himself, +are guarded from all admixture of familiarity by the thought that +the Being who has humbled Himself to us, is, at the same time, +the inconceivable God who reigns before all time, who includes in +Himself all existences and all conditions of existence, the center +of all thought, the law of all law, the supreme and final reason +of every thing! So that, if you are just, instead of reproaching +Him for the secrets of religion, you will bless Him that He has +enveloped you in mysteries. + +2. But this claim is not only unjust toward God; it is also in +itself exceedingly unreasonable. + +What is religion? It is God putting Himself in communication with +man; the Creator with the creature, the infinite with the finite. +There already, without going further, is a mystery; a mystery +common to all religions, impenetrable in all religions. If, then, +every thing which is a mystery offends you, you are arrested on the +threshold, I will not say of Christianity, but of every religion; +I say, even of that religion which is called natural, because it +rejects revelation and miracles; for it necessarily implies, at +the very least, a connection, a communication of some sort between +God and man--the contrary being equivalent to atheism. Your claim +prevents you from having any belief; and because you have not been +willing to be Christians, it will not allow you to be deists. + +"It is of no consequence," you say, "we pass over that difficulty; +we suppose between God and us connections we can not conceive; we +admit them because they are necessary to us. But this is the only +step we are willing to take: we have already yielded too much to +yield more." Say more, say you have granted too much not to grant +much more, not to grant all! You have consented to admit, without +comprehending it, that there may be communications from God to you, +and from you to God. But consider well what is implied in such a +supposition. It implies that you are dependent, and yet free: this +you do not comprehend; it implies that the Spirit of God can make +itself understood by your spirit: this you do not comprehend; it +implies that your prayers may exert an influence on the will of +God: this you do not comprehend. It is necessary you should receive +all these mysteries, in order to establish with God connections the +most vague and superficial, and by the very side of which atheism +is placed. And when, by a powerful effort with yourselves you have +done so much as to admit these mysteries, you recoil from those +of Christianity! You have accepted the foundation, and refuse the +superstructure! You have accepted the principle and refuse the +details! You are right, no doubt, so soon as it is proved to you, +that the religion which contains these mysteries does not come from +God; or rather, that these mysteries contain contradictory ideas. +But you are not justified in denying them, for the sole reason that +you do not understand them; and the reception you have given to the +first kind of mysteries compels you, by the same rule, to receive +the others. + +This is not all. Not only are mysteries an inseparable part, nay, +the very substance of all religion, but it is absolutely impossible +that a true religion should not present a great number of mysteries. +If it is true, it ought to teach more truths respecting God and +divine things than any other, than all others together; but each +of these truths has a relation to the infinite, and by consequence +borders on a mystery. How should it be otherwise in religion, when +it is thus in nature itself? Behold God in nature! The more He +gives us to contemplate, the more He gives to astonish us. To each +creature is attached some mystery. A grain of sand is an abyss! +Now, if the manifestations which God has made of Himself in nature +suggest to the observer a thousand questions which can not be +answered, how will it be, when to that first revelation, another +is added; when God the Creator and Preserver reveals Himself under +new aspects as God the Reconciler and Savior? Shall not mysteries +multiply with discoveries? With each new day shall we not see +associated a new night? And shall we not purchase each increase of +knowledge with an increase of ignorance? Has not the doctrine of +grace, so necessary, so consoling, alone opened a profound abyss, +into which, for eighteen centuries, rash and restless spirits have +been constantly plunging? + +It is, then, clearly necessary that Christianity should, more +than any other religion, be mysterious, simply because it is +true. Like mountains, which, the higher they are, cast the larger +shadows, the gospel is the more obscure and mysterious on account +of its sublimity. After this, will you be indignant that you do +not comprehend every thing in the gospel? It would, forsooth, be +a truly surprising thing if the ocean could not be held in the +hollow of your hand, or uncreated wisdom within the limits of your +intelligence! It would be truly unfortunate if a finite being could +not embrace the infinite, and that, in the vast assemblage of things +there should be some idea beyond its grasp! In other words, it would +be truly unfortunate if God Himself should know something which man +does not know! + +Let us acknowledge, then, how insensate is such a claim when it is +made with reference to religion. + +But let us also recollect how much, in making such a claim, we +shall be in opposition to ourselves; for the submission we dislike +in religion, we cherish in a thousand other things. It happens to us +every day to admit things we do not understand, and to do so without +the least repugnance. The things, the knowledge of which is refused +us, are much more numerous than we perhaps think. Few diamonds are +perfectly pure; still fewer truths are perfectly clear. The union +of our soul with our body is a mystery--our most familiar emotions +and affections are a mystery--the action of thought and of will is +a mystery--our very existence is a mystery. Why do we admit these +various facts? Is it because we understand them? No, certainly, but +because they are self-evident, and because they are truths by which +we live. In religion we have no other course to take. We ought to +know whether it is true and necessary; and once convinced of these +two points, we ought, like the angels, to submit to the necessity of +being ignorant of some things. And why do we not submit cheerfully +to a privation which, after all, is not one? + +3. To desire the knowledge of mysteries is to desire what is utterly +useless; it is to raise, as I have said before, a claim the most +vain and idle. What in reference to us is the object of the gospel? +Evidently to regenerate and save us. But it attains this end wholly +by the things it reveals. Of what use would it be to know those it +conceals from us? We possess the knowledge which can enlighten our +consciences, rectify our inclinations, renew our hearts; what should +we gain if we possest other knowledge? It infinitely concerns us to +know that the Bible is the Word of God; does it equally concern us +to know in what way the holy men that wrote it were moved by the +Holy Ghost? It is of infinite moment to us to know that Jesus Christ +is the Son of God; need we know precisely in what way the divine and +human natures are united in His adorable person? It is of infinite +importance for us to know that unless we are born again we can not +enter the kingdom of God, and that the Holy Spirit is the author of +the new birth; shall we be further advanced if we know the divine +process by which that wonder is performed? Is it not enough for us +to know the truths that save? Of what use, then, would it be to know +those which have not the slightest bearing on our salvation? "Tho +I know all mysteries," says St. Paul, "and have not charity, I am +nothing." St. Paul was content not to know, provided he had charity; +shall not we, following his example, be content also without +knowledge, provided that, like him, we have charity, that is to say, +life? + +But some one will say "If the knowledge of mysteries is really +without influence on our salvation, why have they been indicated to +us at all?" What if it should be to teach us not to be too prodigal +of our "wherefores!" if it should be to serve as an exercise of our +faith, a test of our submission! But we will not stop with such a +reply. + +Observe, I pray you, in what manner the mysteries of which you +complain have taken their part in religion. You readily perceive +they are not by themselves, but associated with truths which have +a direct bearing on your salvation. They contain them, they serve +to develop them; but they are not themselves the truths that save. +It is with these mysteries as it is with the vessel that contains +a medicinal draft--it is not the vessel that cures, but the draft; +yet the draft could not be presented without the vessel. Thus each +truth that saves is contained in a mystery, which, in itself, has +no power to save. So the great work of expiation is necessarily +attached to the incarnation of the Son of God, which is a mystery; +so the sanctifying graces of the new covenant are necessarily +connected with the effluence of the Holy Spirit, which is a mystery; +so, too, the divinity of religion finds a seal and an attestation +in the miracles, which are mysteries. Everywhere the light is born +from darkness, and darkness accompanies the light. These two orders +of truths are so united, so interlinked, that you can not remove +the one without the other, and each of the mysteries you attempt to +tear from religion would carry with it one of the truths which bear +directly on your regeneration and salvation. Accept the mysteries, +then, not as truths that can save you, but as the necessary +conditions of the merciful work of the Lord in your behalf. + +The true point at issue in reference to religion is this:--Does +the religion which is proposed to us change the heart, unite to +God, prepare for heaven? If Christianity produces these effects, +we will leave the enemies of the cross free to revolt against its +mysteries, and tax them with absurdity. The gospel, we will say to +them, is then an absurdity; you have discovered it. But behold what +a new species of absurdity that certainly is which attaches man to +all his duties, regulates human life better than all the doctrines +of sages, plants in his bosom harmony, order, and peace, causes +him joyfully to fulfil all the offices of civil life, renders him +better fitted to live, better fitted to die, and which, were it +generally received, would be the support and safeguard of society! +Cite to us, among all human absurdities, a single one which produces +such effects. If that "foolishness" we preach produces effects like +these, is it not natural to conclude that it is truth itself? And if +these things have not entered the heart of man, it is not because +they are absurd, but because they are divine. + +Make but a single reflection. You are obliged to confess that none +of the religions which man may invent can satisfy his wants, or +save his soul. Thereupon you have a choice to make. You will either +reject them all as insufficient and false, and seek for nothing +better, since man can not invent better, and then you will abandon +to chance, to caprice of temperament or of opinion, your moral life +and future destiny; or you will adopt that other religion which some +treat as folly, and it will render you holy and pure, blameless in +the midst of a perverse generation, united to God by love, and to +your brethren by charity, indefatigable in doing good, happy in +life, happy in death. Suppose, after all this, you shall be told +that this religion is false; but meanwhile, it has restored in you +the image of God, reestablished your primitive connections with +that great Being, and put you in a condition to enjoy life and the +happiness of heaven. By means of it you have become such that at the +last day, it is impossible that God should not receive you as His +children and make you partakers of His glory. You are made fit for +paradise, nay, paradise has commenced for you even here, because you +love. This religion has done for you what all religions propose, and +what no other has realized. Nevertheless, by the supposition, it is +false! And what more could it do, were it true? Rather do you not +see that this is a splendid proof of its truth? Do you not see that +it is impossible that a religion which leads to God should not come +from God, and that the absurdity is precisely that of supposing that +you can be regenerated by a falsehood? + +Suppose that afterward, as at the first, you do not comprehend. It +seems necessary, then, you should be saved by the things you do not +comprehend. Is that a misfortune? Are you the less saved? Does it +become you to demand from God an explanation of an obscurity which +does not injure you, when, with reference to every thing essential, +He has been prodigal of light? The first disciples of Jesus, men +without culture and learning, received truths which they did not +comprehend, and spread them through the world. A crowd of sages and +men of genius have received, from the hands of these poor people, +truths which they comprehended no more than they. The ignorance of +the one, and the science of the other, have been equally docile. +Do, then, as the ignorant and the wise have done. Embrace with +affection those truths which have never entered into your heart, +and which will save you. Do not lose, in vain discussions, the time +which is gliding away, and which is bearing you into the cheering +or appalling light of eternity. Hasten to be saved. Love now; one +day you will know. May the Lord Jesus prepare you for that period of +light, of repose, and of happiness! + + + + +SUMMERFIELD + +THE HEAVENLY INHERITANCE + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +JOHN SUMMERFIELD was born in England in 1798, and came to New York +in 1821, where he soon became one of the most popular and eloquent +preachers of that day. He belonged to the Methodist Communion +and his name is still perpetuated in the names of many Methodist +churches. He was unusually simple and modest in his tastes and +habits, but when he spoke from the pulpit he produced a great +impression by the force and daring of his style. He gave promise +of equaling Whitefield as a pulpit orator, but he was subject to +delicate health and prematurely died in 1825, twenty-seven years of +age. + + + + +SUMMERFIELD + +1798-1825 + +THE HEAVENLY INHERITANCE + +_For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the +everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ._--2 Peter +i., 11. + + +Of all the causes which may be adduced to account for the +indifference which is so generally manifested toward those great +concerns of eternity, in which men are so awfully interested, none +appears to me so likely to resolve the mystery, as that unbelief +which lies at the core of every heart, hindering repentance, and +so making faith impossible. Men hear that there is a hell to shun, +a heaven to win; and, though they give their assent to both these +truths, they never impress them on their mind. It is plain that, +whatever their lips may confess, they never believed with the +heart, otherwise some effect would have been produced in the life. +The germ of unbelief lies within, and discovers itself in all that +indifference which is displayed, in the majority of that class of +beings whose existence is to be perpetuated throughout eternity. +If these thoughts do sometimes obtrude themselves on their serious +attention, they are immediately banished from their minds; and the +dying exclamation of Moses may be taken up with tears by every lover +of perishing sinners: "O! that they were wise, that they understood +this, that they would consider their latter end!" When God, by His +prophet Isaiah, called the Israelites to a sense of their awful +departure from Him, His language was, "My people do not know: My +people do not consider." How few are there like Mary, who "ponder +those things in their heart," who are willing to look at themselves, +to pry into eternity, to put the question home, + + "Shall I be with the damn'd cast out, + Or numbered with the bless'd?" + +This question must sooner or later have a place in your minds, or +awful will be your state indeed; let it reach your hearts to-day; +and if you pray to the Father of light, you will soon be enabled in +His light to discern so much of yourselves as will cause you to cry, +"What shall I do to be saved?" While we shall this morning attempt +to point out some of the privileges of the sons of God, oh! may your +hearts catch the strong desire to be conformed to the living Head, +that so an abundant entrance may be administered unto you also, into +the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. + +The privilege to which our text leads us, is exclusively applicable +to those to whom that question has been solved by the Spirit of +God; those who have believed to the saving of their souls; who have +experienced redemption through His blood, and the forgiveness of +sins; and who are walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort +of the Holy Ghost. + +I. The state to which we look forward: the "everlasting kingdom of +our Lord and Savior." + +1. It is a kingdom. By this figurative expression our Lord has +described the state of grace here and of glory hereafter; our +happiness in time and our happiness in eternity. They were wisely so +called: Jesus has said, as well as done, all things well; for these +two states differ not in kind, but in degree; the one is merely a +preparative for the other, and he who has been a subject of the +former kingdom will be a subject of the latter. Grace is but the +seed of glory, glory is the maturity of grace; grace is but the bud +of glory, glory is grace full blown; grace is but the blossom of +glory, glory is the ripe fruit of grace; grace is but the infant of +glory, glory is the perfection of grace. Hence our hymn beautifully +says, "The men of grace have found glory begun below," agreeing with +our Lord's own words, "He that believeth hath everlasting life"; he +feels even here its glories beginning--a foretaste of its bliss. + +Now the propriety with which these two states are called kingdoms +is manifest from the analogy which might be traced between them and +the model of a human sovereignty. Two or three of the outlines of +this model will be sufficient. + +In the idea of a kingdom it is implied that in some part of its +extent there is the residence of a sovereign; for this is essential +to constitute it. Now in the kingdom of grace the heart of the +believer is made the residence of the King invisible! "Know ye not +that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you?" +Such know what that promise means, "I will dwell in them, and they +shall be my people." St. Paul exultingly cries, "Christ liveth in +me." + +Again, it is essential that the inhabitants of a kingdom be under +the government of its laws. An empire without laws is no sovereignty +at all; it ceases to be such, for every inhabitant has an equal +right to do that which seems good in his own eyes. Now the subjects +of Christ's kingdom of grace are "not without law, but are under a +law to Christ"; they do His righteous will! + +Lastly, it is essential that the subjects of a kingdom be under the +protection of the presiding monarch, and that they repose their +confidence in him. To the subjects of the kingdom of grace, Christ +imparts His kingly protection; this is their heritage: "No weapon +formed against them shall prosper"; nay, He imparts to them of His +royal bounty, and they enjoy all the blessings of an inward heaven. + +But how great the perfection of the kingdom of glory mentioned in +our text! Does He make these vile bodies His residence here? How +much more glorious is His temple above! how splendid the court of +heaven! There, indeed, he fixes His throne, and they see Him as He +is. Does He exercise His authority here and rule His happy subjects +by the law, the perfect law of love? How much more in heaven! He +reigns there forever over them; His government is there wholly by +Himself; He knows nothing of a rival there; His rule is sole and +perfect: there they serve Him day and night. Are His subjects here +partakers of His kingly bounty? Much more in heaven! He calls them +to a participation of all the joys, the spiritual joys which are at +His right hand, and the pleasures which are there forevermore. Yet, +after all our descriptions of that glory, it is not yet revealed, +and, therefore, inconceivable. But who would not hail such a Son of +David? who would not desire to be swayed by such a Prince of Peace? +Whose heart would not ascend with the affections of our poet, "O! +that with yonder sacred throng, we at His feet may fall"? + +2. But it is an everlasting kingdom! Here it rises in the scale of +comparison. Weigh the kingdoms of this world in this balance, and +they are found wanting; for on many we read their fatal history, +and ere long we shall see them all branded with the writing of the +invisible Agent, "The kingdom is taken from thee, and given to a +nation bringing forth the fruits thereof"; "For the kingdoms of +this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ"; +they will be absorbed and swallowed up in the fulness of eternity, +and leave not a wrack behind! Every thing here is perishable! The +towering diadem of Caesar has fallen from his head and crumbled +into dust; and that kingdom whose scepter once swayed the world, +betwixt whose colossal stride all nations were glad to creep to +find themselves dishonored graves, is now forgotten, or, if its +recollection be preserved, its history is emphatically called "The +Decline and Fall." + +But bring the matter nearer home; apply it not to multitudes of +subjects, but to your individual experience, and has not that good +teacher instructed you in this sad lesson? We tremble to look at +our earthly possessions and employments, lest we should see them +in motion, spreading their wings to fly away! How many are there +already who, in talking of their comforts, are obliged to go back +in their reckoning! Would not this be the language of some of you: +"I had--I had a husband, the sharer of my joys, the soother of my +sorrows; but he is not! I had a wife, a helpmeet for me; but where +is she? I had children to whom I looked up as my support and +staff in the decline of life, while passing down the hill; but I +am bereaved of my children! I had health, and I highly prized its +wealth; but now my emaciated frame, my shriveled system, and the +pains of nature bespeak that comfort fled! I had, or fondly thought +I had, happiness in possession! Then I said with Job, 'I shall die +in my nest!' but ah! an unexpected blast passed over me, and now my +joys are blighted! 'They have fled as a shadow, and continued not.'" +Yes! time promised you much! perhaps it performed a little; but it +can not do any thing for you on which it can grave "eternal." Its +name is mortal, its nature is decay; it was born with man, and when +the generations of men shall cease to exist, it will cease also: +"Time shall be no longer!" We know concerning these that, "All flesh +is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The +grass withereth, and the flower fadeth, but the word of the Lord +endureth forever." Yes! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; glory +can not corrupt! the crown of glory can not fade! Why? Death will +be destroyed; Christ will put this last enemy under His feet, and +all will then be eternal life! Oh, happy, happy kingdom; nay, thrice +happy he who shall be privileged to be its subject! + +3. It is the everlasting kingdom of our own Lord and Savior Jesus +Christ. It is His by claim: "Him hath God the Father highly +exalted"; yea, Him hath He appointed to be "the judge of quick and +dead"; for tho by the sufferings of death He was made a little +lower than the angels, yet immediately after His resurrection He +declares that now "All power is given unto him in heaven and in +earth"! The Father hath committed all judgment unto the Son, and He +has now the disposal of the offices and privileges of the empire +among His faithful followers. This is the idea that the penitent +dying thief had on the subject: "Lord, remember me when thou comest +into thy kingdom"; and St. Paul expresses the same when he says to +Timothy in the confidence of faith, "The Lord shall deliver me and +preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom." Oh! how pleasing the thought +to the child of God, that his ruler to all eternity will be his +elder Brother; for He who sanctifieth and they who are sanctified +are all of one; and though He is heir of all things, yet we, as +younger branches of the same heavenly family, shall be joint heirs, +fellow-heirs of the same glorious inheritance. How great will be +our joy to behold Him who humbled Himself for us to death, even the +death of the cross, now exalted God over all, blest for evermore; +and while contemplating Him under the character of our Lord and +Savior Jesus Christ, how great the relish which will be given to +that feeling of the redeemed which will constrain them to cry, +"Thou alone art worthy to receive glory, and honor, and power." + +II. But the apostle reminds us of the entrance into this kingdom! + +1. The entrance into this kingdom is death: "By one man sin entered +into the world, and death by sin:" + + "Death, like a narrow sea, divides + That heavenly land from ours!" + +"A messenger is sent to bring us to God, but it is the King of +Terrors. We enter the land flowing with milk and honey, but it is +through the valley of the shadow of death." Yet fear not, O thou +child of God! there is no need that thou, through the fear of death, +shouldst be all thy lifetime subject to bondage. + +2. No; hear the apostle: the entrance is ministered unto thee! +Death is but His minister; he can not lock his ice-cold hand in +thine till He permit. Our Jesus has the keys of hell and death; and +till He liberates the vassal to bring thee home, not a hair of thy +head can fall to the ground! Fear not, thou worm! He who minds the +sparrows appoints the time for thy removal: fear not; only be thou +always ready, that, whenever the messenger comes to take down the +tabernacle in which thy spirit has long made her abode, thou mayest +be able to exclaim, "Amen! even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly." +Death need have no terrors for thee; he is the vassal of thy Lord, +and, however unwilling to do Him reverence, yet to Him that sits +at God's right hand shall even death pay, if not a joyful, yet a +trembling homage; nay, more: + + "To Him shall earth and hell submit, + And every foe shall fall, + Till death expires beneath His feet, + And God is all in all." + +Christ has already had one triumph over death; His iron pangs could +not detain the Prince who has "life in himself"; and in His strength +thou shalt triumph, for the power of Christ is promised to rest upon +thee! He has had the same entrance; His footsteps marked the way, +and His cry to thee is, "Follow thou me." "My sheep," says He, "hear +my voice, and they do follow me"; they follow Me gladly, even into +this gloomy vale; and what is the consequence? "They shall never +perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." + +3. It is ministered unto you abundantly. Perhaps the apostle means +that the death of some is distinguished by indulgences and honors +not vouchsafed to all. In the experience of some, the passage +appears difficult; in others it is comparatively easy; they gently +fall asleep in Jesus. But we not only see diversities in the mortal +agony--this would be a small thing.... Some get in with sails full +spread and carrying a rich cargo indeed, while others arrive barely +on a single plank. Some, who have long had their conversation in +heaven, are anxious to be wafted into the celestial haven; while +others, who never sought God till alarmed at the speedy approach of +death, have little confidence, + + "And linger shivering on the brink, + And fear to launch away." + +This doctrine must have been peculiarly encouraging to the early +converts to whom St. Peter wrote. From the tenor of both of his +epistles it is clear that they were in a state of severe suffering, +and in great danger of apostatizing through fear of persecution. He +reminds them that if they hold fast their professions, an abundant +entrance will be administered unto them. The death of the martyr +is far more glorious than that of the Christian who concealed his +profession through fear of man. Witness the case of Stephen: he +was not ashamed of being a witness for Jesus in the face of the +violent death which awaited him, and which crushed the tabernacle +of his devoted spirit; his Lord reserved the highest display of His +love and of His glory for that awful hour! "Behold!" says he to his +enemies, while gnashing on him with their teeth, "Behold! I see +heaven opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of +God"; then, in the full triumph of faith, he cries out, "Lord Jesus! +receive my spirit!" + +But did these things apply merely to the believers to whom St. +Peter originally wrote? No; you are the men to whom they equally +apply; according to your walk and profession of that gospel will be +the entrance which will be ministered unto you. Some of you have +heard, in another of our houses, during the past week, the dangerous +tendency of the spirit of fear, the fear of man. I would you had +all heard that discourse: alas! many who have a name and a place +among us are becoming mere Sabbath-day worshipers in the courts of +the Lord, and lightly esteem the daily means of grace. I believe +this is one cause at least why many are weak and sickly among us in +divine things. The inner man does not make due increase; the world +is stealing a march unawares upon us. May God revive among us the +spirit of our fathers! + +These things, then, I say, equally apply to you. Behold the strait, +the royal, the king's highway! Are you afraid of the reproach of +Christ? + + "Ashamed of Jesus, that dear Friend, + On whom our hopes of heaven depend?" + +How soon would the world be overcome if all who profess that faith +were faithful to it! Wo to the rebellious children who compromise +truth with the world, and in effect deny their Lord and Master! Who +hath required this at their hands? Do they not follow with the crowd +who cry, "Lord, Lord! and yet do not the things which He says"? +Will they have the adoption and the glory? Will they aim at the +honor implied in these words, "Ye are my witnesses?" Will ye indeed +be sons? Then see the path wherein His footsteps shine! The way is +open! see that ye walk therein! The false apostles, the deceitful +workers shall have their reward; the same that those of old had, +the praise and esteem of men; while the faith of those who truly +call Him Father and Lord, and who walk in the light as He is in the +light, who submit, like Him and His true followers, to be counted as +"the filth of the world, and the offscouring of all things", shall +be found unto praise, and honor, and glory! + +The true Christian does not seek to hide himself in a corner; he +lets his light shine before men, whether they will receive it or +not; and thereby is his Father glorified. Having thus served, by +the will of God, the hour of his departure at length arrives. The +angels beckon him away; Jesus bids him come; and as he departs this +life he looks back with a heavenly smile on surviving friends, and +is enabled to say, "Whither I go, ye know, and the way ye know." An +entrance is ministered unto him abundantly into the everlasting +kingdom of his Lord and Savior. + +III. Having considered the state to which we look, and the mode of +our admission, let us consider the condition of it. This is implied +in the word "so." "For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you." +In the preceding part of this chapter, the apostle has pointed out +the meaning of this expression, and in the text merely sums it all +up in that short mode of expression. + +The first condition he shows to be, the obtaining like precious +faith with him, through the righteousness of God and our Savior +Jesus Christ. Not a faith which merely assents to the truths of the +gospel record, but a faith which applies the merits of the death +of Christ to expiate my individual guilt; which lays hold on Him +as my sacrifice, and produces, in its exercises, peace with God, a +knowledge of the divine favor, a sense of sin forgiven, and a full +certainty, arising from a divine impression on the heart, made by +the Spirit of God, that I am accepted in the Beloved and made a +child of God. + +If those who profess the Gospel of Christ were but half as zealous +in seeking after this enjoyment as they are in discovering +creaturely objections to its attainment, it would be enjoyed by +thousands who at present know nothing of its happy reality. Such +persons, unfortunately for themselves, employ much more assiduity +in searching a vocabulary to find out epithets of reproach to attach +to those who maintain the doctrine than in searching that volume +which declares that "if you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit +of his Son into your hearts, crying Abba, Father"; and that "he that +believeth hath the witness in himself." In whatever light a scorner +may view this doctrine now, the time will come when, being found +without the wedding garment, he will be cast into outer darkness. + +O sinner! cry to God this day to convince thee of thy need of this +salvation, and then thou wilt be in a condition to receive it: + + "Shalt know, shalt feel thy sins forgiven, + Bless'd with this antepast of heaven." + +But, besides this, the apostle requires that we then henceforth +preserve consciences void of offense toward God and toward man. +This faith which obtains the forgiveness of sin unites to Christ, +and by this union we are made, as St. Peter declares, "partakers +of the divine nature": and as He who has called you is holy, so +you are to be holy in all manner of conversation. For yours is a +faith which not only casts out sin, but purifies the heart--the +conscience having been once purged by the sprinkling of the blood +of Christ, you are not to suffer guilt to be again contracted; for +the salvation of Christ is not only from the penalty, but from the +very stain of sin; not only from its guilt, but from its pollution; +not only from its condemnation, but from its very "in-being"; "The +blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin"; and "For this purpose +was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of +the devil." You are therefore required by St. Peter, "to escape the +corruption that is in the world through lust," and thus to perfect +holiness in the fear of the Lord! + +Finally, live in progressive and practical godliness. Not only +possess, but practise, the virtues of religion; not only practise, +but increase therein, abounding in the work of the Lord! Lead up, +hand in hand, in the same delightful chorus, all the graces which +adorn the Christian character. Having the divine nature, possessing +a new and living principle, let diligent exercise reduce it to +practical holiness; and you will be easily discerned from those +formal hypocrites, whose faith and religion are but a barren and +unfruitful speculation. + +To conclude: live to God--live for God--live in God; and let your +moderation be known unto all men--the Lord is at hand: "Therefore +giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, +knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, +patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly +kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity." + + + + +NEWMAN + +GOD'S WILL THE END OF LIFE + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +JOHN HENRY NEWMAN was born in London in 1801. He won high honors at +Oxford, and in 1828 was appointed vicar of the University Church, +St. Mary's, and with Keble and Pusey headed the Oxford Movement. +In the pulpit of St. Mary's he soon showed himself to be a power. +His sermons, exquisite, tho simple in style, chiefly deal with +various phases of personal religion which he illustrated with a +keen spiritual insight, a sympathetic glow, an exalted earnestness +and a breadth of range, unparalleled in English pulpit utterances +before his time. His extreme views on questions of catholicity, +sacerdotalism and the sacraments, as well as his craving for an +infallible authority in matters of faith, shook his confidence in +the Church of England and he went over to Rome in 1845. He was made +Cardinal in 1879 and died in 1890. + + + + +NEWMAN + +1801-1890 + +GOD'S WILL THE END OF LIFE + +_I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him +that sent me._--John vi., 38. + + +I am going to ask you a question, my dear brethren, so trite, and +therefore so uninteresting at first sight, that you may wonder why +I put it, and may object that it will be difficult to fix the mind +on it, and may anticipate that nothing profitable can be made of it. +It is this: "Why were you sent into the world?" Yet, after all, it +is perhaps a thought more obvious than it is common, more easy than +it is familiar; I mean it ought to come into your minds, but it does +not, and you never had more than a distant acquaintance with it, +tho that sort of acquaintance with it you have had for many years. +Nay, once or twice, perhaps you have been thrown across the thought +somewhat intimately, for a short season, but this was an accident +which did not last. There are those who recollect the first time, +as it would seem, when it came home to them. They were but little +children, and they were by themselves, and they spontaneously asked +themselves, or rather God spake in them, "Why am I here? how came +I here? who brought me here? What am I to do here?" Perhaps it was +the first act of reason, the beginning of their real responsibility, +the commencement of their trial; perhaps from that day they may date +their capacity, their awful power, of choosing between good and +evil, and of committing mortal sin. And so, as life goes on, the +thought comes vividly, from time to time, for a short season across +their conscience; whether in illness, or in some anxiety, or at some +season of solitude, or on hearing some preacher, or reading some +religious work. A vivid feeling comes over them of the vanity and +unprofitableness of the world, and then the question recurs, "Why +then am I sent into it?" + +And a great contrast indeed does this vain, unprofitable, yet +overbearing world present with such a question as that. It seems +out of place to ask such a question in so magnificent, so imposing +a presence, as that of the great Babylon. The world professes to +supply all that we need, as if we were sent into it for the sake +of being sent here, and for nothing beyond the sending. It is a +great favor to have an introduction to this august world. This is +to be our exposition, forsooth, of the mystery of life. Every man +is doing his own will here, seeking his own pleasure, pursuing his +own ends; that is why he was brought into existence. Go abroad +into the streets of the populous city, contemplate the continuous +outpouring there of human energy, and the countless varieties +of human character, and be satisfied! The ways are thronged, +carriage-way and pavement; multitudes are hurrying to and fro, each +on his own errand, or are loitering about from listlessness, or from +want of work, or have come forth into the public concourse, to see +and to be seen, for amusement or for display, or on the excuse of +business. The carriages of the wealthy mingle with the slow wains +laden with provisions or merchandise, the productions of art or the +demands of luxury. The streets are lined with shops, open and gay, +inviting customers, and widen now and then into some spacious square +or place, with lofty masses of brickwork or of stone, gleaming in +the fitful sunbeam, and surrounded or fronted with what simulates +a garden's foliage. Follow them in another direction, and you +find the whole groundstead covered with large buildings, planted +thickly up and down, the homes of the mechanical arts. The air is +filled, below, with a ceaseless, importunate, monotonous din, which +penetrates even to your innermost chamber, and rings in your ears +even when you are not conscious of it; and overhead, with a canopy +of smoke, shrouding God's day from the realms of obstinate, sullen +toil. This is the end of man! + +Or stay at home, and take up one of those daily prints, which +are so true a picture of the world; look down the columns of +advertisements, and you will see the catalog of pursuits, projects, +aims, anxieties, amusements, indulgences which occupy the mind of +man. He plays many parts: here he has goods to sell, there he wants +employment; there again he seeks to borrow money, here he offers you +houses, great seats or small tenements; he has food for the million, +and luxuries for the wealthy, and sovereign medicines for the +credulous, and books, new and cheap, for the inquisitive. Pass on +to the news of the day, and you will learn what great men are doing +at home and abroad: you will read of wars and rumors of wars; of +debates in the legislature; of rising men, and old statesmen going +off the scene; of political contests in this city or that country; +of the collision of rival interests. You will read of the money +market, and the provision market, and the market for metals; of the +state of trade, the call for manufactures, news of ships arrived +in port, of accidents at sea, of exports and imports, of gains and +losses, of frauds and their detection. Go forward, and you arrive at +discoveries in art and science, discoveries (so-called) in religion, +the court and royalty, the entertainments of the great, places of +amusement, strange trials, offenses, accidents, escapes, exploits, +experiments, contests, ventures. Oh, this curious restless, +clamorous, panting being, which we call life!--and is there to be +no end to all this? Is there no object in it? It never has an end, +it is forsooth its own object! + +And now, once more, my brethren, put aside what you see and what +you read of the world, and try to penetrate into the hearts, and to +reach the ideas and the feelings of those who constitute it; look +into them as closely as you can; enter into their houses and private +rooms; strike at random through the streets and lanes: take as they +come, palace and hovel, office or factory, and what will you find? +Listen to their words, witness, alas! their works; you will find in +the main the same lawless thoughts, the same unrestrained desires, +the same ungoverned passions, the same earthly opinions, the same +wilful deeds, in high and low, learned and unlearned; you will find +them all to be living for the sake of living; they one and all seem +to tell you, "We are our own center, our own end." Why are they +toiling? why are they scheming? for what are they living? "We live +to please ourselves; life is worthless except we have our own way; +we are not sent here at all, but we find ourselves here, and we are +but slaves unless we can think what we will, believe what we will, +love what we will, hate what we will, do what we will. We detest +interference on the part of God or man. We do not bargain to be rich +or to be great; but we do bargain, whether rich or poor, high or +low, to live for ourselves, to live for the lust of the moment, or, +according to the doctrine of the hour, thinking of the future and +the unseen just as much or as little as we please." + +Oh, my brethren, is it not a shocking thought, but who can deny its +truth? The multitude of men are living without any aim beyond this +visible scene; they may from time to time use religious words, or +they may profess a communion or a worship, as a matter of course, +or of expedience, or of duty, but, if there was sincerity in such +profession, the course of the world could not run as it does. What +a contrast is all this to the end of life, as it is set before us +in our most holy faith! If there was one among the sons of men, who +might allowably have taken his pleasure, and have done his own will +here below, surely it was He who came down on earth from the bosom +of the Father, and who was so pure and spotless in that human nature +which He put on Him, that He could have no human purpose or aim +inconsistent with the will of His Father. Yet He, the Son of God, +the Eternal Word, came, not to do His own will, but His who sent +Him, as you know very well is told us again and again in Scripture. +Thus the Prophet in the Psalter, speaking in His person, says, "Lo, +I come to do thy will, O God." And He says in the Prophet Isaiah, +"The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I do not resist; I have +not gone back." And in the gospel, when He hath come on earth, +"My food is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his +work." Hence, too, in His agony, He cried out, "Not my will, but +thine, be done;" and St. Paul, in like manner, says, that "Christ +pleased not himself;" and elsewhere, that, "tho he was God's Son, +yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered." Surely +so it was; as being indeed the eternal coequal Son, His will was +one and the same with the Father's will, and He had no submission +of will to make; but He chose to take on Him man's nature and the +will of that nature; he chose to take on Him affections, feelings, +and inclinations proper to man, a will innocent indeed and good, +but still a man's will, distinct from God's will; a will, which, +had it acted simply according to what was pleasing to its nature, +would, when pain and toil were to be endured, have held back from an +active cooperation with the will of God. But, tho He took on Himself +the nature of man, He took not on Him that selfishness, with which +fallen man wraps himself round, but in all things He devoted Himself +as a ready sacrifice to His Father. He came on earth, not to take +His pleasure, not to follow His taste, not for the mere exercise +of human affection, but simply to glorify His Father and to do His +will. He came charged with a mission, deputed for a work; He looked +not to the right nor to the left, He thought not of Himself, He +offered Himself up to God. + +Hence it is that He was carried in the womb of a poor woman, +who, before His birth, had two journeys to make, of love and of +obedience, to the mountains and to Bethlehem. He was born in a +stable, and laid in a manger. He was hurried off to Egypt to sojourn +there; then He lived till He was thirty years of age in a poor way, +by a rough trade, in a small house, in a despised town. Then, when +He went out to preach, He had not where to lay His head; He wandered +up and down the country, as a stranger upon earth. He was driven out +into the wilderness, and dwelt among the wild beasts. He endured +heat and cold, hunger and weariness, reproach and calumny. His +food was coarse bread, and fish from the lake, or depended on the +hospitality of strangers. And as He had already left His Father's +greatness on high, and had chosen an earthly home; so again, at +that Father's bidding, He gave up the sole solace given Him in this +world, and denied Himself His mother's presence. He parted with her +who bore Him; He endured to be strange to her; He endured to call +her coldly "woman," who was His own undefiled one, all beautiful, +all gracious, the best creature of His hands, and the sweet nurse of +His infancy. He put her aside, as Levi, His type, merited the sacred +ministry, by saying to His parents and kinsmen, "I know you not." +He exemplified in His own person the severe maxim, which He gave to +His disciples, "He that loveth more than me is not worthy of me." +In all these many ways He sacrificed every wish of His own; that we +might understand, that, if He, the Creator, came into His world, not +for His own pleasure, but to do His Father's will, we too have most +surely some work to do, and have seriously to bethink ourselves what +that work is. + +Yes, so it is; realize it, my brethren;--every one who breathes, +high and low, educated and ignorant, young and old, man and woman, +has a mission, has a work. We are not sent into this world for +nothing; we are not born at random; we are not here, that we may go +to bed at night, and get up in the morning, toil for our bread, eat +and drink, laugh and joke, sin when we have a mind, and reform when +we are tired of sinning, rear a family and die. God sees every one +of us; He creates every soul, He lodges it in the body, one by one, +for a purpose. He needs, He deigns to need, every one of us. He has +an end for each of us; we are all equal in His sight, and we are +placed in our different ranks and stations, not to get what we can +out of them for ourselves, but to labor in them for Him. As Christ +had His work, we too have ours; as He rejoiced to do His work, we +must rejoice in ours also. + +St. Paul on one occasion speaks of the world as a scene in a +theater. Consider what is meant by this. You know, actors on a stage +are on an equality with each other really, but for the occasion they +assume a difference of character; some are high, some are low, some +are merry, and some sad. Well, would it not be simple absurdity +in any actor to pride himself on his mock diadem, or his edgeless +sword, instead of attending to his part? What, if he did but gaze at +himself and his dress? what, if he secreted, or turned to his own +use, what was valuable in it? Is it not his business, and nothing +else, to act his part well? Common sense tells us so. Now we are +all but actors in this world; we are one and all equal, we shall be +judged as equals as soon as life is over; yet, equal and similar in +ourselves, each has his special part at present, each has his work, +each has his mission,--not to indulge his passions, not to make +money, not to get a name in the world, not to save himself trouble, +not to follow his bent, not to be selfish and self-willed, but to do +what God puts on him to do. + +Look at the poor profligate in the gospel, look at Dives; do you +think he understood that his wealth was to be spent, not on himself, +but for the glory of God?--yet forgetting this, he was lost for +ever and ever. I will tell you what he thought, and how he viewed +things: he was a young man, and had succeeded to a good estate, +and he determined to enjoy himself. It did not strike him that his +wealth had any other use than that of enabling him to take his +pleasure. Lazarus lay at his gate; he might have relieved Lazarus; +that was God's will; but he managed to put conscience aside, and +he persuaded himself he should be a fool, if he did not make the +most of this world, while he had the means. So he resolved to have +his fill of pleasure; and feasting was to his mind a principal part +of it. "He fared sumptuously every day"; everything belonging to +him was in the best style, as men speak; his house, his furniture, +his plate of silver and gold, his attendants, his establishments. +Everything was for enjoyment, and for show, too; to attract the +eyes of the world, and to gain the applause and admiration of his +equals, who were the companions of his sins. These companions were +doubtless such as became a person of such pretensions; they were +fashionable men; a collection of refined, high-bred, haughty men, +eating, not gluttonously, but what was rare and costly; delicate, +exact, fastidious in their taste, from their very habits of +indulgence; not eating for the mere sake of eating, or drinking for +the mere sake of drinking, but making a sort of science of their +sensuality; sensual, carnal, as flesh and blood can be, with eyes, +ears, tongue steeped in impurity, every thought, look, and sense, +witnessing or ministering to the evil one who ruled them; yet, with +exquisite correctness of idea and judgment, laying down rules for +sinning;--heartless and selfish, high, punctilious, and disdainful +in their outward deportment, and shrinking from Lazarus, who lay at +the gate, as an eye-sore, who ought for the sake of decency to be +put out of the way. Dives was one of such, and so he lived his short +span, thinking of nothing but himself, till one day he got into a +fatal quarrel with one of his godless associates, or he caught some +bad illness; and then he lay helpless on his bed of pain, cursing +fortune and his physician that he was no better, and impatient that +he was thus kept from enjoying his youth, trying to fancy himself +mending when he was getting worse, and disgusted at those who would +not throw him some word of comfort in his suspense, and turning more +resolutely from his Creator in proportion to his suffering;--and +then at last his day came, and he died, and (oh! miserable!) "was +buried in hell." And so ended he and his mission. + +This was the fate of your pattern and idol, oh, ye, if any of you +be present, young men, who, tho not possest of wealth and rank, yet +affect the fashions of those who have them. You, my brethren, have +not been born splendidly, or nobly; you have not been brought up +in the seats of liberal education; you have no high connections; +you have not learned the manners nor caught the tone of good +society; you have no share of the largeness of mind, the candor, the +romantic sense of honor, the correctness of taste, the consideration +for others, and the gentleness which the world puts forth as its +highest type of excellence; you have not come near the courts of the +mansions of the great; yet you ape the sin of Dives, while you are +strangers to his refinement. You think it the sign of a gentleman +to set yourselves above religion; to criticize the religious and +professors of religion; to look at Catholic and Methodist with +impartial contempt; to gain a smattering of knowledge on a number of +subjects; to dip into a number of frivolous publications, if they +are popular; to have read the latest novel; to have heard the singer +and seen the actor of the day; to be well up with the news; to know +the names and, if so be, the persons of public men, to be able to +bow to them; to walk up and down the street with your heads on high, +and to stare at whatever meets you; and to say and do worse things, +of which these outward extravagances are but the symbol. And this +is what you conceive you have come upon the earth for! The Creator +made you, it seems, oh, my children, for this work and office, to +be a bad imitation of polished ungodliness, to be a piece of tawdry +and faded finery, or a scent which has lost its freshness, and does +not but offend the sense! O! that you could see how absurd and base +are such pretenses in the eyes of any but yourselves! No calling of +life but is honorable; no one is ridiculous who acts suitably to +his calling and estate; no one, who has good sense and humility, +but may, in any state of life, be truly well-bred and refined; +but ostentation, affectation, and ambitious efforts are, in every +station of life, high or low, nothing but vulgarities. Put them +aside, despise them yourselves. Oh, my very dear sons, whom I love, +and whom I would fain serve;--oh, that you could feel that you have +souls! oh, that you would have mercy on your souls! oh, that, before +it is too late, you would betake yourselves to Him who is the source +of all that is truly high and magnificent and beautiful, all that is +bright and pleasant and secure what you ignorantly seek, in Him whom +you so wilfully, so awfully despise! + +He, alone, the Son of God, "the brightness of the Eternal Light, and +the spotless mirror of His Majesty," is the source of all good and +all happiness to rich and poor, high and low. If you were ever so +high, you would need Him; if you were ever so low, you could offend +Him. The poor can offend Him; the poor man can neglect his divinely +appointed mission as well as the rich. Do not suppose, my brethren, +that what I have said against the upper or the middle class will +not, if you happen to be poor, also lie against you. Though a man +were as poor as Lazarus, he could be as guilty as Dives. If you +were resolved to degrade yourselves to the brutes of the field, +who have no reason and no conscience, you need not wealth or rank +to enable you to do so. Brutes have no wealth; they have no pride +of life; they have no purple and fine linen, no splendid table, no +retinue of servants, and yet they are brutes. They are brutes by the +law of their nature; they are the poorest among the poor; there is +not a vagrant and outcast who is so poor as they; they differ from +him, not in their possessions, but in their want of a soul, in that +he has a mission and they have not, he can sin and they can not. Oh, +my brethren, it stands to reason, a man may intoxicate himself with +a cheap draft, as well as with a costly one; he may steal another's +money for his appetites, though he does not waste his own upon them; +he may break through the natural and social laws which encircle him, +and profane the sanctity of family duties, tho he be not a child of +nobles, but a peasant or artisan,--nay, and perhaps he does so more +frequently than they. This is not the poor's blessedness, that he +has less temptations to self-indulgence, for he has as many, but +that from his circumstances he receives the penances and corrections +of self-indulgence. Poverty is the mother of many pains and sorrows +in their season, and these are God's messengers to lead the soul +to repentance; but, alas! if the poor man indulges his passions, +thinks little of religion, puts off repentance, refuses to make an +effort, and dies without conversion, it matters nothing that he +was poor in this world, it matters nothing that he was less daring +than the rich, it matters not that he promised himself God's favor, +that he sent for the priest when death came, and received the last +sacraments; Lazarus too, in that case, shall be buried with Dives in +hell, and shall have had his consolation neither in this world nor +in the world to come. + +My brethren, the simple question is, whatever a man's rank in life +may be, does he in that rank perform the work which God has given +him to do? Now then, let me turn to others, of a very different +description, and let me hear what they will say, when the question +is asked them. Why, they will parry it thus: "You give us no +alternative," they will say to me, "except that of being sinners or +saints. You put before us our Lord's pattern, and you spread before +us the guilt and ruin of the deliberate transgressor; whereas we +have no intention of going so far one way or the other; we do not +aim at being saints, but we have no desire at all to be sinners. We +neither intend to disobey God's will, nor to give up our own. Surely +there is a middle way, and a safe one, in which God's will and our +will may both be satisfied. We mean to enjoy both this world and the +next. We will guard against mortal sin; we are not obliged to guard +against venial; indeed it would be endless to attempt it. None but +saints do so; it is the work of a life; we need have nothing else +to do. We are not monks, we are in the world, we are in business, +we are parents, we have families; we must live for the day. It is a +consolation to keep from mortal sin; that we do, and it is enough +for salvation. It is a great thing to keep in God's favor; what +indeed can we desire more? We come at due time to the sacraments; +this is our comfort and our stay; did we die, we should die in +grace, and escape the doom of the wicked. But if we once attempted +to go further, where should we stop? how will you draw the line +for us? The line between mortal and venial sin is very distinct; +we understand that; but do you not see that, if we attended to our +venial sins, there would be just as much reason to attend to one as +to another? If we began to repress our anger, why not also repress +vainglory? Why not also guard against niggardliness? Why not also +keep from falsehood, from gossiping, from idling, from excess in +eating? And, after all, without venial sin we never can be, unless +indeed we have the prerogative of the Mother of God, which it would +be almost heresy to ascribe to any one but her. You are not asking +us to be converted; that we understand; we are converted, we were +converted a long time ago. You bid us aim at an indefinite vague +something, which is less than perfection, yet more than obedience, +and which, without resulting in any tangible advantage, debars us +from the pleasures and embarrasses us in the duties of this world." + +This is what you will say; but your premises, my brethren, are +better than your reasoning, and your conclusions will not stand. +You have a right view why God has sent you into the world; viz., in +order that you may get to heaven; it is quite true also that you +would fare well indeed if you found yourselves there, you could +desire nothing better; nor, it is true, can you live any time +without venial sin. It is true also that you are not obliged to aim +at being saints; it is no sin not to aim at perfection. So much +is true and to the purpose; but it does not follow from it that +you, with such views and feelings as you have exprest, are using +sufficient exertions even for attaining purgatory. Has your religion +any difficulty in it, or is it in all respects easy to you? Are you +simply taking your own pleasure in your mode of living, or do you +find your pleasure in submitting yourself to God's pleasure? In a +word, is your religion a work? For if it be not, it is not religion +at all. Here at once, before going into your argument, is a proof +that it is an unsound one, because it brings you to the conclusion +that, whereas Christ came to do a work, and all saints, nay, nay, +and sinners to do a work too, you, on the contrary, have no work to +do, because, forsooth, you are neither sinners nor saints; or, if +you once had a work, at least that you have despatched it already, +and you have nothing upon your hands. You have attained your +salvation, it seems, before your time, and have nothing to occupy +you, and are detained on earth too long. The work days are over, +and your perpetual holiday is begun. Did then God send you, above +all other men, into the world to be idle in spiritual matters? Is +it your mission only to find pleasure in this world, in which you +are but as pilgrims and sojourners? Are you more than sons of Adam, +who, by the sweat of their brow, are to eat bread till they return +to the earth out of which they are taken? Unless you have some +work in hand, unless you are struggling, unless you are fighting +with yourselves, you are no followers of those who "through many +tribulations entered into the kingdom of God." A fight is the very +token of a Christian. He is a soldier of Christ; high or low, he is +this and nothing else. If you have triumphed over all mortal sin, +as you seem to think, then you must attack your venial sins; there +is no help for it; there is nothing else to do, if you would be +soldiers of Jesus Christ. But, oh, simple souls! to think you have +gained any triumph at all! No; you cannot safely be at peace with +any, even the least malignant, of the foes of God; if you are at +peace with venial sins, be certain that in their company and under +their shadow mortal sins are lurking. Mortal sins are the children +of venial, which, tho they be not deadly themselves, yet are +prolific of death. You may think that you have killed the giants who +had possession of your hearts, and that you have nothing to fear, +but may sit at rest under your vine and under your fig-tree; but the +giants will live again, they will rise from the dust, and, before +you know where you are, you will be taken captive and slaughtered by +the fierce, powerful, and eternal enemies of God. + +The end of a thing is the test. It was our Lord's rejoicing in His +last solemn hour, that He had done the work for which He was sent. +"I have glorified thee on earth." He says in His prayer, "I have +finished the work which thou gavest me to do; I have manifested +thy name to the men whom thou hast given me out of the world." It +was St. Paul's consolation also, "I have fought the good fight, I +have finished the course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there +is laid up for me a crown of justice, which the Lord shall render +to me in that day, the just judge." Alas! alas! how different will +be our view of things when we come to die, or when we have passed +into eternity, from the dreams and pretenses with which we beguile +ourselves now! What will Babel do for us then? Will it rescue our +souls from the purgatory or the hell to which it sends them? If we +were created, it was that we might serve God; if we have His gifts, +it is that we may glorify Him; if we have a conscience, it is that +we may obey it; if we have the prospect of heaven, it is that we +may keep it before us; if we have light, that we may follow it, if +we have grace, that we may save ourselves by means of it. Alas! +alas! for those who die without fulfilling their mission; who were +called to be holy, and lived in sin; who were called to worship +Christ, and who plunged into this giddy and unbelieving world; who +were called to fight, and who remained idle; who were called to be +Catholics, and who did but remain in the religion of their birth! +Alas for those who have had gifts and talent, and have not used, or +have misused, or abused them; who have had wealth, and have spent +it on themselves; who have had abilities, and have advocated what +was sinful, or ridiculed what was true, or scattered doubts against +what was sacred; who have had leisure, and have wasted it on wicked +companions, or evil books, or foolish amusements! Alas! for those of +whom the best can be said is, that they are harmless and naturally +blameless, while they never have attempted to cleanse their hearts +or to live in God's sight! + +The world goes on from age to age, but the Holy Angels and Blessed +Saints are always crying Alas, alas! and Wo, wo! over the loss of +vocations, and the disappointment of hopes, and the scorn of God's +love, and the ruin of souls. One generation succeeds another, and +whenever they look down upon earth from their golden thrones, they +see scarcely anything but a multitude of guardian spirits, downcast +and sad, each following his own charge, in anxiety, or in terror, +or in despair, vainly endeavoring to shield him from the enemy, +and failing because he will not be shielded. Times come and go, +and man will not believe, that that is to be which is not yet, or +that what now is only continues for a season, and is not eternity. +The end is the trial; the world passes; it is but a pageant and a +scene; the lofty palace crumbles, the busy city is mute, the ships +of Tarshish have sped away. On heart and flesh death is coming; the +veil is breaking. Departing soul, how hast thou used thy talents, +thy opportunities, the light poured around thee, the warnings given +thee, the grace inspired into thee? Oh, my Lord and Savior, support +me in that hour in the strong arms of Thy sacraments, and by the +fresh fragrance of Thy consolations. Let the absolving words be said +over me, and the holy oil sign and seal me, and Thy own body be my +food, and Thy blood my sprinkling; and let my sweet mother Mary +breathe on me, and my angel whisper peace to me, and my glorious +saints, and my own dear father, Philip, smile on me; that in them +all, and through them all, I may receive the gift of perseverance, +and die, as I desire to live, in Thy faith, in Thy Church, in Thy +service, and in Thy love. + + + + +BUSHNELL + +UNCONSCIOUS INFLUENCE + + + + +BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE + + +HORACE BUSHNELL was born at Litchfield, Connecticut, in 1802. +Graduated at Yale 1827. In 1833 he became pastor of the North +Congregational Church, Hartford, Conn., resigned in 1859 and died +in 1876. He wrote many theological works. Among them "Christian +Nurture" (1847), a book now looked upon as of classical authority. +Considerable discussion among Calvinists was aroused by his "Nature +and the Supernatural," and his "The Vicarious Sacrifice" (1865) as +being out of accord with the accepted creeds of the Congregational +churches. He lacked the sympathy and dramatic instinct necessary +to great oratorical achievement, but his sermons prove by their +profound suggestiveness that he was a man of keen spiritual insight, +and preached with force and impressiveness. His influence upon the +ministers of America in modifying theology and remolding the general +type of preaching is fairly comparable with that of Robertson. + + + + +BUSHNELL + +1802-1876 + +UNCONSCIOUS INFLUENCE[4] + + [4] From "Sermons for the New Life," published by Charles Scribner's + Sons. + +_Then went in also that other disciple._--John xx., 8. + + +In this slight touch or turn of history, is opened to us, if we scan +closely, one of the most serious and fruitful chapters of Christian +doctrine. Thus it is that men are ever touching unconsciously the +springs of motion in each other; thus it is that one man, without +thought or intention, or even a consciousness of the fact, is ever +leading some other after him. Little does Peter think, as he comes +up where his doubting brother is looking into the sepulcher, and +goes straight in, after his peculiar manner, that he is drawing in +his brother apostle after him. As little does John think, when he +loses his misgivings, and goes into the sepulcher after Peter, that +he is following his brother. And just so, unaware to himself, is +every man, the whole race through, laying hold of his fellow-man, to +lead him where otherwise he would not go. We overrun the boundaries +of our personality--we flow together. A Peter leads a John, a John +goes after Peter, both of them unconscious of any influence exerted +or received. And thus our life and conduct are ever propagating +themselves, by a law of social contagion, throughout the circles and +times in which we live. + +There are, then, you will perceive, two sorts of influence belonging +to man; that which is active or voluntary, and that which is +unconscious--that which we exert purposely or in the endeavor +to sway another, as by teaching, by argument, by persuasion, by +threatenings, by offers and promises, and that which flows out from +us, unaware to ourselves, the same which Peter had over John when +he led him into the sepulcher. The importance of our efforts to do +good, that is of our voluntary influence, and the sacred obligation +we are under to exert ourselves in this way, are often and seriously +insisted on. It is thus that Christianity has become, in the present +age, a principle of so much greater activity than it has been for +many centuries before; and we fervently hope that it will yet become +far more active than it now is, nor cease to multiply its industry, +till it is seen by all mankind to embody the beneficence and the +living energy of Christ Himself. + +But there needs to be reproduced, at the same time, and partly for +this object, a more thorough appreciation of the relative importance +of that kind of influence or beneficence which is insensibly +exerted. The tremendous weight and efficacy of this, compared with +the other, and the sacred responsibility laid upon us in regard to +this, are felt in no such degree or proportion as they should be; +and the consequent loss we suffer in character, as well as that +which the Church suffers in beauty and strength, is incalculable. +The more stress, too, needs to be laid on this subject of insensible +influence, because it is insensible; because it is out of mind, and, +when we seek to trace it, beyond a full discovery. + +If the doubt occur to any of you, in the announcement of this +subject, whether we are properly responsible for an influence which +we exert insensibly; we are not, I reply, except so far as this +influence flows directly from our character and conduct. And this +it does, even much more uniformly than our active influence. In +the latter we may fail of our end by a want of wisdom or skill, in +which case we are still as meritorious, in God's sight, as if we +succeeded. So, again, we may really succeed, and do great good by +our active endeavors, from motives altogether base and hypocritical, +in which case we are as evil, in God's sight, as if we had failed. +But the influences we exert unconsciously will almost never disagree +with our real character. They are honest influences, following our +character, as the shadow follows the sun. And, therefore, we are +much more certainly responsible for them, and their effects on the +world. They go streaming from us in all directions, tho in channels +that we do not see, poisoning or healing around the roots of +society, and among the hidden wells of character. If good ourselves, +they are good; if bad, they are bad. And, since they reflect so +exactly our character, it is impossible to doubt our responsibility +for their effects on the world. We must answer not only for what +we do with a purpose, but for the influence we exert insensibly. +To give you any just impressions of the breadth and seriousness of +such a reckoning I know to be impossible. No mind can trace it. But +it will be something gained if I am able to awaken only a suspicion +of the vast extent and power of those influences, which are ever +flowing out unbidden upon society, from your life and character. + +In the prosecution of my design, let me ask of you, first of all, to +expel the common prejudice that there can be nothing of consequence +in unconscious influences, because they make no report, and fall on +the world unobserved. Histories and biographies make little account +of the power men exert insensibly over each other. They tell how +men have led armies, established empires, enacted laws, gained +causes, sung, reasoned, and taught--always occupied in setting forth +what they do with a purpose. But what they do without purpose, the +streams of influence that flow out from their persons unbidden on +the world, they can not trace or compute, and seldom even mention. +So also the public laws make men responsible only for what they +do with a positive purpose, and take no account of the mischiefs +or benefits that are communicated by their noxious or healthful +example. The same is true in the discipline of families, churches, +and schools; they make no account of the things we do, except we +will them. What we do insensibly passes for nothing, because no +human government can trace such influences with sufficient certainty +to make their authors responsible. + +But you must not conclude that influences of this kind are +insignificant, because they are unnoticed and noiseless. How is it +in the natural world? Behind the mere show, the outward noise and +stir of the world, nature always conceals her hand of control, and +the laws by which she rules. Who ever saw with the eye, for example, +or heard with the ear, the exertions of that tremendous astronomic +force, which every moment holds the compact of the physical universe +together? The lightning is, in fact, but a mere firefly spark in +comparison; but, because it glares on the clouds, and thunders so +terribly in the ear, and rives the tree or the rock where it falls, +many will be ready to think that it is a vastly more potent agent +than gravity. + +The Bible calls the good man's life a light, and it is the nature +of light to flow out spontaneously in all directions, and fill the +world unconsciously with its beams. So the Christian shines, it +would say, not so much because he will, as because he is a luminous +object. Not that the active influence of Christians is made of no +account in the figure, but only that this symbol of light has its +propriety in the fact that their unconscious influence is the chief +influence, and has the precedence in its power over the world. And +yet, there are many who will be ready to think that light is a very +tame and feeble instrument, because it is noiseless. An earthquake, +for example, is to them a much more vigorous and effective agency. +Hear how it comes thundering through solid foundations of nature. +It rocks a whole continent. The noblest works of man--cities, +monuments, and temples--are in a moment leveled to the ground, or +swallowed down the opening gulfs of fire. Little do they think +that the light of every morning, the soft, and genial, and silent +light, is an agent many times more powerful. But let the light of +the morning cease and return no more, let the hour of morning come, +and bring with it no dawn; the outcries of a horror-stricken world +fill the air, and make, as it were, the darkness audible. The beasts +go wild and frantic at the loss of the sun. The vegetable growths +turn pale and die. A chill creeps on, and frosty winds begin to howl +across the freezing earth. Colder, and yet colder, is the night. +The vital blood, at length, of all creatures, stops congealed. +Down goes the frost toward the earth's center. The heart of the sea +is frozen; nay, the earthquakes are themselves frozen in, under +their fiery caverns. The very globe itself, too, and all the fellow +planets that have lost their sun, are become mere balls of ice, +swinging silent in the darkness. Such is the light, which revisits +us in the silence of the morning. It makes no shock or scar. It +would not wake an infant in his cradle. And yet it perpetually new +creates the world, rescuing it each morning, as a prey, from night +and chaos. So the Christian is a light, even "the light of the +world," and we must not think that, because he shines insensibly or +silently, as a mere luminous object, he is therefore powerless. The +greatest powers are ever those which lie back of the little stirs +and commotion of nature; and I verily believe that the insensible +influences of good men are much more potent than what I have called +their voluntary, or active, as the great silent powers of nature are +of greater consequence than her little disturbances and tumults. The +law of human influences is deeper than many suspect, and they lose +sight of it altogether. The outward endeavors made by good men or +bad to sway others, they call their influence; whereas, it is, in +fact, but a fraction, and, in most cases, but a very small fraction, +of the good or evil that flows out of their lives. Nay, I will even +go further. How many persons do you meet, the insensible influence +of whose manners and character is so decided as often to thwart +their voluntary influence; so that, whatever they attempt to do, +in the way of controlling others, they are sure to carry the exact +opposite of what they intend! And it will generally be found that, +where men undertake by argument or persuasion to exert a power, in +the face of qualities that make them odious or detestable, or only +not entitled to respect, their insensible influence will be too +strong for them. The total effect of the life is then of a kind +directly opposite to the voluntary endeavor, which, of course, does +not add so much as a fraction to it. + +I call your attention, next, to the twofold powers of effect +and expression by which man connects with his fellow man. If we +distinguish man as a creature of language, and thus qualified to +communicate himself to others, there are in him two sets or kinds +of language, one which is voluntary in the use, and one that +is involuntary; that of speech in the literal sense, and that +expression of the eye, the face, the look, the gait, the motion, the +tone of cadence, which is sometimes called the natural language of +the sentiments. This natural language, too, is greatly enlarged by +the conduct of life, that which, in business and society, reveals +the principles and spirit of men. Speech, or voluntary language, is +a door to the soul, that we may open or shut at will; the other is +a door that stands open evermore, and reveals to others constantly, +and often very clearly, the tempers, tastes, and motives of their +hearts. Within, as we may represent, is character, charging the +common reservoir of influence, and through these twofold gates +of the soul pouring itself out on the world. Out of one it flows +at choice, and whensoever we purpose to do good or evil to men. +Out of the other it flows each moment, as light from the sun, and +propagates itself in all beholders. + +Then if we go to others, that is, to the subjects of influence, we +find every man endowed with two inlets of impression; the ear and +the understanding for the reception of speech, and the sympathetic +powers, the sensibilities or affections, for tinder to those sparks +of emotion revealed by looks, tones, manners and general conduct. +And these sympathetic powers, tho not immediately rational, are yet +inlets, open on all sides, to the understanding and character. They +have a certain wonderful capacity to receive impressions, and catch +the meaning of signs, and propagate in us whatsoever falls into +their passive molds from others. The impressions they receive do not +come through verbal propositions, and are never received into verbal +propositions, it may be, in the mind, and therefore many think +nothing of them. But precisely on this account are they the more +powerful, because it is as if one heart were thus going directly +into another, and carrying in its feelings with it. Beholding, as in +a glass, the feelings of our neighbor, we are changed into the same +image, by the assimilating power of sensibility and fellow-feeling. +Many have gone so far, and not without show, at least, of reason, as +to maintain that the look or expression, and even the very features +of children, are often changed by exclusive intercourse with nurses +and attendants. Furthermore, if we carefully consider, we shall +find it scarcely possible to doubt, that simply to look on bad and +malignant faces, or those whose expressions have become infected by +vice, to be with them and become familiarized to them, is enough +permanently to affect the character of persons of mature age. I do +not say that it must of necessity subvert their character, for the +evil looked upon may never be loved or welcomed in practise; but it +is something to have these bad images in the soul, giving out their +expressions there, and diffusing their odor among the thoughts, as +long as we live. How dangerous a thing is it, for example, for a +man to become accustomed to sights of cruelty? What man, valuing +the honor of his soul, would not shrink from yielding himself to +such an influence? No more is it a thing of indifference to become +accustomed to look on the manners, and receive the bad expression of +any kind of sin. + +The door of involuntary communication, I have said, is always open. +Of course we are communicating ourselves in this way to others at +every moment of our intercourse or presence with them. But how +very seldom, in comparison, do we undertake by means of speech to +influence others! Even the best Christian, one who most improves +his opportunities to do good, attempts but seldom to sway another +by voluntary influence, whereas he is all the while shining as a +luminous object unawares, and communicating of his heart to the +world. + +But there is yet another view of this double line of communication +which man has with his fellow-men, which is more general, and +displays the import of the truth yet more convincingly. It is +by one of these modes of communication that we are constituted +members of voluntary society, and by the other, parts of a general +mass, or members of involuntary society. You are all, in a certain +view, individuals, and separate as persons from each other; you +are also, in a certain other view, parts of a common body, as +truly as the parts of a stone. Thus if you ask how it is that you +and all men came without your consent to exist in society, to be +within its power, to be under its laws, the answer is, that while +you are a man, you are also a fractional element of a larger and +more comprehensive being, called society--be it the family, the +church, the state. In a certain department of your nature, it is +open; its sympathies and feelings are open. On this open side +you will adhere together, as parts of a larger nature, in which +there is a common circulation of want, impulse, and law. Being +thus made common to each other voluntarily, you become one mass, +one consolidated social body, animated by one life. And observe +how far this involuntary communication and sympathy between the +members of a state or a family is sovereign over their character. It +always results in what we call the national or family spirit; for +there is a spirit peculiar to every state and family in the world. +Sometimes, too, this national or family spirit takes a religious or +an irreligious character, and appears almost to absorb the religious +self-government of individuals. What was the national spirit of +France, for example, at a certain time, but a spirit of infidelity? +What is the religious spirit of Spain at this moment, but a spirit +of bigotry, quite as wide of Christianity and destructive of +character as the spirit of falsehood? What is the family spirit in +many a house, but the spirit of gain, or pleasure, or appetite, +in which everything that is warm, dignified, genial, and good in +religion, is visibly absent? Sometimes you will almost fancy that +you see the shapes of money in the eyes of children. So it is that +we are led on by nations, as it were, to good or bad immortality. +Far down in the secret foundations of life and society there lie +concealed great laws and channels of influence, which make the race +common to each other in all the main departments or divisions of +the social mass, laws which often escape our notice altogether, but +which are to society as gravity to the general system of God's works. + +But these are general considerations, and more fit, perhaps, to +give you a rational conception of the modes of influence and their +relative power, than to verify that conception, or establish its +truth. I now proceed to add, therefore, some miscellaneous proofs of +a more particular nature. + +And I mention, first of all, the instinct of imitation in children. +We begin our mortal experience, not with acts grounded in judgment +or reason, or with ideas received through language, but by simple +imitation, and, under the guidance of this, we lay our foundations. +The child looks and listens, and whatsoever tone of feeling or +manner of conduct is displayed around him, sinks into his plastic, +passive soul, and becomes a mold of his being ever after. The very +handling of the nursery is significant, and the petulance, the +passion, the gentleness, the tranquillity indicated by it, are all +reproduced in the child. His soul is a purely receptive nature, +and that for a considerable period, without choice or selection. +A little further on he begins voluntarily to copy everything he +sees. Voice, manner, gait, everything which the eye sees, the mimic +instinct delights to act over. And thus we have a whole generation +of future men, receiving from us their beginnings, and the deepest +impulses of their life and immortality. They watch us every moment, +in the family, before the hearth, and at the table; and when we are +meaning them no good or evil, when we are conscious of exerting no +influence over them, they are drawing from us impressions and molds +of habit, which, if wrong, no heavenly discipline can wholly remove; +or, if right, no bad associations utterly dissipate. Now it may be +doubted, I think, whether, in all the active influence of our lives, +we do as much to shape the destiny of our fellow-men as we do in +this single article of unconscious influence over children. + +Still further on, respect for others takes the place of imitation. +We naturally desire the approbation or good opinion of others. You +see the strength of this feeling in the article of fashion. How few +persons have the nerve to resist a fashion! We have fashions, too, +in literature, and in worship, and in moral and religious doctrine, +almost equally powerful. How many will violate the best rules of +society, because it is the practise of the circle! How many reject +Christ because of friends or acquaintance, who have no suspicion of +the influence they exert, and will not have, till the last days +show them what they have done! Every good man has thus a power in +his person, more mighty than his words and arguments, and which +others feel when he little suspects it. Every bad man, too, has a +fund of poison in his character, which is tainting those around him, +when it is not in his thoughts to do them injury. He is read and +understood. His sensual tastes and habits, his unbelieving spirit, +his suppressed leer at religions, have all a power, and take hold of +the heart of others, whether he will have it so or not. + +Again, how well understood is it that the most active feelings and +impulses of mankind are contagious. How quick enthusiasm of any sort +is to kindle, and how rapidly it catches from one to another, till a +nation blazes in the flame! In the case of the Crusades you have an +example where the personal enthusiasm of one man put all the states +of Europe in motion. Fanaticism is almost equally contagious. Fear +and superstition always infect the mind of the circle in which they +are manifested. The spirit of war generally becomes an epidemic of +madness, when once it has got possession of a few minds. The spirit +of party is propagated in a similar manner. How any slight operation +in the market may spread, like a fire, if successful, till trade +runs wild in a general infatuation, is well known. Now, in all these +examples, the effect is produced, not by active endeavor to carry +influence, but mostly by that insensible propagation which follows, +when a flame of any kind is once more kindled. + +It is also true, you may ask, that the religious spirit propagates +itself or tends to propagate itself in the same way? I see no +reason to question that it does. Nor does anything in the doctrine +of spiritual influences, when rightly understood, forbid the +supposition. For spiritual influences are never separated from the +laws of thought in the individual, and the laws of feeling and +influence in society. If, too, every disciple is to be an "epistle +known and read of all men," what shall we expect, but that all men +will be somehow affected by the reading? Or if he is to be a light +in the world, what shall we look for, but that others, seeing his +good works, shall glorify God on his account? How often is it seen, +too, as a fact of observation, that one or a few good men kindle at +length a holy fire in the community in which they live, and become +the leaven of general reformation! Such men give a more vivid proof +in their persons of the reality of religious faith than any words or +arguments could yield. They are active; they endeavor, of course, +to exert a good voluntary influence; but still their chief power +lies in their holiness and the sense they produce in others of their +close relation to God. + +It now remains to exhibit the very important fact, that where the +direct or active influence of men is supposed to be great, even +this is due, in a principal degree, to that insensible influence +by which their arguments, reproofs, and persuasions are secretly +invigorating. It is not mere words which turn men; it is the heart +mounting, uncalled, into the expression of the features; it is the +eye illuminated by reason, the look beaming with goodness; it is +the tone of the voice, that instrument of the soul, which changes +quality with such amazing facility, and gives out in the soft, +the tender, the tremulous, the firm, every shade of emotion and +character. And so much is there in this, that the moral stature and +character of the man that speaks are likely to be well represented +in his manner. If he is a stranger, his way will inspire confidence +and attract good will. His virtues will be seen, as it were, +gathering round him to minister words and forms of thought, and +their voices will be heard in the fall of his cadences. And the +same is true of bad men, or men who have nothing in their character +corresponding to what they attempt to do. If without heart or +interest you attempt to move another, the involuntary man tells what +you are doing in a hundred ways at once. A hypocrite, endeavoring to +exert a good influence, only tries to convey by words what the lying +look, and the faithless affectation, or dry exaggeration of his +manner perpetually resists. We have it for a fashion to attribute +great or even prodigious results to the voluntary efforts and labors +of men. Whatever they effect is commonly referred to nothing but +the immediate power of what they do. Let us take an example, like +that of Paul, and analyze it. Paul was a man of great fervor and +enthusiasm. He combined, withal, more of what is lofty and morally +commanding in his character, than most of the very distinguished men +of the world. Having this for his natural character, and his natural +character exalted and made luminous by Christian faith, and the +manifest indwelling of God, he had of course an almost superhuman +sway over others. Doubtless he was intelligent, strong in argument, +eloquent, active, to the utmost of his powers, but still he moved +the world more by what he was than by what he did. The grandeur and +spiritual splendor of his character were ever adding to his active +efforts an element of silent power, which was the real and chief +cause of their efficacy. He convinced, subdued, inspired, and led, +because of the half-divine authority which appeared in his conduct, +and his glowing spirit. He fought the good fight, because he kept +the faith, and filled his powerful nature with influences drawn from +higher worlds. + +And here I must conduct you to a yet higher example, even that +of the Son of God, the light of the world. Men dislike to be +swayed by direct, voluntary influence. They are jealous of such +control, and are therefore best approached by conduct and feeling, +and the authority of simple worth, which seem to make no purposed +onset. If goodness appears, they welcome its celestial smile; if +heaven descends to encircle them, they yield to its sweetness; if +truth appears in the life, they honor it with a secret homage; if +personal majesty and glory appear, they bow with reverence, and +acknowledge with shame their own vileness. Now it is on this side +of human nature that Christ visits us, preparing just that kind +of influence which the spirit of truth may wield with the most +persuasive and subduing effect. It is the grandeur of His character +which constitutes the chief power of His ministry, not His miracles +or teachings apart from His character. Miracles were useful, at +the time, to arrest attention, and His doctrine is useful at all +times as the highest revelation of truth possible in speech; but +the greatest truth of the gospel, notwithstanding, is Christ +Himself--a human body becomes the organ of the divine nature, and +reveals, under the conditions of an earthly life, the glory of +God! The Scripture writers have much to say, in this connection, +of the image of God; and an image, you know, is that which simply +represents, not that which acts, or reasons, or persuades. Now it +is this image of God which makes the center, the sun itself, of the +gospel. The journeyings, teachings, miracles, and sufferings of +Christ, all had their use in bringing out this image, or what is the +same, in making conspicuous the character and feelings of God, both +toward sinners and toward sin. And here is the power of Christ--it +is that God's beauty, love, truth, and justice shines through Him. +It is the influence which flows unconsciously and spontaneously +out of Christ, as the friend of man, the light of the world, the +glory of the Father, made visible. And some have gone so far as to +conjecture that God made the human person, originally, with a view +to its becoming the organ or vehicle by which He might reveal His +communicable attributes to other worlds. Christ, they believe, came +to inhabit this organ, that He might execute a purpose so sublime. +The human person is constituted, they say, to be a mirror of God; +and God, being imaged in that mirror, as in Christ, is held up to +the view of this and other worlds. It certainly is to the view of +this; and if the Divine nature can use the organ so effectively to +express itself unto us, if it can bring itself, through the looks, +tones, motions, and conduct of a human person, more close to our +sympathies than by any other means, how can we think that an organ +so communicative, inhabited by us, is not always breathing our +spirit and transferring our image insensibly to others? + +I have protracted the argument on this subject beyond what I could +have wished, but I can not dismiss it without suggesting a few +thoughts necessary to its complete practical effect. + +One very obvious and serious inference from it, and the first which +I will name, is, that it is impossible to live in this world and +escape responsibility. It is not that they alone, as you have seen, +who are trying purposely to convert or corrupt others, who exert an +influence; you can not live without exerting influence. The doors +of your soul are open on others, and theirs on you. You inhabit +a house which is well-nigh transparent; and what you are within, +you are ever showing yourself to be without, by signs that have no +ambiguous expression. If you had the seeds of a pestilence in your +body, you would not have a more active contagion than you have in +your tempers, tastes, and principles. Simply to be in this world, +whatever you are, is to exert an influence--an influence, too, +compared with which mere language and persuasion are feeble. You +say that you mean well; at least, you think you mean to injure no +one. Do you injure no one? Is your example harmless? Is it ever on +the side of God and duty? You can not reasonably doubt that others +are continually receiving impressions from your character. As +little you can doubt that you must answer for these impressions. If +the influence you exert is unconsciously exerted, then it is only +the most sincere, the truest expression of your character. And for +what can you be held responsible, if not for this? Do not deceive +yourselves in the thought that you are at least doing no injury, and +are, therefore, living without responsibility; first, make it sure +that you are not every hour infusing moral death insensibly into +your children, wives, husbands, friends, and acquaintances. By a +mere look or glance, not unlikely, you are conveying the influence +that shall turn the scale of some one's immortality. Dismiss, +therefore, the thought that you are living without responsibility; +that is impossible. Better is it frankly to admit the truth; and if +you will risk the influence of a character unsanctified by duty and +religion, prepare to meet your reckoning manfully, and receive the +just recompense of reward. + +The true philosophy or method of doing good is also here explained. +It is, first of all and principally, to be good--to have a character +that will of itself communicate good. There must and will be active +effort where there is goodness of principle; but the latter we +should hold to be the principal thing, the root and life of all. +Whether it is a mistake more sad or more ridiculous, to make mere +stir synonymous with doing good, we need not inquire; enough, to +be sure that one who has taken up such a notion of doing good, is +for that reason a nuisance to the Church. The Christian is called +a light, not lightning. In order to act with effect on others, he +must walk in the Spirit, and thus become the image of goodness; he +must be so akin to God, and so filled with His dispositions, that +he shall seem to surround himself with a hallowed atmosphere. It is +folly to endeavor to make ourselves shine before we are luminous. +If the sun without his beams should talk to the planets, and argue +with them till the final day, it would not make them shine; there +must be light in the sun itself; and then they will shine, of +course. And this, my brethren, is what God intends for you all. +It is the great idea of His gospel, and the work of His spirit, +to make you lights in the world. His greatest joy is to give you +character, to beautify your example, to exalt your principles, and +make you each the depository of His own almighty grace. But in order +to do this, something is necessary on your part--a full surrender +of your mind to duty and to God, and a perpetual desire of this +spiritual intimacy; having this, having a participation thus of the +goodness of God, you will as naturally communicate good as the sun +communicates his beams. + +Our doctrine of unconscious and undesigning influence shows how +it is, also, that the preaching of Christ is often unfruitful, +and especially in times of spiritual coldness. It is not because +truth ceases to be truth, nor, of necessity, because it is preached +in a less vivid manner, but because there are so many influences +preaching against the preacher. He is one, the people are many; +his attempt to convince and persuade is a voluntary influence; +their lives, on the other hand, and especially the lives of those +who profess what is better, are so many unconscious influences +ever streaming forth upon the people, and back and forth between +each other. He preaches the truth, and they, with one consent, are +preaching the truth down; and how can he prevail against so many, +and by a kind of influence so unequal? When the people of God are +glowing with spiritual devotion to Him, and love to men, the case +is different; then they are all preaching with the preacher, and +making an atmosphere of warmth for his words to fall in; great is +the company of them that publish the truth, and proportionally great +its power. Shall I say more? Have you not already felt, my brethren, +the application to which I would bring you? We do not exonerate +ourselves; we do not claim to be nearer to God or holier than you; +but, ah! you know how easy it is to make a winter about us, or +how cold it feels! Our endeavor is to preach the truth of Christ +and His cross as clearly and as forcefully as we can. Sometimes +it has a visible effect, and we are filled with joy; sometimes +it has no effect, and then we struggle on, as we must, but under +great oppression. Have we none among you that preach against us +in your lives? If we show you the light of God's truth, does it +never fall on banks of ice; which if the light shows through, the +crystal masses are yet as cold as before? We do not accuse you; that +we leave to God, and to those who may rise up in the last day to +testify against you. If they shall come out of your own families; +if they are the children that wear your names, the husband or wife +of your affections; if they declare that you, by your example, kept +them away from Christ's truth and mercy, we may have accusations to +meet of our own, and we leave you to acquit yourselves as best you +may. I only warn you, here, of the guilt which our Lord Jesus Christ +will impute to them that hinder His gospel. + + * * * * * + +Transcriber's note: + +Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. + +Page 203: "the filth of the world, and the offscouring of all +things", shall be found unto praise, and honor, and glory!--The +transcriber has supplied the missing closing quoteation mark. + +Page 206: not only from its condemnation, but from its very +"in-being";--The transcriber has supplied the opening quotation mark. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The World's Great Sermons, Volume 04, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WORLD'S GREAT SERMONS, VOL 4 *** + +***** This file should be named 44411.txt or 44411.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/4/4/4/1/44411/ + +Produced by J�lio Reis, Mois�s S. 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