_The word of the Lord was precious in those days_; _there was no open
vision_.
FROM Moses to Samuel, a period of several hundred years, there was no
prophet regularly appointed; particular revelations were made to
individuals, and occasional messages from heaven were publicly delivered
to the people; but there was no acknowledged prophet, to whom they might
at all times resort, to know the mind and will of God; or, as it is
described in the text, “there was no open vision.” The natural
consequence was, that such intimations of the divine will, as were then
given, made a deeper impression; they were more highly valued and more
eagerly sought for, than when the gift of prophecy, in after ages, became
more common. When the word of God abounded, it was received with
indifference; when rarely vouchsafed, it was intently desired.
Such is perpetually, and on all occasions, the perverseness of man:
blessings of every description are estimated, not according to their
excellence, but their rarity; not according to the ease, but the
difficulty, with which they are to be obtained. And further, when in
possession of a blessing, we are often utterly insensible of its value;
we abuse it in thoughtless excess, and are ready to squander it away; but
the moment it is departed, we discover our blindness and folly; and would
give, perhaps, all we have, to bring the treasure back again. Meat and
drink and raiment, the air we breathe, the sun and the shower, excite no
spirit of gratitude, and by many are scarcely received and remembered as
blessings; but in the days of famine and of pestilence, amidst the
warfare and desolation of raging elements, these benefits and mercies are
painfully acknowledged, and ardently desired. Again: the advantages of
civil and religious liberty make little impression upon the hearts of
those, by whom they are fully and uninterruptedly enjoyed: it is under
the iron arm of intolerance and oppression; it is in the dungeon and the
mine, that the excellency of these privileges is learned. And thus it is
of domestic happiness and comfort: the value of home is frequently not
appreciated, until it is forsaken and lost; the worth of a friend, even
of the nearest relative, is sometimes but lightly considered, till he
“goes hence and is no more seen.”
These observations are also illustrative of the feelings and conduct of
men, in regard to their spiritual privileges and blessings. While the
light of divine revelation is shining upon their dwellings, pointing out
to them the way of salvation, and opening the prospect of a glorious
immortality, they shut their eyes, and turn away into the fatal paths of
sin and misery, to the darkness of eternal death; but when their
opportunities are lost, when “the evil days are come upon them,” and
there is no instructor or counsellor or comforter to be found, they
perceive the preciousness of the time and the talents, which have been
heedlessly thrown away; and would give the world, if they possessed it,
for what they were once unwilling to make the smallest sacrifice.
We are apt to express a wonder at the obstinate indifference of the
people of Israel to their religious advantages and instructions; we are
astonished, that they could forget their miraculous deliverances by the
hand of Moses, and the manifold revelations vouchsafed through him for
their knowledge and guidance; and that almost every divine communication
to them, in after ages, should have been but the forerunner of guilt and
apostacy: yet in truth, the history of Israel is but too faithful a
picture of the people of God in other times and other countries; by no
means excluding our own. The word of God has not been accounted
precious, in proportion to the extent to which it has been diffused; the
Bible has not been, in too many instances, the most highly prized, where
it has been most widely circulated; nor have the ministers of the gospel
been always most attentively and devoutly heard, where they have
increased and multiplied. Before the age of printing, when the copies of
the sacred word were comparatively few, the Christian, who was so happy
as to possess one, commonly regarded it as a treasure; or if he could
obtain a part only, by the labours of the pen, even a gospel or an
epistle, it was considered as a “pearl of great price.” And afterwards,
in the days of ignorance and persecution, when the sacred scriptures were
withheld from the people by a blind and bigotted priesthood, the thirst
for divine knowledge, for these streams of life and salvation, was
inconceivably great; men sought them and treasured them at the peril of
their lives. In these dark days, and long after, the public preachers of
the word were few; and people flocked from distant quarters to hear the
good tidings proclaimed. Having no regular supply of spiritual food,
they sought it out with earnestness where they might; “the word of the
Lord was precious in those days;” and “beautiful upon the mountains were
the feet of Him,” who came to “lighten their darkness,” and to deliver
the message of salvation to their souls.
How widely different from this is the case in our day. Copies of the
Holy Scriptures are multiplied beyond all calculation: not a village,
scarcely a dwelling, where they are not, or may not be procured: and,
instead of any persecuting power, forbidding the use of them, every
possible encouragement is afforded, and every means devised by which they
may be adequately understood. And such, under the divine blessing, has
been the success of those means, that the greater portion, even of the
poorest in this favoured land, are able to discover for themselves the
light of life; to apply it for their guidance and comfort and eternal
salvation.
And with respect to the preaching of the gospel, though it is not yet
sufficient for the demand of our extended population, still it may be
truly described as general throughout the land. Although, for “the
plenteous harvest, the labourers are too few,” still are they every where
abroad. And if it be objected, that “the word of truth is not always
rightly divided,” yet are there portions of it uniformly read, in every
christian assembly, on the Lord’s day; and in our own incomparable
Liturgy, no inconsiderable part of the divine word, of its saving
doctrines and duties, is actually embodied.
So much for our holy congratulation, for the honour and glory of our
land, for the rich abundance of spiritual privileges and blessings,
which, under the favour of almighty goodness, we have the happiness to
enjoy. It were well, if the sequel of our subject afforded equal ground
for rejoicing; that it equally redounded to our honour. But here there
is a dark cloud resting, which casts over the scene a melancholy gloom.
The value set upon the word of God, its preciousness in the heart of man,
is not proportioned to the frequency and the fulness of its
communication. It is in almost every dwelling, but not in every dwelling
esteemed and loved; not devoutly treasured, not eagerly and diligently
read, as it used to be in the days of scarcity. How many who possess it,
perhaps superbly ornamented, in a variety of forms, and with goodly
interpretations, seldom open it; seldom in comparison with its high and
everlasting importance, for their enlightenment and edification: possibly
it may be read on the Lord’s day as a cold customary exercise, and by
vast numbers not even on the Lord’s day; they are positively unmindful of
the sacred treasure, unconscious that it is so much as in their
possession. No change of heart, no lively faith, no spiritual strength
is derived from its exalted doctrines; no purification of the affections
from its means of grace; no regulation of the life and character from its
perfect law of righteousness. How should there be, when it is laid by,
idly, carelessly, and contemptuously.
The Bible is grievously neglected both by rich and poor. The rich too
seldom spare any of their abundant leisure, in storing their minds with
the riches of heavenly wisdom; other books, of worldly interest or
amusement, absorb almost their whole attention; an unimproving, nay
injurious publication, the foolish dream of fiction, will be seized and
read with avidity, whilst the oracles of eternal truth are treated with
an indifference, that borders on disdain. The poor, it is true, have but
little leisure; sufficient however, if that little were diligently used,
to enable them to acquire a considerable knowledge of their Bible; but
the great multitude of them seek their refreshment from other sources;
from the pollutions of earthly pleasure. We might have expected better
things: having fewer worldly possessions and comforts, it might be
thought, that the poor would gladly supply such deficiency by the
attainment of spiritual blessings; by raising their hopes and affections
to the imperishable treasures of a brighter world to come: but it is too
often found otherwise: the enjoyments of earth, however unsatisfactory
and even debasing, are preferred to the abundant consolations and
happiness of the gospel.
Thank God, there are many bright exceptions to these remarks, both
amongst the rich and the poor; the number is great, and we hope
increasing, of those to whom “the word of the Lord has been precious;”
who have “received it with gladness;” who have “believed with the heart
unto righteousness;” who “have seen the salvation of their God.” But
still, when we cast our eyes upon the vast and reckless multitude, we are
ready to weep over it and to say, O that ye would know, even ye in this
your day, the things that belong unto your peace; before they be hid for
ever from your eyes.
From this lamentable neglect of the word of God, we may readily account
for the want of religious principle, for the decay of religious
character, for the overspreading of corruption and vice, so notorious in
the christian world. The astonishing circulation of the Bible through
this country, of late years, might have reasonably led us to hope for a
signal diminution of irreligion and crime. And God forbid, we should be
of the number of those who maintain, that _no_ such advantage has been
derived from this dissemination of the word of life. But even the most
sanguine person will not contend, that this holy exertion, this spiritual
culture has produced a corresponding fruit: thousands of those, who have
free access to the Bible, are lying, if not in utter darkness, at least
in the shadow of death. And what is the cause? The scriptures are not
valued in proportion to their extended circulation; they are not read
with humble reverential attention, as the holy word of God; not
understood or desired, as the fountain of light and life; not sought as a
means of spiritual reformation and righteousness: and therefore, we may
expect a greater prevalence of iniquity; as a judgment of the just and
offended God, for so flagrant an abuse of the knowledge of salvation.
And thus with regard to the preaching of His word: where is that vehement
desire, that deep interest, that holy concern to profit withal, which was
observable in the days when preachers were few? We do not say, that it
is utterly extinguished; but certainly not proportioned to the
opportunities vouchsafed. How many in this our place and neighbourhood,
refuse to travel, even the shortest distance, to hear the gospel; and of
those who professedly go to hear it, not a few are led by mere curiosity
or custom. How do we stand condemned by many a less favoured people!
There are indeed lands, at this day, still thirsting for the knowledge of
their God and Saviour; lands, to which it has but just been carried,
where it is only beginning to be understood; and _there_ the people will
instantly repair at the very sound of the good tidings, and wait with
eagerness upon the footsteps of the missionary, who bears in his hand the
sacred treasure; but _here_, where the messengers are in every place,
where the ministers of reconciliation abound, here are awful numbers, who
never enter the house of God, for the single purpose of hearing His word:
the gift is continually offered, without trouble or risk, “without money
or price;” and, therefore, it would seem, perversely despised.
Similar remarks may be made, concerning all those divine ordinances and
means of grace, with which this privileged land has been so richly
provided. The public worship of Almighty God, the holy sacraments of our
Church, the instruction afforded to her children, the means of private
devotion and godly advancement, all these are pressed upon the notice and
acceptance of all; it is not enough to say, that we are invited; we are
_urged_ to the participation of these abundant blessings; yet how often
are we urged in vain. At this moment, in some of our countries or
dependencies abroad, where Churches are sparingly scattered, and the
visits of ministers are few and long between, these divine ordinances are
coveted with a painful anxiety, and no opportunity is ever lost: here, in
the mother country, is the fountain of blessings, and the “streams are
ever flowing withal;” but thousands esteem not these waters of life, and
many never care to taste them.
It is impossible, that the truth of these observations can be denied; and
to every sincere and serious Christian the subject must afford a painful
reflection. And well does it become us all, each in our several
vocations, to exert our utmost power for the abatement of so crying and
alarming an evil. Many of us, I trust, are gratefully sensible of the
goodness and love of God, in having so liberally bestowed upon our land
the blessings of the word of life; grateful from the experience of its
inestimable benefit to our own souls: let each then in his station, and
according to his influence and ability, recommend the word to those
around him; and assist in waking a slumbering people to a sense of the
glorious opportunities awaiting them. Many, from their education and
rank, have it in their power to contribute largely to the success of this
glorious cause, to become instruments of righteousness and salvation to
their lost fellow-creatures: and the poorest may do much in this blessed
work; they may train their families in the study of the Bible, may lead
them to adore the God of mercy and of truth, and to save their souls
alive; considerable also is the impression, which, by prudence and
friendly care, they might make upon their poor neighbours; bringing them
to join together in happy union, for the perusal of that word, which is
their common interest and hope; which would elevate them above the
troubles of a stormy world, would lead them to “lighten one another’s
burdens,” and to “go on their way together rejoicing.” And, to say the
least, every one has the power to recommend the holy scriptures by the
light of his own example; by shewing, on all occasions, his love for the
Saviour’s marvellous goodness; by duly reverencing and reading the word
of truth; and manifesting the blessedness thereof, in the decided change
of his own heart and temper, in his own character and life. And all such
recommendations, let me add, the Lord is demanding at our hands, in
return for His unspeakable mercy.
My brethren, let us suppose, that it should please God, for the
heedlessness of this nation, to deprive us of the privilege and blessing
of the Bible; and to declare, that the neglected ministry of His word
should be continued no longer: we should undoubtedly regard this as the
direst calamity, which could possibly befal us; we should immediately and
cheerfully consent to any sacrifice, by which so dreadful a token of
divine wrath might be averted. Then let us be consistent; and whilst we
do enjoy this invaluable favour of heaven, let it be cherished and
improved. Let the gospel, instead of being less precious to us, on
account of its universal publication, and its facility of attainment, be
therefore prized the more; and while we adore the Lord of mercy for
diffusing this heavenly benefit through our dear and native land, let the
treasure be laid up in our own bosom: what is intended for the good of
all, is intended for the good of each: to bless God for giving the gospel
to our country, and to undervalue or neglect it ourselves, is folly and
hypocrisy; but too many individuals, amounting indeed to a large portion
of our christian community, are guilty of this folly, and thus exposing
the land to judgment, thus endangering “the ark of God.”
All of _us_, my brethren, do I trust feel thankful to our God and
Saviour, who hath honoured us, unworthy as we are, with the revelation of
His word, and hath “brought life and immortality to light:” whatever
others then may do, let our sense of the gracious gift be undeniably and
duly shewn: let us daily have recourse to this holy word, as “the lamp of
our feet and the light of our paths:” be it our constant prayer for the
spirit of God to open our eyes that we may understand, and our hearts
that we may reverence, the wonders of His holy law; that it may be the
object and study of our lives, to walk in all those means of grace, which
it holds forth for our redemption from sin and death; for our safe
passage through this transitory world of trial, to an eternal world of
happiness and glory beyond the grave. If we hear and read and mark and
learn, in the spirit of devotion and prayer, we shall continually find
new treasures of mercy opening to our view; new and unlooked-for stores
of knowledge; new affections and dispositions; new hopes and prospects,
in the promises of the blessed Jesus: the word will be a blessing to us
through life and even to our journey’s end; a sure guide amid the dangers
of prosperity, a powerful support in the day of trouble, an inconceivable
comfort when we die. But if we prize it not in life, how can we expect
consolation from it in death? On the contrary, our spirits will be
weighed down by the grievous remembrance of inexcusable neglect. Be wise
in time; lay up in store the good foundation: the word, having been all
along precious, will be increasing in value to the last; even until it
leads us to the “open vision” of eternal day.
SERMON XVI.
DISTINCTIONS TO BE MADE ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT.
MATT. xxiv. 40.
_The one shall be taken and the other left_.
IN the chapter before us, our blessed Lord is describing to His disciples
various circumstances, which should attend the destruction of Jerusalem;
an event, which has been generally regarded by the christian Church, as
representative of the proceedings of that more awful day, when Christ
shall appear at last to judge the universal world, “in righteousness and
truth;” and “render unto every man according unto his works.”
Many false teachers had arisen, even in those early days of the gospel,
pretending to set forth the signs of Christ’s coming to take vengeance on
His enemies; and therefore the disciples had requested of their Master
some certain information on this momentous topic: they “came unto Him
privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be
the sign of Thy coming and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered
and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you: For many shall
come in My name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many. And ye
shall hear of wars, and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for
all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation
shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall
be famines and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these
are the beginning of sorrows.” {291}
Our Lord proceeds to detail a great variety of other circumstances which
should occur, some of them belonging to the desolations of Judea, some to
the future judgment alone, and some to both these events; of which latter
kind is the description connected with the text: “There shall be two in
the field; the one shall be taken and the other left. Two women shall be
grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken and the other left:” that
is, though destruction shall fall upon the Jewish nation at large, for
their rebellion against God, their resistance to the clear evidence of
the gospel, their shedding of the blood of His beloved Son, yet shall not
all be equally involved in the same calamity and perdition. Divine
providence will then make a distinction between those, who have
obstinately rejected and maliciously persecuted the Saviour and His holy
religion, and those, whose hearts have been opened to the reception “of
the truth as it is in Jesus;” who, being convinced and converted, have
become His faithful followers.
And though the whole race be so intermingled, one amongst another, by the
various offices and duties and relations of life, that to the eye of man
there may be no distinguishable difference amongst them; yet the
all-seeing God, who “is a discerner of the thoughts of the heart,” will
not be misguided by any outward appearances; will perceive a very
manifest difference in characters seemingly alike: will infallibly know
whom to punish and whom to spare. As in the overthrow of Sodom and
Gomorrah, He singled out, and selected for preservation, one righteous
person, (and for his sake, a portion of his family also,) so, in the
storm of vengeance about to fall upon the devoted city of Jerusalem, He
would, in many signal instances, make the same merciful distinction. And
the declaration, thus made, was calculated at once to comfort and
encourage the faithful, and to alarm the conscience and check the
presumption of the wicked.
The intimation here afforded of the perfect knowledge and the just
discrimination of the Almighty, in regard to His judgments upon the
Jewish people, applies with peculiar force and truth to His perfect
dealings with all mankind, at the last great day. Although, when
Jerusalem was destroyed, it is undoubtedly true, that the faithful
disciples of Jesus were generally delivered, yet it cannot be supposed
that, in so extensive an overthrow, all the Christians, and all their
innocent children, without any exception escaped. But when Christ shall
sit upon His throne of judgment, not one undeserved victim shall there
be; and not one, who “has sinned against the light,” shall escape with
impunity. All those inequalities, which are unavoidable in the present
constitution of things, shall then be made right and recompensed. The
murdered innocent shall be requited with a robe of glory; and the
prosperous sinner be abased with scorn and infamy.
How necessary, how indispensable, for the assertion and execution of
divine justice, is the appointment of such a tribunal! How unequally are
deserts distributed in this probationary world!—very often in cases, of
which we ourselves may form an adequate opinion. Not unfrequently do we
observe the righteous, doomed to extreme poverty and affliction and
suffering; and though they be most graciously comforted and supported
under their several burdens, we can hardly imagine, that such alleviation
is all the requital they are to receive: and in truth, what is the
principal source of their comfort and support? Is it not the hope of a
happy termination? Is it not the prospect of entering into an
everlasting rest, of being for ever delivered from sorrow and pain, in
the presence of their Saviour and their God? And can we believe, that
this blessed expectation, vouchsafed as the solace of their woes, will
end in disappointment and nothingness? Does it not point to a day, in
which their bright hopes will be more than realized in the merciful
sentence of their Judge; in their reception, at His hands and through His
merits, of “an eternal recompense of reward?”
And thus, on the contrary, frequently do we see the unprincipled and the
profligate enjoying the favour of the world, and rising to no
inconsiderable eminence of earthly prosperity: their crosses and
vexations and troubles no doubt they have, as the natural fruit of
irreligion and vice; as the retributive chastisement of an offended God;
“sowing in corruption,” they do certainly more or less reap in sorrow;
but still, if there were no other state, their lot would be,
comparatively at least, much happier than they deserve; and therefore
_their_ condition also leads us to expect, and fearfully does it betoken,
a day of fuller retribution; when the infinite justice and truth of God
will be finally and perfectly vindicated.
Many cases, like these, of suffering virtue and prosperous vice, we are
able clearly to discern: so broad are the lines, so prominent the
features, that we can scarcely be mistaken: but perhaps there are many
more cases, of which we can form no adequate opinion at all; neither in
any instance, could we pretend to award or ascertain the exact degree of
merit due to any individual. When we speak of merit, we do not mean to
intimate that any action, in itself, is deserving of reward; we regard
works of righteousness, only as the fruit of faith in a crucified
Redeemer. But this fruit is much more abundant, and much more excellent,
in some than others; and sometimes, when it makes the fairest shew, the
quality is inferior. By merit then, we here mean the faith and behaviour
of a Christian; or, that behaviour by which the faith is manifested;
that, to which God has freely promised a reward, for the sake of our
great Redeemer. According to the faith, will the fruit be, both in
quality and abundance; and according to the fruit will be the gracious
reward; which reward He alone can determine and bestow, who discovers the
secret springs of the character and conduct of every man living.
The value of an action depends upon the spirit and principle, with which
it is performed; and of these things no one can perfectly judge, but the
searcher of the heart. Even in the christian community, many words and
deeds there are, obtaining applause from men, which will be condemned by
the omniscient God, as having proceeded from unworthy motives, and being
but the garb of hypocrisy; many persons there are, in whose respective
demeanour we may be able to trace no very marked lines of difference, who
yet differ most essentially, when measured by the scale of infinite truth
and justice: all these secret distinctions will be clearly brought to
light at the great inquiry on the judgment-day; every one will then
appear in his true character; the veil of deception will be for ever torn
aside; and of those, who seem alike to us in the present life, we shall
find that one will be taken and another left; one taken to glory, and
another left to shame and wretchedness and ruin.
It may be useful to mention a few instances, in which we may be deceived
in our comparative estimate of men. Even with regard to the fundamental
principles of religion, to a real belief in the truths of the Bible, to
the essentials of a christian character, it is possible that we may form
very mistaken opinions concerning many around us. It is true, that
insincerity and deceit are commonly, sooner or later, in some degree
detected; it is difficult to be always dissimulating, and acting a part;
some evil fruit, some inconsistency does generally betray the hollowness
of hypocritical pretensions: still however, it is not always so; and
doubtless there are some,—out of the number of those persons, whom we are
in the habit of considering as equally resting their hopes upon the true
foundation, equally believing in Jesus Christ for pardon and salvation,
equally zealous in the maintenance of His holy religion and attentive to
the ordinances,—some there are, who differ materially from others, in the
unerring judgment of God. They may repair to the same place of worship,
perhaps with the same degree of regularity, but with very different views
and impressions: we can judge only of the outward appearance, of the
posture of the body or the moving of the lips; it is for the Lord to look
upon the posture of the soul and the offering of the heart. Many, no
question, come to the House of God from very unworthy motives and for
very unworthy purposes; and frequently they do not escape the observance
of _man_; but _man_ cannot penetrate into the case of every individual;
to the eye of Jehovah alone are “all things naked and open;” He sees and
judges, _who_ come unto Him in humble faith; who approach His tabernacle
is a pious frame and temper, with holy affections, with integrity of
heart; who “worship Him in spirit and in truth.” My brethren, it is an
awful consideration: but from the same Church, the same christian
society, the same assembly of worshippers, “one shall be taken and
another left.”
Again, with respect to a discharge of the ordinary duties of life, there
may be much real, though little seeming difference, in the characters of
many, with whom we are daily acquainted. Punctuality and diligence,
though always commendable and useful for the public good, may be, in as
far as the person himself is concerned, of little value in the sight of
God; our acceptableness with God, in this matter, depends upon the
principle and the view and the spirit, with which the business of life is
conducted: it may be carried on merely for the sake of self-interest; of
gain, reputation, and pleasure; without any religious feeling or purpose
whatever, without a single prayer offered up for heavenly assistance and
blessing, without a word of thanksgiving or acknowledgment: or, on the
other hand, we may proceed to our daily employments and pursuits, “strong
in the Lord and in the power of His might;” imploring and depending upon
His grace; “doing whatever we do for His glory;” active and diligent and
faithful, from a sense of love and duty to Him, for the sake of obeying
the law of our blessed Redeemer, and thus bringing forth the fruit of
faith unto perfection; “living soberly, righteously and godly in this
_present_ world,” {302a} with the continual hope and expectation of a
glorious world to come. Now, whether industry be the work of religious
principle, or whether it arise merely from selfish and earthly views,
_we_ are often unable to decide: but God knoweth all the thoughts of man;
and therefore can assign, to every action and habit and pursuit, its true
origin and its due reward; and many persons, it will be found at last,
who have gone forth together unto their labour, who have been engaged in
the same occupations, have toiled together as companions in life, will be
separated when the day of full inquiry comes; the one, having “sown unto
the spirit,” shall be _taken_ to enjoy the fruit of life everlasting; the
other, having “sown unto the flesh,” shall be _left_ to “reap
corruption.” {302b}
Similar observations will of course hold good, with regard to the
practice of particular virtues. They, “who give alms only to be seen of
men;” who dispense their bounty from any other principle, than that of
love to their Saviour; for any other purpose, than to serve God and to
benefit their fellow-creatures; they “_have_ their reward” already—the
only reward, which they are caring to seek—the applause, the good will,
or the esteem of mankind: and they must not expect, on the latter day,
the reward which they seek not; the approval of their sovereign Lord; the
praises and blessings of christian charity. Again, they who exercise the
virtues of honesty or sobriety, merely for the sake of worldly expedience
or reputation, will likewise “have their reward” all the reward they are
to expect, in this life. Christian faith and christian principle are the
only foundations, upon which a Christian can surely and successfully
build; they, who build upon them, will be taken to see the goodly fabric
perfected in heaven; whilst every work, which is raised upon “other
foundation,” will be left to desolation and devouring fire.
And even they, who have communed together, through their earthly
pilgrimage, in the bonds of familiar intimacy; who have been united all
their lives long, by the nearest and dearest ties of kindred; even they
will be subject to the same discriminating judgment at the last. If they
have been bound together in the holy bonds of the gospel, as well as of
family affection; if they have been faithful brethren in the Lord, as
well as in the flesh, “walking with God as friends,” it will be well;
then, as they “were lovely and pleasant in their lives, in their deaths
they shall not be divided:” {304} together shall they go to heaven, and
be admitted to enjoy a more delightful communion with each other, in the
happy paradise above. But if it be otherwise, if such friends be of
opposite characters; the one “carnally” the other “spiritually minded;”
then, their ends must be opposite also; “death” is the portion of one,
“life and peace” {305a} of the other: their union therefore must be
dissolved. The world may regard all the members of a family, as nearly
alike in character; but the difference may nevertheless be great; and the
distinction, in another world, will be great also. The wicked parent
shall see its innocent offspring no more; the pious father shall not
deliver the undutiful child, nor the obedient child its rebellious
father; {305b} each can save but his own soul. How feelingly and
powerfully does this consideration appeal to christian families;
admonishing them, to regard not the present only, but the everlasting
welfare of each other; to “edify one another” in holiness and godly love;
lest, after they have been so intimately connected together upon earth,
while the one is taken to felicity and glory, the other be left to
“mourning, lamentation and woe.”
How are christian parents bound, to watch over the offspring they so
tenderly love! Watch they do, with continual anxiety, for the temporal
benefit of their children, for all that can minister to their comfort and
honour and advancement in life: they rejoice in the joy of their
children, and weep when their children weep: but O how infinitely more
important is the provision for eternity: earthly ties will soon be
broken; how important, that we should provide for a happy renewal of
intercourse and love hereafter! Parting now, to meet no more, were
enough to break the heart; but the bright prospect of a re-union in
paradise consoles and reconciles; forbidding us “to sorrow as those who
have no hope.” See then, ye christian parents, to the nurture and
training of the “olive branches round about your table;” bestow, upon
their spiritual well-being, an especial and exceeding care; that ye may
behold them “flourishing in the house of the Lord” above: that, whether
ye be taken from them, or they from you, there may be comfort in the
parting. See, all christian relatives and friends, by whatever name ye
are endeared; see that ye live not in worldly, but heavenly affection:
instructing, admonishing, animating one another in the profession of the
true faith and the exercise of all godliness; that so your converse and
communion may never be embittered by the fear of eternal separation.
Lastly, let the truth, here declared by the infallible word of God, check
the presumption of the careless and the wicked; and give comfort and
encouragement to the faithful. The worldling may fancy, because no great
distinction, between him and others, is made upon earth; because he
perhaps can see no great reason for such distinction; that, therefore, he
shall escape in the end; but in the day when “God will judge the secrets
of men by Jesus Christ,” {307} when “every one shall receive the things
done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or
bad,” {308} he will find, that an immeasurable distinction will be made
between him “that hath served God, and him that hath served him not;”
between him, whose heart has been given to his Creator and Redeemer, and
sanctified by the Spirit of grace, and him, who has only made it his
object to maintain a decent appearance in the world. If we do believe in
the final judgment, if we believe in the perfect truth and justice of the
Almighty, we must conclude, that this fearful difference will be made.
And if it were so dreadful a calamity, to be left to fall in the
tremendous overthrow of Jerusalem, what will it be, to be left an
everlasting-prey to the tortures of Satan and of sin?
But let the true believer, the righteous servant of God in Jesus Christ,
take encouragement and comfort: there is no exercise of faith, no holy
meditation, no fervent prayer, no religious deed, no pious intention or
design, however secret from the eyes of men, which can escape the notice
of their heavenly Father: though justice is not, cannot be, done to their
characters here; though sometimes the greatest injustice and injury and
wrong; yet shall they be triumphantly and gloriously vindicated at the
last: though they be on earth forsaken or oppressed, though they bear the
burden of private affliction or public scorn, in a “world which is not
worthy of them,” they shall be visited and acknowledged and received at
the last; shall lift up their heads with honour and with joy, and be
admitted into a kingdom, which is more than worthy of all their faith and
all their constancy; the Redeemer has marked them for His own; He will
single them out, on the last day, from the crowd of countless multitudes,
as objects of his compassion and favour; will take them into the arms of
His mercy, and so “they shall be forever with the Lord.” {309}
SERMON XVII.
GOD MADE MAN UPRIGHT; MAN MAKES HIMSELF MISERABLE.
ECCLES. vii. 29.
_Lo_, _this only have I found_, _that God hath made man upright_,
_but they have sought out many inventions_.
IN this remarkable book, Solomon discusses the various earthly means
employed by the human race, for the attainment of happiness; and he
decides upon the utter insufficiency of them all. Nor is he to be
regarded as making the enquiry from mere matter of speculation, but as
declaring to the world the result of his own experience, as well as the
counsels of the Most High. Exalted to the very summit of worldly
prosperity and greatness, and learned in all the arts and sciences, he
possessed advantages, in the pursuit of happiness, far beyond the common
lot of mortality; if it were to be found upon earth, he would have been
sure, in himself or some of his favoured dependents, to have made the
discovery. But he declares, by many remarkable repetitions, his utter
inability so to do; he gives up the matter as hopeless and impossible;
“all, (even the fairest and the best of human schemes,) is vanity and
vexation of spirit;” “that which is crooked cannot be made straight, and
that which is wanting cannot be numbered.” {311}
And this conclusion corresponds with the experience of mankind in every
age: happiness has always been their object; philosophers have laid down
rules for its acquirement, and every variety of expedient has been tried;
but all in vain; there is no permanent pleasure or satisfaction upon
earth: independently of the crosses and vexations from without, by which
it is so continually disturbed, there is something in the constitution of
man, in the present state of his mind and heart and affections, by which
the attainment of happiness, from temporal means alone, is positively
forbidden.
The royal preacher, thus convinced of this truth, turns his thoughts to a
solution of the case, and sums up his observations, on the conduct and
condition of man, in the words of the text. Instead of arraigning, like
some bold and impious cavillers of our day, the wisdom or goodness of the
Creator in the introduction of evil into the world, he gives the true
account of the matter; and lays the blame where alone it is due, upon the
disobedience and degeneracy of man. And in so doing, he bears testimony
to the truth of one of the most important communications made to us in
the revealed word of God—the original innocence and the fall of our first
parents. This fact has been daringly called in question by certain
professed believers of divine revelation, by some who boast themselves
peculiarly entitled to the christian name. Anxious to exalt the moral
excellency of human nature, and to disprove the doctrine and necessity of
the atonement, through the prevailing efficacy of the Saviour’s
incarnation and sufferings, such vain disputers absolutely deny, in the
very face of God’s word, that any such total and dreadful change has ever
taken place in the state of mankind; they contend, that our
understandings and affections are now the same, as when we came
originally from the hands of our Creator. It appears, however, that the
_wisest_ of men took a different view of this momentous subject; that he
received the Mosaic account, recorded in the opening of the book of
Genesis, according to its plain and natural interpretation; and he has
delivered to us his judgment, by the inspiration of that Holy Spirit,
under whose guidance it was impossible for him to err.
Solomon introduces his declaration upon this point in a very awakening
manner; in a manner frequent with the inspired writers, when about to
deliver a sentence of peculiar weight and importance; “Lo, this only have
I found;” behold, attend to this truth; this is the result of my
observations, this the “conclusion of the whole matter,” this the
explanation of all the evil and unhappiness in the world, that “God hath
made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions;” that man was
created innocent by the wise and merciful Author of his being; formed for
pure unalloyed enjoyment; and the marring and misery, which he
experiences, are solely attributable to the change induced by his own
apostacy and rebellion; to his seeking out ways and means of happiness,
contrary to the will and appointment of his Creator. “God saw every
thing that He had made, and behold, it was very good;” {314} and man, the
lord of creation, was not less fitted than the objects around him, to
answer the good and gracious purposes of heaven. So God “created man in
His own image; in the image of God created He him; male and female
created He them;” {315} in the image of holiness, and therefore happy.
How far man has fallen from this state of uprightness, is a question
which has caused much difference and contention in the christian world;
some persons, from a desire of exalting the free grace of God, declare
that the divine image in man was totally corrupted and lost by the fall;
that there remains, in his unregenerate nature, no spirit or particle of
excellency, no perception of what is good; that his nature is a mere
chaos of disorder, a mass of decay, which is altogether incapable of
producing any thing but “confusion and every evil work.” On the other
hand, it is contended, that the wreck of man’s nature was but partial;
that there remains a considerable disposition to practice, as well as
approve, “whatsoever things are pure and honest and lovely and of good
report;” that man is still able, by his own judgment and strength, in
many things to please God and to serve Him. It does not fall within our
purpose, on the present occasion, to attempt any accurate adjustment of
this difference; but we may observe, that it is dangerous to insist upon
either extreme. A belief, that man can will or do nothing, is apt to
lead to a persuasion that he has nothing to will or do; that his
salvation is a work totally independent of himself; a measure of grace
absolutely forced upon him: and a belief, is that man able of himself to
“refuse the evil and to choose the good,” that he “knows how to walk and
to please God,” creates a spirit of self-righteousness, at once
destructive of the sinner’s hope; preventing his dependence upon the
all-sufficiency of God, and subversive of the truth of the gospel.
A faculty of discernment between good and evil, for the moral government
of man, is evidently vouchsafed to his unrenewed nature; and a power, in
dependence upon the divine teaching, to accept or reject the proposals of
mercy and grace, does surely remain to us, or else the numberless
exhortations of God to the sinner appear to be of no benefit and no
meaning: and who can reasonably suppose, that sinners would have been so
frequently and severely condemned, for refusing that grace, which they
were positively incapable of accepting. The language of our ninth
Article on this point appears to be most temperate and unobjectionable:
“Man is very _far gone_ from original righteousness, and is of his own
nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the
spirit.” With this statement we may rest content.
One of the many bitter fruits of the fall is, that man no longer seeks
his happiness in God, where alone it can be found, but in ways of his own
devising, in the crooked ways opened to his view and imagination by the
destructive enemy of his soul; no longer in innocence and holiness and
obedience, but in vicious inclinations and pursuits, “in the lust of the
flesh and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life;” {317} in those
very principles and means, which brought “death into the world and all
our woe:” it is no wonder, therefore, that happiness, from a search like
this, should not be found. They, who search in this manner, are like the
wicked spirit, “walking through dry places, seeking rest and finding
none;” like the dove of Noah, in the overwhelming of the waters, roving
about on weary wing, and finding no resting place for the sole of her
foot. Nor is it possible for man to be blessed again with perfect peace,
peace without any interruption or alloy, until he be altogether restored
to “the image of Him that created him:” the nearer he approaches to that
restoration, the more he will assuredly possess of true satisfaction and
delight; but the blessing can never be complete, till the original
defilement be utterly purged away, till his understanding is enlarged for
a full knowledge of the good and great and glorious Creator; till he can
be brought to love and serve Him without any mixture of infirmity; till
he returns not only to His favour, but into His immediate presence, in
the second Eden, of eternal bliss.
Still may man enjoy, even upon earth, no inconsiderable degree of peace
and happiness. The promises and blessings of the gospel impart a “joy
and gladness” to the believer, and fill him with comfort, which the world
can neither give nor take away: the avoiding and abhorring of evil will
prevent those painful reflections, which inhabit the mind of the reckless
sinner: the life of faith in a merciful Saviour, the worship and service
of God, the works of piety and love, the walk of uprightness and
integrity, though accompanied with imperfections, and, therefore, with
abatements of comfort, yet do infallibly produce a great tranquillity of
soul, and unspeakable emotions of holy joy; the sincere Christian
contemplates his present condition with happy, though humble persuasion
of acceptance with his God; and looks forward with an animated exulting
hope of the perfect consummation of his felicity, in another and a better
world. The trials and troubles of this life do indeed still continue;
yet they have no power to harm, and therefore none to distress him; he
“casts his burden upon the Lord.” But in the natural, unrenewed,
unconverted world, there is no such redeeming principle, no qualification
of evil, no pure sources of delight: let the votaries of earthly
enjoyment seek it with what ardour and devotedness they may, it is a
phantom which is ever eluding their grasp; flitting before their eyes in
the shape of promises and visions, but never in substantial possession.
It is indeed sadly instructive, to consider the numberless devices to
which men are driven, in their search after happiness, when once they
have forsaken the faith and fear of God; how busy they are in the
invention of new scenes and pursuits; quitting one after another, as each
deceives and fails; how they are wearing and wasting away the little span
of life, in vain experiment and profitless enquiry. How are the opulent
contriving their multiplied means and opportunities of enjoyment, with
all their splendour of establishment, and a train of dependents obedient
to their will! And if we could form a judgment by outward appearances,
we might be inclined to pronounce them happy: but under this beautiful
veil, with all this pomp of circumstance, many a corroding care, many a
mortified desire, many a bitter disappointment, lie constantly concealed.
To envy the rich, as if they were the certain possessors of comfort and
ease, is one of the greatest of all mistakes and follies; happiness must
dwell in the mind and the heart; it must depend altogether upon the state
of mind and heart; it is not to be purchased with money; money, we must
grant, may be made to minister to it, but this must entirely depend upon
the disposition, the spirit, the manner, in which it is used: the
smallest pittance upon earth, possessed in the faith of the gospel, in
the fear and love of God, produces infinitely more enjoyment, than the
countless treasures of those, who seek or spend or save them, with a view
to themselves and this world alone.
Some are revelling in the dreams of ambition; and imagine, that if they
could attain a particular eminence, they should be happy: but the road is
steep and slippery, toilsome and dangerous; and the summit, if ever they
reach it, is not a land of repose, not the habitation of contentment and
peace; “seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not.” {322}
Ambition is always dissatisfied; if not the most unclean, it is one of
the most tormenting spirits in the bosom of man; and yet it is fondly and
generally cherished both by rich and poor. Be humble; be moderate; be
content; if thou wouldest be happy.
In what are called the pleasurable scenes of life, it is unnecessary for
me further to insist, how vainly we rove in quest of substantial delight:
this indeed is a truth still more level to the experience of us all; it
is a path we have often trodden, but never I think with satisfaction.
Witness the continual changing, the endless variety of amusements, which
are found necessary in order to relieve satiety and disgust, necessary
even when they are innocent; and in sinful pleasures, in lust and
intemperance of every kind, it is needless to tell you, there can be no
peace; health is impaired and the conscience is burdened; they are like a
two-edged sword, cutting on both sides, destroying both body and soul.
The force of these arguments may be made to appear from another
consideration; for whatever delusions may be practised upon men, to
induce them to reckon and build upon earth alone; to trust for happiness
to their own inventions, to human schemes and devices; yet will they
never, in their serious moments, contend for the wisdom of their choice;
or say, that their expectations have been answered; they will never, when
they come to die, recommend to their friends, assembled round their bed,
the course which they pursued, as a sure foundation of comfort in their
lives, and peace in their latter end; the dying father will not recommend
it to his children, nor the dying brother to his brethren. No: it will
then be seen, either by the tears of bitter remorse or the agonies of
unrepented guilt, that the way of the world was “the broad way that
leadeth unto destruction;” that the soul can never find rest, till it
returns to the forsaken paths of righteousness, to the lost image of its
God.
And thanks to the unspeakable mercy of God in Christ Jesus, the way of
recovery is abundantly made known; the kingdom of heaven, with all its
joys and treasures, is opened to every believer. Wisdom has come down
from above, to tabernacle with sinful man; to lighten his darkness, and
to rejoice his soul; and “_her_ ways are ways of pleasantness, and all
her paths are peace”—pleasantness and peace to those, who seek them with
their whole heart, implicitly and devotedly, as manifested in the
gracious revelation of their God.
But unhappily, in the way of religion also, in their professed walk of
faith, men will be seeking out many inventions of their own, instead of
submitting themselves, with simplicity and godly sincerity, to the gospel
of Jesus Christ. They are seeking to accommodate His divine law to their
corrupt inclinations and indulgences, to the maxims and fashions and
interests of an ensnaring world: and thus they fail of the happiness,
which they were led to expect. No wonder, that they find not the
christian promises realised; that they fall short of the comfort, as they
do of the obedience of faith. To the believing in our crucified Lord,
with all the heart and soul; to “the seeking first His kingdom and His
righteousness;” to the “forsaking all and following Him;” to “the spirit
of God dwelling in us, and mortifying the deeds of the body;” to the
sincere desire after holiness “as He is holy;” to “the fulfilling of the
law of righteousness;” to a living hope of “the inheritance that fadeth
not away”—to these things, the promise of life is made; of joy and favour
here, and eternal felicity hereafter; but if we, in dependence upon our
own vain inventions, seek to be blessed in any other way; with a less
entire belief, and a less holy profession, and a less devoted obedience,
and a less exalted hope, we must not complain or wonder, if we lose our
object and aim; “Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man
soweth, that shall he also reap; he that soweth unto the flesh, shall of
the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth unto the spirit, shall of
the spirit reap life everlasting.”
The merciful God, when He created man innocent and happy, graciously
revealed to him the means, by which his innocence and happiness might be
preserved; and shewed thereby, that they were inseparable, that the loss
of the one would be the loss of the other. “The Lord God commanded the
man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of
the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for
in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” {327a} And
no sooner had Adam disobeyed, no sooner was his innocence forfeited, than
his happiness was gone; he found to his sorrow, as he would not believe
to his comfort, the truth of his Creator’s word: and thus miserably ended
the first covenant of God with man, the covenant of obedience and works.
Under the covenant of grace, by the blessed and eternal Son of God, it is
revealed to us, with equal clearness, how the lost happiness of man is to
be recovered; “the way we know:” “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and
thou shalt be saved;” {327b} “set your affections on things above, not on
things on the earth:” {327c} this is the way, call it by what name you
please—a condition, or a means; it is the only way: happiness, here or
hereafter, is attainable in no other. For this, we have the assurance of
that word, which we have seen, under the first covenant, awfully
fulfilled; of that word, which can never fail. My brethren, I cannot
doubt, that we are all of us convinced of this truth: then let us pray
fervently and faithfully, that the conviction may live in our hearts;
that we may, from this day forward, go to “the fountain of living waters,
and not hew out for ourselves broken cisterns, that hold no water;”
{328a} that we may renounce the vanity of all human inventions, and seek
our happiness in God, and God alone. “Be not conformed to this world;
but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind; that ye may prove,
what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God:” {328b} that ye
may “have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” {328c}
SERMON XVIII.
THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD REVEALED TO THEM THAT FEAR HIM.
PSALM xxv. 14.
_The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him_; _and He will
shew them His covenant_.
THE secret of the Lord means, that which cannot be known unless the Lord
reveal it; and the phrase here implies, an intimate knowledge of the
divine perfections, of the dealings and dispensations of God; a holy and
vital communion with Him; an entire trust in His providential care and
government; together with that peace, which always dwells in the bosom of
a true, penitent, pious believer. All this, including, as it does, a
full acquaintance with the doctrines and duties, the privileges and
comforts of the life of faith, is called “the secret of the Lord,”
because it is hidden from the natural man, and cannot possibly be
comprehended or discovered without divine revelation.
Such knowledge and such blessings are not the growth of earth; they are
not the produce of the human intellect or the human heart; they must come
by spiritual communication, from the fountain of wisdom and truth. When
man was driven from the bright abode of paradise, his understanding was
darkened; losing the favour, he lost the image of his Maker, and thus
became naturally estranged from those holy thoughts and affections, which
constitute his chief happiness and glory. Nor is it possible for him to
recover this spiritual frame of mind, these heavenly views, this holy and
happy acquaintance with God, unless the hand, by which the image was
originally stamped, repair the wretched ruin in which it now lies.
Whoever would know the ways of God, must be taught of God; to all, who
are not so taught, they are impenetrably secret. Thus spake the wisest
of men; “The Lord giveth wisdom, out of His mouth cometh knowledge and
understanding. Then shalt thou understand righteousness and judgment and
equity; yea, every good path.” {331a} And thus the apostle, “Eye hath
not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the
things which God hath prepared for them that love Him;” {331b} that is,
man, in his natural state, of ignorance and rebellion against God, cannot
form a notion of the value of heavenly blessings; of the enlarged views,
the sublimed affections, the sustaining comforts and joys, attainable by
an inheritance of the divine promises, both here and hereafter. But, as
the apostle proceeds, “God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit; for
the Spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God. For what
man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of a man which is in
him; even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God;” as
we exercise our thoughts and judgment upon human matters, by the help of
human reason, by the natural powers of the mind, so must we attain the
knowledge of divine matters, by the aid of a divine spirit; by a holy
illumination and guidance; not indeed by miraculous illapses, but still
by the distinct and actual operation of heavenly grace, silently
producing its effects upon the understanding and heart.
The pride of man, the disputer of this world, does not submit to this
proposition and teaching; perhaps commonly regards them in the light of
enthusiasm; he has no notion, that there are any secrets in religion,
which his own skill and judgment are not sufficient to reveal; he
disbelieves every thing, which he cannot comprehend or feel; and affects
to throw a shade of discredit and contempt upon all those religious
sentiments and affections, to which he is a stranger. There are not a
few such persons in the christian world; who profess to believe all the
doctrines of the Bible, and to know all that need or can be known, and
yet never submit themselves to, scarcely can be said to pray for or
desire, the aid and direction of Almighty God; who imagine, that their
liberal education and their common sense entitle them to pass a full and
adequate judgment upon all spiritual subjects; and to form a correct
notion of all spiritual privileges and blessings.
This is a dangerous and fatal error; a most unfounded presumption; a
gross ignorance of the very element and nature of evangelical truth: such
persons only judge of the word of God, of the ordinances and benefits of
religion, as they would judge of any mere human history; of any worldly
occurrence or advantage: they take, what they are pleased to call, a
rational view of Christianity; but the only view, which deserves the name
of rational, is, not that which appeals to reason alone, but that which
is according to truth; according to the acknowledged revelation of God’s
sovereign will. Let us again hear the apostle: “Which things also we
speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy
Ghost teacheth.—But the natural man receiveth not the things of the
Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know
them, because they are spiritually discerned.” {334} The merely rational
man, therefore, is a carnal man; not indeed an absolute stranger to the
word of grace, but unenlightened by it; he has no true taste for holy and
divine things; it is altogether impossible for him to appreciate their
merits, or to know any thing of their practical effects.
A familiar instance or two may serve to illustrate this truth. How can
any man, who neglects the worship of God, pretend to decide upon its
importance and utility? How can he presume to deny its comfortable and
salutary influence upon the soul, its powerful efficacy upon the
character and life? It is a matter of experience; of which he therefore
is unqualified to judge.—He that is a stranger to the grace of God in his
heart, may despise those, that regard it and live by it, as fanatical
persons, who are deluded by visionary ideas and groundless assurances:
but he is only judging others by himself; and it would be marvellous
indeed, if he, who is avowedly living without the influence of divine
grace, should bear witness to the benefit and happiness which it
confers.—What can the intemperate man know of the blessings of
temperance? Nothing: except by the want of them.—What can the covetous
man know of the pleasures of benevolence and liberality?—the licentious
of the excellence of purity, or the ignorant of the treasures of
wisdom?—Because the sinner, when overtaken by sickness or affliction,
declares that he derives no comfort from religion, are we therefore to
conclude, that religion has no comforts at all? Could we think it
probable, that the promises of the gospel would afford consolation to
him, in an evil hour, when he had all along been an alien to their
nature, when they had been unheeded or despised?
It is quite clear, that the benefits and blessings of our holy religion,
that the knowledge of God’s word, the power of His Spirit, and the
effects of His ordinances, must ever remain a secret to those, who have
no intercourse with these things, and set their hearts against them. And
whenever the Christian hears his conduct condemned, or his hopes
undervalued, by such persons, he may treat them, not with proud disdain,
but with a holy disregard: whatever their station in society may be,
whatever their learning, whatever their reputation for judgment in
worldly affairs, upon spiritual or scriptural matters their opinion is of
no weight or worth.
“The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him.” The fear of the
Lord, in this passage, as in many others of Holy writ, denotes the sum
and substance of religion; it implies a sincere faith and trust in God,
an awful sense of His majesty, an humble and anxious enquiry after the
knowledge of His will, with a holy determination of obedience. And, in
addressing these words to a christian congregation, we may understand
them as implying that fear and service of God, which proceed from a vital
belief in the whole of His revealed law, in the gospel of His ever
blessed Son, our supreme Lawgiver and King; as implying moreover an
entire concurrence in all the measures ordained for our salvation. The
fear of God, though common to all believers under every divine
dispensation, will vary in its operation and extent, according to the
nature and fulness of their dispensation; it will lead them to believe
and love and obey, according to their knowledge, to their opportunities
and means of grace, and therefore the believer in the gospel shews the
working of this holy principle in the full bearing of evangelical fruit.
All who so believe and live, shall have the secret of the Lord abundantly
revealed; “He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that
loveth Me; and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father; and I will
love him and will manifest Myself unto him. The Comforter, which is the
Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all
things.” {338} The humble disciples of Christ are blest in all their
researches after divine truth and knowledge: when they contemplate the
perfections of the Godhead, their capacities are enlarged, their
affections devoutly engaged, their hearts disposed to profit withal. A
deep sense of the majesty and power of Jehovah leads them to reverence
Him; a sense of His justice leads them to walk uprightly; of His
omnipresence, to live holily; of His goodness, to serve Him with
gratitude and love. Whilst the cold philosopher, whilst the
worldly-minded and the sinner view these great subjects only with a
theoretical eye, without any moral or religious improvement, the
spiritual believer is powerfully moved and affected; and walks in the
light of truth every day and hour.
In their devotional exercises, the faithful servants of the Lord are
peculiarly blessed; are made sensible of His presence and His power.
When they pour forth their prayers and praises at the throne of grace;
when they thus hold a nearer communion with their reconciled God, a
heavenly tranquillity and delight are spread over their souls; they know
and feel their connexion with “the Father of spirits,” and they rise from
their devotion with an humble confidence, that the tribute of their heart
has been accepted; that their fervent supplications will be answered, in
God’s appointed time and way, through the merits and intercession of a
merciful Redeemer. To these inspiring hopes and persuasions the
impenitent sinner is an utter stranger: if he prays at all, it is but the
outward service of the lips; there can be nothing of the spiritual
principle of devotion, and therefore nothing of its fruit.
Again: when the humble pious believer sits down to the study of the
Bible, with a pure desire to discover and perform the holy will of God;
to be nourished with the bread of life; and to draw, from the fountain of
truth, the waters of eternal salvation; the grace of the Holy Spirit is
with him, to remove the veil from his corrupt heart, and thus to open and
enlarge his understanding: by this means he perceives “the wondrous
things” of the divine law, and applies them for his own personal
edification and comfort. The true import of the doctrines, there
contained, is progressively unfolded to his view; and the full bearing,
of every precept and rule of life, is pressed with increasing force and
authority upon his heart. He admires and reverences the holy book; he
loves all that it contains; his soul is rapt in the contemplation of the
stupendous mystery of goodness and godliness; it elevates his prospects
and affections above this lower world; he has “tasted the good word of
God, and the powers of the world to come;” {341} he beholds, with the eye
of faith, his inheritance in the skies; and this his heavenly view
brightens as he advances.
Every sincere Christian can bear witless, that his acquaintance with the
word of life is continually improving; that in every page, and almost in
every passage, he is perpetually discovering fresh truth and beauty,
fresh obligations and delights. Of all this, the carnal-minded and the
sinner are profoundly ignorant; to them the Bible is comparatively a dead
letter: they see little of its harmony or its excellency; and where they
do see, it has no lively or permanent effect upon their heart; no more,
than any other book, of history, or morality, or amusement.
The righteous are not free from suffering and pain, from trials and
afflictions; but then they enjoy, under every visitation, a source of
comfort and satisfaction, which the thoughtless votaries of this world
cannot possibly experience. There dwelleth, in their hearts and minds,
the peace of God; and that must ever be the gift of God, which He will
never bestow upon His enemies; the peace of God, which fills them with a
holy calm, and reconciles them to every thing. In seasons of trouble,
the triumphs of the gospel are especially manifested; and the “secret of
the Lord” especially revealed. The soul is in a more impressible
condition; more ready to learn of Him, who “was meek and lowly of heart;”
and therefore more capable of the enjoyment of His promised rest.
“Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.” {342}
The sensual and the proud are disappointed and mortified and rebellious
under the various troubles of life; the Christian receives them in a
different spirit, as tokens of his heavenly Father’s love; and tokens of
love he finds them to be. They, who “walk by sight,” are ever
complaining of hardships and inequalities in the world; they who “walk by
faith,” can perceive in them all the sovereign and gracious hand of the
Almighty, who “doeth all things well.” They, who live upon the favour of
the world, must always be rendered unhappy by its frowns; but the
Christian lives above it, and cares little for any opposition or evil
report: he is fortified and comforted by a secret power, and protected by
an invisible arm: and this power shall continue with him, if he continue
faithful, even unto the end. When his journey through the wilderness is
about to terminate, when he has arrived at the borders of the flood, and
is entering upon the shores of the heavenly Canaan, when nature sinks and
the soul is departing, then does the Lord reveal himself, in a manner not
to be seen and not to be told: there is a hidden energy, a light within,
a sustaining spirit, a mysterious and merciful communion with the Lord of
life and death. This indeed is an awful secret, and one which the guilty
can never know; which none can know, who do not, with all their heart and
soul, embrace the promises of salvation revealed to them in the gospel:
the foretaste of heavenly rest, like the rest itself, remaineth only for
the people of God. They who have so feared and loved the Lord, as to
have served Him with a good conscience and with integrity; they who have
so believed and trusted in their Saviour, as to have followed
whithersoever He led, as to have sacrificed every unholy gratification
and pursuit, for the love of His name and for the “one thing needful,”
they shall find, in their latter moments, a peace known only to
themselves, a joy with which no “stranger can intermeddle.” The Lord
will effectually “shew them His covenant:” they were made by baptism
“members of Christ and children of God,” and became thereby entitled,
through the free mercy of God in Jesus Christ, to an “inheritance in the
kingdom of heaven;” having abided in that covenant, and walked faithfully
therein, they will never doubt, but God will assuredly perform His part;
and He will give them a full insight into the blessings, which He has
covenanted to bestow; they have all along entertained a lively
apprehension of the nature and principles of this holy covenant, and of
their own correspondent obligations; its holy promises and its gracious
rewards have been through life the solace of their souls; and it
continues, yea increases, to the last; not indeed enjoyed in perfection
here below, but enjoyed as the earnest and pledge of the fulness of their
eternal felicity.
In this manner, my brethren, “acquaint yourselves with God,” and come to
the true knowledge of His perfections and His ways, and live in the
animating ennobling hope of a brighter manifestation of His glory
hereafter—in this manner, by a spirit of humble, faithful, entire
dependence upon Him, through the mercy of Jesus Christ; by fervent
importunate prayer for the illumination and aid of the Holy Ghost; by
“seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness by loving Him
with all the heart and soul,” and “walking in His fear all the day long.”
Thus are we to be taught of God, thus only can we acquire a capability
and disposition to be taught; thus growing in grace, we grow in wisdom,
in holy experience, in happy communion with our Lord and Saviour.