28. When you read or hear this historical example, the terrible
punishment the Jewish people suffered in the wilderness, think not it
is an obsolete record and without present significance. The narrative
is certainly not written for the dead, but for us who live. It is
intended to restrain us, to be a permanent example to the whole
Church. For God's dealings with his own flock are always the same,
from the beginning of time to the end. Likewise must the people of
God, or the Church, be always the same. This history is a portrait of
the Church in every age, representing largely its actual life--the
vital part; for it shows on what the success of the Church on earth
always depends and how it acts. The record teaches that the Church is
at all times wonderfully governed and preserved by God, without human
agency, in the midst of manifold temptations, trials, suffering and
defeat; that it does not exist as an established government regulated
according to human wisdom, with harmony of parts and logical action,
but is continually agitated, impaired and weakened in itself by much
confusion and numerous penalties; that the great and best part, who
bear the name of the Church, fall and bring about a state of things
so deplorable God can no longer spare, but is compelled to send
punishments in the nature of mutinies and similar disorders, the
terrible character of which leaves but a small proportion of the
people upright.
29. Now, if such disaster befell the nation selected of God, chosen
from the first as his people, among whom he performed works marvelous
and manifest beyond anything ever known since, what better thing may
we expect for ourselves? Indeed, how much greater the danger
threatening us; how much reason we have to take heed that the same
fate, or worse, overtake not ourselves!
With reference to the things chronicled in our text, Paul tells us:
"They were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages
are come." That is, we are now in the last and most evil of days, a
time bringing many awful dangers and severe punishments. It is
foretold in the Scriptures, predicted by Christ and the apostles,
that awful and distressing times will come, when there shall be wide
wanderings from the true faith and sad desolations of the Church.
And, alas, we see the prophecies only too painfully fulfilled in past
heresy, and later in Mohammedanism and the papacy.
30. The era constituting the "last time" began with the apostles. The
Christians living since Christ's ascension constitute the people of
the latter times, the little company left for heaven; and we
gentiles, amidst the innumerable multitude of the ungodly generation
in the wide world, must experience worse calamities than befell the
Jews, who lived under the law of Moses and the Word of God, under an
admirable external discipline and a well-regulated government. Yet
even in this final age so near the end of time, when we should be
occupied with proclaiming the Gospel everywhere, the great multitude
are chiefly employed with boasting their Christian name. We see how
extravagantly the Pope extols his church, teaching that outside its
pale no Christians are to be found on earth, and that the entire
world must regard him as the head of the Church.
31. True, his subjects were baptized unto Christ, called to the
kingdom of God and granted the Sacrament and the name of Christ. But
how do they conduct themselves? Under that superior name and honor,
they suppress Christ's Word and his kingdom. For more than a thousand
years now they have desolated the Church, and to this hour most
deplorably persecute it. On the other hand, great countries, vast
kingdoms, claiming to be Christian but disregarding the true doctrine
of faith, are punished by the Turk's desolating hand, and instead of
the incense of Christianity, with them is the revolting odor of
Mohammed's faith.
32. Great and terrible was the punishment of the Jewish people.
Seemingly no disaster could befall man more awful than overtook them
in the wilderness. Yet it was physical punishment, and although many,
through unbelief and contempt of God, fell and incurred everlasting
condemnation, still the Word of God remained with a remnant--Moses
and the true Church. But the punishment of this last age is
infinitely more awful, for God permits the pure doctrine to be lost,
and sends strong delusions, that they who receive not the truth nor
love it shall believe falsehood and be eternally lost. 2 Thes 2, 10.
Such has been our reward; we have only too terribly suffered
punishment. And if we are not more thankful for the grace God extends
in his Word--a last gleam of light, on the point of extinction--we
shall meet with retribution even more appalling.
"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."
33. Here is summed up the teaching of the above examples. The sermon
is directed against the self-confident. Some there were among the
Christian Corinthians who boasted they were disciples of the great
apostles, and who had even received the Holy Spirit, but who stirred
up sects and desired to be commended in all their acts. To these Paul
would say: "No, dear brother, be not too secure, not too sure where
you stand. When you think you stand most firmly you are perhaps
nearest to falling, and you may fall too far to rise again. They of
the wilderness were worthy people and began well, doing great deeds,
yet they fell deplorably and were destroyed. Therefore, be cautious
and suffer not the devil to deceive you. You will need to be
vigilant, for you are in the flesh, which always strives against the
spirit; and you have the devil for enemy, and dangers and
difficulties beset you on all sides. Be careful lest you lose what
you have received. You have only made a beginning; the end is yet to
be attained." So we must be wary and steadfast, that we may, as Paul
has it, work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Phil 2,
12.
"There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear [such as
is common to man]: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be
tempted above that ye are able."
34. Paul's meaning is: I must not terrify you too much. I would in a
measure comfort you. So far you have had no temptations greater than
flesh and blood offer. They have risen among yourselves--one holding
another in contempt, one doing another injustice; allowing adulteries
and other evils to creep in, which things are indeed not right nor
decent. You must resolve to reform in these things lest worse error
befall you. For should Satan get hold of you in earnest with his
false doctrine and spiritual delusions, his strong temptations of the
soul--contempt of God, for instance--such as assailed Peter and many
others of the saints, you could not stand. You are yet weak; you are
new and untried Christians. Then thank God who gives you strength to
bear your present temptations; who, to retain you, presents what is
best for you, admonishing you, through his Word, to be on your guard
against falling yet deeper into temptation.
_Tenth Sunday After Trinity_
Text: 1 Corinthians 12, 1-11.
1 Now, concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you
ignorant. 2 Ye know that when ye were Gentiles ye were led away unto
those dumb idols, howsoever ye might be led. 3 Wherefore I make known
unto you, that no man speaking in the Spirit of God saith, Jesus is
anathema [accursed], and no man can say, Jesus is Lord, but in the
Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same
Spirit. 5 And there are diversities of ministrations, and the same
Lord. 6 And there are diversities of workings, but the same God, who
worketh all things in all. 7 But to each one is given the
manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal. 8 For to one is given
through the Spirit the word of wisdom; and to another the word of
knowledge, according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith, in the
same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit; 10
and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to
another discernings of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues;
and to another the interpretation of tongues; 11 but all these
worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally
even as he will.