If it be true that God and His Word are the source of all security and
enlightenment, and are so, apart altogether from human agencies, then
to commend these brethren to God was exhortation as well as prayer, and
implied pointing them to the one source of security that they might
cling to that source. I am going to give no advices about little
matters of church order and congregational prosperity. These will all
come right, if the two main exhortations that are involved in this text
are laid to heart; and if they are not laid to heart, then I do not
care one rush about the smaller things, of full pews and prosperous
subscription lists and Christian work. These are secondary, and they
will be consequent if you take these two advices that are couched in my
text:--
(_a_) 'Cleave to the Lord with full purpose of heart,' as the limpet
does to the rock. Cling to Jesus Christ, the revelation of God's grace.
And how do we cling to Him? What is the cement of souls? Love and
trust; and whoever exercises these in reference to Jesus Christ is
built into Him, and belongs to Him, and has a vital unity knitting him
with that Lord. Cleave to Christ, brother, by faith and love, by
communion and prayer, and by practical conformity of life. For remember
that the union which is effected by faith can be broken by sin, and
that there will be no reality in our union to Jesus unless it is
manifested and perpetuated by righteousness of conduct and character.
Two smoothly-ground pieces of glass pressed together will adhere. If
there be a speck of sand, microscopic in dimensions, between the two,
they will fall apart; and if you let tiny grains of sin come between
you and your Master, it is delusion to speak of being knit to Him by
faith and love. Keep near Jesus Christ and you will be safe.
(_b_) Cleave to 'the word of His grace.' Try to understand its
teachings better; study your Bibles with more earnestness; believe more
fully than you have ever done that in that great Gospel there lie every
truth that we need and guidance in all circumstances. Bring the
principles of Christianity into your daily life; walk by the light of
them; and live in the radiance of a present God. And then all these
other matters which I have spoken of, which are important, highly
important but secondary, will come right.
Many of you, dear brethren, have listened to my voice for long years,
and have not done the one thing for which I preach--viz. set your
faith, as sinful men, on the great atoning Sacrifice and Incarnate
Lord. I beseech you let my last word go deeper than its predecessors,
and yield yourselves to God in Christ, bringing all your weakness and
all your sin to Him, and trusting yourselves wholly and utterly to His
sacrifice and life.
'I commend you to God and to the word of His grace,' and beseech you
'that, whether I come to see you or else be absent, I may hear of your
affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving
together for the faith of the Gospel.'