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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 |
