intended; but the words themselves, taken in connexion with the subject,
would lead us to conclude, that the covenant to be established, in the
first instance, was a covenant of safety in the ark, during the flood;
and this sense is abundantly confirmed by the same word being afterwards
used in the 9th chapter, when God made His promise to the patriarch, that
the world should never again be so destroyed: “Behold, I establish my
covenant with you, and with your seed after you, and with every living
creature that is with you—neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by
the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy
the earth.” {62b} Yet, though this was the immediate import of the
covenant, it probably had, like the ark itself, a further and a typical
signification, which is thus very admirably expressed by one of the best
commentators; “I will most certainly make good the promise I have
formerly made to thee, of preserving thee and thy family from the said
destruction; and further I will make good, in due time, to thee or thy
seed after thee, _all_ those covenants or promises, which I have made to
mankind from the beginning of the world, and which remain to be made
good; especially the grand covenant concerning the promised seed, of
Messiah: to which end, I will certainly preserve thee and thy family from
the destruction I am now bringing on the rest of mankind.” {63}
The first covenant made by God with Adam, was a covenant of works, of
unsinning obedience; this was broken, and thence came death. The second
covenant made with Adam, was that of grace and salvation by Jesus Christ,
who should “come in the fulness of time;” this latter covenant was
confirmed with Noah, the representative of mankind in the new world after
the flood; and the covenant, thus renewed with him, was to extend to all
his posterity; to generations unborn, to all that would become, as he
was, “heirs of the righteousness which is by faith.” Through him,
deliverance was preached to the people before the flood; through him,
everlasting deliverance from sin and death was promised to believers in
every future age. In the covenant, therefore, made with Noah, all
mankind have an interest, an especial interest at this day; the promised
deliverer, whom Noah represented, is come; we “have seen the salvation of
our God;” the gospel of peace is proclaimed; and nothing is wanting but
our faithful acceptance of it.
Proceed we now with the history of Noah’s preservation: “The waters
prevailed exceedingly upon the earth (a hundred and fifty days), and all
the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered—and all
flesh died that moved upon the earth, Noah only remained alive, and they
that were with him in the ark. And the ark rested in the seventh month,
upon the mountains of Ararat.” {65} Thus was the divine promise
literally fulfilled, and the fidelity of the patriarch signally
acknowledged and rewarded. What must have been the emotions of this holy
man, as he was floating, through the long eventful period, upon the
surface of the raging waters! How deep and lively his conviction of the
adorable goodness and the perfect truth of God! How fervent his
gratitude, how sublime his joy, at escaping unhurt amid the desolation of
the world! How indescribable his feelings of horror and of awe, at the
sufferings of those countless multitudes, who were perishing around him;
over whose lifeless bodies he was riding in peaceful security, reserved
to be the father of a new-born world! Similar to these are the
impressions of every sincere believer, on beholding both the providential
and spiritual dispensations of the Lord. Deeply is he convinced of the
“goodness and severity of God;” of His goodness to the righteous, His
severity to the disobedient and evil: Every divine promise and every
denunciation of divine judgment have been fully accomplished in due
season; “not one jot or one tittle of the word of God has failed.” The
Christian, moreover, by his own experience, can testify the truth and
loving kindness of God: he has sought and found a refuge in the ark of
salvation, in the gospel of peace; he has been taken out of a corrupt and
troubled world, and raised above it; so that, while the billows of
adversity have been rolling all around, and the overbearings of iniquity
have every where prevailed, he has felt himself in a state of security;
inclosed by divine mercy “on the right hand and on the left;” protected
by the power of Jehovah; all things, even the most unruly elements,
“working together for his good:” when “the rain descends, and the floods
come, and the winds blow,” he hears and sees it all without dismay; nay,
with gratitude to his heavenly Preserver; hoping and believing, that the
waves of trouble are bearing him to the celestial Ararat, upon which he
shall alight, in God’s appointed time, and “find rest unto his soul.”
But, in the midst of his satisfaction and joy, there is a consideration,
which strikes a damp upon his soul, and fills him with grief and terror;
it is, the miserable condition of those his fellow-creatures, who have
been regardless of their salvation and have perished: the Saviour
“called, but they would not answer;” He assured them of the coming
desolation, but they would not take heed; He offered them mercy, but they
turned away: and the flood came upon them unawares; and it is painful to
think of them, where they now are, and how many they have been. And not
only for those who are gone, but for numbers still living, does the
charitable Christian also feel: it is not for him to be forward in
judging, not for him to condemn; “he hopeth all things, and believeth all
things;” but when he sees multitudes around him manifestly walking in the
“broad way of destruction,” he cannot help feeling both pity and pain;
especially if any of his neighbours or friends be found in this awful
state of heedlessness and sin; especially if any who are near and dear
unto him. He cannot help grieving for them; they will have, at least,
his tears and his prayers. Would that such sinners might feel for
themselves, what others feel for them; would that they might turn and
live! Their case is not like the case of those who were perishing in the
flood; they are not yet consigned to destruction; would to God that they
might turn and live!
At length, “the waters were dried up from off the earth, and the face of
the ground was dry.” “And Noah went forth” out of the ark, and “builded
an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings upon the altar,” in
thanksgiving for his miraculous preservation; “and the Lord smelled a
sweet savour;” {69} He accepted the incense of the sacrifice, approved
and honoured the piety and gratitude of Noah.
In all our deliverances and escapes, in all the benefits and blessings we
receive at the merciful hands of God, let us never fail to imitate this
bright example of righteousness: be it our first, our immediate act, to
waft unto the skies the incense of adoration and praise. The faithful
and observant Christian does indeed perpetually notice the interposition
of divine Providence in his behalf; and he never fails to render the
tribute of his heart at least, if not of his lips, to the great
Deliverer: but besides this, there are few of us, who have not, in some
striking instances, been wonderfully rescued from imminent danger and
destruction; preserved in frightful accident, or raised from a sickness
which was seemingly unto death. Has the favour been duty remembered with
gratitude? Did it bring us on our knees before the throne of mercy? Did
we present our offering with that humble sense of our own unworthiness,
and that devout acknowledgment of God’s love, which gave us just reason
to believe that the offering was accepted, through Jesus Christ our Lord?
And ever since, has an altar been raised in our hearts; have our
affections been dedicated to God, as a memorial of the past deliverance,
and a fulfilment of the purpose for which we were mercifully spared?
And there is a deliverance greater and mightier than all, of which every
faithful servant in the gospel is enjoying, at once, both the hope and
the benefit; a deliverance, of which Noah’s was a type, from the bondage
and penalty of sin; from eternal misery, and ruin. Are we penetrated
with a sense of this marvellous mercy? Do we worship our great Redeemer
in spirit and in truth? Do we love Him with all our heart and soul? Do
we proclaim abroad our gratitude and love, in the presence of a
contemptuous world? Noah was immediately and powerfully reminded of the
divine goodness accorded to himself, by beholding the face of nature all
desolate and void: and thus, when we behold around us the dismal ravages
of sin, and contemplate, with the eye of faith, the ruin which they will
finally bring, are there not afforded to _us_, exulting as we are in the
hope of our own redemption, abundant memorials of the favour of God to
ourselves? “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless
His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His
benefits: who redeemeth thy life from destruction, and crowneth thee with
loving kindness and tender mercies.” {71}
My brethren, if we would find, as “Noah found, grace in the eyes of the
Lord,” we must be like him, in faith and obedience, in “faith which
worketh by love.” We must be ready, at the divine command, to leave the
“pomps and vanity of a wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the
flesh,” and prepare the means of our deliverance, in the way which God
mercifully points out. We must dare to be singular in the midst of a
gainsaying and reviling people; and maintain our integrity in the face of
a backsliding age. If, in the hour of danger and destruction, we would
have God for our deliverer and friend, we must seek Him and serve Him,
whilst we are in health and safety: thus will He be our portion in life,
in death, in judgment, and for ever.
We are hereby led, in the last place, to consider the promise and pledge,
which God was pleased to afford to the patriarch immediately after the
flood; that “the waters would no more become a flood to destroy all
flesh.” “I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a
covenant between me and the earth—and I will look upon it, that I may
remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature
of all flesh that is upon the earth.” Whether there had ever been a
rainbow before the flood, is a point that cannot absolutely be
determined; probably not; but if there had been, it makes no difference;
the bow was then consecrated to be the token of a covenant of mercy,
between God and man; and whenever the descending shower and the darkened
sky recal to mind his former vengeance on the ungodly, we may take
comfort on beholding this bright display of majesty and beauty, “this
faithful witness in heaven;” {73} our hearts may then be gladdened by the
remembrance and assurance of God’s everlasting love: we behold the seal
of heaven, ratifying the promise of divine favour: and the believer may
justly regard it, not only as a token of security against a future
deluge, but also as a hopeful intimation of God’s mercy in all the storms
of this mortal life, in every threatening flood. We may view it, with
delighted eyes, as a blessed memorial of the truth and faithfulness of
that Almighty Protector, whose word is pledged for the preservation of
His people, at all times and under all possible circumstances. His
mercies, of providence and grace, can never fail; and an earnest of these
mercies we may discover, when we look upon the bow in the cloud; it is,
in a secondary sense at least, emblematical of God’s everlasting covenant
with His faithful people, that He will “never leave them nor forsake
them.”
Nor is it without authority, that we are thus extending the import of
this heavenly sign: St. John in one of his beatific visions, “looked and
behold a door was opened in heaven, and behold a throne was set in
heaven, and there was a rainbow round about the throne.” {75} The saints
in light are thus represented as beholding the abode of their God,
encircled with the token of His covenanted mercy; an evidence to them,
that they have finally escaped the devastation of the world; that the
floods and storms have for ever subsided; that none of the imperfections
and troubles and dangers, from which they have been rescued, shall ever
again disturb their mind or mar their happiness.
Hear then, in few words, the conclusion of the whole matter: let the
destroying deluge awaken in us, by divine grace, a living conviction of
the infallibility of God’s word, of the certain “perdition of ungodly
men;” let the deliverance of Noah and his family assure our hearts in the
expectation of the glorious redemption of every believer and servant of
God.
Let us enter the ark of salvation, prepared by our great Redeemer; enter
and abide there; and we shall be carried triumphantly over the stormy
elements of the world; and be conducted “unto the haven where we would
be:” the dove will bring unto us the olive branch of peace; and the
transcendent beauty of the celestial rainbow shall appear without a
cloud, and bless our souls with the perfect assurance of eternal safety
and joy.
SERMON V.
DO THIS GREAT WICKEDNESS AND SIN AGAINST GOD.
GENESIS xxxix. 9.
_How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God_?
THE history of Joseph, by whom these memorable words were uttered, is
full of interest and instruction. He presents unto us the splendid and
rare example of a person advanced, from the lowest estate, to distinction
and wealth and power; and yet preserving his piety and integrity
unimpaired. Not all the luxury and blandishments of a court of
unbelievers could tempt him to forget that gracious almighty benefactor,
by whom he had been rescued from danger, and raised to prosperity and
greatness. We all know how apt are the understanding and heart of man to
be captivated and corrupted by the enjoyment of earthly pomp and
pleasure, under any circumstances; but especially when they are attained
by a sudden and unexpected elevation. Joseph had been cruelly left by
his brethren in a state of utter destitution. Taken out of the pit into
which they had inhumanly cast him, he was sold as a slave to a company of
people, who were passing by, and carried into Egypt; by accident, as it
appeared, but really under the guidance and direction of an all-wise
providence, to accomplish the wonderful purposes of His divine will.
The scriptural account of his rapid rise to favour and eminence, in this
his new abode, is exceedingly striking; and shews the especial regard
which the Almighty bears for His righteous and faithful servants; there
is no situation of life too obscure for the notice of His all-seeing eye;
none too low for Him to interpose in behalf of His people, and exalt them
to usefulness and honour. “Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and
Potiphar an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought
him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.
And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in
the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord
was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his
hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him; and he
made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his
hand.” {78}
Thus favoured and advanced, this holy man never forgot, as too many do,
that gracious Being, to whose loving kindness he was indebted; instead of
growing vain of his superiority, as if he had raised himself merely by
his own talent or industry, he referred all his blessings to God’s
bountiful providence, and rendered unto Him the return of a grateful and
faithful service.
It was not long before his fidelity was put to the trial; and the manner
in which he escaped the snare, that was laid for him, affords a
remarkable proof not only of his integrity, but of his faith, his piety,
his religion, his gratitude and love to God: the only principles upon
which any dependence can be placed in the temptation of an evil hour.
Joseph, when powerfully solicited to betray the confidence, and despoil
the honour of his master, might have contented himself with declaring the
numberless acts of kindness which he had received at Potiphar’s hand; the
recompence of faithfulness which he owed for them all; or the fear of
bringing upon himself disgrace and ruin, by so atrocious a crime;
considerations indeed, which actually had no small influence and weight
upon his mind. But he goes much further, and appeals to a higher
authority, to a nobler principle; to one which was calculated to give
unto every minor consideration a tenfold effect; to secure the
performance of that duty, which reason and honour and conscience
suggested; he appealed to his God, from the fountain of whose mercy he
had derived all his benefits and blessings; and to whom therefore, his
sincere unswerving obedience was unreservedly due. Like every pious and
good man, he remembers and regards the human ties by which he is bound;
and instances, in feeling language, the kindness and estimation of his
earthly master; “Behold, my master wrotteth not (knoweth not) what is
with me in the house, and he hath committed all things that he hath to my
hand; there is none greater in this house than I.” {80} But then this
man of God, after thus recounting the signal favour which had been shewn
him by an earthly master, does not rest his duty upon saying, ‘how can I
abuse the unbounded confidence reposed in me; how can I prove myself so
unworthy of my lord?’ But immediately, as if it were the habitual
suggestion of his mind, elevates his thoughts and affections to his
master in heaven; to Him, who had put it into the heart of Potiphar thus
to distinguish and bless him; to Him, by whose grace alone he had been
what he had been, a faithful and dutiful servant; and by whose gracious
interposition “all things had worked together for his good.” For such
surpassing mercy poured down upon him from heaven, he could not bear the
thought of making so base a requital; and exclaimed in the energy of his
soul, “How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” Resting
upon such a principle, the triumph of his virtue was complete; it enabled
him to disregard whatever evil consequences might ensue; and to stand
against the subtlest wiles of the tempter, and under circumstances of
imminent peril, a noble monument of the power of religion; upright in his
duty to God and man.
Much edification may the Christian gather from the narrative before us;
and happy would it be for the Christian world, if the principle, here so
splendidly illustrated, were in fuller operation. It might indeed be
thought, that with the superior knowledge we enjoy, of the transcendent
mercy and goodness of God, of the extent and bounty of His providence, as
well as the riches of his grace; that, with the clear revelation of the
divine will, the glorious manifestation of gospel light, to us so
abundantly vouchsafed; that, taught as we have been to look upon God as
our reconciled Father in Jesus Christ, as the “author and giver of every
good gift” in this world, and the spring of all our blissful hopes of an
inheritance in the brighter world to come; it might have been thought,
under these superior advantages and means of grace, that in all the
events of life, in every temptation and trial, our affections would be
certainly raised, above every earthly consideration, to the high and holy
God; that, when we are pressed with the solicitations of evil, it would
immediately occur to our minds and enter into our hearts, how abhorrent
the offence must be to that perfect and glorious Being, in whose image we
are professedly recreated; how grievous to that Holy Spirit, in whom we
ought to live and walk; how disgracefully and basely unworthy of those
spiritual privileges, to which we have been restored; of the great
mercies we have already received; and the still greater we are yet
expecting, from the redemption which hath been wrought for us by the ever
blessed Jesus; it might be concluded, that Christians, when tempted to
injury and evil, would immediately refer the matter to the blessed word
and will of their divine master, and exclaim, with a pious and grateful
feeling, “how can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?”
Yet, is it not notorious, that a great, an overwhelming portion of the
inhabitants of this enlightened land, are governed in a very small, if in
any degree, by this pure sense of spiritual and religious obligation?
Commonly, when they are solicited to sinful gratifications and pursuits,
“God is not in all their thoughts:” whether they yield or not, depends
partly upon the strength of their natural inclination; partly upon the
light in which the sin may be regarded by the world around them; upon the
extent to which it may affect their worldly reputation; upon what they
may calculate to gain or lose by their conduct. The law of custom has
manifestly a greater influence than the law of God; nay, what are called
the _rules of honour_, which, in many instances, are flagrantly repugnant
and opposite to the divine will, (and might rather be called the rules of
_dishonour_,) are appealed to, in a Christian country, as the arbiters of
right and wrong; while the “honour that cometh from God only” is totally
disregarded and forgotten. And even of those, who are unacquainted with
the precise terms of these fallacious rules, what multitudes are there,
whose practice and conduct are determined by considerations merely human;
who will be guided by a feeling of gratitude to an earthly benefactor,
and yet have no sense or remembrance of the favour of an all-merciful
God; who will be deterred from evil by the dread of offending an earthly
superior, that has power only over the body, and yet possess in their
hearts no fear whatever of Him, “who is able to destroy both body and
soul in hell.” Where there are no better guides, no higher inducements
than these, “to refuse the evil and to choose the good,” we cannot be
surprised at the licentiousness and corruption, which so unhappily
prevail; nor even at the flagrant and shameless commission of that
calamitous sin, which Joseph rejected with such holy disdain. Against
the impetuous desires and cravings of the flesh; the assiduous entreaties
of wicked companions; and the beguiling charms, which Satan so well knows
how to spread over all the ways and works of evil; against all these
combining together, it cannot be expected, that any human motives or
maxims, any earthly feelings alone, should be able successfully to stand.
Not that such motives or maxims or feelings are to be despised or
disregarded; not that any just or lawful consideration, however trivial,
should be overlooked, which may be instrumental, in any degree, to
preserve us from evil. Far is it from being the design of the gospel, to
supersede the dictates and rules of reason; the workings of conscience;
or the influence of natural affection, of hope and joy and gratitude and
love; the gospel purifies all these motives, and guides them aright, and
directs the exercise of them into the proper channel. But even the best
of them, with the sincere Christian, are as nothing when compared with
his religious principle, with the faith and fear and love of God: when
tempted to sin, he thinks of that Holy Being, with whom he has entered
into covenant; of that gracious Redeemer, who hath endured so much for
his sake, who hath brought him into the way of salvation, by whose favour
he is enjoying “the life that now is, and the promise of that which is to
come;” he thinks of the Holy Spirit, “by whom he has been regenerated and
made a child of grace;” he would not quench that sacred flame and energy,
by which his corrupt nature has been enlightened and purified; from which
“all good desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed;” by
which his soul is animated with the inspiring hope of beholding his God
face to face, in perfect righteousness and everlasting glory. He loves
to please, he cannot bear the thought of offending, the Lord of majesty
and mercy; and looks to Him for strength in the hour of trial. The
constant habit of thus lifting up, in the spirit of prayer, the thoughts
and affections to God; the full and abiding persuasion of His manifold
mercies to the faithful, of His terrible judgments to be executed upon
the disobedient and the impenitent sinner, will always be found the
surest, the only sure, preservative from sin.
And how can that man, who believes, with all his heart and soul, in the
glorious revelation of the Gospel; in the miseries which he may thereby
escape, and the happiness which he may attain; in the means ordained for
his accomplishment of these momentous purposes; how can he fail or cease
to maintain a lively remembrance of the goodness and wisdom and power of
God? Will he not “set the Lord alway before him;” and under the
countenance and protection of his Saviour, and in the awful presence of
his Judge, will he not feel himself powerfully actuated to restrain and
resist every guilty inclination, and to decline from the danger and
dishonour of every evil way? “How can I do this great wickedness and sin
against” my Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier—the Almighty God, whose I
am, and whom I serve?
This reflection is also calculated to excite our attention to the duties
of this holy season, {89a} prescribed by the Church for our christian
improvement; the duties of self-examination and repentance. Convinced,
that every wilful sin renders us unworthy of acceptance with that God,
“who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity,” let us retire into our
chamber and take our private hour, and cast a searching eye over our
character and life, intent upon discovering every stain and blemish; let
us “see if there be any wicked way in us,” and pray fervently to be “led
into the way everlasting.” {89b} Let the sinfulness of our condition by
nature, the sinfulness of our thoughts and words and works, pass in
review before us; nor let the soul ever rest content, till we have made
our peace with God;—by an humble abasement under the sense of our
undeservings; by unfeigned sorrow for the past; by a holy, steady, entire
resolution, to watch more carefully, and walk more circumspectly; by
laying aside “every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us.”
{90a}
When we duly think of the long-suffering and forbearance of our offended
Father; of His great mercy in “sparing us when we deserved punishment;”
sparing us to repent of our faults and follies, to advance in holiness
and righteousness, to further the everlasting interest of the soul;
surely we shall then be penetrated with a deep sense of the divine
compassion; and the goodness of God “will answer its blessed purpose and
lead us to repentance.” {90b} ‘How can I persist in abusing the patience
which has borne with me so long? How shall I continue to neglect any
duty, which so merciful a God has commanded, for the edification and
salvation of my soul? How shall I rebelliously cherish any sinful
indulgence, which is opposed to His holy law; and thus forfeit my claim
to that heavenly inheritance, which my Saviour has died to procure for
the true believer, for the penitent and contrite in heart? How can I do
less than abhor the sin, which His blood was shed to expiate and cleanse
away; less, than delight and advance in the way of righteousness which He
has opened to me;’ even till “I come unto the measure of the stature of
the fulness of Christ.”
Reflections, deliberations, resolutions such as these, sincerely formed
and cherished, would very effectually, by divine grace, assist us in
attaining that disposition of mind and heart, which might lead us
habitually to raise our thoughts to God, under every circumstance, and at
every time of temptation. There would thus be cast around us a sacred
wall of defence; a perpetual barrier against the inroads of Satan and of
sin; and if at times they should, when we are suddenly thrown off our
guard, break in upon the heart and lay it waste, they would speedily be
expelled, and the breach would be healed without delay. Thus we shall
become more jealous over ourselves, more circumspect and watchful; we
shall never feel easy, while betraying, into the hands of the enemy, the
merciful and glorious work of God. With a love for His goodness, a
reverence for His truth, and a fear of His judgments, abiding in the
heart, we shall fly from every approach of evil, and dwell in safety
beneath the shadow of His wing: “we shall be enabled to withstand in the
evil day, and having done all to stand.” {92}
It is our distinguished privilege to be enlightened by the “wisdom which
is from above,” to “be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His
might:” God forbid that we should return to the “beggarly elements of the
world,” and seek to draw our principles and strength from this polluted
source. Had we never been blessed with the light of revelation, we must
have been content with such means of duty, as our dark state afforded: we
must have been governed and guided like the heathen, whom we now pity.
But, as we are supremely favoured with the knowledge of the true God, as
“our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ;” as
the Holy Spirit is given to “help our infirmities;” let us, in every
temptation, remember our infinite obligations to the great and merciful
Jehovah, and trust in the sufficiency of His almighty power.
After thus “walking with God as friends;” having, for the sake of His
friendship, struggled with our evil propensities; having despised the
vanity and folly, and renounced the love of the world, we shall
experience more and more, the value of His favour, and the fulness of His
grace; serving Him in humble gratitude, we shall be acknowledged as His
own peculiar people, and He will be our God; in all perplexities we shall
find Him our guide, in all trouble our comfort and support; amid the
crooked paths of vice He will “make our way plain before His face;” the
“snare will be broken and we shall be delivered;” He will honour us among
men; “such honour have all His saints;” and this will be an earnest of
our everlasting honour in His heavenly abode, in perfect friendship and
communion with Him, in that blessed place where sin and temptation will
be no more, “where nothing that defileth can enter.”
SERMON VI.
ON THE JOURNEY TO EMMAUS.
LUKE xxiv. 32. _And they said one to another_, _Did not our heart
burn within us_, _while He talked with us by the way_, _and while He
opened to us the Scriptures_?
THIS is a portion of one of those affecting and instructive pieces of
history, with which the sacred scriptures every where abound.
After the resurrection of Jesus, on the very same day, two of His
disciples were journeying together to a village called Emmaus, a few
miles distant from Jerusalem. And as they went, “they talked together of
those things which had happened.” And certainly never was there
furnished to disciples an occasion of more interesting conversation.
They were at no loss for a subject; their feelings were deeply moved,
their circumstances most peculiar; they had just been bereaved of their
Lord; and were left, as they thought, helpless and hopeless upon the wide
world: they had been attending the sad scene of His sufferings; and
doubtless had been witnessing his awful crucifixion; abundance of matter
therefore, was afforded them for reflection and discourse. But besides
this, they had heard the report of their Lord’s resurrection; and as they
did not at all understand the purport of it, appeared indeed scarcely to
believe an event so extraordinary, they were probably consulting what to
expect, or what to do. “And it came to pass, that, while they communed
together and reasoned, Jesus Himself drew near, and went with them. But
their eyes were holden, that they should not know Him.” {96} Either He
assumed a different form, or He supernaturally influenced their sight,
that they should not at first recognize Him.
Jesus, let us observe, appeared to the disciples, while they were engaged
in holy meditation and converse; and thus, though no longer visible in
the world, He may still be expected, at all times, to favour His true
disciples in a similar manner. While they are conversing upon the things
belonging to His kingdom, upon the wonders of His love, and the riches of
His grace, upon their high privileges and expectations, upon the
doctrines and precepts of His holy word, upon the duties and experiences
of their earthly pilgrimage, upon their walk with God here, and their
hope of dwelling together with Him for ever hereafter; while they are
musing and discoursing of these things, the blessed Jesus will join
company with them, though unknown and unseen; and will shed over their
conference a holy and heavenly benediction. A reproach it is to vast
numbers of His professing disciples, that they are not more anxious to
embrace such opportunities of enjoying the favour and presence of their
Lord; that many, even intimate friends and near relations, amid the
endless variety of their subjects of conversation, are scarcely ever
found to exchange a sentiment or a word, upon the most interesting and
important of all topics; the love of their Lord and the edification of
their souls. Eagerly do they embrace every opportunity of ministering to
the passing amusement, or the temporal welfare, of each other; the only
subject, which appears to be forbidden ground, is the subject of an
eternal life to come, their spiritual well-being here and hereafter.
But let me not be misunderstood on this point; I am not speaking of the
promiscuous intercourse of society; not of religious discussions or
allusions amid the ordinary business of life; not of that irreverent and
dangerous habit, into which same believers have been incautiously
betrayed, of detailing to one another their continual and familiar
experiences; I am speaking of the private and sober communing of
christian friends, who are dwelling together, or journeying together, as
the disciples to Emmaus: and truly, “with the bible in their hands and
the Saviour in their hearts,” it is wonderful how they can forbear from
spiritual intercourse. If the everlasting truths of the gospel have made
a deep impression upon their minds; if, for the promises therein
revealed, it is their object to live and to die; if they have one common
hope of their calling, “one thing needful” which occupies their
affections; if they have the same exalted view of a glorious kingdom in
heaven; if they are living together in love, and comforting themselves,
that the holy bond shall never be broken, that it shall be renewed in a
happier world and last for ever; then it would be strange if their
thoughts and their conversation should never turn upon a subject of such
overwhelming interest; upon a topic so abundantly fruitful in materials
for mutual edification. The idea of the Lord being present with us in
our conferences is an animating and ennobling idea: but we cannot expect
His holy presence in the scenes of vanity and frivolity; nor can we
expect it at any time, if the thought and desire of Him be altogether
excluded. From the cold moralist, or the worldly-minded disciple, from
those who have no practical concern for the gospel or for their souls, we
need not look for a word of spiritual communication; it is abhorrent to
their feelings and inconsistent with their notions; but the sincere
Christian should “think on these things.” “The world will love its own,”
and follow its own; its own friends and maxims and ways: but “we are not
of the world,” and better fruit is expected from us.
But to return to the history before us. Having listened for a time to
the earnest discourse of the disciples, Jesus at length, as if a
stranger, enquired into the subject, which engrossed their minds and
rendered them so sorrowful: “And the one of them whose name was Cleopas,
(the same, it is thought, as Alpheus, who was the father of two Apostles
and nearly related to our Lord Himself,) answering, said unto Him, art
thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things, which
are come to pass there in these days?” “And he said unto them what
things?” said it, probably, with a view of giving them an opportunity of
declaring their opinions, upon what had taken place, as also upon Himself
and the nature of His kingdom: “and they said unto Him, concerning Jesus
of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word, before God and
all the people: and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to
be condemned to death, and have crucified Him. But we trusted, that it
had been He who should have redeemed Israel; and beside all this, to-day
is the third day since these things were done.” {101} They concluded,
that their bright hopes of redemption were extinguished, were all dead
and buried with Jesus: even though they had heard of His rising again,
according to His own promise, which they had just alluded to, still they
had no expectation of holding any further intercourse with Him, of any
further display of His power in their behalf.
“Then he said unto them, O fools (O unwise and blinded people) and slow
of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken; ought not Christ
(ought not your Messiah prophesied of old) to have suffered these things
and enter into His glory?” {102} Is it not clearly foretold by your
prophets, by Isaiah especially in his 53d chapter, that the redeemer of
Israel should be “despised and rejected of men,” should bear “their
griefs and carry their sorrows,” “should be led as a lamb to the
slaughter, should be numbered with the transgressors,” should make “His
grave with the wicked (should die with malefactors) and with the rich in
his death,” (should be buried in the sepulchre of the rich,) and after
that “prolong His days,” and then that “the pleasure of the Lord should
prosper in His hand?” According to your own prophecies then, and in
order to their fulfilment, has not Jesus done that, as Messiah, which He
was required to do? Instead of being offended, and giving up the cause,
ye ought to be fully convinced, that He is “the Christ, the son of the
living God.” {103a} Then, “beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He
expounded to them in all the sacred scriptures the things concerning
Himself.” {103b} How enlightening and convincing must this discourse
have been! But it is not preserved to us: with so complete a body of
information and evidence, it did not please the Almighty to favour the
world. We are left to gather the instruction by diligent observation and
study; and thankful may we be, that there still remain most abundant
sources of satisfactory knowledge on this head; that the prophecies and
types of the Saviour in the Old Testament, when compared with their
fulfilment, are sufficiently clear for the conviction of every honest and
well-disposed mind.
After this, the disciples “drew nigh unto the village whither they went;
and Jesus made as though He would have gone further. But they
constrained Him, saying, Abide with us; for it is toward evening, and the
day is far spent. And He went in to tarry with them.” {104a} And thus
He still favours His disciples, and will do as long as the world stands;
when they heartily desire His abiding presence, it will never be denied;
wherever the place or whatever the occasion, their Lord, if wished for
and welcome, will be of their company: in the domestic circle, in the
converse of friends, in the sacred hour of solitude; “when thou sittest
in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest
down, and when thou risest up.” {104b} We have only to lift our thoughts
to Him; “to set Him always before us; and He will be at our right hand,
that we shall not be moved.” {105a} At all times He will be found “a
present help;” but especially when we are associated or assembled in
remembrance of Him. Such is the promise of His word: “where two or three
are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them:”
{105b} gathered together for consultation, for worship, for any holy
purpose.
Jesus, when He had entered into the house with the two disciples, acted
in a manner which served to bring Him to their knowledge: “As He sat at
meat with them, He took bread and blessed it, and brake and gave to them;
(though a supposed stranger, He appeared as the head of the family;
blessing and distributing, as His custom had been at their ordinary
meals:) And their eyes were opened, and they knew Him: And He vanished
out of their sight;” {105c} immediately left them to ponder upon the
amazing things which they had heard. “And they said one to another, Did
not our heart burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and
while He opened to us the Scriptures?”
Cleopas and his friend were unquestionably favoured beyond the common lot
of disciples: to hear the sacred oracles explained by Him, who was at
once the subject and fulfilment of them; by Him, through whose spirit the
prophets and holy men of old all spake; to hear them perfectly explained
and illustrated by the voice of the Son of God, might well make a vivid
impression upon their minds, and fill their bosom with fervent and
rapturous delight: Yet, though we cannot be so singularly blessed, there
may be communicated to us a measure of that knowledge, which these
disciples enjoyed; there may be imparted to us no inconsiderable portion
of the same holy animation.
Our merciful Lord, on withdrawing His visible presence from this world,
sent, according to His promise, another Comforter; a Comforter, who
should “guide His people into all truth;” should “give them a right
judgment in all things,” and spread a holy influence over their
affections and desires. And now, when we are reading His word, when
musing upon it with devout meditation, and conversing with one another
upon its exalted truths, its heavenly purposes, its abundant promises and
blessings; and now, when we hear the word from the lips of those
ministers, who, however unworthy in themselves, are commissioned to speak
in His great name, our hearts may burn within us, and “our eyes may be
opened to behold wondrous things out of His law;” {107} we may still be
powerfully impressed, if we have, what we are taught by our church to
pray for, “grace to hear meekly the word, and to receive it with pure
affection, and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit.”
May I not appeal, in justification of these remarks, to some of you here
present? Have not your minds, when intent upon the doctrines of the
gospel, and taking a view of heavenly things, been sometimes visited with
a holy illumination, which has seemed to raise you above the world, and
to make you feel more sensibly, that “you have your conversation in
heaven?” {108} Have not the ties of earth been loosened, while your soul
was expatiating on the deep things of God, on His wisdom and power and
love, on the dealings of His providence and grace, on the glories of His
eternal presence? Have you not, in some such moments, been so impressed,
as to return to the world with a degree of reluctance; and, like the
disciples at the transfiguration, almost tempted to say, of your
spiritual and heavenly visions, “it is good for me to be here?” These
are no enthusiastic imaginations; they are the sober and solid effects of
the realized presence of our Redeemer; they are the burnings of heart, of
which the disciples spake; they are the foretaste of our knowledge and
joy and light and life above. Doubtless they are to be encouraged with
humility and sobriety; doubtless they may degenerate into enthusiasm; for
there is no spiritual good, which may not be abused: but the fear of
enthusiasm is not to hinder us in gathering comfort and delight from the
study of scriptural truth, from holy and exalted meditation. The world
may call it weakness and folly; for it cannot be understood by the world;
but the Christian knows for it a better name; and few eminent Christians
have there been, who would not readily bear witness to the truth of these
things, who have not felt the inspiriting, uplifting power of divine
contemplation.
And this, like all other exercises of true faith and piety, is of great
practical importance; it is fruitful in righteousness to all who “think
soberly;” it serves them, when they return to the busy scenes of earth,
as an animation to duty; it purifies their affections and renders the
world little in their eyes; it arms them for conflict, and reconciles
them to trouble: in the midst of trials, of disappointments and
bereavements, of struggles and difficulties, of frowns and oppositions,
they remember, with thankfulness and comfort, the spiritual joys they
have experienced, and expect to be blessed with them again: yes, in their
darker hours, they remember, that the Sun of righteousness, has shone
brightly upon them, and the beams are still reflected; though they cannot
at present perceive Him so clearly, though He seems, like Jesus with the
disciples, to have “vanished out of their sight,” He has left a glory
behind, and will again visit them with the fulness of His favour; and
they go on their way “not faithless, but believing.”
To those who have been thus in the habit of pious and scriptural
meditation; of intently dwelling upon the sublime mysteries, and the
gracious promises, and the noble examples, and the striking histories of
the word of God; to them it is needless to recommend a continuance of the
good work; it is a christian obligation, which they can never think of
declining; and besides this, the delight and improvement, which it
affords, are its own sufficient recommendation. But upon all, who have
unhappily neglected this their great privilege and duty, I would most
earnestly press the importance of attending to this point, as a matter of
bounden necessity. It is not enough to form an acquaintance with the
leading truths of the gospel, as a matter of faith and profession; there
is much to be learnt upon a nearer inspection, much indeed that can never
be learned without it; much to enlarge and exalt the understanding; to
renew the heart and regulate the life. The necessary intercourse, which
most of us have with the world, is of a lowering and defiling nature;
estranging the heart from a love of holiness and of God: and in order to
correct this evil, scriptural study and spiritual consideration, as well
as fervent prayer, are indispensable.
Let not any day pass over your heads without some portion of the Bible,
some subject of divine revelation, being brought distinctly to your view.
The exercise will interfere with none of your earthly duties, but will
help you in the performance of them all; will smooth whatever there be of
ruggedness in your way; will strengthen you in the hour of temptation,
and comfort you in perplexity and trouble. Many an encouraging promise
and many an enlivening assurance will recur to your memory; and “a word
in season how good is it:” examples of suffering and patience, of
striving and perseverance, of warfare and triumph, will kindle in your
breast an emulous ardour, and you will say, ‘By the help of the Lord, I
will “go and do likewise.”’ Thus will the Bible be a never-failing
source of strength and consolation all the day long; as the waters, which
flowed from the flinty rock, accompanied and refreshed the Israelites,
ever and anon, in their journey through the wilderness, so will your
spiritual musings, suggested by the very hardships or troubles of life,
be a perpetual stream of refreshment to your souls, even “in a dry land
thirsty land, where no water is.” {113a}
And by this means you will be preparing and training your souls for a
happier communion with the Saviour in another world; where all the
dealings of His providence, and all the wonders of His grace, will be
more fully and gloriously manifested. And if the heart of the Christian
now burn within him, at the contemplation of heavenly truth and redeeming
love; now, in his frail tenement of clay; how unspeakable will be his
delight, when these things are revealed to his pure spirit, in the realms
of perfection and bliss. Then will he know more of “the love of Christ
which passeth knowledge;” then will he see more of “the length and
breadth and depth and height” {113b} of the mystery of mercy; he will see
God “face to face” and “know even as he is known.”
SERMON VII.
IF THEY HEAR NOT MOSES AND THE PROPHETS.
LUKE xvi. 31.
_If they hear not Moses and the Prophets_, _neither will they be
persuaded_, _though one rose from the dead_.
LET us advert to the occasion on which these words were delivered, to the
parable of which they form a part. The case there presented to us by the
description of the rich man is unhappily of frequent occurrence in every
age. Surrounded by all the luxuries that wealth could furnish, he looked
for nothing beyond them: how many fellow mortals there were near his
dwelling, deprived of the necessities, while he was revelling in the
superfluities of life, was no care, no consideration of his; the selfish
enjoyment of this world entirely absorbed his affections, and threw a
veil over all expectation of a world to come: satisfied, that he had
“goods laid by for many years,” he imagined that he had nothing to do,
but to “eat, drink, and be merry.”
But such ignorance and insensibility did not prevent him from being
called to account; such forgetfulness of his latter end did not retard
the evil day. He died—and was buried, we may conclude, with costly
preparation answerable to the splendour in which he had lived. This
however, was the last service which his riches were able to render him;
and melancholy it was, when contrasted with the state, in which his soul
was existing, while his treasures were employed in doing honour to the
lifeless body. He found in that state, what he might have discovered
before, that riches, if selfishly employed in purposes of vanity and
pleasure, are a deadly snare; that earthly indulgences, if pursued with
excess, to the neglect of duty towards God and man, instead of being a
blessing, are paving the way to misery; he found, “what an evil and
bitter thing it is,” to squander the favours of heaven without
remembering “the author and giver of every good gift.”
Perceiving therefore, by sad experience, his own deplorable condition, he
is represented as being moved with a feeling of pity for his brethren:
his first anxiety, indeed, was naturally for himself—for some
alleviation, at least, of the wretchedness of his fate; but when he was
informed that such desire was fruitless, that even the assuagement of his
pain was impossible, that there was no means of conveying even a drop of
water to cool the thirst upon his tongue, that the great gulf was finally
and irremoveably fixed, he then hoped that something might be done for
his brethren who were still surviving; they had not yet passed the
boundary of life and grace; and therefore he entreats that, while the
far-spent day was shining upon them, Lazarus might be despatched from his
abode of bliss, to warn them of the untimely end to which they were
hastening; and induce them effectually to repent before “the night should
come, in which no man can work.” {117a}
Abraham’s answer is, “they have Moses and the prophets, let them hear
_them_.” A messenger from the court of heaven could tell them nothing
new; they are already acquainted with their duty and the consequences of
neglecting it: Jehovah has revealed unto them His blessed will, and
clearly made known what is required of them, “to do justly, and to love
mercy, and to walk humbly with their God.” {117b} His covenant with
their fathers, and the promulgation of His law, have been attested by a
series of signal miracles, which they do not pretend to dispute; and in
every page of their history are recorded God’s promised blessings to the
good, and the execution of His vengeance upon the evil; and, therefore,
in as far as knowledge is concerned, they have all the intelligence that
can be desired.
But the wretched man, in the agony of his own feelings, and the earnest
desire to preserve his family from such woe, still pursues his request.
“Nay, father Abraham;” but, though they have neglected the ordinary calls
of heaven, assuredly, if so astonishing an admonition were granted to
them, as that of one risen from the dead, they would be thereby persuaded
to repent. Then follows the answer of the text, “If they hear not Moses
and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from
the dead.” And thus the conference ended.
From this conclusion of the parables two important observations may be
drawn _first_, that if men fail to be convinced and converted, to be led
to their God and their duty, by those sufficient means of grace which are
already vouchsafed to them, they would not be likely to yield to any
extraordinary means; and, _secondly_, that no such additional means are
to be expected.
1. In all cases of spiritual and practical unbelief, in all cases where
the declarations of the Almighty are disregarded, the fault lies not so
much in the understanding as in the heart. The revelations of heaven are
at variance with those interests and pursuits, which the heart is
inclined and resolved to retain; and on this account, and by this means,
the mind is prejudiced and set against such revelations, and they are not
fully and implicitly believed. They call men to the love and practice of
holiness, to which our degenerate nature is averse; the pleasures of sin
are preferred, and the voice of God is unheeded: they teach us, that all
earthly objects and possessions, in themselves, are vain, and call us to
prepare for an everlasting inheritance above; the sensual and
worldly-minded think and feel, that “it is good for them to be here,” and
are not disposed to place their affections upon the promise of an
hereafter. We none of us professedly disbelieve the revelation of
heaven, any more than the brethren of the rich man did; and therefore I
need not stay to argue the point on that ground. The doctrine before us
is this, that men, professing to believe, to have received abundant
evidence of the truth, and yet refusing to act upon that belief, would
not be induced so to act, by any violent appeal to their senses or
natural powers, even though it were the work of a divine interposition in
their behalf.
What do we believe? That, after this life, which experience tells us
must soon terminate, and which may, at any moment, be unexpectedly and
suddenly brought to a close, we shall immediately enter upon another and
an eternal state of being; and that our condition, in the endless life to
come, will be happy or miserable, according to the manner in which we
have passed our short pilgrimage upon earth, whether in a belief of the
gospel or in unbelief; in obedience or disobedience; in holiness or sin.
Now, if we really and vitally believe these truths, their importance is
so striking, that nothing could possibly suggest to the mind a weightier
consideration. And if these truths be only superficially credited, it
must be owing to some corrupt and perverted affections, which throw a
veil over the understanding, and render it proof against all moral means
of conviction. Perhaps some strange and startling occurrence, such as
the re-appearance of a friend from the dead, might forcibly affect the
imagination for a time; and, filling us with alarm and apprehension,
might fill us also with vehement resolutions of amendment: but the
imagination is a weak principle to build upon; the impressions it
receives are commonly very transient; they gradually wear away on the
presentation of fresh images, in our commerce with the world: and if
there be not a solid spiritual conviction, in the mind and heart, of the
awful realities of an hereafter, if the conviction does not rest upon the
divine evidence accorded by the Spirit and the word of God, the effects
of sudden surprise or consternation will soon vanish away; the latent
dispositions of the soul will break forth again; the old habits, of
recklessness and evil, be reassumed; the world again victorious.
For the truth of these things, I appeal, if not to yourselves, (as in
many instances, I reasonably may) but if not, to those around you. How
many examples have occurred, within the compass of your own experience,
of extraordinary visitations having produced but a very short-lived
influence upon the heart and character? How often have we seen the
careless awakened by an alarming sickness, by an approach of the king of
terrors, (which can hardly be supposed less convincing than an angel from
heaven, or a spirit from the blest), and yet awakened only to return, on
the removal of danger, to the slumbers of insensibility and sin. The
solemn promises, which the terrified sinner made to his friends, his
minister, and his God, were but the offspring of fear; the creatures of
imagination; born only for the moment; soon disappearing, when the crisis
was past.
And when the stroke of death has actually fallen upon a relative or
friend, we have sometimes seen it overwhelm the soul of a heedless
survivor, and bring him to himself, to serious thought and repentance; he
began to sit loose to the remaining interests of life; he looked with
anxiety to the world unknown, and formed resolutions of devoting his
years to a constant provision for futurity; but all to no ultimate
purpose; the subject had sued for his attention before, and been
rejected. When his affections have had time to cool, he finds that no
new importance has really been given to the truth; the evidences of it
rest as they did; others have lost friends as well as he; it is the
common lot of mortality; and he cannot keep alive the impression for
ever; the world must be attended to; and one object after another
continues to gain an ascendancy, till his new-born hopes and fears are
extinct; till his principles and conduct and views return to their old
level, from which they will in future become the more difficult to be
raised.
It is unnecessary for me to insist, that this is no ideal picture, drawn
for the mere occasion of placing the subject in a strong light; your own
acquaintance with the world may furnish you with living resemblances of
it; and it is unhappily the lot of Christian Ministers, who have more
frequent opportunity of witnessing such impressions, to observe, in the
end, their repeated and lamentable failure; to perceive how far they fall
short of lasting conviction and salvation.
Well, therefore, in the affectionate and faithful discharge of our duty,
may we call upon our hearers to weigh, in the dispassioned hours of
health and tranquillity, the nature and the moment of those divine
truths, which the gospel clearly reveals unto man; to judge rightly and
truly of their everlasting import; and to embrace them, from the
undeniable evidence already presented, with all the heart and all the
soul. We call, however, upon our hearers, not as if the vital impression
depended upon themselves alone, upon the exercise of their own judgment
or the workings of their own conscience. We call upon them to pray for,
and be guided by, the mighty operation of the Spirit of God: He is ever
ready to enlighten and instruct and quicken and determine them; giving us
His grace, “that we may have a good will, and working with us, when we
have that good will.” {125} Listen to His teaching; obey His godly
motions; follow up the convictions which He brings to the mind and heart.
Light enough is perpetually given, to guide you into all truth; live in
the light; walk in the light.
Thus, indeed, every additional admonition, which a gracious God may be
pleased to vouchsafe unto us, will be turned to good account; our faith
will be confirmed, our affections purified, our knowledge increased, our
resolutions strengthened and settled; “unto him that hath, shall more be
given;” the sincere and pious believer will advance, at every call, a
step nearer to his Saviour and his God; the still small voice of heavenly
warning will be heard, even amidst the ordinary occurrences of life; the
wonderful dealings of providence and the manifold means of grace will be
turned to godly account; the instructions and examples of the living, and
the contemplation of the saints at rest, will alike afford materials for
spiritual edification. But if the great call to liberty and life be
habitually neglected, to liberty from sin and shame, and life to holiness
and glory, then the mind and heart are not in a condition to take
advantage of occasional excitement; it strikes, but it does not overcome;
it rouses, but the stupor returns.
2. Proceed we now to the second observation which may be drawn from the
text, that when men reject the abundant evidence of truth, and the
gracious invitations of heaven already given, when they have resisted the
strivings of the Spirit of God, they are not to expect Him to deviate
from the ordinary rules of His providence and grace, for the sake of
removing their wilful blindness, and overcoming their perverseness and
obstinacy.
It is a part of the divine economy, in the salvation of man, that he
should of his own free will, by the grace of God preventing and
assisting, “refuse the evil and choose the good:” and therefore man is
not to expect from the Almighty any such interference in his favour, as
might absolutely overrule his will, and compel him to hearken and obey.
God’s infinite mercy is sufficiently manifested in His offer and promise
to save those rebellious sinners, who listen to the teaching of His
Spirit, who are willing to be saved in His own appointed way. To save
those who quench the light afforded them, who discover no such
willingness, who unthankfully turn away and refuse the inestimable gift
presented to them, would be in direct opposition to the whole tenour of
the word of God. And experience concurs with Scripture to inform us,
that no such extraordinary interposition is generally vouchsafed. The
Jews, in our Saviour’s time, had read of the miracles of Moses and the
prophets, professed to credit their inspiration, and their mission from
on High; they had seen the astonishing miracles of Christ Himself; and
might, if they would, have perceived the fulfilment of their prophecies
in Him; many of them were eyewitnesses to the signs and wonders attendant
upon His crucifixion; to the earthquake, and the supernatural darkness,
and the rending of the veil of their temple; nor could they deny His
resurrection from the dead. Against all this body of evidence, against
all the means of conviction, they persevered in their rejection of Him.
And the time came, when no further testimonial was to be granted; they
were left “to fill up the measure of their fathers;” they died in their
sins.
In addition to all these opportunities and advantages afforded to the
Jew, we enjoy, at this day, the fulness of the manifestation of the
gospel; the real nature of the Messiah’s kingdom is clearly and
completely revealed unto us; the blessings of the gospel are set before
us, in the most conspicuous and glorious light; we have all the
certainty, which mortals can have, of a world to come; all the knowledge
which our imperfect faculties could receive, of the nature of that world;
and all the means of grace and hopes of glory. And if by all these
mercies we are not convinced and persuaded, we can have no right or
reason to look for any preternatural or overpowering interposition, even
from the goodness and long-suffering of God. Rather may we fear that
judicial infatuation, so frequently alluded to in Scripture, of the
closed eye, the dull ear, and the gross obdurate heart. O let the
sinner, instead of flattering himself with the delusion, that some
extraordinary thing will one day be happening to him, which shall
disengage him from earth, and fix his thoughts on heaven and eternity, O
let him rather apprehend that the time is approaching, when the measure
of his iniquity shall be filled up, and God will be no longer found.
I am not asserting, that such signal interferences have never been
vouchsafed; that such loud awakenings have never been successful: I mean,
that they are not in the ordinary course of divine providence, and are
not to be expected. I mean to say, that where the grace of the gospel is
continually resisted in the heart and life, the careless recusant is
seldom reclaimed through the medium of any extraordinary visitation;
whether of sickness, of accident, or any terrible calamity. The man, who
entrusts his soul to the hope and operation of such occurrences, is
placing it in imminent jeopardy. Whoever will save his soul alive, let
him, without delay, “seek the Lord, while He may be found, and call upon
Him while He is near;” {130a} peradventure God may “laugh at his
calamity, and mock when his fear cometh.” {130b}
And in other ways also does the same evil principle work, the same evil
habit of “resisting the grace of God:” many persons, who express
themselves thoroughly convinced of the truth of the christian revelation,
and the absolute necessity of a spiritual obedience and a holy walking
with God, put off their work of righteousness, from year to year, in the
hope, not of any great or appalling event, but that some new
circumstances may arise, which shall make it more convenient for them to
renounce the world, and attend, without let or hindrance, to the
salvation of their souls; they will have gained a sufficiency of earthly
comforts, or they will be tired of the world; they will be growing old
and feeble, and naturally more inclined to think of heavenly things. But
this is only the same temptation as the former, presented in another
shape; the “convenient season” is hoped for in vain; Satan never suffers
us to be without a hindrance, real or imaginary; our attachment to the
world does not wear off; we grow older without growing more religious,
without drawing nearer to God; and we never are, it is impossible we
should be, _naturally_ disposed to “turn and seek after Him:” thus the
delusion goes on; and we “will not be persuaded;” and thus, too
frequently, the “expectation cometh utterly to an end for evermore.”
There is no trusting to anything, but the _present_ conviction and
determination, but the instant and unreserved “obedience of the heart
unto righteousness;” “to-day, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your
hearts.” {132}
In conclusion, I call upon you to think on the condition of the rich man
in torment. His anxiety for a special interference in behalf of his
brethren is represented as useless to _them_, but it may be salutary to
_us_: It may assure us of the wretchedness of that place, to which he was
condemned; may incline us, by the inspiration of God’s Holy Spirit, to
value and improve His gracious gifts, while they are mercifully bestowed;
may determine us, while we have the all-sufficient light of the gospel,
to be guided thereby into the way of peace; we may learn from this awful
lesson, that if (God forbid that it should be so) but _if_ any of us
should be similarly doomed, we shall mourn for ourselves, and be anxious,
that the companions we have left may be our companions no more; let us
take heed for ourselves, and be anxious for one another in time, while
the heed and anxiety may be crowned with success; may lead us to seek and
find God’s favour and mercy, and so “escape from the wrath to come.”
SERMON VIII.
PERFECT LOVE CASTETH OUT FEAR.