image of the Goddess Isis set on his back, and he was led through the
streets of a city in Egypt. Then the Egyptians fell down on their
faces and worshipped, and raised their hands in supplication. The ass
was puffed up with pride, and began to prick up his ears and prance.
Then the driver brought down his stick upon his back, and said, "You
ass! the honour is given not to you, but to what you bear." There is
many a man who is no less elated by his position, or by some good
fortune that falls to him, than this ass. The man of wealth holds up
his head and expects every one to bow to him; he thinks a great deal of
himself, and he finds that a great many persons cringe to him and
flatter him. "Man! the honour is given, not to you, but to the gold
you carry." It may be the same with office, or title; respect is given
to the magistrate, or the nobleman, or the general, or the captain, or
the poor-law officer, or the policeman, and he thinks much of himself
accordingly. "Man! the honour is given not to you, but to the title or
office, or authority you carry." And there is many a woman who puts on
new and gay clothes, a new bonnet, or a new gown, in the highest
fashion, and she sails into church with her chin in the air, and a
flutter in her heart, knowing that all eyes are upon her. "Woman! all
are admiring--not you,--but the clothes you carry."
Whatever it be that we have, which others have not, it should not
elate, but humble us, for a talent entails a responsibility. He that
has gold has to answer to God what use he makes of it. "How hardly
shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of Heaven." He that
has office and authority is under great responsibility to discharge his
duties in his office, and exercise the authority entrusted to him well.
It was the fact that he was a man in authority which made the Centurion
humble, and brought on him the commendation of Christ. "Lord, I am not
worthy that Thou shouldest enter under my roof; neither thought I
myself worthy to come unto Thee, for I am a man set under authority,
having under me, soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to
another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth
it." He that has intellectual gifts must be humble, not proud, because
of them, for he is answerable for the use he makes of them.
II. God is very likely to humble those who set too high a price on
themselves; and better that He should bring them down to a just
appreciation of their own selves, in this world, than hereafter.
King Nebuchadnezzar had a vision. He saw a great image, the head was
of gold, the breast and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of brass,
the legs of iron, and the feet of clay. He called Daniel to interpret
his dream to him, and Daniel said, "Thou, O King, art a King of kings,
for the God of Heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength,
and glory--thou art this head of gold." Then the prophet went on to
speak of other great nations, and how that all would be involved in a
common ruin, a little stone out of the mountain would roll down on the
feet of clay and break them, and then the great image, golden head, and
silver breast, and brazen body, and iron legs, would all go to
pieces--they rested on an infirm footing, fragile clay.
King Nebuchadnezzar, however, thought only of himself as the golden
head. Golden head must have golden breast, and a golden breast must
have a golden trunk, and golden trunk golden legs, and golden legs must
rest on feet of gold. That will stand, and that will represent me
better than this patchwork affair of which I dreamed. So he set him up
the golden image in the plain of Dura. That represented himself as he
regarded himself, the image seen in vision represented him as he was in
reality, as God saw him. What followed? God smote him and he went
mad. He was driven out as a wild beast into the fields, as a raving
madman, and thus he remained till his senses returned, and he
acknowledged with humility, that his prosperity did rest on a fragile
footing, and that God knew better what he was worth than did he himself.
Now apply this to yourselves. No doubt that each of you has his
excellence. One has got a head of gold, another a heart of gold. One
has the strength and endurance of iron, another has means, plenty of
silver, each has something of which he can boast; but take care not to
make golden images of yourselves and set them up, and expect every one
to bow down before them and take you at your own estimation. God will
humble you. The feet are of clay, and the proud statues will fall some
day. Therefore try to see yourselves as you really are, "Let him that
exalteth himself take heed lest he fall." "Be clothed with humility,"
is the exhortation of S. Peter, "for God resisteth the proud and giveth
grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand
of God, that He may exalt you in due time." And S. James says, "Humble
yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up."
LV.
_PROFESSION AND PRACTICE._
18th Sunday after Trinity.
S. Matt. xxii. 42.
"What think ye of Christ?"
INTRODUCTION.--Many men are Christians neither in understanding nor in
heart. Some are Christians in heart, and not in understanding. Some
in understanding, and not in heart, and some are Christians in both.
If I were to go into a Temple of the Hindoos, or into a Synagogue of
the Jews, and were to ask, "What think ye of Christ?" the people there
would shake their heads and deny that He is God, and reject His
teaching. The heathens and Jews are Christians neither in
understanding nor affection. But there are, and always have been pious
men who have not known Christ, but have lived good self-denying lives,
lived a great deal better than most Christians, and have died, yearning
to see God, whom they groped after, but did not find. I should say
these were Christians in heart, though not in understanding. If I were
to put the question to you, "What think ye of Christ?" you would answer
at once that He is very God, of one substance with the Father, and also
very Man, of the substance of His Mother, the God-Man, your Redeemer,
and Saviour, and Lord. When I hear the answer, I say--Well! here we
have indeed Christians in their understanding. Now I want to know
further, are you Christians in heart and affection? S. Paul says that
in his time there were some who were Christians in profession, that is,
in understanding, and there their Christianity came to an end. "They
profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him, being
abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." Is
it in any degree so with you?
SUBJECT.--The true Christian is he who is such in understanding and in
affection, or, in other words, in profession and in practice.
I. It is very necessary to have a good understanding of Christ and His
truth. "Without faith it is impossible to please God; for he that
cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek Him." There are certain truths, the
knowledge of which we believe are necessary to salvation. That is,
without an understanding of certain definite revealed truths, there is
not much chance of salvation, for the ignorance of these truths is
proper in a Christian, and without a knowledge of them, a Christian is
not able to live a spiritual and a Christian life. These truths are
contained in the Creed, and are taught to every child. It is not
enough to repeat the Creed like a parrot, but the meaning of the truths
contained in it must be grasped by the mind and understood. This is
the advantage of Christian instruction, and I think it would be well if
we Clergy, instead of so generally appealing to your consciences to
lead good lives, were more frequently to refresh your minds with the
truths which you must embrace with your understandings. I believe one
great reason why you make so little advance in the spiritual life is,
that you so little understand what God requires of you to believe.
After the Children of Israel had been carried into captivity by the
Assyrian king Shalmanezar, a number of persons were sent from Babylon
to inhabit Samaria, the capital, and other cities of Israel. They
settled there, but did not thrive, for this reason, the land was
overrun with lions. You will find the story in 2 Kings xvii. A great
many of the colonists were killed by the lions. "Therefore they spake
to the king of Assyria, saying, The nations which thou hast removed,
and placed in the cities of Samaria, have lions among them, and behold,
they slay them." What course did Shalmanezar adopt, on hearing this?
Did he send them hunters, expert in killing lions? No. Or dogs to
drive them? Did he supply them with snares, and teach them how to make
pitfalls for the lions? No!--listen to what he did. "Then the king of
Assyria commanded, saying, Carry thither one of the priests whom ye
brought from thence; and let him teach them the manner of the God of
the land."
This succeeded, for we learn that the lions ceased to trouble the
colonists when they had learned to know and fear the God of Israel.
What a lesson this heathen king sets us! "The devil walketh about as a
roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, whom resist, steadfast in the
faith." Do you notice the words of S. Peter? The lion who seeks to
devour you, who lays waste the land, who destroys so many souls, can be
mastered and expelled, but only if you are steadfast in the faith, only
if, like these settlers in Samaria, you have been taught the manner of
the God of our land. Evil of all sort, temptations and snares, evil
spirits and seductions will draw you into destruction, and you will be
quite powerless to escape or resist, unless you know the manner of the
God of our land, or--in S. Peter's words--are steadfast in the faith.
II. It is not enough to understand, you must also love and follow the
law of your God with all your hearts. You must not only know God, but
you must obey Him. You must not only be instructed in the manner of
the God of our land, but you must also observe it. Now there are a
great many who are Christians in profession only, they draw near to God
with their lips, and say Lord! Lord! but with their hearts they are far
from Him.
One day a philosopher came before king Herod Atticus, and when the king
asked him what profession he was of, what office he held, the
philosopher answered, "Look at my robe and you will see what I am."
For the philosophers affected a certain sort of garment. Then Herod
answered, "Pardon me, I see the habit, but not the philosopher." That
is to say--"I see what you call yourself, and pretend to be, but I do
not know whether you are the wise and learned man for which you give
yourself out."
I fear that if I were to follow and watch you during the week, I should
be obliged to say--"I see the habit, but not the Christian." It is
true there is the profession. You say you are a Christian, you assure
me you believe in God, you undertake to live a sober and godly life, to
resist evil, and cleave to what is good. All this is the outside
habit, the mere name and profession, I see the habit,--but in your acts
I do not see the Christian. No! there is not the Christian in you when
you tell lies. Not the Christian when you slander your neighbour. Not
the Christian when you deal dishonestly with your masters. Not the
Christian when you fly into a passion and swear and curse. Not the
Christian when you use foul words. On Sundays you have on your Sunday
coat, or your Sunday gown, and you are as demure as Saints, and attend
Church regularly. There is the habit. I see the habit. But where is
your Christianity in the week? How much prayer? How much thought of
God? How much self-restraint? I see the habit, but not the Christian.
CONCLUSION.--Remember then that it is not enough to know Christ, and to
believe. You must also love Christ and obey. Only by acting up to
your profession, by walking worthy of the vocation whereby you are
called, can you be regarded as a true disciple of Christ. He is not
the true soldier who is enrolled, and deserts; he is not the good
servant who says to his master, I go, and goeth not. If you know of
Christ, you have a greater obligation laid on you to follow Him in love
and obedience, than if you knew Him not. "What think ye of Christ?"
That is not enough. "How live ye as Christians?" is needed as well.
LVI.
_EVIL THOUGHTS._
19th Sunday after Trinity.
S. Matt. ix. 4.
"Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?"
INTRODUCTION.--Thoughts are only thoughts! who is to beheld accountable
for them? They are clouds blown about by fancy, taking various shapes.
God is not so hard as to judge us for our thoughts; He will try us by
what we have done, not by what we have dreamed. No garden is without
weeds; there are tares in every cornfield. Who speak thus? Is it
those who are conscientious and scrupulous to drive away evil thoughts?
Or those who allow their heads and hearts to be hives in which they
dwell? I allow that evil thoughts must enter the mind, and I add that
they do no harm so long as they are not admitted into the heart. I
allow that it is impossible to keep the mind so closed against evil
that no bad thoughts find admission. There is no sin in the bad
thoughts coming, but the sin begins when they are allowed to settle,
and to fly-blow the heart.
SUBJECT.--I am not going to speak to-day anything that will distress
those good souls who struggle with, and drive away, evil thoughts when
they torment them; God has seen fit to try them with these, as He
suffered the Israelites to lie tried by the remnants of the heathen
nations which remained in the land,--but I am going to speak to those
who indulge in evil thoughts of all kinds, and make no effort to banish
them. I tell them that this is a dangerous thing. If they rely on
being safe so long as they keep their bodies from evil, and allow their
minds and hearts to revel in evil thoughts, they are guilty of sin;
they may not be staining their bodies, but they are corrupting their
souls.
I have lived for some weeks on the side of the Rhine where a bridge
connected the German side of the river with the town on the other side,
which is in Switzerland. When the market-women came over the bridge,
the Custom-House officers made them open their baskets, and they looked
in to see whether they brought over anything taxable. I would have you
examine all the thoughts that come drifting through your head, and if
they are bad, and not allowable, turn them back.
I. "Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?" Our Lord tells us that
sin commences in the heart, and is as truly in the thought as in the
act. "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt
not kill. But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother
without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. Ye have heard that
it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery. But I
say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath
committed adultery with her already in his heart." S. John Chrysostom
truly said, "Men's souls are not so greatly injured by the temptations
which assail them from outside, as from those evil thoughts which
poison them within." There may be evil thoughts of many kinds, envious
thoughts, discontented thoughts, profane thoughts, unkind thoughts,
angry thoughts, avaricious thoughts, impure thoughts. All these
thoughts come buzzing about the head and heart, and will settle to do
harm, unless driven away. They are only little thoughts. Each is very
small, but altogether they are a great host. They are like flies.
Pharaoh, King of Egypt, was plagued with flies. They came upon his
servants, and the houses of the Egyptians were full of swarms of flies,
"and the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies." The
heads of a great many people are like the houses of the Egyptians--full
of swarms of evil thoughts thick as flies, and all as small, and in
themselves as insignificant. The flies tormented the Egyptians when
they sat in their chambers, flying round them, buzzing in their ears,
lighting on their hands and faces; when they went to their meals the
flies were there, all over the meat and the bread, and falling into
their cups, and defiling every thing. When they went to bed the flies
were in their bedrooms, and all night long were racing over their
faces, and driving away sleep.
Now look at your evil thoughts, you who are plagued with a swarm of
them. When you kneel down to say your prayers, they are there
distracting your attention. When you are at table or with friends,
they are there disturbing your thoughts, perhaps corrupting your
conversation. When you are alone, they are there filling your mind
with images and sounds. When you are in bed, they are there, keeping
you awake. Your thoughts--these evil thoughts, so numerous, in such
swarms, never forsake you. In church they are present, disturbing you.
When you walk, they surround you, when you work, they interrupt you.
And, like the flies in Egypt, "the land is corrupted by reason of the
swarm." Your hearts are corrupted by the bad thoughts always hovering
over them, and settling down on them.
Am I drawing a fanciful picture? Not at all. I know it is so with
many, I do not say all, but with many. They disregard evil thoughts
because they are such trifling things--like flies, so easily brushed
away; like flies, so light and volatile; like flies, so little. And
yet they utterly degrade and corrupt the heart. "The land was
corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies."
II. When Abraham prepared a sacrifice to the Lord, there came down on
it swarms of birds of carrion (Gen. xv.) And when they did so, we are
told that Abraham "drove them away." The chief Baker of Pharaoh had
meats in a basket on his head, and the birds came down on them, and
carried them off. "The birds did eat them out of the basket upon my
head" (Gen. xl.) To Abraham was given a promise of a great blessing
and glorious future. To the Baker was given a warning that he should
be hanged within three days. One drove the birds away, and the other
did not.
Now this applies to evil thoughts. If you will be like Abraham and be
blessed, you will drive the evil thoughts away as fast as they come on.
If you let them come, and make no effort to repel them, they will carry
away from you all the graces wherewith you have been endowed at
baptism, and they will corrupt your heart as well.
LVII.
_THE HEAVENLY BANQUET._
20th Sunday after Trinity.
S. Matt. xxii. 4.
"Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed,
and all things are ready; come unto the marriage."
INTRODUCTION.--The Kingdom of Heaven has two meanings in this parable.
It means in the first place the Catholic Church. Into that the
apostles and pastors of Christ invite men to enter, and many refuse.
In the second place it means the Church Triumphant,--eternal
blessedness, and into that the pastors of Christ's Church invite you
continually, Sunday after Sunday, and many refuse.
SUBJECT.--Our subject to-day shall be the Heavenly Banquet, and the
invitation to it.
I. When God created the world, He did so with a "Let be." He said,
"Let there be light"--and light was. "Let there be a firmament in the
midst of the waters," and it was so, at once. He said, "Let the waters
be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear," and,
immediately, it was so. And it was the same throughout the work of the
Seven Days. He spake the word and the world was made, and all the host
of heaven by the breath of His mouth.
But when man's salvation was wrought it was otherwise. There was
nothing instantaneous about that. Long ages passed before the time
came for the Son of God to be born. The preparation was lengthy, there
was delay. And when He came, there was no "Let there be," and it was
done, but there were thirty-three years spent on earth, and there were
the laborious ministry, the sufferings, and the death. That was not
all. Still more was done. The Son of God ascended into Heaven after
having spent forty days on earth after His resurrection, founding and
framing His Church. Then He sent the Holy Ghost down on the Church He
had made. Still all is not done. The Church has to battle with the
world, to endure persecution, the blood of martyrs has to flow, and
three hundred years to pass, before she emerges out of her hidden
suffering life into light before the world.
That is not all. Still the work goes on. The Sacraments are
ministered, the word of God is preached. Invitation to the Banquet of
Heaven is given. Salvation is not yet come; the work goes on, and goes
on slowly.
Look at yourselves, and see how slow the process is. You are baptized,
and thereby made a member of Christ. Is all done? By no means, the
work is only begun. You grow older, and your temptations grow
stronger. Then comes Confirmation, the Holy Spirit is given to
strengthen, the seal is put on the Baptismal Contract. Is all done?
By no means, it is only progressing. The Holy Communion is given you.
You partake of the sacred Body and Blood of Christ. Surely now all is
complete, and salvation secured. No--by no means, not yet. All
through life the work goes on. It is not done at death. It will not
be done till the Judgment Day.
Why is this? Because man has Free Will, and can oppose and hinder the
work of God. He can even bring it to naught.
When God made the world it was done at His word, for there was no
opposition, no independent free will had to be taken account of; but in
the salvation of man it is otherwise, man has to be considered, he has
a will which can turn all the good intentions of God from him, and make
them of no avail. God cannot save man without his free consent. God's
grace cannot sanctify him without his co-operation with it. God can
invite and attract, He cannot force. In the parable, the king sends
out to entreat his subjects to come, and when they refuse he punishes
them, but he does not send his soldiers to drive them into his
banqueting hall.
II. All that God can do is to invite; but He invites most pressingly,
and holds out every inducement that He possibly could.
God desires all men to be saved, He willeth not the death of a sinner.
"Christ," says S. Paul, "died for all,"--to reconcile all men to God.
He hung on the cross for all, to save all that will come to Him and be
saved--He died "for us men, and our salvation."
The Amalekites attacked the city of Ziklag, and took it, and burned it
with fire, and departed, carrying away with them the two wives of
David, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, who had been the wife of
Nabal the Carmelite. When David knew this, he fell into great
distress, and he gathered an army and went to the place, and there he
wept "till he had no more power to weep." And he pursued after the
Amalekites with four hundred men, and he fell on them, and the battle
raged four and twenty hours. "He smote them from twilight even unto
the evening of the next day," and he recovered out of their hands his
two wives. Now suppose that one of them, say Abigail, fell into low
spirits, thinking that David did not love her, and would not bring her
into his palace, and show her favour, one would say to her, What is the
meaning of this? Your sad spirits and gloomy doubts are proof of an
unthankful spirit. Look at David. See a clear evidence that you are
wrong. Look! he is covered with dust from the battle, he is so
exhausted that he can scarce breathe. For you he fought, for you he
exposed himself to great risk, for you he conquered. He has redeemed
you out of the power of the enemy. See! he extends to you his hand,
red with his blood shed for you. He holds out his hand to invite you
to follow him, that he may bring you home in safety. Away with these
wicked doubts and this black mistrust!
I may say exactly the same to you. Do you want any token of the love
of Christ? Any assurance of His goodwill towards you? Look at Him!
See what He has done and suffered for you! For you He spent
thirty-three years in struggle, for you He was exposed to the scoffs of
the Jews, for you He was scourged, for you He was crucified. To you He
extends His hand, red with His blood, to beckon you to follow Him, that
where He is there you may be also. He has shown you His love. What
could He have done more? He has promised you Heaven. He has assured
you that He is gone there to prepare a place for you, that He may
receive you unto Himself. He tells you that there is the kingdom He
has prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Could He make
better promises?
III. But He can do no more. He cannot drive you into Heaven. It is
left to you, to your free will to decide. You can accept, or you can
refuse. You can make use of the Sacraments, the means He has provided
for enabling you to gain the Kingdom, or you may turn your backs on
them. He will not drive you. All He will do is to invite, and say,
"Come! for all things are now ready."
LVIII.
_EXAMPLE._
21st Sunday after Trinity.
S. John iv. 13.
"And himself believed, and his whole house."