suddenly meet for the first time. I will engage, if they can understand
one another's language, they will soon find common ground between them,
and feel at home. The one may have been brought up at Eton and Oxford,
and enjoyed every privilege of English civilization. The other may have
been trained in the midst of gross heathenism, and accustomed to habits,
ways, and manners as unlike the Englishman's as darkness compared to
light. And yet now in half an hour they feel that they are friends! The
Englishman finds that he has more in common with his Hindoo brother than
he has with many an old college companion or school-fellow! Who can
account for this? How can it be explained? Nothing can account for it
but the unity of the Spirit's teaching. It is "one touch" of grace (not
nature) "that makes the whole world kin." God's people are in the
highest sense "a family."
This is the family to which I wish to direct the attention of my readers
in this paper. This is the family to which I want you to belong. I ask
you this day to consider it well, if you never considered it before. I
have shown you the Father of the family,--the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ. I have shown you the Head and Elder Brother of the
family,--the Lord Jesus Himself. I have shown you the features and
characteristics of the family. Its members have all great marks of
resemblance. Once more I say, consider it well.
Outside this family, remember, there is no salvation. None but those who
belong to it, according to the Bible, are in the way that leads to
heaven. The salvation of our souls does not depend on union with one
Church or separation from another. They are miserably deceived who think
that it does, and will find it out to their cost one day, except they
awake. No! the life of our souls depends on something far more
important. This is life eternal, to be a member of "the whole family in
heaven and earth."
II. I will now pass on to the second thing which I promised to consider.
_What is the present position_ of the whole family in heaven and earth?
The family to which I am directing the attention of my readers this day
is divided into two great parts. Each part has its own residence or
dwelling-place. Part of the family is in heaven, and part is on earth.
For the present the two parts are entirely separated from one another.
But they form one body in the sight of God, though resident in two
places; and their union is sure to take place one day.
Two places, be it remembered, and two only, contain the family of God.
The Bible tells us of no third habitation. There is no such thing as
purgatory, whatever some Christians may think fit to say. There is no
house of purifying, training, or probation for those who are not true
Christians when they die. Oh no! There are but two parts of the
family,--the part that is seen and the part that is unseen, the part
that is in "heaven" and the part that is on "earth." The members of the
family that are not in heaven are on earth, and those that are not on
earth are in heaven. Two parts, and two only! Two places, and two only!
Let this never be forgotten.
Some of God's family are safe _in heaven_. They are at rest in that
place which the Lord Jesus expressly calls "Paradise." (Luke xxiii. 43.)
They have finished their course. They have fought their battle. They
have done their appointed work. They have learned their lessons. They
have carried their cross. They have passed through the waves of this
troublesome world and reached the harbour. Little as we know about them,
we know that they are happy. They are no longer troubled by sin and
temptation. They have said good-bye for ever to poverty and anxiety, to
pain and sickness, to sorrow and tears. They are with Christ Himself,
who loved them and gave Himself for them, and in His company they must
needs be happy. (Phil. i. 23.) They have nothing to fear in looking back
to the past. They have nothing to dread in looking forward to things to
come. Three things only are lacking to make their happiness complete.
These three are the second advent of Christ in glory, the resurrection
of their own bodies, and the gathering together of all believers. And of
these three things they are sure.
Some of God's family are still _upon earth_. They are scattered to and
fro in the midst of a wicked world, a few in one place and a few in
another. All are more or less occupied in the same way, according to the
measure of their grace. All are running a race, doing a work, warring a
warfare, carrying a cross, striving against sin, resisting the devil,
crucifying the flesh, struggling against the world, witnessing for
Christ, mourning over their own hearts, hearing, reading, and praying,
however feebly, for the life of their souls. Each is often disposed to
think no cross so heavy as his own, no work so difficult, no heart so
hard. But each and all hold on their way,--a wonder to the ignorant
world around them, and often a wonder to themselves.
But, however divided God's family may be at present in dwelling-place
and local habitation, it is still one family. Both parts of it are still
one in character, one in possessions, and one in relation to God. The
part in heaven has not so much superiority over the part on earth as at
first sight may appear. The difference between the two is only one of
degree.
(_a_) Both parts of the family love the same Saviour, and delight in the
same perfect will of God. But the part on earth loves with much
imperfection and infirmity, and lives by faith, not by sight.--The part
in heaven loves without weakness, or doubt, or distraction. It walks by
sight and not by faith, and sees what it once believed.
(_b_) Both parts of the family are saints. But the saints on earth are
often poor weary pilgrims, who find the "flesh lusting against the
spirit and the spirit lusting against the flesh, so that they cannot do
the things they would." (Gal. v. 17.) They live in the midst of an evil
world, and are often sick of themselves and of the sin they see around
them.--The saints in heaven, on the contrary, are delivered from the
world, the flesh, and the devil, and enjoy a glorious liberty. They are
called "the spirits of just men made perfect." (Heb. xii. 23.)
(_c_) Both parts of the family are alike God's children. But the
children in heaven have learned all their lessons, have finished their
appointed tasks, have begun an eternal holiday.--The children on earth
are still at school. They are daily learning wisdom, though slowly and
with much trouble, and often needing to be reminded of their past
lessons by chastisement and the rod. Their holidays are yet to come.
(_d_) Both parts of the family are alike God's soldiers. But the
soldiers on earth are yet militant. Their warfare is not accomplished.
Their fight is not over. They need every day to put on the whole armour
of God.--The soldiers in heaven are all triumphant. No enemy can hurt
them now. No fiery dart can reach them. Helmet and shield may both be
laid aside. They may at last say to the sword of the Spirit, "Rest and
be still." They may at length sit down, and need not to watch and stand
on their guard.
(2) Last, but not least, both parts of the family are alike safe and
secure. Wonderful as this may sound, it is true. Christ cares as much
for His members on earth as His members in heaven. You might as well
think to pluck the stars out of heaven, as to pluck one saint, however
feeble, out of Christ's hand. Both parts of the family are alike secured
by "an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure." (2 Sam.
xxiii. 5.) The members on earth, through the burden of the flesh and the
dimness of their faith, may neither see, nor know, nor feel their own
safety. But they are safe, though they may not see it. The whole family
is "kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation." (1 Peter i.
5.) The members yet on the road are as secure as the members who have
got home. Not one shall be found missing at the last day. The words of
the Christian poet shall be found strictly true:--
"More happy, but not more secure,
The glorified spirits in heaven."
Before I leave this part of my subject, I ask every reader of this paper
to understand thoroughly the present position of God's family, and to
form a just estimate of it. Learn not to measure its numbers or its
privileges by what you see with your eyes. You see only a small body of
believers in this present time. But you must not forget that a great
company has got safe to heaven already, and that when all are assembled
at the last day they will be "a multitude which no man can number."
(Rev. vii. 9.) You only see that part of the family which is struggling
on earth. You must never forget that the greater part of the family has
got home and is resting in heaven.--You see the militant part, but not
the triumphant. You see the part that is carrying the cross, but not the
part which is safe in Paradise. The family of God is far more rich and
glorious than you suppose. Believe me, it is no small thing to belong to
the "whole family in heaven and earth."
III. I will now pass on to the last thing which I promised to
consider.--_What are the future prospects_ of the whole family in heaven
and earth?
The future prospects of a family! What a vast amount of uncertainty
these words open up when we look at any family now in the world! How
little we can tell of the things coming on any of us! What a mercy that
we do not know the sorrows and trials and separations through which our
beloved children may have to pass, when we have left the world! It is a
mercy that we do not know "what a day may bring forth," and a far
greater mercy that we do not know what may happen in twenty years.
(Prov. xxvii. 1.) Alas, foreknowledge of the future prospects of our
belongings would spoil many a family gathering, and fill the whole party
with gloom!
Think how many a fine boy, who is now the delight of his parents, will
by and by walk in the prodigal's footsteps, and never return home! Think
how many a fair daughter, the joy of a mother's heart, will follow the
bent of her self-will after a few years, and insist on some miserably
mistaken marriage! Think how disease and pain will often lay low the
loveliest of a family circle, and make her life a burden and weariness
to herself, if not to others! Think of the endless breaches and
divisions arising out of money matters! Alas, there is many a life-long
quarrel about a few pounds, between those who once played together in
the same nursery! Think of these things. The "future prospects" of many
a family which meets together every Christmas are a solemn and serious
subject. Hundreds, to say the least, are gathering together for the last
time: when they part, they will never meet again.
But, thank God, there is one great family whose "prospects" are very
different. It is the family of which I am speaking in this paper, and
commending to your attention. The future prospects of the family of God
are not uncertain. They are good, and only good,--happy, and only happy.
Listen to me, and I will try to set them in order before you.
(_a_) The members of God's family shall all be _brought safe home_ one
day. Here upon earth they may be scattered, tried, tossed with tempests,
and bowed down with afflictions. But not one of them shall perish. (John
x. 28.) The weakest lamb shall not be left to perish in the wilderness:
the feeblest child shall not be missing when the muster-roll is brought
out at the last day. In spite of the world, the flesh, and the devil,
the whole family shall get home. "If, when we were enemies, we were
reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled,
we shall be saved by His life." (Rom. v. 10.)
(_b_) The members of God's family _shall all have glorious bodies_ one
day. When the Lord Jesus Christ comes the second time, the dead saints
shall all be raised and the living shall all be changed. They shall no
longer have a vile mortal body, full of weaknesses and infirmities: they
shall have a body like that of their risen Lord, without the slightest
liability to sickness and pain. They shall no longer be clogged and
hindered by an aching frame, when they want to serve God: they shall be
able to serve Him night and day without weariness, and to attend upon
Him without distraction. The former things will have passed away. That
word will be fulfilled, "I make all things new." (Rev. xxi. 5.)
(_c_) The members of God's family shall all be _gathered into one
company_ one day. It matters nothing where they have lived or where they
have died. They may have been separated from one another both by time
and space. One may have lived in tents, with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
and another travelled by railway in our own day. One may have laid his
bones in an Australian desert, and another may have been buried in an
English churchyard. It makes no difference. All shall be gathered
together from north and south, and east and west, and meet in one happy
assembly, to part no more. The earthly partings of God's family are only
for a few days. Their meeting is for eternity. It matters little where
we live. It is a time of scattering now, and not of gathering. It
matters little where we die. All graves are equally near to Paradise.
But it does matter much whether we belong to God's family. If we do we
are sure to meet again at last.
(_d_) The members of God's family shall all be _united in mind and
judgment_ one day. They are not so now about many little things. About
the things needful to salvation there is a marvellous unity among them.
About many speculative points in religion, about forms of worship and
Church government, they often sadly disagree. But there shall be no
disagreement among them one day. Ephraim shall no longer vex Judah, nor
Judah Ephraim. Churchmen shall no more quarrel with Dissenters, nor
Dissenters with Churchmen. Partial knowledge and dim vision shall be at
an end for ever. Divisions and separations, misunderstandings and
misconstructions, shall be buried and forgotten. As there shall only be
one language, so there shall only be one opinion. At last, after six
thousand years of strife and jangling, perfect unity and harmony shall
be found. A family shall at length be shown to angels and men in which
all are of one mind.
(_e_) The members of God's family shall all be _perfected in holiness_
one day. They are not literally perfect now, although "complete in
Christ." (Col. ii. 10.) Though born again, and renewed after the image
of Christ, they offend and fall short in many things. (James iii, 2.)
None know it better than they do themselves. It is their grief and
sorrow that they do not love God more heartily and serve Him more
faithfully. But they shall be completely freed from all corruption one
day. They shall rise again at Christ's second appearing without any of
the infirmities which cleave to them in their lives. Not a single evil
temper or corrupt inclination shall be found in them. They shall be
presented by their Head to the Father, without spot, or wrinkle, or any
such thing,--perfectly holy and without blemish,--fair as the moon, and
clear as the sun. (Eph. v. 27; Cant. v. 10.) Grace, even now, is a
beautiful thing, when it lives, and shines, and flourishes in the midst
of imperfection. But how much more beautiful will grace appear when it
is seen pure, unmixed, unmingled, and alone! And it shall be seen so
when Christ comes to be glorified in His saints at the last day.
(_f_) Last, but not least, the members of God's family shall all be
_eternally provided for_ one day. When the affairs of this sinful world
are finally wound up and settled, there shall be an everlasting portion
for all the sons and daughters of the Lord almighty. Not even the
weakest of them shall be overlooked and forgotten. There shall be
something for everyone, according to his measure. The smallest vessel of
grace, as well as the greatest, shall be filled to the brim with glory.
The precise nature of that glory and reward it would be folly to pretend
to describe. It is a thing which eye has not seen, nor mind of man
conceived. Enough for us to know that each member of God's family, when
he awakes up after His Master's likeness, shall be "satisfied." (Psalm
xvii. 15.) Enough, above all, to know that their joy, and glory, and
reward shall be for ever. What they receive in the day of the Lord they
will never lose. The inheritance reserved for them, when they come of
age, is "incorruptible, undefiled, and fadeth not away." (1 Peter i. 4.)
These prospects of God's family are great realities. They are not vague
shadowy talk of man's invention. They are real true things, and will be
seen as such before long. They deserve your serious consideration.
Examine them well.
Look round the families of earth with which you are acquainted, the
richest, the greatest, the noblest, the happiest. Where will you find
one among them all which can show prospects to compare with those of
which you have just heard. The earthly riches, in many a case, will be
gone in a hundred years hence. The noble blood, in many a case, will not
prevent some disgraceful deed staining the family name. The happiness,
in many a case, will be found hollow and seeming. Few, indeed, are the
homes which have not a secret sorrow, or "a skeleton in the closet."
Whether for present possessions or future prospects, there is no family
so well off as "the whole family in heaven and earth." Whether you look
at what they have now, or will have hereafter, there is no family like
the family of God.
My task is done. My paper is drawing to a close. It only remains to
close it with a few words of practical application. Give me your
attention for the last time. May God bless what I am going to say to the
good of your soul!
(1) I ask you a plain question. Take it with you to every family
gathering which you join at any season of the year. Take it with you,
and amidst all your happiness make time for thinking about it. It is a
simple question, but a solemn one,--_Do you yet belong to the family of
God_?
To the family of God, remember! This is the point of my question. It is
no answer to say that you are a Protestant, or a Churchman, or a
Dissenter. I want to hear of something more and better than that. I want
you to have some soul-satisfying and soul-saving religion,--a religion
that will give you peace while you live, and hope when you die. To have
such peace and hope you must be something more than a Protestant, or a
Churchman, or a Dissenter. You must belong to "the family of God."
Thousands around you do not belong to it, I can well believe. But that
is no reason why you should not.
If you do not yet belong to God's family, I invite you this day to join
it without delay. Open your eyes to see the value of your soul, the
sinfulness of sin, the holiness of God, the danger of your present
condition, the absolute necessity of a mighty change. Open your eyes to
see these things, and repent this very day.--Open your eyes to see the
great Head of God's family, even Christ Jesus, waiting to save your
soul. See how He has loved you, lived for you, died for you, risen again
for you, and obtained complete redemption for you. See how He offers you
free, full, immediate pardon, if you will believe in Him. Open your eyes
to see these things. Seek Christ at once. Come and believe on Him, and
commit your soul to His keeping this very day.
I know nothing of your family or past history. I know not where you go
to spend your leisure weeks, or what company you are going to be in. But
I am bold to say, that if you join the family of God you will find it
the best and happiest family in the world.
(2) If you really belong to the whole family in heaven and earth, count
up your privileges, and _learn to be more thankful_. Think what a mercy
it is to have something which the world can neither give nor take
away,--something which makes you independent of sickness or
poverty,--something which is your own for evermore. The old family
fireside will soon be cold and tenantless. The old family gatherings
will soon be past and gone for ever. The loving faces we now delight to
gaze on are rapidly leaving us. The cheerful voices which now welcome us
will soon be silent in the grave. But, thank God, if we belong to
Christ's family there is a better gathering yet to come. Let us often
think of it, and be thankful!
The family gathering of all God's people will make amends for all that
their religion now costs them. A meeting where none are missing,--a
meeting where there are no gaps and empty places,--a meeting where there
are no tears,--a meeting where there is no parting,--such a meeting as
this is worth a fight and a struggle. And such a meeting is yet to come
to "the whole family in heaven and earth."
In the meantime let us strive to live worthy of the family to which we
belong. Let us labour to do nothing that may cause our Father's house to
be spoken against. Let us endeavour to make our Master's name beautiful
by our temper, conduct, and conversation. Let us love as brethren, and
abhor all quarrels. Let us behave as if the honour of "the family"
depended on our behaviour.
So living, by the grace of God, we shall make our calling and election
sure, both to ourselves and others. So living, we may hope to have an
abundant entrance, and to enter harbour in full sail, whenever we change
earth for heaven. (2 Peter i. 11.) So living, we shall recommend our
Father's family to others, and perhaps by God's blessing incline them to
say, "We will go with you."
XVII
OUR HOME!
"_Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations._"
Psalm xc. 1.
There are two reasons why the text which heads this paper should ring in
our hearts with special power. It is the first verse of a deeply solemn
Psalm,--the first bar of a wondrous piece of spiritual music. How others
feel when they read the ninetieth Psalm I cannot tell. It always makes
me lean back in my chair and think.
For one thing, this ninetieth Psalm is the only Psalm composed by
"Moses, the man of God."[12] It expresses that holy man's feelings, as
he saw the whole generation whom he had led forth from Egypt, dying in
the wilderness. Year after year he saw that fearful judgment fulfilling,
which Israel brought on itself by unbelief:--"Your carcases shall fall
in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your
whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured
against Me, doubtless ye shall not come into the land." (Num. xiv. 29.)
One after another he saw the heads of the families whom he had led forth
from Egypt, laying their bones in the desert. For forty long years he
saw the strong, the swift, the wise, the tender, the beautiful, who had
crossed the Red Sea with him in triumph, cut down and withering like
grass. For forty years he saw his companions continually changing,
consuming, and passing away. Who can wonder that he should say, "Lord,
Thou art our dwelling-place." We are all pilgrims and strangers upon
earth, and there is none abiding. "Lord, Thou art our home."
12: I am quite aware that I have no direct authority for this
statement, except the prefatory heading at the beginning of the
Psalm. However ancient those headings may be, it is agreed among
learned men that they were not given by inspiration, and must not be
regarded as a part of God's Word. There is, nevertheless, a curious
amount of agreement among critics, that in the case of this
ninetieth Psalm the tradition about its authorship is not without
foundation.