those who love God! There is hardly any possible emergency or condition
for which it has not some "word in season." And it tells men that God
loves to be put in remembrance of these promises, and that if He has
said He will do a thing, His promise shall certainly be performed.
How blessed are the hopes which the Bible holds out to the believer in
Christ Jesus! Peace in the hour of death,--rest and happiness on the
other side of the grave,--a glorious body in the morning of the
resurrection,--a full and triumphant acquittal in the day of
judgment,--an everlasting reward in the kingdom of Christ,--a joyful
meeting with the Lord's people in the day of gathering together;--these,
these are the future prospects of every true Christian. They are all
written in the book,--in the book which is all true.
How striking is the light which the Bible throws on the character of
man! It teaches =us= what men may be expected to be and do in every
position and station of life. It gives us the deepest insight into the
secret springs and motives of human actions, and the ordinary course of
events under the control of human agents. It is the true "discerner of
the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Heb. iv. 12.) How deep is the
wisdom contained in the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes! I can well
understand an old divine saying, "Give me a candle and a Bible, and shut
me up in a dark dungeon, and I will tell you all that the whole world is
doing."
All these are things which men could find nowhere except in the Bible.
We have probably not the least idea how little we should know about
these things if we had not the Bible. We hardly know the value of the
air we breathe, and the sun which shines on us, because we have never
known what it is to be without them. We do not value the truths on which
I have been just now dwelling, because we do not realize the darkness of
men to whom these truths have not been revealed. Surely no tongue can
fully tell the value of the treasures this one volume contains. Well
might old John Newton say that some books were _copper_ books in his
estimation, some were _silver_, and some few were _gold_;--but the Bible
alone was like a book all made up of _bank notes_.
This is the Book about which I address the reader of this paper this
day. Surely it is no light matter _what you are doing with the Bible_.
It is no light matter in what way you are using this treasure. I charge
you, I summon you to give an honest answer to my question,--What art
thou doing with the Bible?--Dost thou read it?--HOW READEST THOU?
IV. In the fourth place, _no book in existence has produced such
wonderful effects on mankind at large as the Bible_.
(_a_) This is the Book whose doctrines turned the world upside down in
the days of the Apostles.
Eighteen centuries have now passed away since God sent forth a few Jews
from a remote corner of the earth, to do a work which according to man's
judgment must have seemed impossible. He sent them forth at a time when
the whole world was full of superstition, cruelty, lust, and sin. He
sent them forth to proclaim that the established religions of the earth
were false and useless, and must be forsaken. He sent them forth to
persuade men to give up old habits and customs, and to live different
lives. He sent them forth to do battle with the most grovelling
idolatry, with the vilest and most disgusting immorality, with vested
interests, with old associations, with a bigoted priesthood, with
sneering philosophers, with an ignorant population, with bloody-minded
emperors, with the whole influence of Rome. Never was there an
enterprise to all appearance more Quixotic, and less likely to succeed!
And how did He arm them for this battle? He gave them no carnal weapons.
He gave them no worldly power to compel assent, and no worldly riches to
bribe belief. He simply put the Holy Ghost into their hearts, and the
Scriptures into their hands. He simply bade them to expound and explain,
to enforce and to publish the doctrines of the Bible. The preacher of
Christianity in the first century was not a man with a sword and an
army, to frighten people, like Mahomet,--or a man with a license to be
sensual, to allure people, like the priests of the shameful idols of
Hindostan. No! he was nothing more than one holy man with one holy book.
And how did these men of one book prosper? In a few generations they
entirely changed the face of society by the doctrines of the Bible. They
emptied the temples of the heathen gods. They famished idolatry, or left
it high and dry like a stranded ship. They brought into the world a
higher tone of morality between man and man. They raised the character
and position of woman. They altered the standard of purity and decency.
They put an end to many cruel and bloody customs, such as the
gladiatorial fights.--There was no stopping the change. Persecution and
opposition were useless. One victory after another was won. One bad
thing after another melted away. Whether men liked it or not, they were
insensibly affected by the movement of the new religion, and drawn
within the whirlpool of its power. The earth shook, and their rotten
refuges fell to the ground. The flood rose, and they found themselves
obliged to rise with it. The tree of Christianity swelled and grew, and
the chains they had cast round it to arrest its growth, snapped like
tow. And all this was done by the doctrines of the Bible! Talk of
victories indeed! What are the victories of Alexander, and Caesar, and
Marlborough, and Napoleon, and Wellington, compared with those I have
just mentioned? For extent, for completeness, for results, for
permanence, there are no victories like the victories of the Bible.
(_b_) This is the Book which turned Europe upside down in the days of
the glorious Protestant Reformation.
No man can read the history of Christendom as it was five hundred years
ago, and not see that darkness covered the whole professing Church of
Christ, even a darkness that might be felt. So great was the change
which had come over Christianity, that if an apostle had risen from the
dead he would not have recognised it, and would have thought that
heathenism had revived again. The doctrines of the Gospel lay buried
under a dense mass of human traditions. Penances, and pilgrimages, and
indulgences, relic-worship, and image-worship, and saint-worship, and
worship of the Virgin Mary, formed the sum and substance of most
people's religion. The Church was made an idol. The priests and
ministers of the Church usurped the place of Christ. And by what means
was all this miserable darkness cleared away? By none so much as by
bringing forth once more the Bible.
It was not merely the preaching of Luther and his friends, which
established Protestantism in Germany. The grand lever which overthrew
the Pope's power in that country, was Luther's translation of the Bible
into the German tongue.--It was not merely the writings of Cranmer and
the English Reformers which cast down popery in England. The seeds of
the work thus carried forward were first sown by Wycliffe's translation
of the Bible many years before.--It was not merely the quarrel of Henry
VIII. and the Pope of Rome, which loosened the Pope's hold on English
minds. It was the royal permission to have the Bible translated and set
up in churches, so that every one who liked might read it. Yes! it was
the reading and circulation of Scripture which mainly established the
cause of Protestantism in England, in Germany, and Switzerland. Without
it the people would probably have returned to their former bondage when
the first reformers died. But by the reading of the Bible the public
mind became gradually leavened with the principles of true religion.
Men's eyes became thoroughly open. Their spiritual understandings became
thoroughly enlarged. The abominations of popery became distinctly
visible. The excellence of the pure Gospel became a rooted idea in their
hearts. It was then in vain for Popes to thunder forth excommunications.
It was useless for Kings and Queens to attempt to stop the course of
Protestantism by fire and sword. It was all too late. The people knew
too much. They had seen the light. They had heard the joyful sound. They
had tasted the truth. The sun had risen on their minds. The scales had
fallen from their eyes. The Bible had done its appointed work within
them, and that work was not to be overthrown. The people would not
return to Egypt. The clock could not be put back again. A mental and
moral revolution had been effected, and mainly effected by God's Word.
Those are the true revolutions which the Bible effects. What are all the
revolutions recorded by Vertot,--what are all the revolutions which
France and England have gone through, compared to these? No revolutions
are so bloodless, none so satisfactory, none so rich in lasting results,
as the revolutions accomplished by the Bible!
This is the book on which the well-being of nations has always hinged,
and with which the best interests of every nation in Christendom at this
moment are inseparably bound up. Just in proportion as the Bible is
honoured or not, light or darkness, morality or immorality, true
religion or superstition, liberty or despotism, good laws or bad, will
be found in a land. Come with me and open the pages of history, and you
will read the proofs in time past. Read it in the history of Israel
under the Kings. How great was the wickedness that then prevailed! But
who can wonder? The law of the Lord had been completely lost sight of,
and was found in the days of Josiah thrown aside in a corner of the
temple. (2 Kings xxii. 8.)--Read it in the history of the Jews in our
Lord Jesus Christ's time. How awful the picture of Scribes and
Pharisees, and their religion! But who can wonder? The Scripture was
"made of none effect by man's traditions." (Matt. xv. 6.)--Read it in
the history of the Church of Christ in the middle ages. What can be
worse than the accounts we have of its ignorance and superstition? But
who can wonder? The times might well be dark, when men had not the light
of the Bible.
This is the Book to which the civilized world is indebted for many of
its best and most praise-worthy institutions. Few probably are aware how
many are the good things that men have adopted for the public benefit,
of which the origin may be clearly traced up to the Bible. It has left
lasting marks wherever it has been received. From the Bible are drawn
many of the best laws by which society is kept in order. From the Bible
has been obtained the standard of morality about truth, honesty, and the
relations of man and wife, which prevails among Christian nations, and
which,--however feebly respected in many cases,--makes so great a
difference between Christians and heathen. To the Bible we are indebted
for that most merciful provision for the poor man, the Sabbath day. To
the influence of the Bible we owe nearly every humane and charitable
institution in existence. The sick, the poor, the aged, the orphan, the
lunatic, the idiot, the blind, were seldom or never thought of before
the Bible leavened the world. You may search in vain for any record of
institutions for their aid in the histories of Athens or of Rome. Alas!
there are many who sneer at the Bible, and say the world would get on
well enough without it, who little think how great are their own
obligations to the Bible. Little does the infidel workman think, as he
lies sick in some of our great hospitals, that he owes all his present
comforts to the very book he affects to despise. Had it not been for the
Bible, he might have died in misery, uncared for, unnoticed and alone.
Verily the world we live in is fearfully unconscious of its debts. The
last day alone, I believe, will tell the full amount of benefit
conferred upon it by the Bible.
This wonderful book is the subject about which I address the reader of
this paper this day. Surely it is no light matter _what you are doing
with the Bible_. The swords of conquering Generals,--the ship in which
Nelson led the fleets of England to victory,--the hydraulic press which
raised the tubular bridge at the Menai;--each and all of these are
objects of interest as instruments of mighty power. The Book I speak of
this day is an instrument a thousand-fold mightier still. Surely it is
no light matter whether you are paying it the attention it deserves. I
charge you, I summon you to give me an honest answer this day,--What
art thou doing with the Bible? Dost thou read it? HOW READEST THOU?
V. In the fifth place, _no book in existence can do so much for every
one who reads it rightly as the Bible_.
The Bible does not profess to teach the wisdom of this world. It was not
written to explain geology or astronomy. It will neither instruct you in
mathematics, nor in natural philosophy. It will not make you a doctor,
or a lawyer, or an engineer.
But there is another world to be thought of, beside that world in which
man now lives. There are other ends for which man was created, beside
making money and working. There are other interests which he is meant to
attend to, beside those of his body, and those interests are the
interests of his soul. It is the interests of the immortal soul which
the Bible is especially able to promote. If you would know law, you may
study Blackstone or Sugden. If you would know astronomy or geology, you
may study Herschel and Lyell. But if you would know how to have your
soul saved, you must study the written Word of God.
The Bible is "_able to make a man wise unto salvation, through faith
which is in Christ Jesus_." (2 Tim. iii. 15.) It can show you the way
which leads to heaven. It can teach you everything you need to know,
point out everything you need to believe, and explain everything you
need to do. It can show you what you are,--_a sinner_. It can show you
what God is,--perfectly _holy_. It can show you the great giver of
pardon, peace, and grace,--_Jesus Christ_. I have read of an Englishman
who visited Scotland in the days of Blair, Rutherford, and Dickson,
three famous preachers,--and heard all three in succession. He said that
the first showed him the majesty of God,--the second showed him the
beauty of Christ,--and the third showed him all his heart. It is the
glory and beauty of the Bible that it is always teaching these three
things more or less, from the first chapter of it to the last.
The Bible applied to the heart by the Holy Ghost, is _the grand
instrument by which souls are first converted to God_. That mighty
change is generally begun by some text or doctrine of the Word, brought
home to a man's conscience. In this way the Bible has worked moral
miracles by thousands. It has made drunkards become sober,--unchaste
people become pure,--thieves become honest,--and violent-tempered people
become meek. It has wholly altered the course of men's lives. It has
caused their old things to pass away, and made all their ways new. It
has taught worldly people to seek first the kingdom of God. It has
taught lovers of pleasure to become lovers of God. It has taught the
stream of men's affections to run upwards instead of running downwards.
It has made men think of heaven, instead of always thinking of earth,
and live by faith, instead of living by sight. All this it has done in
every part of the world. All this it is doing still. What are the Romish
miracles which weak men believe, compared to all this, even if they were
true? Those are the truly great miracles which are yearly worked by the
Word.
The Bible applied to the heart by the Holy Ghost, is _the chief means by
which men are built up and stablished in the faith_, after their
conversion. It is able to cleanse them, to sanctify them, to instruct
them in righteousness, and to furnish them thoroughly for all good
works. (Psalm cxix. 9; John xvii. 17; 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17.) The Spirit
ordinarily does these things by the written Word; sometimes by the Word
read, and sometimes by the Word preached, but seldom, if ever, without
the Word. The Bible can show a believer how to walk in this world so as
to please God. It can teach him how to glorify Christ in all the
relations of life, and can make him a good master, servant, subject,
husband, father, or son. It can enable him to bear afflictions and
privations without murmuring, and say, "It is well." It can enable him
to look down into the grave, and say, "I fear no evil." (Psalm xxiii.
4.) It can enable him to think on judgment and eternity, and not feel
afraid. It can enable him to bear persecution without flinching, and to
give up liberty and life rather than deny Christ's truth. Is he drowsy
in soul? It can awaken him.--Is he mourning? It can comfort him.--Is he
erring? It can restore him.--Is he weak? It can make him strong.--Is he
in company? It can keep him from evil.--Is he alone? It can talk with
him.--(Prov. vi. 22.) All this the Bible can do for all believers,--for
the least as well as the greatest,--for the richest as well as the
poorest. It has done it for thousands already, and is doing it for
thousands every day.
The man who has the Bible, and the Holy Spirit in his heart, has
everything which is absolutely needful to make him spiritually wise. He
needs no priest to break the bread of life for him. He needs no ancient
traditions, no writings of the Fathers, no voice of the Church, to guide
him into all truth. He has the well of truth open before him, and what
can he want more? Yes! though he be shut up alone in a prison, or cast
on a desert island,--though he never see a church, or minister, or
sacrament again,--if he has but the Bible, he has got the infallible
guide, and wants no other. If he has but the will to read that Bible
rightly, it will certainly teach him the road that leads to heaven. It
is here alone that infallibility resides. It is not in the Church. It is
not in the Councils. It is not in ministers. It is only in the written
Word.
(_a_) I know well that many say they have found no saving power in the
Bible. They tell us they have tried to read it, and have learned nothing
from it. They can see in it nothing but hard and deep things. They ask
us what we mean by talking of its power.
I answer, that the Bible no doubt contains hard things, or else it would
not be the book of God. It contains things hard to comprehend, but only
hard because we have not grasp of mind to comprehend them. It contains
things above our reasoning powers, but nothing that might not be
explained if the eyes of our understanding were not feeble and dim. But
is not an acknowledgment of our own ignorance the very corner-stone and
foundation of all knowledge? Must not many things be taken for granted
in the beginning of every science, before we can proceed one step
towards acquaintance with it? Do we not require our children to learn
many things of which they cannot see the meaning at first? And ought we
not then to expect to find "deep things" when we begin studying the Word
of God, and yet to believe that if we persevere in reading it the
meaning of many of them will one day be made clear? No doubt we ought so
to expect, and so to believe. We must read with humility. We must take
much on trust. We must believe that what we know not now, we shall know
hereafter,--some part in this world, and all in the world to come.
But I ask that man who has given up reading the Bible because it
contains hard things, whether he did not find many things in it easy and
plain? I put it to his conscience whether he did not see great landmarks
and principles in it all the way through? I ask him whether the things
needful to salvation did not stand out boldly before his eyes, like the
light-houses on English headlands from the Land's-end to the mouth of
the Thames. What should we think of the captain of a steamer who brought
up at night in the entrance of the Channel, on the plea that he did not
know every parish, and village, and creek, along the British coast?
Should we not think him a lazy coward, when the lights on the Lizard,
and Eddystone, and the Start, and Portland, and St. Catherine's, and
Beachy Head, and Dungeness, and the Forelands, were shining forth like
so many lamps, to guide him up to the river? Should we not say, Why did
you not steer by the great leading lights? And what ought we to say to
the man who gives up reading the Bible because it contains hard things,
when his own state, and the path to heaven, and the way to serve God,
are all written down clearly and unmistakably, as with a sunbeam? Surely
we ought to tell that man that his objections are no better than lazy
excuses, and do not deserve to be heard.
(_b_) I know well that many raise the objection, that thousands read the
Bible and are not a whit the better for their reading. And they ask us,
when this is the case, what becomes of the Bible's boasted power?
I answer, that the reason why so many read the Bible without benefit is
plain and simple;--they do not read it in the right way. There is
generally a right way and a wrong way of doing everything in the world;
and just as it is with other things, so it is in the matter of reading
the Bible. The Bible is not so entirely different from all other books
as to make it of no importance in what spirit and manner you read it. It
does not do good, as a matter of course, by merely running our eyes over
the print, any more than the sacraments do good by mere virtue of our
receiving them. It does not ordinarily do good, unless it is read with
humility and earnest prayer. The best steam-engine that was ever built
is useless if a man does not know how to work it. The best sun-dial that
was ever constructed will not tell its owner the time of day if he is so
ignorant as to put it up in the shade. Just as it is with that
steam-engine, and that sun-dial, so it is with the Bible. When men read
it without profit, _the fault is not in the Book, but in themselves_.
I tell the man who doubts the power of the Bible, because many read it,
and are no better for the reading, that the abuse of a thing is no
argument against the use of it. I tell him boldly, that never did man or
woman read that book in a childlike persevering spirit,--like the
Ethiopian eunuch, and the Bereans (Acts viii. 28; xvii. 11),--and miss
the way to heaven. Yes, many a broken cistern will be exposed to shame
in the day of judgment; but there will not rise up one soul who will be
able to say, that he went thirsting to the Bible, and found in it no
living water,--he searched for truth in the Scriptures, and searching,
did not find it. The words which are spoken of Wisdom in the Proverbs
are strictly true of the Bible: "If thou criest after knowledge, and
liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver,
and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand
the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God." (Prov. ii. 3, 4,
5.)
This wonderful Book is the subject about which I address the readers of
this paper this day. Surely it is no light matter _what you are doing
with the Bible_. What should you think of the man who in time of cholera
despised a sure receipt for preserving the health of his body? What must
be thought of you if you despise the only sure receipt for the
everlasting health of your soul? I charge you, I entreat you, to give an
honest answer to my question. What dost thou do with the Bible?--Dost
thou read it?--HOW READEST THOU?
VI. In the sixth place, _the Bible is the only rule by which all
questions of doctrine or of duty can be tried_.
The Lord God knows the weakness and infirmity of our poor fallen
understandings. He knows that, even after conversion, our perceptions of
right and wrong are exceedingly indistinct. He knows how artfully Satan
can gild error with an appearance of truth, and can dress up wrong with
plausible arguments, till it looks like right. Knowing all this, He has
mercifully provided us with an unerring standard of truth and error,
right and wrong, and has taken care to make that standard a written
book,--even the Scripture.