IV. A Tender Motive, a dissuasive from sin, a persuasive to yielding and
to righteousness.
Many a man has been kept from doing wrong things by thinking of a sad
pale face sitting at home waiting for him. Many a boy has been kept from
youthful transgressions which war against his soul here, on the streets
of Manchester, full as they are of temptations, by thinking that it
would grieve the poor old mother in her cottage, away down in the
country somewhere. We can bring that same motive to bear, with
infinitely increased force, in regard to our conduct as Christian
people. 'Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God.' A father feels a pang if he
sees that his child makes no account of some precious gift that he has
bestowed upon him, and leaves it lying about anywhere. A loving friend,
standing on the margin of the stream, and calling to his friends in a
boat when they are drifting to the rapids, turns away sad if they do not
attend to his voice. That Divine Spirit pleads with us, and proffers its
gifts to us, and turns away--I was going to use too strong a word,
perhaps--sick at heart, not because of wounded authority, but because of
wounded love and baffled desire to help, when we, in spite of It, will
take our own way, neglect the call that warns us of our peril, and leave
untouched the gifts that would have made us safe.
Dear brethren, surely such a dissuasive from evil, and such a persuasive
to good, is mightier than all abstractions about duty and conscience and
right, and the like. 'Do it rightly' says Paul, 'and you will please Him
that hath called you'; leave the evil thing undone, 'and my heart shall
be glad, even mine.' You and I can grieve the Christ whose Spirit is
given to us. You and I can add something to 'the joy of our Lord.'