Minor punctuation inconsistencies have been silently corrected.
Title page: "MEMORIES OF OF GENNESARET" changed to "MEMORIES OF GENNESARET"
p9: Verse number "2." added to "Mark, viii." for consistency
p23: "brethern" changed to "brethren"
p106: "vail" changed to "veil"
p124: duplicate word "one" removed
p126: "the its great fountain" changed to "its great fountain"
p128: "frowed" changed to "frowned"
THE
MIND OF JESUS.
BY
JOHN R. MACDUFF, D.D.
AUTHOR OF "MORNING AND NIGHT WATCHES,"
"THE WORDS OF JESUS," "FAMILY PRAYER,"
"FOOTSTEPS OF ST. PAUL," "MEMORIES OF
GENNESARET," "BOW IN THE CLOUD," "STORY
OF BETHLEHEM," ETC.
NEW YORK
ROBERT CARTER & BROTHERS,
No. 530 BROADWAY.
1860.
The Mind of Jesus.
THE MIND OF JESUS! What a study is this! To attain a dim reflection of
it, is the ambition of angels--higher they can not soar. "To be
conformed to the image of His Son!"--it is the end of God in the
predestination of His Church from all eternity. "We shall be like
Him!"--it is the Bible picture of _heaven_!
In a former little volume, we pondered some of the gracious _Words_
which proceeded out of the mouth of Jesus. In the present, we have a few
faint lineaments of that holy _Character_ which constituted the living
exposition and embodiment of His precepts.
But how lofty such a standard! How all creature-perfection shrinks
abashed and confounded before a Divine portraiture like this! He is the
true "Angel standing in the sun," who alone projects no shadow; so
bathed in the glories of Deity that likeness to Him becomes like the
light in which He is shrouded--"no man can approach unto it." May we
not, however, seek at least to approximate, though we can not adequately
resemble? It is impossible on earth to associate with a fellow-being
without getting, in some degree, assimilated to him. So, the more we
study "the Mind of Christ," the more we are in His company--holding
converse with Him as our best and dearest friend--catching up his holy
looks and holy deeds--the more shall we be "transformed into the same
image."
"Consider," says the Great Apostle (literally '_gaze_ on') "Christ
Jesus" (Heb. iii. 1). Study feature by feature, lineament by lineament,
of that Peerless Exemplar. "_Gaze_" on the Sun of Righteousness, till,
like gazing long on the natural sun, you carry away with you, on your
spiritual vision, dazzling images of His brightness and glory. Though He
be the Archetype of all goodness, remember He is no shadowy
model--though the Infinite Jehovah, He was "the _Man_ Christ Jesus."
We must never, indeed, forget that it is not the _mind_, but the _work_
of Immanuel, which lies at the foundation of a sinner's hope. He must be
known as a _Saviour_, before He is studied as an _Example_. His doing
and dying is the center jewel, of which all the virtues of His holy life
are merely the setting. But neither must we overlook the Scripture
obligation to walk in His footsteps and imbibe His Spirit, for "if any
man have not the _Spirit of Christ_, he is _none of His_!"
Oh, that each individual Christian were more Saviour-like! that, in the
manifestation of a holy character and heavenly demeanor, it might be
said in some feeble measure of the faint and imperfect reflection--"Such
was _Jesus_!"
How far short we are of such a criterion, mournful experience can
testify. But it is at least comforting to know that there is a day
coming, when, in the full vision and fruition of the Glorious Original,
the exhortation of our motto-verse will be needed no more; when we shall
be able to say, in the words of an inspired apostle,
"We _have_ the MIND OF CHRIST!"
Contents.
PAGE
The Mind of Jesus 3
Compassion 9
Resignation in Trial 13
Devotedness to God 17
Forgiveness of Injuries 21
Meekness 25
Thankfulness 29
Unselfishness 33
Submission to God's Word 37
Prayerfulness 41
Love to the Brethren 45
Sympathy 49
Fidelity in Rebuke 53
Gentleness in Rebuke 57
Endurance of Contradiction 61
Pleasing God 65
Grief at Sin 69
Humility 73
Patience 77
Subjection 81
Not Retaliating 85
Bearing the Cross 89
Holy Zeal 93
Benevolence 97
Firmness in Temptation 101
Receiving Sinners 105
Guilelessness 109
Activity in Duty 113
Committing our Way to God 117
Love of Unity 121
Not of the World 125
Calmness in Death 129