,,miscellaneous ,,writings of ,c4,h4,m4 ,the ,great ,commission ,miscellaneous ,writings of ,c4 ,h4 ,,mackintosh ,volume ,,iv ,,loizeaux ,,brothers ,new ,york ,,conversion3 ,,what ,,is ,,it8 ,,part ,i4 ,the first chapter of first ,thessalonians presents a very striking and beautiful picture of what we may truly call genuine conversion4 ,we propose to study the picture in company with the reader4 ,if we are not much mistaken1 we shall find the study at once interesting and profitable4 ,it will furnish an answer1 distinct and clear1 to the question which stands at the head of this article1 namely1 ,what is ,conversion8 ,nor is this by any means a small matter4 ,it is well1 in days like these1 to have a divine answer to such a question4 ,we hear a good deal now-a-days about cases of conversion2 and we would heartily bless ,god for every soul truly converted to ,him4 ,we need hardly say we believe in the absolute1 the indispensable1 the universal necessity of divine conversion4 ,let a man be what he may2 be he ,jew or ,greek1 barbarian1 ,scythian1 bond or free1 ,protestant or ,roman ,catholic2 in short1 whatever be his nationality1 his ecclesiastical position1 or his theological creed1 he must be converted1 else he is on the broad and direct road to an everlasting hell4 ,there is no one born a ,christian1 in the true sense of that word4 ,neither can anyone be educated into ,christianity4 ,it is a fatal mistake1 a deadly delusion1 a deceit of the arch-enemy of souls1 for anyone to think that he can be a ,christian either by birth or education1 or that he can be made a ,christian by water baptism1 or by any religious ceremony whatsoever4 ,a man becomes a ,christian only by being divinely converted4 ,we would earnestly press on the attention of all whom it may concern1 the urgent and absolute necessity in every case of true conversion to ,god4 ,this cannot be overlooked4 ,it is the height of folly for anyone to attempt to ignore or to make light of it4 ,for an immortal being--one who has a boundless eternity stretching away before him--to neglect the solemn question of his conversion1 is the wildest fatuity of which anyone can possibly be guilty4 ,in comparison with this most weighty subject1 all other things dwindle into utter insignificance4 ,the various objects that engage the thoughts and absorb the energies of men and women in the busy scene around us1 are but as the small dust of the balance in comparison with this one grand1 momentous question of the soul's conversion to ,god4 ,all the speculations of commercial life1 all the schemes of money-making1 the absorbing question of profitable investment1 all the pursuits of the pleasure hunter--the theatre1 the concert1 the ball-room1 the billiard-room1 the card-table1 the dice-box1 the race-course1 the hunting-ground1 the drinking saloon--all the numberless and nameless things that the poor unsatisfied heart longs after1 and grasps at--all are but as the vapor of the morning1 the foam on the water1 the smoke from the chimney-top1 the withered leaf of autumn--all vanish away1 and leave an aching void behind4 ,the heart remains unsatisfied1 the soul unsaved1 because unconverted4 ,and what then8 ,ah1 yes2 what then6 ,tremendous question6 ,what remains at the end of all this scene of commercial excitement1 political strife and ambition1 money-making and pleasure-hunting8 ,why1 then the man has to face death6 ,it is appointed unto men once to die4 ,there is no getting over this4 ,there is no discharge in this war4 ,all the wealth of the universe could not purchase one moment's respite at the hand of the ruthless foe4 ,all the medical skill which earth affords1 all the fond solicitude of affectionate relatives and friends1 all their tears1 all their sighs1 all their entreaties cannot stave off the dreaded moment1 or cause the king of terrors to sheathe his terrible sword4 ,death cannot be disposed of by any art of man4 ,the moment must come when the link is to be snapped which connects the heart with all the fair and fascinating scenes of human life4 ,fondly loved friends1 charming pursuits1 coveted objects1 all must be given up4 ,a thousand worlds could not avert the stroke4 ,death must be looked at straight in the face4 ,it is an awful mystery--a tremendous fact--a stern reality4 ,it stands full in front of every unconverted man1 woman1 and child beneath the canopy of heaven2 and it is merely a question of time--hours1 days1 months1 or years1--when the boundary line must be crossed which separates time1 with all its empty1 vain1 shadowy pursuits1 from eternity with all its stupendous realities4 ,and what then8 ,let ,scripture answer4 ,nothing else can4 ,men would fain reply according to their own vain notions4 ,they would have us believe that after death comes annihilation4 ,let us eat and drink1 for to-morrow we die4 ,empty conceit6 ,vain delusion6 ,foolish dream of the human imagination blinded by the god of this world6 ,how could an immortal soul be annihilated8 ,man1 in the garden of ,eden1 became the possessor of a never-dying spirit4 ,the ,lord ,god breathed into his nostrils the breath of life1 and man became a living soul--not a dying soul4 ,the soul must live forever4 ,converted or unconverted1 it has eternity before it4 ,oh1 the overpowering weight of this consideration to every thoughtful spirit6 ,no human mind can grasp its immensity4 ,it is beyond our comprehension1 but not beyond our belief4 ,let us hearken to the voice of ,god4 ,what does ,scripture teach8 ,one line of holy ,scripture is quite sufficient to sweep away ten thousand arguments and theories of the human mind4 ,does death annihilate8 ,nay6 ,it is appointed unto men once to die1 but after this the judgment4 ,mark these words1 ,after this the judgment4 ,and this applies only to those who die in their sins1 only to unbelievers4 ,for the ,christian1 judgment is passed forever1 as ,scripture teaches in manifold places4 ,it is important to note this1 because men tell us that1 inasmuch as there is eternal life only in ,christ1 therefore all who are out of ,christ shall be annihilated4 ,not so says the word of ,god4 ,there is judgment after death4 ,and what will be the issue of the judgment8 ,again ,scripture speaks in language as clear as it is solemn4 ,and ,i saw a great white throne1 and ,him that sat on it1 from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away2 and there was found no place for them4 ,and ,i saw the dead1 small and great1 stand before ,god2 and the books were opened2 and another book1 which is the book of life2 and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books1 according to their works4 ,and the sea gave up the dead which were in it2 and death and hades delivered up the dead which were in them2 and they were judged every man according to their works4444 ,this is the second death--the lake of fire4 ,and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire 7,rev4 xx47 ,all this is as plain as words can make it4 ,there is not the slightest ground for demur or difficulty4 ,for all whose names are in the book of life there is no judgment at all4 ,those whose names are not in that book shall be judged according to their works4 ,and what then8 ,annihilation8 ,nay2 but the lake of fire2 and that forever and forever4 ,how overwhelming is the thought of this6 ,an unconverted person1 whoever and whatever he is1 has death1 judgment1 and the lake of fire before him1 and every throb of his pulse brings him nearer and nearer to those awful realities4 ,it is not more sure that the sun shall rise1 at a certain moment1 to-morrow morning1 than that the reader must1 ere long1 pass into eternity2 and if his name is not in the book of life--if he is not converted--if he is not in ,christ1 he will assuredly be judged according to his works1 and the certain issue of that judgment will be the lake of fire1 through the endless ages of eternity4 ,the reader may perhaps marvel at our dwelling at such length on this dreadful theme4 ,he may feel disposed to ask1 ,will this convert people8 ,if it does not convert them1 it may lead them to see their need of conversion4 ,it may lead them to see their imminent danger4 ,it may induce them to flee from the wrath to come4 ,why did the blessed apostle reason with ,felix on the subject of judgment to come8 ,surely that he might persuade him to turn from his evil ways and live4 ,why did our blessed ,lord ,himself so constantly press upon ,his hearers the solemn reality of eternity8 ,why did ,he so often speak of the deathless worm and the unquenchable fire8 ,surely it was for the purpose of rousing them to a sense of their danger1 that they might flee for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before them4 ,are we wiser than ,he8 ,are we more tender8 ,have we found out some better mode of converting people8 ,are we to be afraid of pressing upon our readers or our hearers the same solemn theme which our ,lord so pressed upon the men of ,his time8 ,are we to shrink from offending polite ears by the plain declaration that all who die unconverted must inevitably stand before the great white throne1 and pass into the lake of fire8 ,god forbid6 ,it must not be4 ,we solemnly call upon the unconverted reader to give his undivided attention to the all-important question of his soul's salvation4 ,let nothing induce him to neglect it4 ,let neither cares1 pleasures1 nor duties so occupy him as to hide from his view the magnitude and deep seriousness of this matter4 ,what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul8 ,or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul8 ,o reader1 if thou art unsaved1 unconverted1 let us earnestly entreat thee to ponder these things1 and rouse thee to a sense of thy need of being savingly converted to ,god4 ,this is the only way of entering ,his kingdom4 ,so our ,lord ,christ distinctly tells us2 and we trust you know this at least1 that not one jot or tittle of ,his holy sayings can ever pass away4 ,heaven and earth shall pass away2 but ,his word can never pass away4 ,all the power of earth and hell1 men and devils1 cannot make void the words of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,either of two things for thee--conversion here1 or eternal damnation hereafter4 ,thus it stands1 if we are to be guided by the word of ,god2 and1 in view of this1 is it possible for us to be too earnest1 too vehement1 too importunate in urging upon every unconverted soul with whom we may come in contact1 either with voice or pen1 the indispensable necessity1 this very moment1 of fleeing from the wrath to come1 fleeing to that blessed ,saviour who died on the cross for our salvation2 who stands with open arms to receive all who come2 and who declares in ,his own sweet and precious grace1 ,,him ,,that ,,cometh ,,unto ,,me1 ,i ,,will ,,in ,,no ,,wise ,,cast ,,out8 ,,part ,,ii4 ,in our previous paper1 we have sought to set forth the absolute need1 in every case1 of conversion4 ,scripture establishes this point in such a way as to leave no possible ground of doubt for anyone who bows to its holy authority4 ,except ye be converted1 and become as little children1 ye shall not enter into the ,kingdom of heaven 7,matt4 xviii4 #c74 ,this applies1 in all its moral force and deep solemnity1 to every son and daughter of fallen ,adam4 ,there is not so much as a solitary exception1 throughout the thousand millions that people this globe4 ,without conversion1 there is--there can be no entrance into the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,every unconverted soul is outside the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,it matters not1 in the smallest degree1 who ,i am1 or what ,i am2 if ,i am unconverted1 ,i am in the kingdom of darkness1 under the power of ,satan1 in my sins1 and on the way to hell4 ,i may be a person of blameless morals2 of spotless reputation2 a high professor of religion2 a worker in the vineyard2 a ,sunday-school teacher2 an office-bearer in some branch of the professing church2 an ordained minister2 a deacon1 elder1 pastor or bishop2 a most charitable individual2 a munificent donor to religious and benevolent institutions2 looked up to1 sought after1 and reverenced by all because of my personal worth and moral influence4 ,i may be all this and more2 ,i may be1 and ,i may have1 all that it is possible for a human being to be or to have1 and yet be unconverted1 and hence outside the ,kingdom of ,god1 and in the kingdom of ,satan1 in my guilt1 and on the broad road that leads straight down to the lake that burns with fire and brimstone4 ,such is the plain and obvious meaning and force of our ,lord's words in ,matt4 xviii4 #c4 ,there is no possibility of evading it4 ,the words are as clear as a sunbeam4 ,we cannot get over them4 ,they bear down1 with what we may truly call tremendous solemnity1 upon every unconverted soul on the face of the earth4 ,except ye be converted1 ye cannot enter the ,kingdom of heaven4 ,this applies1 with equal force1 to the degraded drunkard that rolls along the street1 worse than a beast1 and to the unconverted ,good ,templar or teetotaler who prides himself on his sobriety1 and is perpetually boasting of the number of days1 weeks1 months1 or years during which he has refrained from all intoxicating drink4 ,they are both alike outside the ,kingdom of ,god2 both in their sins2 both on the way to eternal destruction4 ,true it is that the one has been converted from drunkenness to sobriety--a very great blessing indeed1 in a moral and social point of view--but conversion from drunkenness to a temperance society is not conversion to ,god2 it is not turning from darkness to light2 it is not entering the ,kingdom of ,god's dear ,son4 ,there is just this difference between the two1 that the teetotaler may be building upon his temperance1 pluming himself upon his morality1 and thus deceiving himself into the vain notion that he is all right1 whereas1 in reality1 he is not4 ,the drunkard is palpably and unmistakably wrong4 ,everybody knows that no drunkard can inherit the ,kingdom of ,god2 but neither can an unconverted teetotaler4 ,both are outside4 ,conversion to ,god is absolutely indispensable for the one as well as the other2 and the same may be said of all classes1 all grades1 all shades1 all castes and conditions of men under the sun4 ,there is no difference as to this great question4 ,it holds good as to all alike1 be their outward character or social status what it may--,except ye be converted1 ye cannot enter the ,kingdom of heaven4 ,how important1 then--yea1 how momentous the question for each one1 ,am ,i converted8 ,it is not possible for human language to set forth the magnitude and solemnity of this inquiry4 ,for any one to think of going on1 from day to day1 and year to year1 without a clear and thorough settlement of this most weighty question1 can only be regarded as the most egregious folly of which a human being can be guilty4 ,if a man were to leave his earthly affairs in an uncertain1 unsettled condition1 he would lay himself open to the charge of the grossest and most culpable neglect and carelessness4 ,but what are the most urgent and weighty temporal affairs when compared with the salvation of the soul8 ,all the concerns of time are but as the chaff of the summer threshing-floor1 when compared with the interests of the immortal soul--the grand realities of eternity4 ,hence it is1 in the very highest degree1 irrational for any one to rest for a single hour without a clear and settled assurance that he is truly converted to ,god4 ,a converted soul has crossed the boundary line that separates the saved from the unsaved--the children of light from the children of darkness--the ,church of ,god from this present evil world4 ,the converted soul has death and judgment behind him1 and glory before4 ,he can be as sure of heaven as though he were already there2 indeed as a man in ,christ he belongs there already4 ,he has a title without a blot1 a prospect without a cloud4 ,he knows ,christ as his ,saviour and ,lord2 ,god as his ,father and ,friend2 the ,holy ,ghost as his blessed ,comforter1 ,guide and ,teacher2 heaven as his bright and happy home4 ,oh6 the unspeakable blessedness of being converted4 ,who can utter it8 ,eye hath not seen1 or ear heard1 neither have entered into the heart of man1 the things which ,god hath prepared for them that love ,him4 ,but ,god hath revealed them unto us believers by ,his ,spirit2 for the ,spirit searcheth all things1 yea the deep things of ,god 7#a ,cor4 ii4 #i1 #aj74 ,and now let us inquire what this conversion is1 whereof we speak4 ,well1 indeed1 will it be for us to be divinely instructed as to this4 ,an error here will prove disastrous in proportion to the interests at stake4 ,many are the mistaken notions in reference to conversion4 ,indeed we might conclude1 from the very fact of the vast importance of the subject1 that the great enemy of our souls and of the ,christ of ,god would seek1 in every possible way1 to plunge us into error respecting it4 ,if he cannot succeed in keeping people in utter carelessness as to the subject of conversion1 he will endeavour to blind their eyes as to its true nature4 ,if1 for example1 a person has been roused1 by some means or other1 to a sense of the utter vanity and unsatisfactoriness of worldly amusements1 and the urgent necessity of a change of life1 the arch-deceiver will seek to persuade such an one to become religious1 to busy himself with ordinances1 rites and ceremonies1 to give up balls and parties1 theatres and concerts1 drinking1 gambling1 hunting and horse-racing2 in a word1 to give up all sorts of gaiety and amusement1 and engage in what is called a religious life1 to be diligent in attending the public ordinances of religion1 to read the ,bible1 say prayers1 and give alms1 to contribute to the support of the great religious and benevolent institutions of the country4 ,now1 this is not conversion4 ,a person may do all this1 and yet be wholly unconverted4 ,a religious devotee whose whole life is spent in vigils1 fastings1 prayers1 self-mortifications and alms deeds1 may be as thoroughly unconverted1 as far from the ,kingdom of ,god as the thoughtless pleasure hunter1 whose whole life is spent in the pursuit of objects as worthless as the withered leaf or the faded flower4 ,the two characters1 no doubt1 differ widely--as widely perhaps1 as any two could differ4 ,but they are both unconverted1 both outside the blessed circle of ,god's salvation1 both in their sins4 ,true1 the one is engaged in wicked works1 and the other in dead works2 they are both out of ,christ2 they are unsaved2 they are on the way to hopeless1 endless misery4 ,the one1 just as surely as the other1 if not savingly converted1 will find his portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone4 ,again1 conversion is not a turning from one religious system to another4 ,a man may turn from ,judaism1 ,paganism1 ,mahometanism1 or ,popery1 to ,protestantism1 and yet be wholly unconverted4 ,no doubt1 looked at from a social1 moral1 or intellectual standpoint1 it is much better to be a ,protestant than a ,mahometan2 but as regards our present thesis1 they are both on one common platform1 both unconverted4 ,of one1 just as truly as the other1 it can be said1 unless he is converted1 he cannot enter the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,conversion is not joining a religious system1 be that system ever so pure1 ever so sound1 ever so orthodox4 ,a man may be a member of the most respectable religious body in ,christendom1 and yet be an unconverted1 unsaved man1 on his way to eternal perdition4 ,so also as to the theological creeds4 ,a man may subscribe to any of the great standards of religious belief1 the ,thirty-nine ,articles1 the ,westminster ,confession1 ,john ,wesley's ,sermons1 ,fox and ,barclay1 or any other creed1 and yet be wholly unconverted1 dead in trespasses and sins1 and on his way to that place where a single ray of hope can never break in upon the awful gloom of eternity4 ,of what use1 we may lawfully inquire1 is a religious system or a theological creed to a man who has not a single spark of divine life8 ,systems and creeds cannot quicken1 cannot save1 cannot give eternal life4 ,a man may work on in religious machinery like a horse in a mill1 going round and round1 from one year's end to another1 leaving off just where he began1 in a dreary monotony of dead works4 ,what is it all worth8 what does it all come to8 where does it all end8 ,death6 ,yes2 and what then8 ,ah6 that is the question4 ,would to ,god the weight and seriousness of this question were more fully realized6 ,but further1 ,christianity itself1 in all its full-orbed light1 may be embraced as a system of religious belief4 ,a person may be intellectually delighted--almost entranced with the glorious doctrines of grace1 a full1 free gospel1 salvation without works1 justification by faith2 in short1 all that goes to make up our glorious ,new ,testament ,christianity4 ,a person may profess to believe and delight in this2 he may even become a powerful writer in defence of ,christian doctrine1 an earnest eloquent preacher of the gospel4 ,all this may be true1 and yet the man be wholly unconverted1 dead in trespasses and sins1 hardened1 deceived and destroyed by his very familiarity with the precious truths of the gospel--truths that have never gone beyond the region of his understanding--never reached his conscience1 never touched his heart1 never converted his soul4 ,this is about the most appalling case of all4 ,nothing can be more awful1 more terrible1 than the case of a man professing to believe and delight in1 yea1 actually preaching the gospel of ,god1 and teaching all the grand characteristic truths of ,christianity1 and yet wholly unconverted1 unsaved1 and on his way to an eternity of ineffable misery--misery which must needs be intensified to the very highest degree1 by the remembrance of the fact that he once professed to believe1 and actually undertook to preach the most glorious tidings that ever fell on mortal ears4 ,o6 reader1 whoever thou art1 do1 we entreat of thee1 give thy fixed attention to these things4 ,rest not1 for one hour1 until thou art assured of thy genuine1 unmistakable conversion to ,god4 ,,part ,,iii4 ,having thus far seen the absolute necessity1 in every case1 of conversion1 and having1 in some measure1 sought to point out what conversion is not1 we have now to inquire what it is4 ,and here we must keep close to the veritable teaching of holy ,scripture4 ,we can accept nothing less1 nothing different4 ,it is greatly to be feared that very much of what passes1 now-a-days1 for conversion is not conversion at all4 ,many so-called cases of conversion are published and talked of1 which cannot stand the test of the word of ,god4 ,many profess to be converted1 and are accredited as such1 who prove to be merely stony-ground hearers4 ,there is no depth of spiritual work in the heart1 no real action of the truth of ,god on the conscience1 no thorough breaking with the world4 ,it may be the feelings are wrought upon by human influence1 and certain evangelical sentiments take possession of the mind2 but self is not judged2 there is a clinging to earth and nature2 a lack of that deep-toned earnestness and genuine reality which so remarkably characterize the conversions recorded in the ,new ,testament1 and for which we may always look where the work of conversion is divine4 ,we do not here attempt to account for all these superficial cases2 we merely refer to them in order that all who are engaged in the blessed work of evangelization may be led to consider the matter in the light of holy ,scripture1 and to see how far their own mode of working may call for holy correction4 ,it may be there is too much of the merely human element in our work4 ,we do not leave the ,spirit of ,god to act4 ,we are deficient in faith1 in the power and efficacy of the simple work of ,christ itself4 ,there may be too much effort to work on the feelings1 too much of the emotional and the sensational4 ,perhaps1 too1 in our desire to reach results--a desire which may be right enough in itself--we are too ready to accredit and announce1 as cases of conversion1 many which1 alas6 are merely ephemeral4 ,will this lessen our earnestness8 ,the very reverse2 it will intensify our earnestness immensely4 ,we shall be more earnest in pleading with ,god in secret1 and in pleading with our fellows in public4 ,we shall feel more deeply the divine seriousness of the work1 and our own utter insufficiency4 ,we shall ever cherish the wholesome conviction that the work must be of ,god from first to last4 ,this will keep us in our right place1 that of self-emptied dependence upon ,god1 who is the ,doer of all the works that are done upon the earth4 ,we shall be more on our faces before the mercy-seat1 both in the closet and in the assembly1 in reference to the glorious work of conversion2 and then1 when the golden sheaves and mellow clusters appear1 when genuine cases of conversion turn up--cases which speak for themselves1 and carry their own credentials with them to all who are capable of judging--then verily shall our hearts be filled with praise to the ,god of all grace who has magnified the name of ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ in the salvation of precious souls4 ,how much better is this than to have our poor hearts puffed up with pride and self-complacency by reckoning up our cases of conversion6 ,how much better1 safer and happier to be bowed in worship before the throne1 than to have our names heralded to the ends of the earth as great preachers and wonderful evangelists6 ,no comparison1 in the judgment of a truly spiritual person4 ,the dignity1 reality1 and seriousness of the work will be realized2 the happiness1 the moral security1 and the real usefulness of the workman will be promoted2 and the glory of ,god secured and maintained4 ,let us see how all this is illustrated in #a ,thessalonians i4 ,paul1 and ,silvanus1 and ,timotheus1 unto the assembly of the ,thessalonians in ,god the ,father1 and the ,lord ,jesus ,christ3 grace be unto you1 and peace from ,god our ,father1 and the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,we give thanks to ,god always for you all1 making mention of you in our prayers2 remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love1 and patience of hope--the grand elements of true ,christianity--in our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 in the sight of ,god and our ,father2 knowing1 brethren1 beloved of ,god1 your election4 ,how did he know it8 ,by the clear and unquestionable evidence afforded in their practical life--the only way in which the election of any one can be known4 ,for our gospel came not unto you in word only1 but also in power1 and in the ,holy ,ghost1 and in much assurance2 as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake4 ,the blessed apostle was1 in his daily life1 the exponent of the gospel which he preached4 ,he lived the gospel4 ,he did not demand or exact aught of them4 ,he was not burdensome to them4 ,he preached unto them the precious gospel of ,god freely2 and in order that he might do so1 he wrought with labor and travail1 night and day4 ,he was as a loving1 tender nurse1 going in and out among them4 ,there were with him no high-sounding words about himself1 or his office1 or his authority1 or his gifts1 or his preaching1 or his wonderful doings in other places4 ,he was the loving1 lowly1 unpretending1 earnest1 devoted workman1 whose work spoke for itself1 and whose whole life1 his spirit1 style1 deportment1 and habits1 were in lovely harmony with his preaching4 ,how needful for all workmen to ponder these things6 ,we may depend upon it that very much of the shallowness of our work is the fruit of the shallowness of the workman4 ,where is the power8 ,where is the demonstration of the ,spirit8 ,where is the much assurance8 ,is there not a terrible lack of these things in our preaching8 ,there may be a vast amount of fluent talking2 a great deal of so-called cleverness2 and much that may tickle the ear1 act on the imagination1 awaken a temporary interest1 and minister to mere curiosity4 ,but oh6 where is the holy unction1 the living earnestness1 the profound seriousness8 ,and then the living exponent in the daily life and habits--where is this8 ,may the ,lord revive ,his work in the hearts of ,his workmen1 and then we may look for more of the results of the work4 ,do we mean to teach that the work of conversion depends upon the workman8 ,far away be the monstrous notion6 ,the work depends wholly and absolutely on the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 as the very chapter now lying open before us proves beyond all question4 ,it must ever hold good1 in every department and every stage of the work1 that it is not by might nor by power2 but by ,my ,spirit1 saith the ,lord4 ,but what kind of instrument does the ,spirit ordinarily use8 ,is not this a weighty question for us workmen8 ,what sort of vessels are meet for the ,master's use8 ,empty vessels--clean vessels4 ,are we such8 ,are we emptied of ourselves8 ,are we cured of our deplorable self-occupation8 ,are we clean8 ,have we clean hands8 ,are our associations1 our ways1 our circumstances1 clean8 ,if not1 how can the ,master use us in ,his holy service8 ,may we all have grace to weigh these questions in the divine presence6 ,may the ,lord stir us all up1 and make us more and more vessels such as ,he can use for ,his glory6 ,we shall now proceed with our quotation4 ,the whole passage is full of power4 ,the character of the workman on the one hand1 and of the work on the other1 demands our most serious attention4 ,and ye became followers of us1 and of the ,lord1 having received the word in much affliction1 with joy of the ,holy ,ghost3 so that ye were ensamples or models to all that believe in ,macedonia and ,achaia4 ,for from you sounded out the word of the ,lord1 not only in ,macedonia and ,achaia1 but also in every place your faith to ,godward is spread abroad2 so that we need not to speak anything1 for they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you4 ,this was real work4 ,it carried its own credentials with it4 ,there was nothing vague or unsatisfactory about it--no occasion for any reserve in forming or expressing a judgment respecting it4 ,it was clear1 distinct1 and unmistakable4 ,it bore the stamp of the ,master's hand1 and carried conviction to every mind capable of weighing the evidence4 ,the work of conversion was wrought1 and the fruits of conversion followed in delightful profusion4 ,the testimony went forth far and wide1 so that the workman had no need to speak about his work4 ,there was no occasion for him to reckon up and publish the number of conversions at ,thessalonica4 ,all was divinely real4 ,it was a thorough work of ,god's ,spirit as to which there could be no possible mistake1 and about which it was superfluous to speak4 ,the apostle had simply preached the ,word in the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 in much assurance4 ,there was nothing vague1 nothing doubtful about his testimony4 ,he preached as one who fully believed and thoroughly entered into what he was preaching about4 ,it was not the mere fluent utterance of certain known and acknowledged truths--not the cut and dry statement of certain barren dogmas4 ,no2 it was the living outpouring of the glorious gospel of ,god1 coming from a heart that felt profoundly every utterance1 and falling upon hearts prepared by ,god's ,spirit for its reception4 ,such was the work at ,thessalonica--a blessed divine work--all real1 the genuine fruit of ,god's ,spirit4 ,it was no mere religious excitement1 nothing sensational1 no high pressure1 no attempt to get up a revival4 ,all was beautifully calm4 ,the workman1 as we are told in ,acts xvii41 came to ,thessalonica1 where was a synagogue of the ,jews2 and as his manner was1 he went in unto them1 and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the ,scriptures--,precious1 powerful reasoning6 would to ,god we had more of it in our midst6--opening and alleging that ,christ must needs have suffered1 and risen again from the dead1 and that this ,jesus1 whom ,i preach unto you1 is ,christ4 ,how simple6 ,preaching ,jesus out of the ,scriptures6 ,yes1 here lay the grand secret of ,paul's preaching4 ,he preached a living ,person1 in living power1 on the authority of a living ,word1 and this preaching was received in living faith1 and brought forth living fruit1 in the lives of the converts4 ,this is the preaching that ,god has ordained and uses4 ,it is not sermonizing1 not religious talk1 but the preaching of ,christ by the ,holy ,ghost speaking through men who are themselves under the power of what they are preaching4 ,god grant us more of this6 ,,part ,,iv4 ,the last two verses of our chapter 7#a ,thess4 i47 demand our very special attention4 ,they furnish a remarkable statement of the real nature of conversion4 ,they show1 very distinctly1 the depth1 clearness1 fulness1 and reality of the work of ,god's ,spirit in those ,thessalonian converts4 ,there was no mistaking it4 ,it carried its own credentials with it4 ,it was no uncertain work4 ,it did not call for any careful examination ere it could be accredited4 ,it was a manifest1 unmistakable work of ,god1 the fruits of which were apparent to all4 ,they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you1 and how ye turned to ,god from idols1 to serve the living and true ,god2 and to wait for ,his ,son from heaven1 whom ,he raised from the dead1 ,jesus1 who delivered us from the wrath to come 7vers4 #i1 #aj74 ,here1 then1 we have a divine definition of conversion--brief1 but comprehensive4 ,it is a turning from1 and a turning to4 ,they turned from idols4 ,there was a complete break with the past1 a turning of the back1 once and forever1 on their former life and habits2 a thorough surrender of all those objects that had ruled their hearts and commanded their energies4 ,those dear ,thessalonians were led to judge1 in the light of divine truth1 their whole previous course1 and not only to judge it1 but to abandon it unreservedly4 ,it was no half-and-half work4 ,there was nothing vague or equivocal about it4 ,it was a marked epoch in their history--a grand turning-point in their moral and practical career4 ,it was not a mere change of opinion1 or the reception of a new set of principles1 a certain alteration in their intellectual views4 ,it was far more than any or all of these things4 ,it was the solemn discovery that their whole past career had been one great1 dark1 monstrous lie4 ,it was the real heart conviction of this4 ,divine light had broken in upon their souls1 and in the power of that light they judged themselves and the entire of their previous history4 ,there was an out-and-out surrender of that world which had hitherto ruled their hearts' affections2 not a shred of it was to be spared4 ,and what1 we may ask1 produced this marvelous change8 ,simply the word of ,god brought home to their souls in the mighty power of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,we have referred to the inspired account of the apostle's visit to ,thessalonica4 ,we are told that he reasoned with them out of the ,scriptures4 ,he sought to bring their souls into direct contact with the living and eternal word of ,god4 ,there was no effort to act on their feelings and imagination4 ,all this the blessed workman judged to be utterly valueless4 ,he had no confidence whatever in it4 ,his confidence was in the word and ,spirit of ,god4 ,he assures the ,thessalonians of this very thing in the most touching manner1 in chap4 ii4 of his epistle4 ,for this cause1 he says1 thank we ,god without ceasing1 because1 when ye received the word of ,god which ye heard of us1 ye received it not as the word of men1 but1 as it is in truth1 the word of ,god1 which effectually worketh also in you that believe4 ,this is what we may call a vital and cardinal point4 ,the word of ,god1 and that alone1 in the mighty hand of the ,holy ,ghost1 produced these grand results in the case of the ,thessalonians1 which filled the heart of the beloved apostle with unfeigned thanksgiving to ,god4 ,he rejoiced that they were not linked on to him1 but to the living ,god ,himself1 by means of ,his word4 ,this is an imperishable link4 ,it is as enduring as the ,word which forms it4 ,the word of man is as perishable as himself2 but the word of the ,lord endureth forever4 ,the apostle1 as a true workman1 understood and felt all this1 and hence his holy jealousy1 in all his ministry1 lest the souls to whom he preached should1 in any way1 lean upon him instead of on the ,one whose messenger and minister he was4 ,hear what he says to the ,corinthians3 ,and ,i1 brethren1 when ,i came unto you1 came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom1 declaring unto you the testimony of ,god4 ,for ,i determined not to know anything among you1 save ,jesus ,christ1 and ,him crucified4 ,and ,i was with you in weakness1 and in fear1 and in much trembling4 ,and my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom1 but in demonstration of the ,spirit and of power2 that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men1 but in the power of ,god 7#a ,cor4 ii4 #a-e74 ,here we have true ministry--the testimony of ,god1 and the demonstration of the ,spirit--the ,word and the ,holy ,ghost4 ,nothing else is of any value4 ,all mere human influence1 human power1 and the results produced by human wisdom or energy1 are perfectly worthless--yea1 positively mischievous4 ,the workman is puffed up by the apparent results of his work paraded and talked of1 and the poor souls that are acted upon by this false influence are deceived1 and led into an utterly false position and false profession4 ,in a word1 the whole thing is disastrous in the extreme4 ,not so when the word of ,god1 in its mighty moral power1 and the energy of the ,holy ,ghost1 are brought to bear on the heart and conscience4 ,then it is we see divine results1 as in the case of the ,thessalonians4 ,then indeed it is made apparent1 beyond all question1 who is the workman4 ,it is not ,paul1 or ,apollos1 or ,cephas1 but ,god ,himself1 whose work accredits itself1 and shall stand forever2 all homage to ,his holy name6 ,the apostle had no need to reckon up and publish the results of his work at ,thessalonica1 or rather ,god's work by his means4 ,it spoke for itself4 ,it was genuine4 ,it bore1 with unmistakable distinctness1 the stamp of ,god upon it1 and this was quite enough for ,paul2 and it is quite enough for every true-hearted1 self-emptied workman4 ,paul preached the ,word1 and that ,word was brought home1 in the quickening energy of the ,holy ,ghost1 to the hearts of the ,thessalonians4 ,it fell into good ground1 took root1 and brought forth fruit in abundance4 ,and let us mark the fruit4 ,ye turned from idols4 ,here we have1 in one word1 the whole life of every unconverted man1 woman1 or child on the face of the earth4 ,it is all wrapped up and presented to our view in the one expression1 idols4 ,it is not by any means necessary to bow down to a stock or a stone in order to be an idolater4 ,whatever commands the heart is an idol2 the yielding of the heart to that thing is idolatry1 and the one who so yields it is an idolater4 ,such is the plain1 solemn truth in this matter1 however unpalatable it may be to the proud human heart4 ,take that one great1 crying1 universal sin of covetousness4 ,what does the inspired apostle call it8 ,he calls it idolatry4 ,how many hearts are commanded by money6 ,how many worshipers bow down before the idol of gold6 ,what is covetousness8 ,either a desire to get more1 or the love of what we have4 ,we have both forms in the ,new ,testament4 ,the ,greek has a word to represent both4 ,but whether it be the desire to grasp1 or the desire to hoard1 in either case it is idolatry4 ,and yet the two things may be very unlike in their outward development4 ,the former1 that is1 the desire to get more1 may often be found in connection with a readiness to spend2 the latter1 on the contrary1 is generally linked with an intense spirit of hoarding4 ,there1 for example1 is a man of great business capacity--a thorough commercial genius--in whose hand everything seems to prosper4 ,he has a real zest for business1 an unquenchable thirst for making money4 ,his one object is to get more1 to add thousand to thousand1 to strengthen his commercial foundation1 and enlarge his sphere4 ,he lives1 thrives1 and revels in the atmosphere of commerce4 ,he started on his career with a few pence in his pocket1 and he has risen to the proud position of a merchant prince4 ,he is not a miser4 ,he is as ready to scatter as to obtain4 ,he fares sumptuously1 entertains with a splendid hospitality1 gives munificently to manifold public objects4 ,he is looked up to and respected by all classes of society4 ,but he loves to get more4 ,he is a covetous man--an idolater4 ,true1 he despises the poor miser who spends his nights over his money-bags1 holding strange communion with his gold2 delighting his heart and feasting his eyes with the very sight of the fascinating dust1 refusing himself and his family the common necessaries of life2 going about in rags and wretchedness1 rather than spend a penny of the precious hoard2 who loves money1 not for what it can get or give1 but simply for its own sake2 who loves to accumulate1 not that he may spend1 but that he may hoard2 whose one ruling desire is to die worth so much wretched dust--strange1 contemptible desire6 ,now these two are apparently very different1 but they meet in one point2 they stand on one common platform2 they are both covetous1 and they are both idolaters4#a ,this may sound harsh and severe1 but it is the truth of ,god1 and we must bow down before its holy authority4 ,true it is that nothing is apparently more difficult to bring home to the conscience than the sin of covetousness--that very sin which the ,holy ,ghost declares to be idolatry4 ,thousands might see it in the case of the poor degraded miser1 who nevertheless would be shocked by its application to a merchant prince4 ,it is one thing to see it in others1 and quite another to judge it in ourselves4 ,the fact is1 that nothing but the light of the word of ,god shining in upon the soul1 and penetrating every chamber of our moral being1 can enable us to detect the hateful sin of covetousness4 ,the pursuit of gain--the desire to have more--the spirit of commerce--the ability to make money--the desire to get on--all this is so highly esteemed amongst men1 that very few1 comparatively1 are prepared to see that it is positively an abomination in the sight of ,god4 ,the natural heart is formed by the thoughts of men4 ,it loves1 adores and worships the objects that it finds in this world2 and each heart has its own idol4 ,one worships gold1 another worships pleasure1 another worships power4 ,every unconverted man is an idolater2 and even converted men are not beyond the reach of idolatrous influences1 as is evident from the warning note raised by the venerable apostle1 ,little children1 keep yourselves from idols 7#a ,john v4 #ba74 #a ,the two ,greek words to which we have alluded in the text are1 7pleonexia--the desire to get more71 and 7philarguria--the love of money74 ,now it is the former that occurs in ,col4 iii4 #e--;,covetousness1 which is idolatry2 and there it stands in the terrible category with some of the very vilest sins that stain the pages of human history4 ,reader1 will you permit us to put a plain1 pointed question to you1 ere we proceed further8 ,are you converted8 ,do you profess to be so8 ,do you take the ground of being a ,christian8 ,if so1 have you turned from idols8 ,have you really broken with the world1 and with your former self8 ,has the living word of ,god entered your heart1 and led you to judge the whole of your past life1 whether it has been a life of gayety and thoughtless folly1 a life of busy money-making1 a life of abominable vice and wickedness1 or a life of mere religious routine--,christless1 faithless1 worthless religion8 ,say1 dear friend1 how is it8 ,be thoroughly in earnest4 ,be assured there is an urgent demand for out-and-out earnestness in this matter4 ,we cannot hide from you the fact that we are painfully conscious of the sad lack of thorough decision amongst us4 ,we have not1 with sufficient emphasis or distinctness1 turned from idols4 ,old habits are retained2 former lusts and objects rule the heart4 ,the temper1 style1 spirit and deportment do not bespeak conversion4 ,we are sadly too like our former selves--too like the openly and confessedly worldly people around us4 ,all this is really terrible4 ,we fear it is a sad hindrance to the progress of the gospel and the salvation of souls4 ,the testimony falls powerless on the ears of those to whom we speak1 because we do not seem as though we ourselves really believe what we are talking about4 ,the apostle could not say to us1 as he said to his dear ,thessalonian converts1 ,from you sounded out the word of the ,lord 444 so that we need not to speak anything4 ,there is a want of depth1 power and markedness in our conversion4 ,the change is not sufficiently apparent4 ,even where there is a work1 there is a tameness1 feebleness and vagueness about it truly deplorable and discouraging4 ,but more of this in our next1 if the ,lord will4 ,,part ,v4 ,we are now called to consider what we may term the positive side of the great subject of conversion4 ,we have seen that it is a turning from idols--a turning from all those objects which ruled our hearts and engaged our affections--the vanities and follies1 the lusts and pleasures which made up the whole of our existence in the days of our darkness and blindness4 ,it is1 as we read in ,acts xxvi4 #ah1 a turning from darkness1 and from the power of ,satan2 and1 as we read in ,gal4 i4 #d1 a turning from this present evil world4 ,but conversion is much more than all this4 ,it would1 in one sense1 be but a poor thing if it were merely a turning from sin1 the world1 and ,satan4 ,no doubt it is a signal mercy to be delivered1 once and forever1 from all the wretchedness and moral degradation of our former life2 from the terrible thraldom of the god and prince of this world2 from all the hollowness and vanity of a world that lieth in the arms of the wicked one2 and from the love and practice of sin--the vile affections which once held sway over us4 ,we cannot be too thankful for all that is included in this side of the question4 ,but1 we repeat1 there is very much more than this4 ,the heart may feel disposed to inquire1 ,what have we gotten in lieu of all we have given up8 ,is ,christianity merely a system of negations8 ,if we have broken with the world and self--if we have given up our former pleasures and amusements--if1 in short1 we have turned our back upon what goes to make up life in this world1 what have we instead8 #a ,thessalonians i4 #i furnishes1 in one word1 the answer to all these inquiries--an answer full1 clear1 distinct1 and comprehensive4 ,here it is--,ye turned to ,,god4 ,precious answer6 ,yes1 unspeakably precious to all who know aught of its meaning4 ,what have ,i got instead of my former idols8 ,god6 ,instead of this world's vain and sinful pleasures8 ,god6 ,instead of its riches1 honors1 and distinctions8 ,god6 ,oh1 blessed1 glorious1 perfect ,substitute6 ,what had the prodigal instead of the rags of the far country8 ,the best robe in the ,father's house6 ,instead of the swine's husks8 ,the fatted calf of the ,father's providing6 ,instead of the degrading servitude of the far country8 ,the ,father's welcome1 his bosom1 and his table6 ,reader1 is not this a blessed exchange8 ,have we not1 in the familiar1 but ever charming history of the prodigal a most touching and impressive illustration of true conversion in both its sides8 ,may we not well exclaim1 as we gaze on the inimitable picture1 ,what a conversion6 ,what a turning from and turning to6 ,who can utter it8 ,what human tongue can adequately set forth the feelings of the returned wanderer when pressed to the ,father's bosom and bathed in the light and love of the ,father's house8 ,the rags1 the husks1 the swine1 the slavery1 the cold selfishness1 the destitution1 the famine1 the misery1 the moral degradation--all gone1 and gone forever2 and instead thereof the ineffable delight of that bright and happy home1 and1 above all1 the exquisite feeling that all that festive joy which surrounded him was wakened up by the very fact of his return--that it made the ,father glad to get him back6 ,but we shall1 perhaps1 be told that all this is but a figure4 ,yes2 but a figure of what8 ,of a precious1 a divine reality2 a figure of what takes place in every instance of true conversion1 if only it be looked at from a heavenly standpoint4 ,it is not a mere surrender of the world1 with its thousand and one vanities and follies4 ,it is this1 no doubt2 but it is very much more4 ,it is being brought to ,god1 brought home1 brought to the ,father's bosom1 brought into the family2 made--not in the language of a barren formulary1 but in the power of the ,spirit1 and by the mighty action of the ,word--a child of ,god1 a member of ,christ1 and an heir of the kingdom4 ,this1 and nothing less1 is conversion4 ,let the reader see that he thoroughly understands it4 ,let him not be satisfied with anything short of this grand reality--this turning from darkness to light1 from the power of ,satan1 and from the worship of idols1 to ,god4 ,the ,christian is1 in one sense1 as really brought to ,god now as if he were actually in heaven4 ,this may seem strong1 but it is blessedly true4 ,hear what the apostle ,peter says as to this point3 ,christ hath once suffered for sins1 the ,just for the unjust1 to bring us to--what8 ,heaven when we die8 ,nay2 but to bring us to ,god now4 ,so1 also1 in ,rom4 v4 we read1 ,for if1 when we were enemies1 we were reconciled to ,god by the death of ,his ,son1 much more1 being reconciled1 we shall be saved by ,his life6 ,and not only so1 but we also joy in ,god1 through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 by whom we have now received the reconciliation4 ,this is an immense principle4 ,it is not within the compass of human language to set forth all that is involved in being turned1 or brought to ,god4 ,our adorable ,lord ,jesus ,christ brings all who believe in ,his name into ,god's presence1 in all ,his own perfect acceptability4 ,they come in all the credit1 and virtue1 and value of the blood of ,jesus1 and in all the fragrance of ,his most excellent name4 ,he brings us into the very same position with ,himself4 ,he links us with ,himself1 and shares with us all ,he has1 and all ,he is1 save ,his ,deity1 which is incommunicable4 ,we are perfectly identified with ,him4 ,yet a little while1 and the world seeth ,me no more2 but ye see ,me2 because ,i live1 ye shall live also4 ,again1 ,peace ,i leave with you1 my peace ,i give unto you2 not as the world giveth1 give ,i unto you4 ,let not your heart be troubled1 neither let it be afraid4 ,these things have ,i spoken unto you1 that my joy might remain in you1 and that your joy might be full4 ,henceforth ,i call you not servants1 for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth2 but ,i have called you friends1 for all things that ,i have heard of my ,father ,i have made known unto you4 ,so1 also1 in that marvelous prayer in ,john xvii41 we read1 ,i have given unto them the words which ,thou gavest ,me2 and they have received them1 and have known surely that ,i came out from ,thee1 and they have believed that ,thou didst send ,me4 ,i pray for them2 ,i pray not for the world1 but for them which ,thou hast given ,me2 for they are ,thine4 ,and all ,mine are ,thine1 and ,thine are ,mine1 and ,i am glorified in them4 ,i have given them ,thy word2 and the world hath hated them1 because they are not of the world1 even as ,i am not of the world4 ,as ,thou hast sent ,me into the world1 even so have ,i also sent them into the world4 ,and the glory which ,thou gavest ,me ,i have given them2 that they may be one1 even as ,we are one3 ,i in them1 and ,thou in ,me1 that they may be made perfect in one2 and that the world may know that ,thou hast sent ,me1 and hast loved them as ,thou hast loved ,me4 ,father1 ,i will that they also whom ,thou hast given ,me be with ,me where ,i am2 that they may behold ,my glory which ,thou hast given ,me2 for thou lovedst ,me before the foundation of the world4 ,o righteous ,father1 the world hath not known ,thee1 but ,i have known ,thee1 and these have known that ,thou hast sent ,me4 ,and ,i have declared unto them ,thy name1 and will declare it2 that the love wherewith ,thou hast loved ,me may be in them1 and ,i in them4 ,now it is utterly impossible to conceive anything higher or more blessed than this4 ,to be so thoroughly identified with the ,son of ,god1 to be so wholly one with ,him as to share in the very same love wherewith ,he is loved by the ,father1 to partake of ,his peace1 ,his joy1 ,his glory--all this involves the very highest possible measure and character of blessing with which any creature could be endowed4 ,to be saved from the everlasting horrors of the pit of hell2 to be pardoned1 washed1 and justified2 to be reinstated in all that ,adam lost2 to be let into heaven on any ground or in any character whatsoever1 would be marvelous mercy1 goodness1 and loving-kindness2 but to be brought to ,god in all the love and favor of ,his own beloved ,son1 to be intimately associated with ,him in all ,his position before ,god--,his acceptability now--,his glory by and by--this1 truly1 is something which only the heart of ,god could think of1 and only ,his mighty power accomplish4 ,well1 reader1 all this is involved in the conversion whereof we speak4 ,such is the magnificent grace of ,god1 such the love wherewith ,he loved us1 even when we were dead in trespasses and sins1 enemies in our minds by wicked works1 serving divers lusts and pleasures1 worshiping idols1 the blind1 degraded slaves of sin and ,satan1 children of wrath1 and going straight to hell4 ,and the best of it all is1 that it both glorifies the name and gratifies the heart of ,god to bring us into this place of inconceivable blessedness1 love1 and glory4 ,it would not satisfy the love of ,his heart to give us any lower place than that of ,his own ,son4 ,well might the inspired apostle exclaim1 in view of all this stupendous grace1 ,blessed be the ,god and ,father of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in ,christ2 according as ,he hath chosen us in ,him before the foundation of the world1 that we should be holy and without blame before ,him in love2 having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by ,jesus ,christ to ,himself1 according to the good pleasure of ,his will1 to the praise of the glory of ,his grace1 wherein ,he hath made us accepted in the ,beloved1 in whom we have redemption through ,his blood1 the forgiveness of sins1 according to the riches of ,his grace 7,eph4 i474 ,what depth of love1 what fulness of blessing1 have we here6 ,it is the purpose of ,god to glorify ,himself1 throughout the countless ages of eternity1 in ,his dealings with us4 ,he will display1 in view of all created intelligences1 the riches of ,his grace1 in ,his kindness toward us1 by ,christ ,jesus4 ,our forgiveness1 our justification1 our perfect deliverance1 our acceptance--all the blessings bestowed upon us in ,christ--are for the display of the divine glory throughout the vast universe forever4 ,it would not meet the claims of ,god's glory1 or answer the affections of ,his heart1 to have us in any other position but that of ,his own well-beloved and only begotten ,son4 ,all this is marvelous4 ,it seems too good to be true4 ,but it is worthy of ,god1 and it is ,his good pleasure so to act toward us4 ,this is enough for us4 ,it may be1 and most assuredly is1 too good for us to get1 but it is not too good for ,god to give4 ,he acts toward us according to the love of ,his heart1 and on the ground of the worthiness of ,christ4 ,the prodigal might ask to be made as one of the hired servants1 but this could not be4 ,it would not be according to the ,father's heart to have him in the house as a servant4 ,it must be as a son or not at all4 ,if it were a question of desert1 we do not deserve the place of a servant any more than that of a son4 ,but1 blessed be ,god1 it is not according to our deserts at all1 but according to the boundless love of ,his heart1 and to the glory of ,his holy name4 ,this1 then1 is conversion4 ,thus we are brought to ,god4 ,nothing short of this4 ,we are not merely turned from our idols1 whatever they were1 but we are actually brought into the very presence of ,god1 to find our delight in ,him1 to joy in ,him1 to walk with ,him1 to find all our springs in ,him1 to draw upon ,his exhaustless resources1 to find in ,him a perfect answer to all our necessities1 so that our souls are satisfied1 and that forever4 ,do we want to go back to the idols8 ,never6 ,have we any hankering after our former objects8 ,not if our hearts are realizing our place and portion in ,christ4 ,had the prodigal any longings after the husks and the swine when folded in the father's bosom1 clothed in the father's house1 and seated at the father's table8 ,we do not1 and cannot1 believe it4 ,we cannot imagine his heaving a single sigh after the far country when once he found himself within the hallowed circle of that bright and blissful home of love4 ,we speak according to the divine standard4 ,alas6 alas6 many profess to be converted1 and seem to go on for a season2 but ere long they begin to grow cold1 and get weary and dissatisfied4 ,the work was not real4 ,they were not really brought to ,god4 ,idols may have been given up for a time1 but ,god ,himself was never reached4 ,they never found in ,him a satisfying portion for their hearts--never knew the real meaning of communion with ,him--never tasted heart-satisfaction1 heart-rest1 in ,christ4 ,hence1 in process of time1 the poor heart began to long once more for the world1 and back they went1 and plunged into its follies and vanities with greater avidity than ever4 ,such cases are very sad1 very disappointing4 ,they bring great reproach on the cause of ,christ1 and are used as a plea for the enemy1 and as a stumbling-block for anxious inquirers4 ,but they leave the question of divine conversion just where it was4 ,the soul that is truly converted is one who has not merely been turned from this present evil world1 and all its promises and pretensions1 but who has been led by the precious ministry of the ,holy ,ghost to find in the living ,god1 and in ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ1 all he can possibly want for time and eternity4 ,such an one has divinely done with the world4 ,he has broken with it forever4 ,he has had his eyes opened to see1 through and through1 the whole thing4 ,he has judged it in the light of the presence of ,god4 ,he has measured it by the standard of the cross of ,christ4 ,he has weighed it in the balances of the sanctuary1 and turned his back upon it forever1 to find an absorbing and a commanding object in the ,person of that blessed ,one who was nailed to the accursed tree1 in order to deliver him1 not only from everlasting burnings1 but also from this present evil world4 ,,part ,,vi4 ,the more we dwell on #a ,thess4 i4 #i1 the more we are struck with its marvelous depth1 fulness1 and power4 ,it seems like sinking a shaft into an inexhaustible mine4 ,we have dwelt a little on that very fruitful and suggestive clause1 ,turned to ,god from idols4 ,how much is wrapped up in it6 ,do we really understand the force and fulness of it8 ,it is a wonderful thing for the soul to be brought to ,god--to know ,him now as our resource in all our weakness and need--the spring of all our joys--our strength and shield--our ,guide and ,counsellor--our all in all--to be absolutely and completely shut up to ,him1 wholly dependent upon ,him4 ,reader1 do you know the deep blessedness of all this in your own soul8 ,if you are a child of ,god1 a truly converted soul1 then it is your happy privilege to know it1 and you ought not to be satisfied without it4 ,if we are turned to ,god1 what is it for but to find in ,him all we can possibly want for time and eternity8 ,nothing can ever satisfy the human soul but ,god ,himself4 ,it is not within the compass of earth to meet the cravings of the heart4 ,if we had the wealth of the universe1 and all that that wealth could procure1 the heart would still want more2 there would still be an aching void which nothing under the sun could fill4 ,look at the history of ,solomon4 ,hear him recording his own experience4 ,i1 the preacher1 was king over ,israel in ,jerusalem2 and ,i gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven2 this sore travail hath ,god given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith4 ,i have seen all the works that are done under the sun1 and1 behold1 all is vanity and vexation of spirit4 ,that which is crooked cannot be made straight1 and that which is wanting cannot be numbered4 ,i communed with mine own heart1 saying1 ,lo1 ,i am come to great estate1 and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in ,jerusalem2 yea1 my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge4 ,and ,i gave my heart to know wisdom1 and to know madness and folly4 ,i perceived that this also is vexation of spirit4 ,for in much wisdom is much grief1 and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow4 ,i said in my heart1 ,go to1 now1 ,i will prove thee with mirth2 therefore enjoy pleasure2 and behold1 this also is vanity4 ,i said of laughter1 it is mad1 and of mirth1 what doeth it8 ,i sought in my heart to give myself to wine1 yet acquainting my heart with wisdom1 and to lay hold on folly1 till ,i might see what was that good for the sons of men1 which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life4 ,i made me great works2 ,i builded me houses2 ,i planted me vineyards2 ,i made me gardens and orchards1 and ,i planted trees in them of all kind of fruits2 ,i made me pools of water1 to water there with the wood that bringeth forth trees4 ,i got me servants and maidens1 and had servants born in my house2 also1 ,i had great possessions of great and small cattle1 above all that were in ,jerusalem before me4 ,i gathered me also silver and gold1 and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces2 ,i gat me men singers and women singers1 and the delights of the sons of men1 as musical instruments1 and that of all sorts4 ,so ,i was great1 and increased more than all that were before me in ,jerusalem2 also1 my wisdom remained with me4 ,and whatsoever mine eyes desired ,i kept not from them2 ,i withheld not my heart from any joy2 for my heart rejoiced in all my labor2 and this was my portion of all my labor4 ,then ,i looked on all the works that my hands had wrought1 and on the labor that ,i had labored to do2 and behold1 all was vanity and vexation of spirit1 and there was no profit under the sun 7,eccle4 i41 ii474 ,such is the withering commentary upon all earth's resources as given by the pen of one who had all that earth could give--of one who was allowed to drain to the very dregs every cup of human and earthly pleasure4 ,and what was it all8 ,vanity and vexation of spirit4 ,all things are full of labor2 man cannot utter it2 the eye is not satisfied with seeing1 nor the ear filled with hearing4 ,the poor human heart can never be satisfied with the resources of earth4 ,creature streams can never quench the thirst of the immortal soul4 ,material things cannot possibly make us truly happy1 even if they were permanent4 ,all is vanity and vexation of spirit4 ,the truth of this must be proved by every human heart4 ,sooner or later all must find it out4 ,men may turn a deaf ear to it now2 they may refuse to listen to the ,spirit's warning voice2 they may vainly imagine that this poor world can yield them substantial comfort and happiness2 they may eagerly grasp at its riches1 its honors1 its distinctions1 its pleasures1 its material comforts2 but they will find out their mistake4 ,and oh1 how dreadful to find it out too late6 ,how terrible to open one's eyes in hell1 like the rich man in the parable6 ,what human language can set forth the horrors of a soul shut out forever from the presence of ,god1 and consigned to outer darkness1 to the place of weeping1 and wailing1 and gnashing of teeth8 ,it is overwhelming to think of it4 ,what will it be to realize it8 ,what will it be to find oneself in the tormenting flames of hell1 at the other side of that impassable gulf where a single ray of hope can never break through the deep gloom of eternity8 ,oh that men would think of all this in time6 that they might flee from the wrath to come1 and lay hold on the blessed hope set before them in the gospel2 that they might turn to ,god4 ,but alas6 the god of this world blinds their minds1 lest the light of the gospel of the glory of ,christ1 who is the image of ,god1 should shine into them4 ,he engrosses them with present things--business1 money-making1 pleasures1 cares1 lusts1 anything and everything but the one thing1 in comparison with which all earthly things are but as the small dust of the balance4 ,but we have digressed from our special theme1 to which we must return4 ,we are particularly anxious to press upon the ,christian reader the immense importance of seeking to find all his resources in the living ,god4 ,we have only for a moment turned aside from this point1 in order to sound a warning note in the ear of any unconverted1 careless one who may happen to take up this paper4 ,we earnestly entreat the latter to turn to ,god4 ,we entreat the former to seek a deeper acquaintance with the ,one to whom1 by grace1 he has turned4 ,we have the two things before us in penning these papers on the great subject of conversion4 ,we can truly say1 we long to see precious souls converted to ,god1 and we long to see converted souls happy in ,god4 ,we are increasingly convinced of the practical importance of ,christians proving in their daily life that they have found thorough rest of heart in ,god4 ,it has immense weight with worldly people4 ,it is a grand point gained when we are able1 through grace1 to tell the world that we are independent of it2 and the only way to do this is to live in the abiding sense of what we have in ,god4 ,this would impart a moral elevation to our entire course and character4 ,it would deliver us completely from that strong tendency to lean on human props and to betake ourselves to creature streams which we have all more or less to lament1 and which must assuredly issue in disappointment to us and dishonor to ,god4 ,how prone we are on all occasions to look to our fellow-men for sympathy1 succor and counsel instead of looking directly and exclusively to ,god6 ,this is a serious mistake4 ,it is in principle to forsake the ,fountain of living waters1 and hew out for ourselves broken cisterns which can hold no water4 ,what can we expect8 ,what must be the issue8 ,barrenness and desolation4 ,our ,god1 in very faithfulness to us1 will cause our fellow-man to fail us1 in order that we may learn the folly of leaning upon an arm of flesh4 ,hear what the prophet says on this great practical question3 ,thus saith the ,lord1 ,cursed be the man that trusteth in man1 and maketh flesh his arm1 and whose heart departeth from the ,lord4 ,for he shall be like the heath in the desert1 and shall not see when good cometh1 but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness1 in a salt land1 and not inhabited4 ,but mark the contrast4 ,blessed is the man that trusteth in the ,lord1 and whose hope the ,lord is4 ,for he shall be as a tree planted by the waters1 and that spreadeth out her roots by the river1 and shall not see when heat cometh1 but her leaf shall be green1 and shall not be careful in the year of drought1 neither shall cease from yielding fruit 7,jer4 xvii474 ,o reader1 it is a grand reality to lean on the arm of the living ,god--to find in ,him our relief and our resource at all times1 in all places1 and under all circumstances4 ,he never fails a trusting heart4 ,he will never disappoint us4 ,he may see fit to keep us waiting for an answer to our call1 but the time we spend in waiting is well spent1 and when the answer comes our hearts are filled with praise1 and we are able to say1 ,oh1 how great is ,thy goodness1 which ,thou hast laid up for them that fear ,thee1 which ,thou hast wrought for them that trust in ,thee before the sons of men 7,psa4 xxxi4 #ai74 ,it is a great thing to be able to trust ,god before the sons of men1 to confess ,his sufficiency for our every exigence4 ,but it must be a reality1 and not mere profession4 ,it is no use to talk of leaning on ,god while at the same time we are1 in one way or another1 looking to some poor mortal to help us4 ,this is a sad delusion4 ,but1 alas6 how often we fall under its power6 ,we adopt the language of dependence upon ,god1 but in reality we are looking to man1 and letting him know our wants4 ,we deceive ourselves and dishonor ,god1 and the end is disappointment and confusion of face4 ,reader1 let us look closely and honestly at this matter4 ,let us see to it that we understand the meaning of those precious words1 ,turned to ,god4 ,they contain the very essence of true happiness and true holiness4 ,when the heart is really turned to ,god it has found the true1 the divine secret of peace1 rest1 and full satisfaction2 it finds its all in ,god1 and has no occasion whatever to turn to the creature4 ,am ,i in any perplexity8 ,i can look to ,god for guidance4 ,he has promised to guide me with ,his eye4 ,what perfect guidance6 ,can man do better for me8 ,surely not4 ,god sees the end from the beginning4 ,he knows all the bearings1 all the belongings1 all the roots and issues of my case4 ,he is an infallible guide4 ,his wisdom is unerring1 and1 moreover1 ,he loves me perfectly4 ,where could ,i find a better guide8 ,am ,i in want8 ,i can go to ,god about it4 ,he is the ,possessor of heaven and earth4 ,the treasures of the universe are at ,his disposal4 ,he can help me if ,he sees it to be good for me2 and if not1 the pressure will be much better for me than the relief4 ,my ,god shall supply all your need1 according to ,his riches in glory1 by ,christ ,jesus4 ,is not this enough8 ,why look to a creature stream8 ,why turn from such a ,god and go with our wants to a human being8 ,it is in reality giving up1 so far1 the ground of faith1 the life of simple dependence on ,god4 ,it is actually dishonoring our ,father4 ,if ,i apply to my fellow for help1 it is tantamount to saying that ,god has failed me4 ,it is really betraying my loving ,father who has taken me up1 body1 soul and spirit1 to do for me for time and eternity4 ,he has pledged ,himself to provide for all my wants1 be they ever so many1 ever so great1 ever so varied4 ,he that spared not ,his own ,son1 but delivered ,him up for us all1 how shall ,he not1 with ,him1 also freely give us all things8 ,his word is1 ,call upon ,me in the day of trouble2 ,i will deliver thee1 and thou shalt glorify ,me4 ,true1 ,god uses the creature to meet our need2 but this is a totally different matter4 ,the blessed apostle could say1 ,god who comforteth those that are cast down1 comforted us by the coming of ,titus4 ,paul was looking to ,god for comfort1 and ,god sent ,titus to comfort him4 ,had ,paul been looking to ,titus1 he would have been disappointed4 ,thus it is in every case4 ,our immediate and exclusive reference must be to ,god in all our need4 ,we have turned to ,god from idols2 and hence in every exigence ,he is our sure resource4 ,we can go to ,him for counsel1 for succor1 for guidance1 for sympathy1 for all4 ,my soul1 wait thou only upon ,god1 for my expectation is from ,him4 ,he only is my rock and my salvation2 ,he is my defence2 ,i shall not be moved4 ,will this most blessed habit of looking only to ,god lead us to undervalue the channels through which ,his precious grace flows to us8 ,the very reverse4 ,how could ,i undervalue one who comes to me directly from ,god1 as ,his manifest instrument1 to meet my need8 ,impossible4 ,but ,i value him as a channel1 instead of applying to him as a source4 ,this makes all the difference4 ,we must never forget that true conversion means our being brought to ,god2 and most surely1 if we are brought to ,god1 it is in order that we should find in ,him a perfect covering for our eyes1 a perfect object for the heart1 a perfect resource in all our exigencies1 from first to last4 ,a truly converted soul is one who is turned from all creature confidences1 human hopes1 and earthly expectations1 to find all he wants in the living and true ,god1 and that forever4 ,,part ,,vii4 ,we are now called to consider a deeply practical point in our subject4 ,it is contained in the clause1 ,to serve the living and true ,god4 ,this is full of interest to every truly converted soul1 every true ,christian4 ,we are called to serve4 ,our whole life1 from the moment of our conversion to the close of our earthly career1 should be characterized by a spirit of true1 earnest1 intelligent service4 ,this is our high privilege1 not to say our hallowed duty4 ,it matters not what our sphere of action may be1 what our line of life1 or what our calling2 when we are converted1 we have just got one thing to do1 namely1 to serve ,god4 ,if there be anything in our calling which is contrary to the revealed will of ,god--contrary to the direct teaching of ,his word--then we must at once abandon it1 cost what it may4 ,the very first step of an obedient servant is to step out of a false position1 be it what it may4 ,we are called to serve ,god1 and everything must be tried by this standard4 ,the ,christian has to ask himself this one question1 ,can ,i fulfil the duties of this situation to the glory of ,god8 ,if not1 he must abandon it4 ,if we cannot connect the name of ,god with our calling in life1 then1 assuredly1 if we want to walk with ,god1 if we aim at serving ,him1 if it be our one desire to be found well-pleasing in ,his sight1 then we must give up that calling and look to ,him to open some path for us in which we can walk to ,his praise4 ,this ,he will do1 blessed be ,his name4 ,he never fails a trusting soul4 ,all we have to do is to cleave to ,him with purpose of heart1 and ,he will make the way plain before us4 ,it may seem difficult at first4 ,the path may appear narrow1 rough1 lonely2 but our simple business is to stand for ,god1 and not to continue for one hour in connection with anything contrary to ,his revealed will4 ,a tender conscience1 a single eye1 a devoted heart1 will settle many a question1 solve many a difficulty1 remove many a barrier4 ,indeed1 the very instincts of the divine nature1 if only they be allowed to act1 will guide in many a perplexity4 ,the light of the body is the eye2 therefore1 when thine eye is single1 thy whole body also is full of light4 ,when the purpose of the heart is true to ,christ1 true to ,his name and cause1 true to the service of ,god1 the ,holy ,spirit opens up the precious treasures of divine revelation to the soul1 and pours a flood of living light upon the understanding1 so that we see the path of service as clear as a sunbeam before us1 and we have only got to tread it with a firm step4 ,but we must never1 for one moment1 lose sight of the grand fact that we are converted to the service of ,god4 ,the outcome of the life which we possess must ever take the form of service to the living and true ,god4 ,in our unconverted days we worshiped idols1 and served divers lusts and pleasures2 now1 on the contrary1 we worship ,god in the ,spirit1 and we are called to serve ,him with all our ransomed powers4 ,we have turned to ,god1 to find in ,him our perfect rest and satisfaction4 ,there is not a single thing in the entire range of a creature's necessities1 for time and eternity1 that we cannot find in our own most gracious ,god and ,father4 ,he has treasured up in ,christ1 the ,son of ,his love1 all that can satisfy the desires of the new life in us4 ,it is our privilege to have ,christ dwelling in our hearts by faith1 and to be so rooted and grounded in love as to be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth1 and length1 and depth1 and height1 and to know the love of ,christ1 which passeth knowledge1 that we may be filled with all the fulness of ,god4 ,thus filled1 satisfied and strengthened1 we are called to dedicate ourselves1 spirit1 soul and body1 to the service of ,christ2 to be steadfast1 unmovable1 always abounding in the work of the ,lord4 ,we should have nothing else to do in this world4 ,whatever cannot be done as service to ,christ ought not to be done at all4 ,this simplifies the matter amazingly4 ,it is our sweet privilege to do everything in the name of the ,lord ,jesus1 and to the glory of ,god4 ,we sometimes hear people speak of a secular calling1 as contrasted with what is sacred4 ,we question the correctness of such a distinction4 ,paul made tents and planted churches1 but in both he served the ,lord ,christ4 ,all that a ,christian does ought to be sacred1 because it is done as service to ,god4 ,if this were borne in mind1 it would enable us to connect the very simplest duties of daily life with the ,lord ,himself1 and to bring ,him into them in such a way as to impart a holy dignity and interest to all that we have to do1 from morning till night4 ,in this way1 instead of finding the duties of our calling a hindrance to our communion with ,god1 we should actually make them an occasion of waiting on ,him for wisdom and grace to discharge them aright1 so that ,his holy name might be glorified in the most minute details of practical life4 ,the fact is that the service of ,god is a much simpler matter than some of us imagine4 ,it does not consist in doing some wonderful things beyond the bounds of our divinely appointed sphere of action4 ,take the case of a domestic servant4 ,how can she serve the living and true ,god8 ,she cannot go about visiting and talking4 ,her sphere of action lies in the shade and retirement of her master's house4 ,were she to run about from house to house1 she would be actually neglecting her proper work1 her divinely appointed business4 ,harken to the following sound and wholesome words3 ,exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters1 and to please them well in all things2 not answering again3 not purloining1 but showing all good fidelity2 that they may adorn the doctrine of ,god our ,saviour in all things 7,titus ii4 #i1 #aj74 ,here we see that the servant1 by obedience1 humility and honesty can adorn the doctrine of ,god just as effectually1 according to her measure1 as an evangelist ranging the world over in the discharge of his high and holy commission4 ,again1 we read1 ,servants1 be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh1 with fear and trembling1 in singleness of your heart1 as unto ,christ2 not with eye-service as men-pleasers1 but as the servants of ,christ1 doing the will of ,god from the heart2 with good-will doing service1 as to the ,lord1 and not to men2 knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth1 the same shall he receive of the ,lord1 whether he be bond or free 7,eph4 vi474 ,how lovely is all this6 ,what a fine field of service is opened up for us here6 ,how beautiful this fear and trembling6 ,where do we see it nowadays8 ,where is the holy subjection to authority8 ,where the singleness of eye8 ,where the willing-hearted service8 ,alas6 we see headiness and high-mindedness1 self-will1 self-pleasing1 and self-interest4 ,how must all these things dishonor the ,lord1 and grieve ,his ,holy ,spirit6 ,how needful that our souls should be roused to a sense of what becomes us as those who are called to serve the living and true ,god6 ,is it not a signal mercy to every true ,christian to know that he can serve and glorify ,god in the most commonplace domestic duties8 ,if it were not so1 what would become of ninety-nine out of every hundred ,christians8 ,we have taken up the case of an ordinary domestic servant in order to illustrate that special line of practical truth now under our consideration4 ,is it not most blessed for us to know that our ,god graciously condescends to connect ,his name and ,his glory with the very humblest duties that can devolve upon us in our ordinary domestic life8 ,it is this which imparts dignity1 interest and freshness to every little act1 from morning till night4 ,whatsoever ye do1 do it heartily1 as unto the ,lord1 and not unto men4 ,here lies the precious secret of the whole matter4 ,it is not working for wages1 but serving the ,lord ,christ1 and looking to ,him to receive the reward of the inheritance4 ,oh that all this were more fully realized and illustrated amongst us6 ,what moral elevation it would give to the entire ,christian life6 ,what a triumphant answer it would furnish to the infidel6 ,what a withering rebuke to all his sneers and cavils6 ,better by far than ten thousand learned arguments4 ,there is no argument so forcible as an earnest1 devoted1 holy1 happy1 self-sacrificing ,christian life1 and this life can be displayed by one whose sphere of action is bounded by the four walls of a kitchen4#b #b ,it is remarkable that both in ,eph4 vi4 and ,col4 iii4 the address to servants is far more elaborate than to any of the other classes4 ,in ,titus ii4 servants are specially singled out4 ,there is no address to husbands1 none to masters1 none to children4 ,we do not attempt to account for this1 but we cannot help noticing it as a very interesting fact2 and most assuredly it teaches us what a very important place is assigned in ,christianity to one who1 in those early days of the ,church's history1 occupied the place of a slave4 ,the ,holy ,ghost took special pains to instruct such an one as to how he was to carry himself in his most trying sphere of work4 ,the poor slave might think himself shut out from the service of ,god4 ,so far from this1 he is sweetly taught that by simply doing his duty as in the sight of ,god he could adorn the doctrine of ,god his ,saviour1 and bring glory to the name of ,jesus4 ,nothing can exceed the grace that shines in this4 ,and not only does the practical life of a true ,christian afford the very best possible answer to the skeptic and the infidel1 but it also meets in a most satisfactory manner the objections of those who talk about works1 and insist upon putting ,christians under the law1 in order to teach them how to live4 ,when people challenge us as to our not preaching up works1 we simply ask them1 ,for what should we preach works8 ,the unconverted man cannot do any works1 save wicked works1 or dead works4 ,they that are in the flesh--unconverted people--cannot please ,god4 ,of what possible use can it be to preach works to such8 ,it can only cast dust in their eyes1 blind their minds1 deceive their hearts1 and send them down to hell with a lie in their right hand4 ,there must be genuine conversion to ,god4 ,this is a divine work from first to last4 ,and what has the converted man got to do8 ,he certainly has not to work for life1 because he has it1 even life eternal1 as ,god's free gift1 through ,jesus ,christ our ,lord4 ,he has not to work for salvation1 because he is saved already--saved in the ,lord with an everlasting salvation4 ,what1 then1 is he called to do8 ,to serve the living and true ,god4 ,how8 ,when8 ,where8 ,in everything2 at all times1 and in all places4 ,the converted man has nothing else to do but to serve ,god4 ,if he does anything else1 he is positively untrue1 unfaithful to that blessed ,lord and ,master who1 ere ever ,he called him to serve1 endowed him with the life1 and the grace1 and the power1 whereby alone the service can be rendered4 ,yes1 reader1 the ,christian is called to serve4 ,let us never forget this4 ,he is privileged to present his body as a living sacrifice1 holy and acceptable to ,god1 which is his reasonable 7his intelligent7 service4 ,this settles the whole question4 ,it removes all difficulties2 it silences all objections2 it puts everything in its right place4 ,it is not a question of what ,i am doing1 but how ,i do it--not where ,i am1 but how ,i conduct myself4 ,christianity as displayed in the ,new ,testament is the outcome of the life of ,christ in the believer2 it is ,christ reproduced in the ,christian's daily life1 by the power of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,everything the ,christian touches1 everything he does1 everything he says1 his whole practical life1 from ,lord's-day morning till ,saturday night1 should bear the impress and breathe the spirit of that great practical clause on which we have been dwelling--serving the living and true ,god4 ,may it be so more and more6 ,may all the ,lord's beloved people1 everywhere1 be really stirred up to seek more earnest1 out-and-out1 whole-hearted devotedness to ,christ and ,his precious service6 ,,part ,,viii ,the last words of our chapter--#a ,thess4 i4--now claim our attention4 ,they furnish a very striking and forcible proof of the clearness1 fulness1 depth and comprehensiveness of the apostle's testimony at ,thessalonica1 and also of the brightness and reality of the work in the young converts in that place4 ,it was not only that they turned from idols to ,god1 to serve the living and true ,god4 ,this1 through grace1 they did2 and that1 too1 with uncommon power1 freshness1 and fervor4 ,but there was something more2 and we may assert1 with all possible confidence1 that there would have been a grand defect in the conversion and in the ,christianity of those beloved disciples if that had been lacking4 ,they were converted to wait for the ,son of ,god from the heavens4 ,let the reader give to this very weighty fact his most devout attention4 ,the bright and blessed hope of the ,lord's coming formed an integral part of the gospel which ,paul preached1 and of the ,christianity of those who were converted by his ministry4 ,that blessed servant preached a full gospel4 ,he not only declared that the ,son of ,god had come into the world to accomplish the great work of redemption1 and lay the everlasting foundation of the divine glory and counsels1 but that ,he had gone back to the heavens1 and taken ,his seat as the victorious1 exalted and glorified ,man1 at the right hand of the throne of ,god2 and that ,he is coming again2 first1 to receive ,his people to ,himself1 and conduct them into the very innermost circle of ,his ,father's house--the place prepared for them3 and then to come forth with them1 to execute judgment upon ,his enemies--gather out of ,his kingdom all that offend1 and all that do iniquity1 and set up ,his glorious dominion from sea to sea1 and from the river to the ends of the earth4 ,all this was included in the precious gospel which ,paul preached1 and which the ,thessalonian converts received4 ,we find an indirect but very interesting intimation of this in a passage in ,acts xvii41 where the inspired writer records what the infidel ,jews thought and said about the apostle's preaching4 ,but the ,jews which believed not1 moved with envy1 took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort1 and gathered a company1 and set all the city on an uproar1 and assaulted the house of ,jason1 and sought to bring them out to the people4 ,and when they found them not1 they drew ,jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city1 crying1 ,these that have turned the world upside down are come hither also2 whom ,jason hath received2 and these all do contrary to the decrees of ,csar1 saying that there is another king1 ,jesus4 ,such were the ideas which these poor1 ignorant1 prejudiced unbelievers gathered from the preaching of the ,lord's beloved servants2 and we can see in them the elements of great and solemn truths--the complete upturning of the present system of things1 and the establishment of the everlasting kingdom of our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4 ,i will overturn1 overturn1 overturn it2 and it shall be no more1 until ,he come whose right it is2 and ,i will give it ,him 7,ezek4 xxi4 #bg74 ,but not only did the ,lord's coming and kingdom occupy a prominent place in the preaching of the apostle1 it also shines brilliantly forth in all his teaching4 ,not only were the ,thessalonians converted to this blessed hope1 they were built up1 established and led on in it4 ,they were taught to live in the brightness of it every hour of the day4 ,it was not a dry1 barren dogma1 to be received and held as part of a powerless1 worthless creed2 it was a living reality1 a mighty moral power in the soul--a precious1 purifying1 sanctifying1 elevating hope1 detaching the heart completely from present things1 and causing it to look out1 moment by moment--yes1 reader1 we repeat it with emphasis1 moment by moment--for the return of our beloved ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ1 who loved us1 and gave ,himself for us4 ,it is interesting to notice that in the two epistles to the ,thessalonians there is far more allusion to the ,lord's coming than in all the other epistles put together4 ,this is all the more remarkable inasmuch as they were the very earliest of ,paul's epistles1 and they were written to an assembly very young in the faith4 ,if the reader will just glance rapidly through these two most precious writings1 he will find the hope of the ,lord's return introduced in every one of the eight chapters1 and in connection with all sorts of subjects4 ,for example1 in chap4 i4 we have it presented as the grand object to be ever kept before the ,christian's heart1 let his position or his relationship be what it may--the brilliant light shining at the end of his long pilgrimage through this dark and toilsome world4 ,ye turned to ,god from idols1 to serve the living and true ,god2 and to wait for--what8 ,the time of their death8 ,no such thing1 no allusion to such a thing4 ,death1 for the believer1 is abolished1 and is never presented as the object of his hope4 ,for what1 then1 were the ,thessalonian disciples taught to wait8 ,for ,god's ,son from heaven1 whom ,he raised from the dead4 ,and then mark the beauteous addition6 ,jesus1 which delivered us from the wrath to come4 ,this is the ,person for whom we are waiting2 our precious ,saviour2 our great ,deliverer2 the ,one who undertook our desperate case2 who took1 on our behalf1 the cup of wrath from the hand of infinite ,justice and exhausted it forever2 who cleared the prospect of every cloud1 so that we can gaze upward into heaven1 and onward into eternity1 and see nothing but the brightness and blessedness of ,his own love and glory1 as our happy home throughout the everlasting ages4 ,oh1 beloved ,christian reader1 how blessed to be looking out1 morning1 noon1 eventide1 and midnight1 for the coming of our gracious ,deliverer6 ,what a holy reality to be ever waiting for the return of our own loving and beloved ,saviour and ,lord6 ,how separating and elevating1 as we rise each morning to start on our daily course of duty--whatever that duty may be1 whether the scrubbing of a floor or the preaching of the gospel--to cherish the bright and blessed hope that1 ere the shades of evening gather round us1 we may be summoned to ascend in the folds of the cloud of glory to meet our coming ,lord6 ,is this the dream of a wild fanatic or a visionary enthusiast8 ,nay1 it is an imperishable truth1 resting on the very same foundation that sustains the entire fabric of our most glorious ,christianity4 ,is it true that the ,son of ,god has trod this earth of ours in the person of ,jesus of ,nazareth8 ,is it true that ,he lived and labored here1 amid the sins and sorrows of poor1 fallen humanity8 ,is it true that ,he sighed1 and wept1 and groaned1 under the sense of the widespread desolation which sin had wrought in this world8 ,is it true that ,he went to the cross1 and there offered ,himself without spot to ,god1 in order to vindicate the ,divine ,majesty2 to answer all the claims of the throne of ,god2 to destroy all the works of the devil2 to make a public show of all the powers of hell2 to put away sin by the sacrifice of ,himself2 to bear the sins of all those who1 from the beginning to the end of time1 should1 through grace1 believe in ,his name8 ,is it true that ,he lay for three days and three nights in the heart of the earth1 and on the first day of the week rose triumphant from the grave1 as the ,head of the new creation1 and ascended into the heavens1 after ,he had been seen by at least five hundred witnesses8 ,is it true that fifty days after ,his resurrection ,he sent down the ,holy ,ghost1 in order to fill and fit ,his apostles to be ,his witnesses to the ends of the earth8 ,is it true that from the day of ,pentecost to this very hour ,he has been acting on ,his people's behalf as an ,advocate with the ,father1 a great ,high ,priest with ,god2 interceding for us in all our failures1 sins and shortcomings1 and sympathizing with us in all our infirmities and in all our sorrows2 and presenting continually our sacrifices of prayer and praise1 in all the fragrance of ,his own glorious ,person8 ,are all these things true8 ,yes1 thank ,god1 they are all divinely true1 all set forth in the pages of the ,new ,testament1 with most marvelous fulness1 clearness1 depth1 and power2 all rest on the solid foundation of ,holy ,scripture--a foundation which not all the powers of earth and hell1 men and devils1 can ever touch4 ,well1 then1 the blessed hope of the ,lord's coming rests on precisely the same authority4 ,it is not more true that our ,lord ,jesus ,christ lay as a babe in the manger of ,bethlehem1 that ,he grew up to man's estate1 that ,he went about doing good1 that ,he was nailed to the cross and laid in the tomb1 that ,he is now seated on the throne of the ,majesty in the heavens1 than that ,he will come again to receive ,his people to ,himself4 ,he may come to-night4 ,no one can tell when ,he will come1 but at any moment ,he may come4 ,the only thing that detains ,him is ,his long-suffering1 not willing that any should perish1 but that all should come to repentance4 ,for eighteen long centuries has ,he waited in lingering love1 mercy1 and compassion2 and during all that time salvation has been ready to be revealed1 and ,god has been ready to judge2 but ,he has waited1 and ,he still waits1 in long-suffering grace and patience4 ,but ,he will come1 and we should ever live in the hope of ,his coming4 ,thus the apostle taught his beloved ,thessalonians to live4 ,thus he lived himself4 ,the blessed hope was intimately bound up with all the habits and feelings of his daily life4 ,was it a question of reaping the fruit of his labors8 ,hear what he says3 ,for what is our hope1 or joy1 or crown of rejoicing8 ,are not even ye1 in the presence of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 at ,his coming8 ,he would see them all then and there4 ,no enemy will be allowed to hinder that meeting4 ,we would have come unto you1 even ,i ,paul1 once and again1 but ,satan hindered us4 ,very wonderful6 ,very mysterious6 ,yet so it was4 ,satan hindered an angel of ,god in the discharge of his business in the days of ,daniel2 and he hindered an apostle of ,christ in the accomplishment of his loving desire to see his brethren at ,thessalonica4 ,but1 thanks be to ,god1 he will not be able to hinder the joyful meeting of ,christ and ,his saints for which we wait4 ,what a moment that will be6 ,what precious reunions6 ,what sweet recognitions6 ,what affectionate greetings of dear old friends6 ,but1 far above all1 ,himself6 ,his smile6 ,his welcome6 ,his soul-stirring ,well done6 ,what a precious1 soul-sustaining hope6 ,need we wonder at the prominent place it occupied in the thoughts and the teachings of the blessed apostle8 ,he recurs to it on all occasions1 and in connection with every subject4 ,is it a question of progress in the divine life and practical godliness8 ,thus he puts it3 ,and the ,lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another1 and toward all1 even as we do toward you2 to the end ,he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before ,god1 even our ,father1 at the coming of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ with all ,his saints4 ,let the reader specially mark the last clause of this touching and beautiful quotation4 ,with all ,his saints4 ,what admirable wisdom shines here6 ,the apostle was about to touch directly upon an error into which the ,thessalonian believers had fallen in reference to their departed friends4 ,they feared that those who had fallen asleep would not participate in the joy of the ,lord's coming4 ,this error is completely demolished by that brief sentence1 with all ,his saints4 ,not one will be absent from that joyous meeting1 that festive scene4 ,blessed assurance6 ,triumphant answer to all who would have us believe that none will share the joy of our ,lord's coming save those who see this1 that1 and the other6 ,with all his saints1 spite of their ignorance and their errors1 their wanderings and their stumblings1 their shortcomings and their failures4 ,our blessed ,saviour1 the everlasting ,lover of our souls1 will not shut any of us out at that blissful moment4 ,is all this matchless grace to make us careless8 ,god forbid6 ,nay1 it is the abiding sense of it which alone can keep us alive to our holy responsibility to judge everything in us and in our ways which is contrary to the mind of ,christ4 ,and not only so1 but the hope of our ,lord's return1 if it be kept bright and fresh in the heart1 must purify1 sanctify and elevate our entire character and course as nothing else can4 ,every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself1 even as ,he is pure4 ,it is morally impossible for any one to live in the hope of seeing his ,lord at any moment and yet have his heart set upon worldly things--upon money-making1 self-indulgence1 pleasure1 vanity1 folly4 ,let us not deceive ourselves4 ,if we are daily looking out for the ,son of ,god from heaven1 we must sit loose to the things of time and sense4 ,we may hold the doctrine of the ,lord's coming as a mere dogma in the intellect2 we may have the entire range of prophetic truth mapped out before our mind's eye1 without its producing the smallest effect upon the heart1 the character1 or the practical life4 ,but it is another thing altogether to have the whole moral being1 the entire practical career1 governed by the bright and blessed hope of seeing the ,one who loveth us and hath washed us from our sins in ,his own most precious blood4 ,would there were more of this amongst us6 ,it is to be feared that many of us have lost the freshness and power of our true and proper hope4 ,the truth of the ,lord's coming has become so familiar as a mere doctrine that we can flippantly speak of it1 and discuss various points in connection with it1 and argue with people about it1 and all the while our ways1 our deportment1 our spirit and temper give the lie to what we profess to hold4 ,but we shall not pursue this sad and humbling side of the subject4 ,may the ,lord look upon us1 and graciously heal1 restore and lift up our souls6 ,may ,he revive in the hearts of all ,his beloved people the proper ,christian hope--the hope of seeing the bright and ,morning ,star4 ,may the utterance of the whole heart and the utterance of the whole life be1 ,even so1 come1 ,lord ,jesus6 ,here we must close this paper4 ,we had hoped to run through the two epistles to the ,thessalonians in company with our readers1 in order to prove and illustrate the statement that the hope of the ,lord's return was bound up in the heart of the apostle1 with all the scenes1 circumstances and associations of ,christian life4 ,but we must allow the reader to do this for himself4 ,sufficient1 we trust1 has been said to show that true conversion1 according to apostolic teaching1 cannot stop short of the blessed hope of the ,lord's coming4 ,a truly converted person is one who has turned from idols--has broken with the world--broken with his former self--turned to ,god1 to find in ,him all he can possibly want for time and eternity1 to serve ,him1 and ,him only--and1 finally1 to wait for the ,son of ,god from heaven4 ,such we conceive to be the true and proper answer to the question1 ,what is conversion8 ,reader1 art thou converted8 ,if not1 what then8 ,if thou art1 does thy life declare it8 ,,simon ,,peter3 ,,his ,,life ,,and ,,its ,,lessons ,,part ,i4 ,we propose1 in dependence upon the ,spirit's guidance1 to write a few papers on the life and ministry of the blessed servant of ,christ whose name stands at the head of this paper4 ,we shall trace him through the ,gospels1 through the ,acts1 and through the ,epistles1 for he appears in all the three grand divisions of the ,new ,testament4 ,we shall meditate upon his call1 upon his conversion1 his confession1 his fall1 his restoration2 in a word1 we shall glance at all the scenes and circumstances of his remarkable history1 in which we shall find1 if we mistake not1 many valuable lessons which we may well ponder4 ,may the ,lord the ,spirit be our ,guide and ,teacher6 ,for the earliest notice of ,simon ,peter1 we must turn to the first chapter of the ,gospel of ,john4 ,here we find1 at the very outset1 a scene full of interest and instruction4 ,amongst those who had been gathered by the powerful ministry of ,john the ,baptist there were two men who heard him deliver his glowing testimony to the ,lamb of ,god4 ,we must quote the words3 ,again the next day after ,john stood1 and two of his disciples2 and looking upon ,jesus as he walked1 he saith1 ,behold the ,lamb of ,god4 ,these words fell with peculiar power upon the hearts of two of ,john's disciples4 ,not that the words were specially addressed to them2 at least1 we are not told so4 ,but they were words of life1 freshness1 and power--words welling up from the depths of a heart that had found an object in the person of ,christ4 ,on the preceding day1 ,john had spoken of the work of ,christ4 ,behold the ,lamb of ,god1 which taketh away the sin of the world4 ,and again1 ,the same is he which baptizeth with the ,holy ,ghost4 ,but let the reader note particularly ,john's testimony to the person of the ,lamb of ,god4 ,john stood1 riveted1 no doubt1 by the object which filled the vision of his soul4 ,and looking upon ,jesus1 as he walked1 he said1 ,behold the ,lamb of ,god4 ,it was this that went right to the very heart of the two disciples who stood beside him1 and so affected them that they left their master to follow this new and infinitely more glorious ,object that had been presented to their notice4 ,there is always immense moral power in the testimony that emanates from an absorbed heart4 ,there is nothing formal1 official1 or mechanical1 in such testimony4 ,it is the pure fruit of heart communion2 and there is nothing like it4 ,it is not the mere statement of true things about ,christ4 ,it is the heart occupied and satisfied with ,christ4 ,it is the eye riveted1 the heart fixed1 the whole moral being centred and absorbed in that one commanding object that fills all heaven with ,his glory4 ,this is the kind of testimony we so much want both in our private life and in our public reunions4 ,it is this that tells1 with such marvelous power1 on others4 ,we never can speak effectively for ,christ1 unless our hearts are filled with ,him4 ,and so it is also1 in reference to our meetings4 ,when ,christ is the one absorbing object of every heart1 there will be a tone and an atmosphere which must tell in some way or other on all who enter the place4 ,there may not be much gift1 not much teaching--very little charm in the singing1 for persons of musical taste2 but oh6 there is heart-enjoyment of ,christ4 ,his name is as ointment poured forth4 ,every eye is fixed on ,him2 every heart is centred in ,him2 ,he is the commanding object--the satisfying portion4 ,the unanimous voice of the assembly seems to say1 ,behold the ,lamb of ,god1 and this must produce its own powerful effect1 either in attracting souls to ,him1 or in convincing them that the people in that assembly have gotten something of which they know nothing at all4 ,but let us note particularly the effect produced on the two disciples of ,john4 ,they heard him speak and they followed ,jesus4 ,then ,jesus turned1 and saw them following1 and saith unto them1 ,what seek ye8 ,they said unto ,him1 ,rabbi--which is to say1 being interpreted1 ,master--where dwellest thou8 ,he saith unto them1 ,come and see4 ,they came and saw where ,he dwelt1 and abode with ,him that day2 for it was about the tenth hour4 ,thus the blessed testimony of the ,baptist led them to follow ,jesus1 and as they followed on1 fresh light was poured upon their path1 and they found themselves1 at length1 in the very abode of that ,one of whom they had heard their master speak4 ,nor was this all1 though it was much--with their own hearts' deepest longings satisfied4 ,there was now that delightful going out after others which must1 in every instance1 be the result of close personal acquaintance and occupation with the ,person of ,christ4 ,one of the two which heard ,john1 and followed ,jesus1 was ,andrew1 ,simon ,peter's brother4 ,he first findeth his own brother ,simon1 and saith unto him1 ,we have found the ,messias1 which is1 being interpreted1 the ,christ4 ,and he brought him to ,jesus4 ,here is something which we may well ponder4 ,see how the circle of blessing widens6 ,see the result of a single sentence uttered in truth and reality6 ,it might seem to a carnal observer as though ,john had lost by his testimony4 ,far from it4 ,that honored servant found his joy in pointing souls to ,jesus4 ,he did not want to link them on to himself1 or to gather a party round himself4 ,john bare witness of ,him1 and cried saying1 ,this was ,he of whom ,i spake1 ,he that cometh after me is preferred before me4 ,and again1 ,this is the record of ,john1 when the ,jews sent priests and ,levites from ,jerusalem to ask him1 ,who art thou8 ,and he confessed1 and denied not2 but confessed1 ,i am not the ,christ4 ,and they ask him1 ,what then8 ,art thou ,elias8 ,and he saith1 ,i am not4 ,art thou that prophet8 ,and he answered1 ,no4 ,then said they unto him1 ,who art thou8 that we may give an answer to them that sent us4 ,what sayest thou of thyself8 ,he said1 ,i am the voice of one crying in the wilderness1 ,make straight the way of the ,lord1 as said the prophet ,esaias4 ,and they which were sent were of the ,pharisees4 ,what a fine moral lesson for ,pharisees to be set down to6 ,and they asked him1 and said unto him1 ,why baptizest thou then1 if thou be not that ,christ1 nor ,elias1 neither that prophet8 ,john answered them1 saying1 ,i baptize with water3 but there standeth ,one among you1 whom ye know not4 ,he it is1 who coming after me is preferred before me1 whose shoe's latchet ,i am not worthy to unloose4 ,it is not very likely that the man who could give such answers1 and bear such a testimony1 would be1 in the smallest degree1 affected by the loss of a few disciples4 ,but1 in good truth it was not loosing them when they followed ,jesus and found their abode with ,him4 ,of this we have the very finest evidence that could be furnished1 from ,john's own lips1 in reply to those who evidently thought that their master might possibly feel at being left in the shade4 ,they came unto ,john1 and said unto him1 ,rabbi1 ,he that was with thee beyond ,jordan1 to whom thou barest witness1 behold1 the same baptizeth1 and all come to ,him4 ,john answered and said1 ,a man can receive nothing1 except it be given him from heaven4 ,ye yourselves bear me witness1 that ,i said1 ,i am not the ,christ1 but that ,i am sent before ,him4 ,he that hath the bride is the bridegroom2 but the friend of the bridegroom1 which standeth and heareth him1 rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice3 this my joy therefore is fulfilled4 ,he must increase1 but ,i must decrease 7,john iii4 #bf-cj74 ,noble words6 ,it was the joy of this most illustrious servant--this greatest of woman-born1 to hide himself behind his ,master1 and find all his personal springs in ,him4 ,as to himself1 he was but a voice4 ,as to his work1 he was only baptizing with water1 he was not worthy to loose the latchet of his ,master's shoe4 ,such was ,john4 ,such the man whose glowing testimony led the brother of ,simon ,peter to the feet of the ,son of ,god4 ,the testimony was clear and distinct1 and the work deep and real in the souls of those who received it4 ,it does the heart good to note the simple1 earnest1 forcible words of ,simon's brother1 ,andrew4 ,he is able to say1 without reserve or hesitation1 ,we have found the ,messias4 ,it was this that led him to look after his brother4 ,he lost no time4 ,saved and blessed himself1 he would1 at once1 begin to lead his brother into the same blessing4 ,how simple6 ,how morally lovely6 ,how divinely natural6 ,no sooner had he found the ,messias1 than he went in search of his brother to tell him of his joy4 ,it must ever be thus4 ,we cannot doubt for a moment1 that the actual finding ,christ for ourselves is the true secret of looking after others4 ,there is no uncertainty in ,andrew's testimony--no wavering--no doubting or fearing4 ,he does not even say1 ,i hope ,i have found4 ,no2 all is clear and distinct2 and1 we may say1 with all possible assurance1 it would not have done ,simon ,peter much good had it been anything else4 ,an uncertain sound is not much use to any one4 ,it is a grand point to be able to say1 ,i have found ,christ4 ,reader1 can you say it8 ,doubtless1 you have heard of ,him4 ,it may be you have heard from the lips of some ardent lover of ,jesus1 ,behold the ,lamb of ,god4 ,but have you followed that blessed ,one8 ,if so1 you will long to find some one to whom you can speak of your newly found treasure1 and bring him to ,jesus4 ,begin at home4 ,get hold of your brother1 or your sister1 or your companion1 your fellow-student1 your fellow-shopman1 your fellow-workman1 your fellow-servant1 and whisper lovingly1 but clearly and decidedly1 into his ear1 ,i have found ,jesus4 ,do come1 taste and see how gracious ,he is4 ,come6 oh do come to ,jesus4 ,remember this was the way that the great apostle ,peter was first called4 ,he first heard of ,jesus from the lips of his own brother ,andrew4 ,this mighty workman--this great preacher who was blessed1 on one occasion1 to three thousand souls--who opened the ,kingdom of heaven to the ,jew in ,acts iii4 and to the ,gentile in ,acts x4--this blessed servant was brought to ,christ by the hand of his own brother in the flesh4 ,,part ,,ii4 ,the notice which we have of our apostle1 in ,john i41 is very brief indeed1 though1 doubtless1 there is much wrapped up in it4 ,andrew first findeth his own brother1 ,simon1 and saith unto him1 ,we have found the ,messias1 which is1 being interpreted1 the ,christ4 ,and he brought him to ,jesus4 ,and when ,jesus beheld him1 ,he said1 ,thou art ,simon1 the son of ,jonas3 thou shalt be called ,cephas1 which is by interpretation1 ,a stone4 ,now1 we have no record here of any deep spiritual work in the soul of ,simon4 ,we are told his name in the old creation1 and his name in the new2 but there is no allusion whatever to those deep exercises of soul of which we know he was the subject4 ,for these we must ask the reader to turn for a few moments to ,luke v41 where we have a marvelous piece of divine workmanship4 ,and it came to pass that1 as the people pressed upon ,him to hear the word of ,god1 ,he stood by the lake of ,gennesaret1 and saw two ships standing by the lake2 but the fishermen were gone out of them1 and were washing their nets4 ,and ,he entered into one of the ships1 which was ,simon's1 and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land4 ,and ,he sat down1 and taught the people out of the ship4 ,mark especially the moral grace that shines here4 ,he prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land4 ,though ,lord of all creation--,possessor of heaven and earth--,he nevertheless1 as the lowly1 gracious ,man1 courteously owns ,simon's proprietorship1 and asks1 as a favor1 that he would thrust out a little from the shore4 ,this was morally lovely1 and we may rest assured it produced its own effect upon the heart of ,simon4 ,now when ,he had left speaking1 ,he said unto ,simon1 ,launch out into the deep1 and let down your nets for a draught4 ,simon was about to be well paid for the loan of his boat4 ,and ,simon1 answering1 said unto ,him1 ,master1 we have toiled all the night1 and have taken nothing2 nevertheless1 at ,thy word1 ,i will let down the net4 ,there was power1 as well as grace1 in that word6 ,and when they had this done1 they enclosed a great multitude of fishes2 and their net brake4 ,and they beckoned unto their partners1 which were in the other ship1 that they should come and help them4 ,and they came1 and filled both the ships1 so that they began to sink4 ,neither their nets nor their ships were able to sustain the fruit of divine power and goodness4 ,when ,simon ,peter saw it1 he fell down at ,jesus' knees1 saying1 ,depart from me2 for ,i am a sinful man1 ,o ,lord4 ,here1 then1 we have the great practical effect produced in ,peter's soul by the combined action of grace and power4 ,he is brought to see himself in the light of the divine presence1 where alone self can be truly seen and judged4 ,simon had heard the word of ,jesus addressed to the multitude on the shore4 ,he had felt the sweet grace and moral beauty of ,his way towards himself4 ,he had marked the display of divine power in the astonishing draught of fish4 ,all told powerfully upon his heart and conscience1 and brought him on his face before the ,lord4 ,now this is what we may call a genuine work of conviction4 ,simon is in the place of true self-judgment--a very blessed place indeed--a place from which all must start if they are to be much used in the ,lord's work1 or if1 indeed1 they are ever to exhibit much depth or stability in the divine life4 ,we need never look for any real power or progress unless there is a deep and solid work of the ,spirit of ,god in the conscience4 ,persons who pass rapidly into what they call peace1 are apt to pass as rapidly out of it again4 ,it is a very serious thing indeed to be brought to see ourselves in the light of ,god's presence1 to have our eyes opened to the truth of our past history1 our present condition1 and our future destiny4 ,simon ,peter found it so in his day1 and so have all those who have been brought to a saving knowledge of ,christ4 ,hearken to ,isaiah's words1 when he saw himself in the powerful light of the divine glory4 ,woe is me6 for ,i am undone2 because ,i am a man of unclean lips1 and ,i dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips3 for mine eyes have seen the ,king1 the ,lord of hosts4 ,so also in the case of the patriarch1 ,job4 ,i have heard of ,thee by the hearing of the ear2 but now mine eye seeth ,thee4 ,wherefore ,i abhor myself1 and repent in dust and ashes4 ,these glowing utterances reveal a deep and genuine work in both the patriarch and the prophet4 ,and surely our apostle occupied the same moral ground when he exclaimed1 from the very depths of a broken heart1 ,depart from me2 for ,i am a sinful man1 ,o ,lord4 ,if ,simon is to be called ,cephas1 he must be thoroughly broken up1 and brought to the end of himself4 ,if he is to be used to catch men1 he must learn1 in a divine way1 man's true condition4 ,if he is to teach others that all flesh is as grass1 he must learn the application of this great truth to his own heart4 ,thus it is in every case4 ,look at ,saul of ,tarsus4 ,what mean those three days of blindness1 during which he neither did eat nor drink8 ,may we not confidently affirm that they were serious days1 perhaps the most serious in the entire history of that remarkable man8 ,they were1 doubtless1 days in the which he was led down to the most profound depths of his moral being1 the deepest roots of his history1 his nature1 his character1 his conduct1 his religion4 ,he was led to see that his whole life had been a terrible mistake1 an awful lie2 that his very career as a religious man had been one of mad rebellion against the ,christ of ,god4 ,all this1 we may feel assured1 passed in solemn and soul-subduing review before the soul of this deeply1 because divinely1 convicted man4 ,his repentance was no superficial work2 it was deep and thorough2 it left its impress upon the whole of his after course1 character1 and ministry4 ,he1 too1 like ,simon1 was brought to the end of himself1 and there he found an ,object that not only met his deepest need1 but also perfectly satisfied all the cravings and aspirations of his renewed being4 ,now1 we must confess we delight in contemplating a spiritual work of this kind4 ,it is truly refreshing to dwell upon conversions of this type4 ,we greatly fear that in much of the work of our time there is a sad lack of depth and spiritual power1 and1 as a consequence1 a lack of stability in the ,christian character1 of depth and permanency in the ,christian course4 ,it may be that those of us who are engaged in the work of evangelization are feeble and shallow in the divine life ourselves1 that we are not near enough to ,christ to understand how to deal with souls2 that we do not know how to present the truth from ,god's side of it2 that we are more desirous of showing out how the sinner's need is met1 than how the glory of ,god is secured and maintained4 ,we do not1 perhaps1 sufficiently press the claims of truth and holiness upon the consciences of our hearers4 ,there is a want of fulness in the presentation of the truth of ,god1 too much harping upon one string2 there is a barrenness and dreary monotony in the preaching1 arising from lack of abiding near the fountain head1 and drinking into our own souls from the inexhaustible springs of grace and truth in the ,person and work of ,christ4 ,perhaps1 too1 we are more occupied with ourselves and our preaching than with ,christ and ,his glory2 more anxious to be able to parade the results of our work1 than to be a sweet savour of ,christ to ,godward4 ,we cannot but feel the weight and seriousness of these considerations for all who take part in the work of the gospel4 ,we certainly do need to be more in the presence of ,god in reference to our service1 for we cannot1 by any possibility1 hide from ourselves the fact1 in reference to the preaching of this our day1 that the fruit is small in quantity1 and poor in quality4 ,we desire to bless ,god for any display of ,his grace and power in souls2 though we are by no means able to accredit as genuine much that is boastfully paraded in the way of conversion4 ,what we long for is a deep1 genuine unmistakable work of the ,holy ,ghost2 a work which will prove itself1 beyond all contradiction1 by its permanent results in the life and character4 ,it is one thing to reckon up and publish a number of cases of conversion1 and quite another to see these cases made good in actual fact4 ,the ,holy ,ghost can1 and does1 tell us at times in the page of inspiration the number of souls converted4 ,he tells us of three thousand on one occasion4 ,he can do so1 because ,he knows perfectly all about it4 ,he can read the heart4 ,he can distinguish between the spurious and the genuine4 ,but when men undertake to count up and publish the number of their converts1 we must receive their statements with considerable reserve and caution4 ,not that we would be suspicious4 ,god forbid2 yea1 we would earnestly cultivate a hopeful temper of soul4 ,still1 we cannot but feel that it is better1 in every case1 to let the work speak for itself4 ,all that is really divine is sure to be found1 even though it be after many days2 whereas1 on the other hand1 there is immense danger1 both for the workman and his work1 in an eager and hasty reckoning up and publishing of results4 ,but we must return to the lake of ,gennesaret1 and dwell for a moment on the lovely grace that shines forth in our ,lord's dealing with ,simon ,peter4 ,the work of conviction was deep and real4 ,there could be no mistaking it4 ,the arrow had entered the heart1 and gone right to its very centre4 ,peter felt and owned that he was a man full of sin4 ,he felt he had no right to be near such an one as ,jesus2 and yet we may truly say he would not for worlds have been anywhere else4 ,he was perfectly sincere in saying1 ,depart from me1 though we cannot but believe he had an inward conviction that the blessed ,one would do nothing of the kind4 ,and if he had1 he was right4 ,jesus could never depart from a poor broken-hearted sinner--no1 never4 ,it was ,his richest1 deepest1 joy to pour the healing balm of ,his love and grace into a wounded soul4 ,it was ,his delight to heal the broken heart4 ,he was anointed for that work1 and it was ,his meat and ,his drink to do it1 blessed forever be ,his holy name6 ,and ,jesus said unto ,simon1 ,fear not2 from henceforth thou shalt catch men4 ,here was the divine response to the cry of a contrite heart4 ,the wound was deep1 but the grace was deeper still4 ,the soothing hand of a ,saviour-,god applied the precious balm4 ,simon was not only convicted1 but converted4 ,he saw himself to be a man full of sin1 but he saw the ,saviour full of grace2 nor was it possible that his sin could be beyond the reach of that grace4 ,oh1 no1 there is grace in the heart of ,jesus1 as there is power in ,his blood1 to meet the very chief of sinners4 ,fear not2 from henceforth thou shalt catch men4 ,and when they had brought their ships to land1 they forsook all1 and followed ,him4 ,this was real work4 ,it was a bona fide case1 as to which there could be no question2 a case of conviction1 conversion1 and consecration4 ,,part ,,iii4 ,we closed our last paper with these suggestive words1 ,they forsook all1 and followed ,him--words expressive1 at once1 of thorough separation from the things of time and of nature1 and of whole-hearted consecration to ,christ and ,his interests4 ,both these we see in ,simon ,peter4 ,there was a deep and blessed work wrought in his soul at the lake of ,gennesaret4 ,he was given to see himself1 in the light of the divine presence1 where alone self can be really seen and judged4 ,we have no reason to suppose that1 viewed from a human standpoint1 ,simon was worse than his neighbors4 ,on the contrary1 it is more than probable1 that so far as his outward life was concerned1 it was more blameless than that of many around him4 ,he was not1 like the great apostle of the ,gentiles1 arrested at the very height of a mad career of rebellion against ,christ and ,his cause4 ,he is introduced to us1 by the inspired historian1 in the pursuit of his quiet and honest calling as a fisherman4 ,but then ,scripture expressly informs us that1 ,there is no difference1 for all have sinned1 and come short of the glory of ,god 7,rom4 iii474 ,and it repeats this statement1 in chap4 x4 of the same epistle1 basing it upon another footing1 ,there is no difference between the ,jew and the ,greek3 for the same ,lord over all is rich unto all that call upon ,him4 ,reader1 see that you really understand this most important doctrine4 ,it is not that there are not broad lines of distinction1 in a moral and social point of view1 between men4 ,most assuredly there are such4 ,there is1 for example1 a vast difference between the wretched drunkard who comes home1 or is carried home1 night after night1 worse than a beast1 to his poor broken-hearted wife and squalid1 starving children1 and a sober1 industrious man1 who realizes his responsibility as a husband and a father1 and seeks to fulfil the duties attaching to such relationships4 ,now1 we judge it would be a very great mistake indeed to ignore such a distinction as this4 ,we believe that ,god1 in ,his moral government of the world1 recognizes it4 ,contrast1 for a moment1 the drunkard's home with that of the sober man4 ,yea1 contrast their whole career1 their social position1 their course and character4 ,who can fail to recognize the amazing difference between the two8 ,there is a certain way of presenting what is called1 ,the no-difference doctrine which1 to say the least of it1 is far from judicious4 ,it does not allow the margin which1 as we believe1 ,scripture suggests1 wherein to insert great social and moral distinctions between men and men--distinctions which only blindness itself can refuse to see4 ,if we look at the present government of ,god1 we cannot but see that there is a very serious difference indeed between one man and another4 ,men reap as they sow4 ,the drunken spendthrift reaps as he sows2 and the sober1 industrious1 honest man reaps as he sows4 ,the enactments of ,god's moral government are such as to render it impossible for men to escape1 even in this life1 the consequences of their ways4 ,nor is this all4 ,not only does ,god's present government take cognizance of the conduct of men1 causing them to reap1 even here1 the due reward of their deeds but when ,scripture opens to our view1 as it does in manifold places1 the awful judgment to come1 it speaks of books being opened4 ,it tells us that men shall be judged every man according to their works4 ,in short1 we have close and accurate discrimination1 and not a promiscuous huddling of men and things4 ,and further1 be it remembered1 that the word of ,god speaks of degrees of punishment4 ,it speaks of few stripes and many stripes4 ,it uses such words as more tolerable for one than another4 ,what mean such words1 if there be not varied grounds of judgment1 varied characters of responsibility1 varied measures of guilt1 varied degrees of punishment8 ,men may reason2 but the ,judge of all the earth will do right4 ,it is of no possible use for people to argue and discuss4 ,every man will be judged and punished according to his deeds4 ,this is the teaching of ,holy ,scripture2 and it would be much better and safer and wiser for men to submit to it than to reason against it1 for they may rest fully assured of it that the judgment-seat of ,christ will make very short work of their reasonings4 ,impenitent sinners will be judged and punished according to their works3 and1 although men may affect to believe that it is inconsistent with the idea of a ,god of love that any of ,his creatures should be condemned to endure eternal punishment in hell1 still sin must be punished2 and those who reason against its punishment have only a one-sided view of ,god's nature and character4 ,they have invented a god of their own who will connive at sin4 ,but it will not do4 ,the ,god of the ,bible1 the ,god whom we see at the cross1 the ,god of ,christianity will1 beyond all question1 execute judgment upon all who reject ,his ,son2 that judgment will be according to every man's works2 and the result of that judgment will1 inevitably1 be ,the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone1 forever and forever4 ,we deem it of the utmost importance to press on all whom it may concern the line of truth on which we have been dwelling4 ,it leaves wholly untouched the real truth of the no-difference doctrine2 but1 at the same time1 it qualifies and adjusts the mode of presenting that truth4 ,it is always well to avoid an ultra one-sided way of stating things4 ,it damages truth and stumbles souls4 ,it perplexes the anxious1 and gives a plea to the caviler4 ,the full truth of ,god should always be unfolded1 and thus all will be right4 ,truth puts men and things in their right places1 and maintains a holy moral balance which is absolutely priceless4 ,is it then asserted that there is a difference8 ,not as regards the question of righteousness before ,god4 ,on this ground1 there is not a shadow of difference1 for all have sinned and come short of the glory of ,god4 ,looked at in the light of that glory1 all human distinctions vanish4 ,all are lost1 guilty and condemned4 ,from the very lowest strata of society--its deepest dregs1 up to the loftiest heights of moral refinement1 men are seen1 in the light of the divine glory1 to be utterly and hopelessly lost4 ,they all stand on one common ground1 are all involved in the one common ruin4 ,and not only so1 but those who plume themselves on their morality1 refinement1 orthodoxy1 and religiousness1 are further from the ,kingdom of ,god than the vilest of the sons and daughters of men1 as our ,lord said to the chief priests and elders1 ,verily ,i say unto you1 that the publicans and the harlots go into the ,kingdom of ,god before you 7,matt4 xxi474 ,this is very humbling to human pride and pretension4 ,it is a doctrine to which none will ever submit until they see themselves as ,simon ,peter saw himself in the immediate presence of ,god4 ,all who have ever been there will fully understand those self-condemning words1 ,depart from me2 for ,i am a sinful man1 ,o ,lord4 ,these were accents flowing from the depths of a truly penitent and contrite soul4 ,there is what we may venture to call a lovely inconsistency in them4 ,simon had no such thought as that ,jesus would depart from him4 ,he had1 we may feel assured1 an instinctive sense that that blessed ,one who had spoken such words to him1 and shown such grace1 could not turn away from a poor broken-hearted sinner4 ,and he judged rightly4 ,jesus had not come down from heaven to turn ,his back upon any one who needed ,him4 ,he came to seek and to save that which is lost4 ,this is a faithful saying1 and worthy of all acceptation1 that ,christ ,jesus came into the world to save sinners4 ,him that cometh unto ,me1 ,i will in no wise cast out4 ,a ,saviour-,god had come down into this world1 not1 surely1 to turn away from a lost sinner1 but to save him and bless him1 and make him a blessing4 ,fear not2 from henceforth thou shalt catch men4 ,such was the grace that shone upon the soul of ,simon ,peter4 ,it removed his guilt1 hushed his fears1 and filled him with joy and peace in believing4 ,thus it is in every case4 ,divine pardon follows human confession--follows it with marvelous rapidity4 ,i said1 ,i will confess my transgressions unto the ,lord2 and ,thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin4 ,god delights to pardon4 ,it is the joy of ,his loving heart to cancel our guilt1 and fill our souls with ,his own blessed peace1 and to make us the messengers of ,his grace to others4 ,not that we are called in the same way1 or to the same work1 as our apostle2 but surely we are called to follow the ,lord1 and cleave to ,him1 with purpose of heart4 ,this is the blessed privilege and sacred duty of every saved soul on the face of the earth2 we are imperatively called upon to break with the world1 and follow ,christ4 ,it is not a question of abandoning our proper calling in life1 as in ,simon's case4 ,few indeed and far between are the cases in which such a course of action is fitting4 ,many1 alas6 have assayed to do this1 and have entirely broken down1 simply because they were not called of ,god to it1 or sustained of ,god in it4 ,we are convinced that1 as a rule1 it is better for every man to work with his hands or his brains at some bread-winning calling1 and preach and teach as well1 if gifted to do so4 ,there are exceptions1 no doubt1 to the rule4 ,there are some who are so manifestly called1 fitted1 used1 and sustained of ,god1 that there can be no possible mistake as to their course4 ,their hands are so full of work1 their every moment so engrossed with ministry in speaking or writing1 teaching publicly and from house to house1 that it would be a simple impossibility for them to take up what is termed a secular calling--though we like not the phrase4 ,all such have to go on with ,god1 looking only to ,him1 and ,he will infallibly maintain them unto the end4 ,still1 admitting1 as we are bound to do fully1 the exceptions to the rule1 we are nevertheless convinced that1 as a rule1 it is better in every way for men to be able to preach and teach without being chargeable to any4 ,it gives moral weight1 and it furnishes a fine testimony against the wretched hirelingism of ,christendom so demoralizing to souls1 and so damaging1 in every way1 to the cause of ,christ4 ,but1 ,christian reader1 we have to distinguish between abandoning our lawful calling and breaking with the world4 ,the former may be quite wrong2 the latter is our bounden duty4 ,we are called to rise up1 in the spirit of the mind and in the firm purpose of the heart1 out of all merely worldly influences1 to break every worldly link1 and lay aside every weight1 in order to follow our blessed ,lord and ,master4 ,we are to be absolutely and completely for ,him in this world1 as ,he is for us in the presence of ,god4 ,when this is really the case with us1 it matters not whether we are sweeping a crossing or evangelizing a continent4 ,all is done to ,him4 ,this is the one grand point4 ,if ,christ has ,his due place in our hearts1 all will be right4 ,if ,he has not1 nothing will be right4 ,if there is any under current in the soul1 any secondary object1 any worldly motive1 any selfish aim or end1 there can be no progress4 ,we must make ,christ and ,his cause our absorbing object4 ,,part ,,iv4 ,the more deeply we ponder the history of professing ,christians1 whether as furnished by the pen of inspiration1 or as coming within the range of personal observation1 the more fully we must see the vast importance of a complete break with the world1 at the outset4 ,if there be not this1 it is vain to look for inward peace1 or outward progress4 ,there may be a measure of clearness as to the doctrines of grace1 the plan of salvation1 as it is called1 justification by faith1 and the like4 ,but unless there is the thorough judgment of self1 and the complete surrender of this present evil world1 peace and progress must be out of the question4 ,how can there be peace where self1 in some one or other of its thousand shapes1 is fostered8 ,and how can there be progress where the heart is hankering after the world1 halting between two opinions1 and vacillating between ,christ and present things8 ,impossible4 ,as well might a racer expect to get on in the race while still lingering about the starting post1 and encumbering himself with heavy weights4 ,is it then1 that peace is to be found by denying self and giving up the world8 ,most certainly not4 ,but neither can peace ever be found while self is indulged and the world retained4 ,true peace is found only in ,christ--peace of conscience in ,his finished work--peace of heart in ,his blessed ,person4 ,all this is clear enough4 ,but how comes it to pass that hundreds of people who know1 or profess to know1 these things have no settled peace1 and never seem to take a single step in advance8 ,you meet them1 week after week1 month after month1 year after year1 and there they are in the same position1 in the same state1 and with the same old story1 chronic cases of self-occupation1 stereotyped world-borderers1 ever learning1 and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth4 ,they seem to delight in hearing the gospel clearly preached1 and truth fully unfolded4 ,in fact1 they cannot endure anything else4 ,but1 for all that1 they are never clear1 bright or happy4 ,how can they be8 ,they are halting between two opinions2 they have never broken with the world2 they have never surrendered a whole heart to ,christ4 ,here1 we are persuaded1 lies the real secret of the whole matter as regards that class of persons now before us4 ,a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways4 ,a man who tries to keep one eye on the world1 and the other on ,christ1 will be found to have no eye for ,christ1 but both eyes for the world4 ,it must be so3 ,christ must be all or nothing2 and hence it is the very height of absurdity to talk of peace or progress1 where ,christ is not the absorbing object of the soul4 ,where ,he is1 there will never be any lack of settled peace2 and there will be progress4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is jealous for the glory of ,christ1 and ,he can never minister comfort1 consolation1 or strength to a heart divided between ,him and the world4 ,it could not be4 ,he is grieved by such unfaithfulness2 and instead of being the minister of comfort1 ,he must be the stern reprover of indulged selfishness1 worldliness1 and vacillation4 ,let us look at the case of our apostle4 ,how refreshing it is to contemplate his thorough-going style6 ,his starting was of the right sort4 ,he forsook all and followed ,christ4 ,there was no halting here1 at all events2 no vacillating between ,christ and present things4 ,boats1 nets1 fish1 natural ties1 all are unhesitatingly and unreservedly surrendered1 not as a matter of cold duty or legal service1 but as the grand and necessary result of having seen the glory and heard the voice of the ,son of ,god4 ,thus it was with ,simon ,peter1 at the opening of his remarkable career4 ,all was clear and unequivocal1 whole-hearted and decided1 so far as the starting was concerned2 and we must bear this in mind1 as we pursue his after history4 ,no doubt1 we shall find mistakes and stumblings1 failure1 ignorance1 and sin2 but1 underneath1 and in spite of all this1 we shall find a heart true to ,jesus--a heart divinely taught to appreciate the ,christ of ,god4 ,this is a grand point4 ,blunders may well be borne with1 when the heart beats true to ,christ4 ,some one has remarked that1 ,the blunderers do all the work4 ,if this be so1 the reason is that those blunderers have real affection for their ,lord2 and that is precisely what we all want4 ,a man may make a great many mistakes1 but if he can say when challenged by his ,lord1 ,thou knowest that ,i love ,thee1 he is sure to come right in the end2 and not only so1 but1 even in the very midst of his mistakes1 our hearts are much more drawn to him than to the cold1 correct1 sleek professor1 who thinks of himself1 and seeks to make the best of both worlds4 ,simon ,peter was a true lover of ,christ4 ,he had a divinely given sense of ,his preciousness1 of the glory of ,his ,person1 and the heavenly character of ,his mission4 ,all this comes out1 with much force and freshness1 in his varied confessions of ,christ1 even before the day of ,pentecost4 ,we shall glance at one or two of these1 not with any view to chronological order1 but simply to illustrate and prove the lovely devotedness of this true-hearted servant of ,christ4 ,let us turn to ,matt4 xvi4 ,when ,jesus came into the coasts of ,csarea ,philippi1 he asked ,his disciples1 saying1 ,whom do men say that ,i1 the ,son of man1 am8 ,weighty question6 ,upon the answer to this question hangs the whole moral condition and future destiny of every human being under the sun4 ,all really depends upon the heart's estimate of ,christ4 ,this it is1 which like a great moral indicator1 reveals a man's true state1 character1 bent and object1 in all things4 ,it is not merely a question of his outward life1 or of his profession of faith4 ,the former may be blameless1 and the latter orthodox2 but1 if underneath all this blameless morality and orthodox profession1 there be not one true pulsation of the heart for ,christ1 no divinely wrought sense of what1 and who1 and whence ,he is1 then verily all the morality and the orthodoxy are but the trappings with which a guilty1 hell-deserving sinner adorns himself in the eyes of his fellows1 or with which he deceives himself as to the awful eternity which lies before him4 ,what think ye of ,christ8 is the all-deciding question2 for ,god the ,holy ,ghost has emphatically declared that1 ,if any man--no matter who or what he be--love not the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 let him be ,anathema ,maranatha 7#a ,cor4 xvi4 #bb74 ,how awful is this6 ,and how remarkable to find it at the close of such an epistle as the first to the ,corinthians6 ,how forcibly it declares to all who will only bend their ears to listen1 that love to ,christ is the basis of all sound doctrine1 the motive spring of all true morality6 ,if that blessed ,one be not enthroned at the very centre of the heart's affections1 an orthodox creed is an empty delusion2 and an unblemished reputation is but dust cast in a man's eyes to prevent him seeing his true condition in the sight of ,god4 ,the ,christians at ,corinth had fallen into many doctrinal errors and moral evils1 all needing rebuke and correction2 but when the inspiring ,spirit pronounces ,his awful anathema1 it is levelled1 not at the introducers of any one special error1 or moral pravity1 but at any man who loves not the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,this is peculiarly solemn at all times2 but specially so for the day in which our lot is cast1 when the ,person and glory of ,christ are so little thought of or cared for4 ,a man may actually blaspheme ,christ1 deny ,his deity or ,his eternal ,sonship1 and yet be received into professing ,christian circles1 and allowed to preside at so-called religious meetings4 ,surely all this must be dreadful in the sight of ,god1 whose purpose it is that all men should honor the ,son even as they honor the ,father2 and that every knee should bow1 and every tongue confess to ,jesus as ,lord of all4 ,god is jealous for the honor of ,his ,son2 and the man that neglects1 rejects1 and blasphemes that blessed ,one will yet have to learn and own the eternal justice of that most solemn decree1 ,if any man love not the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 let him be ,anathema ,maranatha4 ,how momentous1 therefore1 the question put by our ,lord ,christ to ,his disciples1 ,whom do men say that ,i1 the ,son of man1 am8 ,alas1 alas6 men knew nothing1 cared nothing about ,him4 ,they knew neither who ,he was1 what ,he was1 nor whence ,he was4 ,some say that thou art ,john the ,baptist2 some1 ,elias2 and others1 ,jeremias1 or one of the prophets4 ,in a word1 there was endless speculation1 because there was utter indifference and thorough heartlessness4 ,the human heart has not so much as a single true thought about ,christ1 not one atom of affection for ,him4 ,such is the awful condition of the very best of men until renewed by divine grace4 ,they know not1 they love not1 they care not for the ,son of ,god--the ,beloved of the ,father's heart--the ,man on the throne of heaven's majesty4 ,such is their moral condition1 and hence their every thought1 word1 and act is contrary to ,god4 ,they have not a single feeling in common with ,god1 for the most distinct of all reasons1 that the ,one who is everything to ,him is nothing to them4 ,christ is ,god's standard1 and every one and everything must be measured by ,him4 ,the heart that does not love ,christ has not a single pulsation in unison with the heart of ,god2 and the life that does not spring from love to ,christ however blameless1 respectable1 or splendid in the eyes of men1 is a worthless1 objectless1 misspent life in the judgment of ,god4 ,but how truly delightful to turn from all the heartlessness and indifference of men1 and harken to the testimony of one who was taught of ,god to know and own who the ,son of man was6 ,simon ,peter answered and said1 ,thou art the ,christ1 the ,son of the living ,god4 ,here was the true answer4 ,there was no vain speculation here1 no uncertainty1 no may be this1 or may be that4 ,it was divine testimony flowing from divinely given knowledge4 ,it was not yea and nay1 but yea and amen to the glory of ,god4 ,we may rest fully assured that these glowing words of ,simon ,peter went up1 like fragrant incense1 to the throne of ,god1 and refreshed the heart of the ,one who sat there4 ,there is nothing in all the world so precious to ,god as a heart that1 in any measure1 appreciates ,christ4 ,let us never forget this6 ,and ,jesus answered and said unto him1 ,blessed art thou1 ,simon ,barjona2 for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee1 but ,my ,father which is in heaven4 ,and ,i say also unto thee1 that thou art ,peter2 and upon this ,rock ,i will build ,my ,church2 and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it4 ,here we have the very first direct allusion to the ,church1 or ,assembly of ,christ2 and the reader will note that our ,lord speaks of it as yet future4 ,he says1 ,i will build ,my ,church4 ,he was the ,rock1 the divine foundation2 but ere a single stone could be built on ,him1 ,he must die4 ,this is a grand cardinal truth of ,christianity--a truth which our apostle had yet to learn1 notwithstanding his brilliant and beautiful confession4 ,simon ,peter was not yet prepared for the profound mystery of the cross4 ,he loved ,christ1 and he had been taught of ,god to own ,him in a very full and blessed manner2 but he had yet much to learn ere he could take in the soul-subduing truth that this blessed ,son of the living ,god must die1 ere even he1 as a living stone1 could be built upon ,him4 ,from that time forth began ,jesus to show unto ,his disciples1 how that ,he must go unto ,jerusalem1 and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes1 and be killed1 and be raised again the third day4 ,here the solemn truth begins to break through the clouds4 ,but ,simon ,peter is not prepared for it4 ,it withered up all his ,jewish hopes and earthly expectations4 ,what6 ,the ,son of the living ,god must die6 ,how could it be8 ,the glorious ,messiah be nailed to a cross6 ,then ,peter took ,him1 and began to rebuke ,him1 saying1 ,be it far from ,thee1 7or pity ,thyself7 ,lord1 this shall not be unto ,thee4 ,such is man6 ,such was even ,simon ,peter6 ,he would fain turn the blessed ,lord away from the cross6 ,he would1 in his ignorance1 frustrate the eternal counsels of ,god1 and play into the hands of the devil6 ,poor ,peter6 ,what a rock he would be for the ,church to be built upon6 ,the ,lord turned1 and said unto ,peter1 ,get thee behind ,me1 ,satan1 thou art an offence unto ,me2 for thou savorest not the things that be of ,god1 but those that be of men4 ,withering words8 ,who would have thought that ,blessed art thou1 ,simon ,barjona1 should so speedily be followed by1 ,get thee behind ,me1 ,satan8 ,,part ,v4 ,we must still linger a little over the deeply interesting and instructive scene in the sixteenth chapter of ,matthew4 ,it brings before us two great subjects1 namely1 ,the ,church1 and ,the ,kingdom of ,heaven4 ,these things must never be confounded4 ,as to the first1 it is only to be found in the ,new ,testament4 ,indeed1 as has often been remarked1 verse #ah of our chapter contains the very first direct allusion in the volume of ,god to the subject of the ,church1 or assembly1 of ,christ4 ,this1 though familiar to many of our readers1 may present a difficulty to others4 ,many ,christians and ,christian teachers strongly maintain that the doctrine of the ,church is distinctly unfolded in ,old ,testament ,scripture4 ,they consider that the saints of the ,old ,testament belonged to the ,church2 in fact1 that there is no difference1 whatever2 all form one body2 all stand on one common ground2 and that to represent the ,lord's people in ,new ,testament times as in a higher position1 or endowed with higher privileges than ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob1 is a delusion4 ,it seems strange to such to assert that ,enoch1 ,noah1 ,abraham1 and ,moses1 did not belong to the ,church--were not members of the body of ,christ--were not endowed with the selfsame privileges as believers now4 ,trained from their earliest days to believe that all ,god's people1 from the beginning to the end of time1 stand on the same ground1 and form one common body1 they find it impossible to admit of any difference4 ,it seems to them presumption on the part of ,christians to assert that they are in any respect different from ,god's beloved people of old--those blessed worthies of whom we read in ,hebrews xi41 who lived a life of faith and personal devotedness1 and who are now in heaven with their ,lord4 ,but the all-important question is1 ,what saith the ,scripture8 ,it can be of no possible use to set up our own thoughts1 our own reasonings1 our own conclusions1 in opposition to the word of ,god4 ,it is a very easy matter for men to reason1 with great apparent force1 point1 and cleverness1 about the absurdity and presumption of the notion that ,christians are in a better and higher place1 and more privileged1 than ,god's people of old4 ,but this is not the proper way in which to approach this great subject4 ,it is not a question of the difference personally between the ,lord's people at different periods4 ,were it so1 where should we find1 amongst the ranks of ,christian professors1 any one to compare with an ,abraham1 a ,joseph1 a ,moses1 or a ,daniel8 ,were it a question of simple faith1 where could we find in the entire history of the ,church a finer example than the father of the faithful8 ,were it a question of personal holiness1 where could we find a brighter illustration than ,joseph8 ,for intimacy with ,god1 and acquaintance with ,his ways and mind1 who could go beyond ,moses8 ,for unswerving devotedness to ,god and ,his truth1 could we find a brighter example than the man who went down into the lions' den rather than not pray toward ,jerusalem8 ,however1 let it be distinctly understood that it is not by any means a personal question1 or a comparison of people1 but of dispensational position4 ,if this be clearly seen1 it will1 we doubt not1 remove out of the way a great deal of the difficulty which many pious people seem to feel in reference to the truth of the ,church4 ,but above and beyond all this stands the question1 ,what does ,scripture teach on the subject8 ,if any one had spoken to ,abraham about being a member of the body of ,christ1 would he have understood it8 ,could that honored and beloved saint of ,god have had the most remote idea of being linked by an indwelling ,spirit to a living ,head in heaven8 ,utterly impossible4 ,how could he be a member of a body which had no existence8 ,and how could there be a body without a ,head8 ,and when do we first hear of the ,head8 ,when the ,man ,christ ,jesus1 having passed through death and the grave1 ascended into the heavens1 and took ,his seat at the right hand of the ,majesty on high4 ,then1 and not until then1 did the ,holy ,ghost come down to form the ,body1 and link it by ,his presence to the glorified ,head above4 ,this1 however1 is rather anticipating a line of argument which is yet to come before us4 ,let us here put another question to the reader4 ,if any one had spoken to ,moses about a body composed of ,jews and ,gentiles1--a body whose constituent parts had been drawn from among the seed of ,abraham and the cursed race of the ,canaanites1--what would he have said8 ,may we not safely assert that his whole moral being would have shrunk with horror from the thought8 ,what6 ,jews and ,canaanites--the seed of ,abraham and uncircumcised ,gentiles--united in one body8 ,impossible for the lawgiver to take in such an idea4 ,the fact is1 if there was one feature which more strongly than another marked the ,jewish economy1 it was the rigid separation by divine appointment of ,jew and ,gentile4 ,ye know1 says ,simon ,peter1 how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a ,jew to keep company1 or to come unto one of another nation4 ,such was the order of things under the ,mosaic economy4 ,it would have been a flagrant transgression on the part of a ,jew to climb over that middle wall of partition which separated him from all the nations around2 and hence the thought of a union between ,jew and ,gentile could not possibly have entered into any human mind2 and the more faithful a man was to the existing order of things under the law1 the more opposed he must have been to any such thought4 ,now1 in the face of all this1 how can any one seek to maintain that the truth of the ,church was known in ,old ,testament times1 and that there is no difference whatever between the position of a ,christian and that of an ,old ,testament believer8 ,the fact is that even ,simon ,peter himself found it extremely difficult to take in the idea of admitting the ,gentiles into the ,kingdom of ,heaven4 ,though he was entrusted with the keys of that kingdom1 he was very reluctant indeed to use them for the admission of the ,gentiles4 ,he had to be expressly taught by a heavenly vision1 ere he was prepared to fulfil the commission with which he was charged by his ,lord in ,matthew xvi4 ,no1 reader1 it is of no possible use to stand against the plain testimony of ,scripture4 ,the truth of the ,church was not--could not--be known in ,old ,testament times4 ,it was1 as the inspired apostle tells us1 hid in ,god--hid in ,his eternal counsels--not made known to the sons of men1 as it is now revealed unto ,his holy apostles and prophets by the ,spirit1#c that the ,gentiles should be fellow-heirs1 and of the same body1 and partakers of ,his promise in ,christ by the gospel4 7,eph4 iii47 #c ,the prophets1 in this passage1 are those of the ,new ,testament4 ,this is evident from the expression1 ,now revealed4 ,he could not speak of a thing being now revealed to men who had been dead for hundreds of years4 ,besides1 had the apostle meant ,old ,testament prophets1 the order would assuredly have been ,prophets and apostles4 ,we have a similar expression in ,eph4 ii4 #bj3 ,built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets4 ,he does not say1 prophets and apostles4 ,the truth is that the apostles and prophets formed the first layer of the foundation of the ,church of which ,jesus ,christ is the chief ,corner-stone2 and this is an additional proof that the ,church had no existence save in the secret counsels of ,god until our ,lord ,christ1 having accomplished the work of redemption1 ascended into the heavens1 and sent down the ,holy ,ghost to baptize believers--,jews and ,gentiles--into one body4 ,the reader may also refer with real profit and interest to ,rom4 xvi4 #be1 #bf3 ,now to ,him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel1 and the preaching of ,jesus ,christ1 according to the revelation of the mystery1 which was kept secret since the world began1 but now is made manifest1 and by the scriptures of the prophets 7literally1 by the prophetic writings1 that is1 of the ,new ,testament71 according to the commandment of the everlasting ,god1 made known to all nations for the obedience of faith4 ,we can only reach the great mystery of the ,church by walking over the broken-down middle wall of partition4 ,wherefore remember1 that ye being in time past ,gentiles in the flesh1 who are called ,uncircumcision by that which is called the ,circumcision in the flesh made by hands2 that at that time ye were without ,christ1 being aliens from the commonwealth of ,israel1 and strangers from the covenants of promise1 having no hope1 and without ,god in the world4 ,but now1 in ,christ ,jesus1 ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of ,christ4 ,for ,he is our peace1 who hath made both one1 and hath broken down the middle wall of partition1 having abolished in ,his flesh the enmity1 the law of commandments in ordinances1 for to make in ,himself of twain one new man1 making peace2 and that ,he might reconcile both unto ,god in one body by the cross1 having slain the enmity thereby2 and came and preached peace to you which were afar off1 and to them that were nigh4 ,for through ,him we both have access by one ,spirit unto the ,father4 7,eph4 ii4 #aa-ah47 ,thus1 from all that has passed before us1 the reader will1 we trust1 fully see why it is that our ,lord in ,his word to ,simon ,peter speaks of the ,church as a future thing4 ,upon this rock ,i will build my ,church4 ,he does not say1 ,i have been1 or1 ,i am1 building my ,church4 ,nothing of the kind4 ,it could not be4 ,it was still hid in ,god4 ,the ,messiah had to be cut off and have nothing--nothing1 for the present1 as regards ,israel and the earth4 ,he must be rejected1 crucified1 and slain1 in order to lay the foundation of the ,church4 ,it was utterly impossible that a single stone could be laid in this new1 this wondrous building until the chief ,corner-stone had passed through death and taken ,his place in the heavens4 ,it was not in incarnation1 but in resurrection1 that our ,lord ,christ became ,head of a body4 ,now our apostle was not in the least prepared for this4 ,he did not understand one jot or tittle of it4 ,that ,messiah should set up a kingdom in power and glory--that ,he should restore ,israel to their destined pre-eminence in the earth--all this he could understand and appreciate--he was looking for it4 ,but a suffering ,messiah--a rejected and crucified ,christ--of this he could not hear just then4 ,be it far from ,thee1 ,lord2 this shall not be unto ,thee4 ,these were the words which drew forth that withering rebuke with which we closed our last paper1 ,get thee behind ,me1 ,satan2 thou art an offence unto ,me2 for thou savorest not the things that be of ,god1 but those that be of men4 ,we may gather the gravity of his error from the severity of the rebuke4 ,peter had much to learn1 much to go through1 ere he could grasp the great truth which ,his ,lord was putting before him4 ,but he did grasp it1 by the grace of ,god1 and confess it1 and teach it with power4 ,he was led to see not only that ,christ was the ,son of the living ,god1 but that ,he was a rejected ,stone1 disallowed of men1 but chosen of ,god and precious2 and that all who through grace come to ,him must share ,his rejection on earth as well as ,his acceptance in heaven4 ,they are perfectly identified with ,him4 ,,part ,,vi4 ,at the close of ,john vi4 we have a very clear and beautiful confession of ,christ from the lips of our apostle--a confession rendered all the more touching and forcible by the circumstances under which it was delivered4 ,our blessed ,lord1 in ,his teachings in the synagogue at ,capernaum1 had unfolded truth which puts the poor human heart to the test1 and withers up all the pretensions of man in a very remarkable manner4 ,we cannot here attempt to enter upon the subject of our ,lord's discourse1 but the effect of it is thus recorded3--,from that time many of ,his disciples went back1 and walked no more with ,him4 ,they were not prepared for the reception of such heavenly doctrine4 ,they were offended by it1 and they turned their backs upon that blessed ,one who alone was worthy of all the affections of the heart1 and of the homage and devotion of the whole moral being4 ,they went back1 and walked no more with ,him4 ,now we are not told what became of these deserters1 or whether they were saved or not4 ,no such question is raised4 ,we are simply told that they abandoned ,christ1 and ceased to be any longer publicly identified with ,his name and ,his cause4 ,how many1 alas6 have since followed their sad example6 ,it is one thing to profess to be the disciples of ,christ1 and another thing altogether to stand with firm purpose of heart on the ground of public testimony for ,his name1 in thorough identification with a rejected ,lord4 ,it is one thing for people to flock to ,christ because of the benefits which ,he bestows1 and it is quite another to cleave to ,him in the face of the world's scorn and contempt4 ,the application of the doctrine of the cross very speedily thins the ranks of professors4 ,in the chapter before us we see at one moment multitudes thronging enthusiastically around the ,man who could so marvelously supply their need1 and the next moment abandoning ,him1 when ,his teaching offended their pride4 ,thus it has been1 thus it is1 and thus it will be until that day in the which the despised ,stranger of ,nazareth shall reign from pole to pole1 and from the river to the ends of the earth4 ,we are ready enough to avail ourselves of the benefits and blessings which a loving ,saviour can bestow upon us1 but when it becomes a question of following a rejected ,lord along that rough and lonely path which ,he has trodden for us in this sinful world1 we are disposed1 like those of old1 to go back1 and walk no more with ,him4 ,this is very sad and very humiliating4 ,it proves how little we know of ,his heart1 or of what that heart desires from us4 ,jesus longs for fellowship4 ,he does not want patronage4 ,it does not meet the desire of ,his heart to be followed1 or admired1 or gazed at1 because of what ,he can do or give4 ,he delights in a heart taught of ,god to appreciate ,his ,person1 for this glorifies and gratifies the ,father4 ,he retired from the gaze of an excited and tumultuous throng who would fain make ,him a king1 because they had eaten of the loaves and were filled2 but ,he could turn1 with touching earnestness1 to the little band of followers who still remained1 and challenge their hearts with the question1 ,will ye also go away8 ,how deeply affecting6 ,how it must have touched the hearts of all1 save that one who had no heart for aught but money--who was a thief and a devil6 ,alas6 alas6 a moment was approaching when all were to forsake ,him and fly--when ,he was to be left absolutely alone1 forsaken of men1 forsaken of ,god--utterly and awfully deserted4 ,but that moment was yet future2 and it is peculiarly refreshing to harken to the fine confession of our beloved apostle1 in reply to the deeply affecting inquiry of his ,lord4 ,then ,simon ,peter answered ,him1 ,lord1 to whom shall we go8 ,thou hast the words of eternal life4 ,and we believe and are sure that ,thou art that ,christ1 the ,son of the living ,god4 ,well indeed might he say1 ,to whom shall we go8 ,there was not another throughout the wide universe of ,god to whom the heart could turn4 ,he alone could meet their every need1 satisfy their every right desire1 fill up every chamber of the heart4 ,simon ,peter felt this1 and hence1 with all his mistakes1 his failures1 and his infirmities1 his loving and devoted heart turned with earnest affection to his beloved ,lord4 ,he would not abandon ,him1 though little able to rise to the height of ,his heavenly teaching4 ,there was a link binding him to ,jesus ,christ which nothing could snap4 ,lord1 to whom shall we go8--whither shall we betake ourselves8--on whom could we reckon beside8 ,true1 there may be trial and difficulty in the path of true discipleship4 ,it may prove a rough and a lonely path4 ,the heart may be tried and tested in every possible way4 ,there may be deep and varied sorrow--deep waters1 dark shadows2 but in the face of all we can say1 ,to whom shall we go8 ,and mark the singular fulness of ,peter's confession4 ,thou hast the words of eternal life2 and then1 ,thou art that ,christ1 the ,son of the living ,god4 ,we have the two things1 namely1 what ,he has1 and what ,he is4 ,blessed be ,his name1 ,christ has all we can possibly want for time and eternity4 ,words of eternal life flow from ,his lips into our hearts4 ,he causes those who follow ,him to inherit substance4 ,he bestows upon them durable riches and righteousness4 ,we may truly say that1 in comparison of what ,christ has to give1 all the riches1 honors1 dignities1 and pleasures of this world are but dross4 ,they all pass away as the vapors of the morning1 and leave only an aching void behind4 ,nothing that this world has to offer can possibly satisfy the cravings of the human soul4 ,all is vanity and vexation of spirit4 ,and not only so--it must be given up4 ,if one had all the wealth of ,solomon1 it lasts but a moment in comparison with that boundless eternity which lies before every one of us4 ,when death approaches1 all the riches of the universe could not purchase one moment's respite4 ,the last great enemy gives no quarter4 ,he ruthlessly snaps the link that connects man with all that his poor heart prizes and loves upon earth1 and hurries him away into eternity4 ,and what then8 ,yes1 this is the question4 ,who can answer it8 ,who can attempt to picture the future of a soul that passes into eternity without ,god1 without ,christ1 without hope8 ,who can describe the horrors of one who1 all in a moment1 opens his eyes to the fact--the tremendous fact--that he is lost1 lost forever--hopelessly1 eternally1 lost8 ,it is positively too dreadful to dwell upon it4 ,and yet it must be looked at2 and if the reader is still of the world1 still unconverted1 careless1 thoughtless1 unbelieving1 we would earnestly entreat of him now1 just now1 to give his earnest attention to the weighty and all-important question of his soul's salvation--a question1 in comparison with which all other questions dwindle into utter insignificance4 ,what shall it profit a man1 if he should gain the whole world1 and lose his own soul8 or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul8 ,it is1 beyond all question1 the most egregious folly that any one can be guilty of to put off the grand business of his soul's salvation4 ,and if any one inquire what he has to do in this business1 the answer is ,nothing--nothing1 either great or small4 ,jesus has the words of eternal life4 ,he it is who says1 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 he that heareth ,my word1 and believeth on ,him that sent ,me1 hath everlasting life1 and shall not come into judgment1 but is passed from death unto life4 ,here is the hinge on which the whole matter moves4 ,harken to the words of ,christ4 ,believe in ,him that sent ,his blessed ,son4 ,put your trust in ,god1 and you shall be saved2 you shall have eternal life1 and never come into judgment4 ,nor is this all4 ,simon ,peter1 in his lovely confession1 does not confine himself to what ,christ has to give1 precious and blessed as that is1 but he also speaks of what ,he is4 ,thou art that ,christ1 the ,son of the living ,god4 ,this is full of deepest interest for the heart4 ,christ not only gives us eternal life1 but ,he also becomes the object of our heart's affections--our satisfying portion1 our unfailing resource1 our infallible ,guide and ,counselor1 our constant reference1 in all our need1 in all our pressure1 in all our sorrows and difficulties4 ,we need never go to any one else for succor1 sympathy1 or guidance4 ,we have all we want in ,him4 ,he is the eternal delight of the heart of ,god1 and ,he may well be the delight of our hearts here and hereafter1 now and forever4 ,,part ,,vii4 ,the close of ,matt4 xiv4 presents a scene in the life of our apostle on which we may dwell with profit for a few moments4 ,it furnishes a very fine illustration of his own touching inquiry1 ,lord1 to whom shall we go8 ,our ,lord having fed the multitude1 and sent ,his disciples across the sea1 retired into a mountain1 to be alone in prayer4 ,in this we have a striking foreshadowing of the present time4 ,jesus has gone on high4 ,israel is for the present set aside1 but not forgotten4 ,days of trouble will come--rough seas and stormy skies will fall to the lot of the remnant2 but their ,messiah will return1 and deliver them out of all their troubles4 ,he will bring them to their desired haven1 and all will be peace and joy for the ,israel of ,god4 ,all this is fully unfolded on the page of prophecy1 and is of the deepest interest to every lover of ,god and ,his word2 but for the present we can merely dwell upon the inspired record concerning ,simon ,peter1 and seek to learn the lesson which that record so forcibly teaches4 ,and straightway ,jesus constrained ,his disciples to get into a ship1 and to go before ,him unto the other side1 while ,he sent the multitudes away4 ,and when ,he had sent the multitudes away1 ,he went up into a mountain apart to pray2 and when the evening was come1 ,he was there alone4 ,but the ship was now in the midst of the sea1 tossed with waves1 for the wind was contrary4 ,and in the fourth watch of the night ,jesus went unto them1 walking on the sea4 ,and when the disciples saw ,him walking on the sea1 they were troubled1 saying1 ,it is a spirit2 and they cried out for fear4 ,but straightway ,jesus spake unto them1 saying1 ,be of good cheer2 it is ,i2 be not afraid4 ,and ,peter answered ,him1 and said1 ,lord1 if it be ,thou1 bid me come unto ,thee on the water4 ,and ,he said1 ,come4 ,and when ,peter was come down out of the ship1 he walked on the water to go to ,jesus4 ,but when he saw the wind boisterous1 he was afraid2 and beginning to sink1 he cried1 saying1 ,lord1 save me4 ,and immediately ,jesus stretched forth ,his hand1 and caught him1 and said unto him1 ,o thou of little faith1 wherefore didst thou doubt8 ,this brief passage presents to our view in a very forcible way some of the leading features of ,simon ,peter's character4 ,his zeal1 his energy1 his real devotedness of heart1 no one can for a moment call in question2 but these very qualities--beautiful as they surely are--led him not unfrequently into a position of such prominence as to render his weak points all the more conspicuous4 ,a man of less zeal1 less energy1 would have remained on board the ship1 and thus avoided ,peter's failure and breakdown4 ,perhaps1 too1 men of cooler temperament would condemn as unwarrantable rashness ,peter's act in leaving the ship1 or pronounce it a piece of forwardness which justly deserved a humiliating rebuff4 ,all this may be so2 but we are free to confess that the zeal1 energy and devotedness of this beloved servant of ,christ have far more powerful charms for the heart than the cool1 calculating1 self-considering spirit which1 in order to avoid the shame and humiliation of a defeat1 refuses to take a bold and decided step for ,christ4 ,true it is that ,peter in the interesting scene now before us completely broke down4 ,but why did he8 ,was it because he left the ship8 ,no2 but because he ceased to look in simple faith to ,jesus4 ,here lay the root of his failure4 ,had he only kept his eye on the ,master1 he could have walked on the water though ever so rough4 ,faith can walk on rough water as easily as on smooth4 ,nature cannot walk on either4 ,it is not a question of the state of the water1 but the state of the heart4 ,circumstances have nothing to do with faith1 except1 indeed1 that when difficult and trying1 they develop its power and brightness4 ,there was no reason whatever1 in the judgment of faith1 why ,peter should have failed in his walk on the water4 ,faith looks not at the things that are seen and temporal1 but at the things which are unseen and eternal4 ,it endures as seeing ,him who is invisible4 ,faith is the evidence of things not seen4 ,it lifts the heart above the winds and waves of this rough world1 and keeps it in perfect peace1 to the praise of ,him who is the ,giver of faith1 as of every good and perfect gift4 ,but our beloved apostle utterly failed in faith on the occasion now before us4 ,he1 as we1 alas6 so often do1 took his eye off the ,lord and fixed it on his surroundings1 and as a consequence he immediately began to sink4 ,it must ever be so4 ,we cannot get on for a single moment save as we have the living ,god as a covering for our eyes4 ,the grand motto for the life of faith is1 ,looking off unto ,jesus4 ,it is this alone which enables us to run the race set before us1 be the way rough or smooth4 ,when ,peter came down out of the ship1 it was either ,christ or drowning4 ,he might well say at such a moment1 ,lord1 to whom shall ,i go8 ,whither could he turn8 ,when on board the ship1 he had its timbers between him and death1 but when on the water he had nothing but ,jesus4 ,and was not ,he enough8 ,yes1 verily1 if only ,peter could have trusted ,him4 ,this is the point4 ,all things are possible to him that believeth4 ,storms are hushed into a perfect calm1 rough seas become like glass1 lofty mountains are leveled1 when faith brings the power of ,god to bear4 ,the greater the difficulties1 the brighter the triumphs of faith4 ,it is in the furnace that the real preciousness of faith is displayed4 ,faith has to do with ,god1 and not with men or things4 ,if we cease to lean on ,god1 we have nothing but a wild1 watery waste--a perfect chaos--around us1 where nature's resources must hopelessly fail4 ,all this was proved by ,simon ,peter when he came down out of the ship to walk on the water2 and every child of ,god and every servant of ,christ must prove it in his measure1 for ,peter's history is full of great practical lessons for us all4 ,if we want to walk above the circumstances of the scene through which we are passing--if we would rise superior to its influences--if we would be able to give an answer1 clear1 distinct1 and decided1 to the skepticism1 the rationalism and the infidelity of the day in which we live--then1 assuredly1 we must keep the eye of faith firmly fixed on the ,author and ,perfecter of faith4 ,it is not by logical skill or intellectual power we shall ever meet the arguments of the infidel1 but by an abiding sense1 a living and soul-satisfying apprehension1 of the all-sufficiency of ,christ--,himself--,his work--,his word--to meet our every need1 our every exigence4 ,but it may be the reader feels disposed to condemn ,peter for leaving the ship4 ,he may think there was no need for his taking such a step4 ,why not abide with his brethren on board the vessel8 ,was it not possible to be quite as devoted to ,christ in the ship as on the water8 ,and1 further1 did not the sequel prove that it would have been far better1 and safer1 and wiser1 for ,peter to remain where he was1 than to venture forth on a course which he was not able to pursue8 ,to all this we reply that our apostle was evidently governed by an earnest desire to be nearer to his ,lord4 ,and this was right4 ,he saw ,jesus walking on the water1 and he longed to be with ,him4 ,and1 further1 he had the direct authority of his ,lord for leaving the ship4 ,we fully and freely grant that without this it would have been a fatal mistake to leave his position2 but the moment that word ,come fell on his ear he had a divine warrant for going forth upon the water--yea1 to have remained would have been to miss great blessing4 ,thus it is in every case4 ,we must have authority before we can act in anything4 ,without this1 the greater our zeal1 energy1 and apparent devotedness1 the more fatal will be our mistake1 and the more mischief we shall do to ourselves1 to others1 and to the cause of ,christ4 ,it is of the very last possible importance in every case1 but especially where there is a measure of zeal1 earnestness1 and energy1 that there should be sober subjection to the authority of the ,word4 ,if there be not this1 there is no calculating the amount of mischief which may be done4 ,if our devotedness flow not in the channel of simple obedience1 if it rush over the embankments formed by the word of ,god1 the consequences must be most disastrous4 ,but there is another thing which stands next in importance to the authority of the divine ,word1 and that is the abiding realization of the divine presence4 ,these two things must never be separated if we want to walk on the water4 ,we may be quite clear and settled in our own minds1 having distinct authority for any given line of action2 but if we have not with equal distinctness the sense of the ,lord's presence with us--if our eyes are not continually on the living ,god--we shall most assuredly break down4 ,this is very serious1 and demands the gravest consideration of the ,christian reader4 ,it was precisely here that ,peter failed4 ,he did not fail in obedience1 but in realized dependence4 ,he acted on the word of ,jesus in leaving the ship1 but he failed to lean on the arm of ,jesus in walking on the water2 hence his terror and confusion4 ,mere authority is not enough2 we want power4 ,to act without authority is wrong4 ,to act without power is impossible4 ,the authority for starting is the word4 ,the power to proceed is the divine presence4 ,the combination of the two must ever yield a successful career4 ,it matters not in the smallest degree what the difficulties are if we have the stable authority of ,holy ,scripture for our course1 and the blessed support of the presence of ,god in pursuing it4 ,when ,god speaks1 we must obey2 but in order to do so1 we must lean on ,his arm4 ,have not ,i commanded you8 ,lo1 ,i am with you4 ,here are the two things so absolutely essential to every child of ,god and every servant of ,christ4 ,without these1 we can do nothing2 with them1 we can do all things4 ,if we have not a ,thus saith the ,lord1 or ,it is written1 we cannot enter upon a path of devotedness2 and if we have not ,his realized presence1 we cannot pursue it4 ,it is quite possible to be right in setting out1 and yet to fail in going on4 ,it was so in the case of ,simon ,peter1 and it has been so in the case of thousands since4 ,it is one thing to make a good start1 and another thing to make good progress4 ,it is one thing to leave the ship1 and another thing to walk on the water4 ,peter did the former1 but he failed in the latter4 ,this beloved servant of ,christ broke down in his course2 but where did he find himself8 ,in the arms of a loving ,saviour4 ,lord1 save me6 ,how touching6 ,how deeply affecting6 ,he casts himself upon a well-known love--a love which was yet to meet him in far more humiliating circumstances4 ,nor was he disappointed4 ,ah1 no6 ,blessed be ,god1 no poor failing creature can ever appeal to that love in vain4 ,and immediately ,jesus stretched forth ,his hand1 and caught him1 and said unto him1 ,o thou of little faith1 wherefore didst thou doubt8 ,exquisite grace6 ,if ,peter failed to reach his ,lord1 his ,lord did not fail to reach him4 ,if ,peter failed in faith1 ,jesus could not fail in grace4 ,impossible4 ,the grace of our ,lord ,jesus is exceeding abundant4 ,he takes occasion from our very failures to display ,his rich and precious love4 ,oh1 how blessed to have to do with such a tender1 patient1 loving ,lord6 ,who would not trust ,him and praise ,him1 love ,him and serve ,him8 ,,part ,,viii4 ,we have now to follow our beloved apostle into the darkest and most humbling scene in his entire history--a scene which we could hardly understand or account for if we did not know something of the infinite depths of divine grace on the one hand1 and1 on the other hand1 of the terrible depths into which even a saint of ,god or an apostle of ,christ is capable of plunging if not kept by divine power4 ,it seems very wonderful to find on the page of inspiration the record of the fall of such an eminent servant of ,christ as ,simon ,peter4 ,we1 in our wisdom1 would judge it best to draw the curtain of silence over such an event4 ,not so the ,holy ,ghost4 ,he has seen fit to tell us plainly of the errors1 and failures1 and sins1 of such men as ,abraham1 ,moses1 ,david1 ,peter1 and ,paul1 in order that we may learn holy lessons from such records--lessons of human frailty1 lessons of divine grace1 lessons full of solemn warning1 and yet of most precious consolation and encouragement4 ,we learn what we are1 and we learn what ,god is4 ,we learn that we cannot trust ourselves for a single moment2 for1 if not kept by grace1 there is no depth of sin into which we are not capable of falling2 but we learn to trust the eternal stability of that grace which has dealt with the erring ones and sinning ones of other days1 and to lean with ever-growing confidence on the ,one who is the same yesterday1 to-day1 and for ever4 ,not one of the four evangelists omits the fall of ,peter4 ,let us open at ,matt4 xxvi42 ,and when they had sung a hymn they went out into the mount of ,olives4 ,then saith ,jesus unto them1 ,all ye shall be offended because of ,me this night2 for it is written1 ,i will smite the ,shepherd1 and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad4 ,but after ,i am risen again ,i will go before you into ,galilee4 ,peter answered and said unto ,him1 ,though all shall be offended because of ,thee1 yet will ,i never be offended4 ,in these few words ,peter lets out the real root of the whole matter4 ,that root was self-confidence--alas6 alas6 no uncommon root amongst us4 ,we do not in the least question ,peter's sincerity4 ,we feel perfectly sure he meant all he said2 and1 further1 that he had not the most remote idea of what he was about to do4 ,he was ignorant of himself1 and we generally find that ignorance and self-confidence go together4 ,self-knowledge destroys self-confidence4 ,the more fully self is known1 the more it must be distrusted4 ,if ,peter had known himself1 known his tendencies and capabilities1 he never would have uttered the words which we have just penned4 ,but so full was he of self-confidence1 that when his ,lord told him expressly what ,he was about to do1 he replied1 ,though ,i should die with ,thee1 yet will ,i not deny ,thee4 ,this is peculiarly solemn4 ,it is full of instruction for us all4 ,we are all so ignorant of our own hearts that we deem ourselves incapable of falling into certain gross sins4 ,but we should1 every one of us1 bear in mind that if not kept each moment by the grace of ,god1 we are capable of anything4 ,we have materials in us for any amount or character of evil2 and whenever we hear any one saying1 ,well1 ,i certainly am a poor1 failing1 stumbling creature1 but ,i am not capable of doing the like of that1 we may feel assured he does not know his own heart2 and not only so1 but he is in imminent danger of falling into some grievous sin4 ,it is well to walk humbly before our ,god1 distrusting self1 and leaning on ,him4 ,this is the true secret of moral safety at all times4 ,had ,peter realized this1 it would have saved him his terrible downfall4 ,but ,peter was self-confident1 and1 as a consequence1 he failed to watch and pray4 ,this was another stage in his downward journey4 ,had he only felt his utter weakness1 he would have sought for strength divine4 ,he would have cast himself on ,god for grace to help in time of need4 ,look at the blessed ,master6 ,he1 though ,god over all1 blessed forever1 yet being a ,man1 having taken the place of the creature1 and fully entering into ,his position1 was agonizing in prayer while ,peter was fast asleep4 ,yes1 ,peter slept in the garden of ,gethsemane while his ,lord was passing through the deepest anguish ,he had yet tasted1 though deeper still lay before ,him4 ,then cometh ,jesus with them unto a place called ,gethsemane1 and saith unto the disciples1 ,sit ye here1 while ,i go and pray yonder4 ,and ,he took with ,him ,peter and the sons of ,zebedee1 and began to be sorrowful and very heavy4 ,then saith ,he unto them1 ,my soul is exceeding sorrowful1 even unto death2 tarry ye here1 and watch with ,me4 ,and ,he went a little further1 and fell on ,his face1 and prayed1 saying1 ,o ,my ,father1 if it be possible1 let this cup pass from ,me3 nevertheless1 not as ,i will1 but as ,thou wilt4 ,and ,he cometh unto the disciples1 and findeth them asleep1 and saith unto ,peter1 ,what6 could ye not watch with ,me one hour8 ,watch and pray1 that ye enter not into temptation3 the spirit indeed is willing1 but the flesh is weak4 ,what tender grace6 ,what readiness to make allowance6 ,what moral elevation6 ,and yet ,he felt the sad want of sympathy1 the cold indifference to ,his sore agony4 ,i looked for some to take pity1 but there was none2 and for comforters1 but ,i found none4 ,how much is involved in these words6 ,he looked for comforters4 ,that perfect human heart craved sympathy2 but1 alas6 there was none for ,him4 ,even ,peter1 who declared himself ready to die with ,him1 fell asleep in view of the agonies of ,gethsemane4 ,such is man--yea1 the very best of men6 ,self-confident1 when he ought to be self-distrusting--sleeping1 when he ought to be watching2 and1 we may add1 fighting1 when he ought to be submitting4 ,then ,simon ,peter1 having a sword1 drew it1 and smote the high priest's servant1 and cut off his right ear4 ,the servant's name was ,malchus4 ,how incongruous1 how utterly out of place1 was a sword in company with the meek and lowly ,sufferer6 ,then said ,jesus unto ,peter1 ,put up thy sword into the sheath3 the cup which ,my ,father hath given ,me1 shall ,i not drink it8 ,peter was entirely out of the current of his ,master's spirit4 ,he had not a thought in common with ,him in reference to ,his path of suffering4 ,he would fain defend ,him with carnal weapons1 forgetting that ,his kingdom was not of this world4 ,all this is peculiarly solemn4 ,to find a dear and honored servant of ,christ failing so grievously is surely sufficient to teach us to walk very softly4 ,but1 alas6 we have not yet reached the lowest point in ,peter's downward course4 ,having used his sword in defence of his ,master1 we next find him following afar off4 ,then took they ,jesus1 and led ,him1 and brought ,him to the high priest's house4 ,and ,peter followed afar off4 ,and when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall1 and were set down together1 ,peter sat down among them4 ,what company for an apostle of ,christ6 ,can a man touch pitch1 and not be defiled by it8 ,can one walk on burning coals1 and his feet not be burned8 ,it is terribly dangerous for the ,christian to sit down among the enemies of ,christ4 ,the very fact of his doing so proves that decline has set in1 and made serious progress4 ,in ,peter's case the stages of decline are strongly marked4 ,first1 boasting in his own strength2 secondly1 sleeping when he ought to have been praying2 thirdly1 drawing his sword when he ought to have been meekly bowing his head2 fourthly1 following afar off2 fifthly1 making himself comfortable in the midst of the open enemies of ,christ4 ,then comes the last sad scene in this terrible drama4 ,and as ,peter was beneath in the palace1 there cometh one of the maids of the high priest2 and when she saw ,peter warming himself1 she looked upon him1 and said1 ,and thou also wast with ,jesus of ,nazareth4 ,but he denied1 saying1 ,i know not1 neither understand ,i1 what thou sayest4 ,and he went out into the porch2 and the cock crew4 ,and a maid saw him again1 and began to say to them that stood by1 ,this is one of them4 ,and he denied it again4 ,and a little after1 they that stood by said again to ,peter1 ,surely thou art one of them1 for thou art a ,galilean1 and thy speech agreeth thereto4 ,but he began to curse and to swear1 ,i know not this man of whom ye speak4 ,and the second time the cock crew4 ,and ,peter called to mind the word that ,jesus said unto him1 ,before the cock crow twice thou shalt deny ,me thrice4 ,and when he thought thereon1 he wept4 7,mark xiv4 #ff-gb47 ,luke adds a most touching clause3 ,and the ,lord turned and looked upon ,peter4 ,and ,peter remembered the word of the ,lord1 how he had said unto him1 ,before the cock crow1 thou shalt deny ,me thrice4 ,and ,peter went out1 and wept bitterly4 ,how deeply affecting is all this6 ,only think of a saint of ,god1 and an apostle of ,christ1 cursing and swearing that he did not know his ,lord6 ,does the reader feel disposed to question the fact that ,peter was1 spite of all this1 a genuine saint of ,god8 ,some do question it1 but their questioning is a gross mistake4 ,they find it hard to conceive such a thing as a true child of ,god falling so terribly4 ,it is because they have not yet thoroughly learnt what flesh is4 ,peter was as really a saint of ,god in the palace of the high priest as he was on the mount of transfiguration4 ,but he had to learn himself1 and that1 too1 by as humiliating and painful a process as any soul could well be called to pass through4 ,doubtless1 if any one had told ,peter1 a few days before1 that he would ere long curse and swear that he did not know his ,lord1 he would have shrunk with horror from the thought4 ,he might have said1 like one of old1 ,is thy servant a dog that he should do this thing8 ,yet so it was4 ,we know not what we may do until we are in the circumstances4 ,the great thing for us all is to walk humbly with our ,god day by day1 deeply sensible of our own utter weakness1 and clinging to ,him who is able to keep us from falling4 ,we are safe only in the shelter of ,his presence4 ,left to ourselves1 we are capable of anything1 as our apostle found to his deep sorrow4 ,but the ,lord was watching over ,his poor erring servant4 ,he never lost sight of him for a single moment1 ,he had ,his eye upon the whole process4 ,the devil would have smashed the vessel in hopeless fragments if he could4 ,but he could not4 ,he was but an instrument in the divine hand to do a work for ,peter which ,peter had failed to do for himself4 ,simon1 ,simon1 behold ,satan hath desired to have you1 that he may sift you as wheat2 but ,i have prayed for thee1 that thy faith fail not2 and when thou art converted 7or restored71 strengthen thy brethren4 ,here we are permitted to see the root of the matter4 ,peter needed to be sifted1 and ,satan was employed to do the work--just as in the case of ,job1 and the man in #a ,cor4 v4 ,it seems very wonderful1 very mysterious1 very solemn1 that ,satan should be so used4 ,yet so it is4 ,god uses him for the destruction of the flesh4 ,he cannot touch the spirit4 ,that is eternally safe4 ,but it is terrible work to get into ,satan's sieve4 ,peter found it so1 and so did ,job1 and so did that erring ,corinthian4 ,but oh1 the grace of those words6 ,i have prayed for thee--not that he might not fall1 but1 having fallen1 that his faith might not fail1 his confidence might not give way4 ,nothing can surpass the grace that shines out here4 ,the blessed ,one knew all that was to happen--the shameful denial--the cursing and swearing2 and yet1 ,i have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not--that thy confidence in the eternal stability of my grace may not give way4 ,perfectly marvelous6 ,and then1 the power of that look6 ,the ,lord turned1 and looked upon ,peter4 ,it was this that broke ,peter's heart1 and drew forth a flood of bitter1 penitential tears4 ,,part ,,ix4 ,we are now called to consider the intensely interesting subject of ,simon ,peter's restoration1 in which we shall find some points of the utmost practical importance4 ,if in his fall we learn the frailty and folly of man1 in his restoration we learn the grace1 wisdom1 and faithfulness of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,the fall was1 indeed1 deep1 terrible1 and humiliating4 ,the restoration was complete and marvelous4 ,we may rest assured that ,simon ,peter will never forget either the one or the other2 nay1 he will remember them with wonder1 love1 and praise1 throughout the countless ages of eternity4 ,the grace that shines in ,peter's restoration is the same which is displayed in his conversion4 ,let us glance at some of the salient points4 ,it can be but the merest glance1 as our space is limited4 ,and first let us look at ,,the ,,procuring ,,cause4 ,this we have given us with peculiar force by the pen of the inspired evangelist ,luke4 ,and the ,lord said1 ,simon1 ,simon1 behold ,satan hath desired to have thee1 that he may sift thee as wheat4 ,if ,satan had been suffered to have his way1 poor ,simon would have been hopelessly ruined4 ,but no2 he was merely employed as an instrument1 as he had been in ,job's case1 to do a needed work1 and1 when that work was done1 he had to retire4 ,he dare not go one hair's breadth beyond his appointed sphere4 ,it is well to remember this4 ,satan is but a creature--crafty1 wily1 powerful1 no doubt1 but a creature who can only go as far as he is permitted by ,god4 ,had ,peter walked softly1 had he humbly and earnestly looked for divine help1 had he been judging himself in secret1 there would have been no need of ,satan's sifting4 ,thanks be to ,god1 ,satan has no power whatever with a soul that walks humbly with ,god4 ,there is perfect shelter1 perfect safety1 in the divine presence2 and there is not an arrow in the enemy's quiver that can reach one who leans in simple confidence upon the arm of the living ,god4 ,here our apostle failed1 and hence he had to pass through a very severe process indeed1 in order that he might learn himself4 ,but1 oh1 the power and preciousness of those words1 ,i have prayed for thee6 ,here assuredly lay the secret--here was the procuring cause of ,simon's restoration4 ,the prayer of ,jesus sustained the soul of ,his erring servant in that terrible hour when the enemy would fain have crushed him to powder4 ,what could ,satan do in opposition to the all-powerful intercession of ,christ8 ,nothing4 ,that wonderful prayer was the ground of ,peter's safety1 when1 to human view1 all seemed hopelessly gone4 ,and for what did our ,lord pray8 ,was it that ,peter might not commit the awful sin of denying ,him8 ,was it that he might not curse and swear8 ,clearly not4 ,what then8 ,i have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not4 ,can aught exceed the grace that shines here8 ,that gracious1 loving1 faithful ,lord1 in view of ,peter's terrible sin--knowing all he was about to do1 all the sad forgetfulness--could actually plead for him that1 spite of all1 his confidence might not give way--that he might not lose the sense of the eternal stability of that grace which had taken him up from the depth of his ruin and guilt4 ,matchless grace6 ,nothing can surpass it in brightness and blessedness4 ,had it not been for this prayer1 ,peter's confidence must have given way4 ,he never could have survived the awful struggle through which his soul passed when thinking of his dreadful sin4 ,when he came to himself1 when he reflected upon the whole scene1 his expressions of devotedness1 ,though all should deny ,thee1 yet will ,i never deny ,thee--,though ,i should die with ,thee1 yet will ,i not deny ,thee--,i am ready to go with ,thee to prison and to death--to think of all these words1 and yet that he should deny his beloved ,lord with cursing and swearing1 was overpowering4 ,it is a dreadful moment in the soul's history when one wakes up to the consciousness of having committed sin--sin against light1 knowledge1 and privilege--sin against divine grace and goodness4 ,satan is sure to be specially busy at such a crisis4 ,he casts in the most terrible suggestions--raises all manner of questions--fills the heart with legal reasonings1 doubts1 and fears--causes the soul to totter on the foundation4 ,but1 thanks and praise to our ,god1 the enemy cannot prevail4 ,hitherto shalt thou come1 and no further4 ,the all-prevailing intercession of our divine ,advocate sustains the faith so sorely tried1 carries the soul through the deep and dark waters1 restores the broken link of communion1 heals the spiritual wounds1 lifts up the fallen one1 brings back the wanderer1 and fills the heart with praise and thanksgiving4 ,i have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not2 and when thou art restored1 strengthen thy brethren4 ,here we have set before us in the most touching way the procuring cause of ,simon ,peter's restoration4 ,we shall now look for a moment at ,,the ,,producing ,,means4 ,for this1 too1 we are indebted to the evangelist ,luke4 ,indeed it is through him the inspiring ,spirit has given us so much of what is exquisitely human--so much of what goes straight to our very hearts1 in subduing power--so much of ,god coming out in loveliest human form4 ,we have already noticed ,peter's gradual descent--his sad progress1 from one stage to another1 in moral distance and culpable decline--forgetting to watch and pray--following afar off--warming himself at the enemy's fire--the cowardly denial--the cursing and swearing4 ,all this was down6 down6 down6 shamefully and awfully down4 ,but when the erring1 straying1 sinning one had reached the very lowest point1 then comes out1 with heavenly lustre1 the grace that shines in the procuring cause and the producing means of his restoration4 ,the former we have in ,christ's prayer2 the latter in ,christ's look4 ,the ,lord turned1 and looked upon ,peter4 ,and ,peter remembered the word of the ,lord1 how ,he had said unto him1 ,before the cock crow1 thou shalt deny ,me thrice4 ,and ,peter went out1 and wept bitterly4 ,yes1 here it is2 ,the ,lord looked--,peter remembered--,peter wept--wept bitterly4 ,what a look6 ,what a remembrance6 ,what a weeping6 ,what human heart can conceive1 what tongue express1 what pen portray1 all that is wrapped up in that one look8 ,we can well believe that it went right home to the very centre of ,peter's soul4 ,he will never forget that marvelous look1 so full of mighty moral power--so penetrating--so melting--so soul-subduing4 ,peter went out1 and wept bitterly4 ,this was the turning point4 ,up to this all was darkly downward4 ,here divine light breaks in upon the deep moral gloom4 ,christ's most precious prayer is having its answer1 ,his powerful look is doing its work4 ,the fountain of the heart is broken up1 and penitential tears flow copiously forth1 demonstrating the depth1 reality1 and intensity of the work within4 ,thus it must ever be1 and thus it will ever be when the ,spirit of ,god works in the soul4 ,if we have sinned1 we must be made to feel1 to judge1 and to confess our sin--to feel it deeply1 judge it thoroughly1 and confess it fully4 ,it will not do merely to say1 in levity1 flippancy1 or mere formality1 ,i have sinned4 ,there must be reality1 uprightness1 and sincerity4 ,god desires truth in the inward parts4 ,there was nothing light1 flippant1 or formal about our beloved apostle in the hour of his fall and repentance4 ,no1 all was intensely real4 ,it could not but be so with such a procuring cause1 and such a producing means4 ,the prayer and look of ,peter's ,lord displayed their precious results in ,peter's restoration4 ,now the reader will do well to notice that the prayer and look of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ set forth1 in a very striking and beautiful manner1 the two grand aspects of ,christ's present ministry as our ,advocate with the ,father4 ,we have the value and prevalency of ,his intercession1 and the power and efficacy of ,his word in the hands of the ,holy ,ghost1 that other ,advocate4 ,christ's prayer for ,peter answers to ,his intercession for us4 ,his look upon ,peter answers to ,his word brought home to us in the power of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,when we sin--as1 alas6 we do in thought and deed--our blessed and adorable ,advocate speaks to ,god on our behalf4 ,this is the procuring cause of our repentance and restoration4 ,but ,he speaks to us on ,god's behalf4 ,this is the producing means4 ,we shall not dwell upon the great subject of the advocacy here1 having recently sought to unfold it in our papers on ,the ,all-sufficiency of ,christ4 ,we shall close this paper with a brief reference to two or three of the moral features of ,peter's restoration--features which1 be it well remembered1 must be looked for in every case of true restoration4 ,in the first place there is ,,the ,,state ,,of ,,the ,,conscience4 ,now1 as to the full and complete restoration of ,peter's conscience after his terrible fall1 we have the most unquestionable evidence afforded in his after history4 ,take the touching scene at the sea of ,tiberias1 as given in ,john xxi4#d ,look at that dear1 earnest1 thorough man1 girding his fisher's coat around him1 and plunging into the sea1 in order to get to the feet of his risen ,lord6 ,he waits neither for the ship nor for his companions1 but in all the lovely freshness and liberty of a divinely restored conscience1 he rushes to his ,saviour's feet4 ,there is no tormenting fear1 no legal bondage1 no doubt1 darkness1 or distance4 ,his conscience is perfectly at rest4 ,the prayer and the look--the two grand departments of the work of advocacy--had proved effectual4 ,peter's conscience was all right1 sound1 and good2 and hence he could find his home in the presence of his ,lord--his holy1 happy home4 #d ,we have no record of ,peter's first meeting with his ,lord1 after the resurrection4 ,take another striking and beautiful evidence of a restored conscience4 ,look at ,peter in ,acts iii4 ,there he stands in the presence of assembled thousands of ,jews1 and boldly charges them with having denied the ,holy ,one and the ,just--the very thing which he himself had done though under circumstances very different4 ,how could ,peter do this8 ,how could he have the face to speak so8 ,why not leave it to ,james or ,john to prefer this heavy charge8 ,the answer is blessedly simple4 ,peter's conscience was so thoroughly restored1 so perfectly at rest1 because perfectly purged1 that he could fearlessly charge the house of ,israel with the awful sin of denying the ,holy ,one of ,god4 ,was this the fruit of moral insensibility8 ,nay1 it was the fruit of divine restoration4 ,had any one of the congregation gathered in ,solomon's porch undertaken to challenge our apostle as to his own shameful denial of his ,lord1 we can easily conceive his answer4 ,the man who had wept bitterly over his sin would1 we feel assured1 know how to answer such a challenge4 ,not that his bitter weeping was the meritorious ground of his restoration2 nothing of the kind1 it only proved the reality of the work of repentance in his soul4 ,moral insensibility is one thing1 and a restored conscience1 resting on the blood and advocacy of ,christ1 is quite another4 ,but there is another thing involved in a true work of restoration1 and that is ,,the ,,state ,,of ,,the ,,heart4 ,this is of the very utmost importance in every instance4 ,no restoration can be considered divinely complete which does not reach the very depths of the heart4 ,and hence1 when we turn back to the scenes on the shore of the sea of ,tiberias1 we find the ,lord dealing very closely and very powerfully with the state of ,peter's heart4 ,we cannot attempt to expatiate1 much as we should like to do so1 on one of the most affecting interviews in the entire volume of ,god4 ,we can do little more than quote the inspired record1 but that is quite enough4 ,it is deeply interesting to notice that there is no allusion--not the most remote--to past scenes1 during that wonderful dinner1 provided1 cooked1 and dispensed by the risen ,lord6 ,but when they had dined1 ,jesus saith to ,simon ,peter1 ,simon1 son of ,jonas1 lovest thou ,me more than these8 ,here ,simon is recalled by the words of his faithful ,lord to his self-confident profession4 ,he had said1 ,though all shall be offended1 yet will not ,i4 ,then the searching question1 three times repeated1 evidently calls back the threefold denial4 ,peter's heart is touched--the moral root of the whole matter is reached4 ,this was absolutely necessary in ,peter's case1 and it is absolutely necessary in every case4 ,the work of restoration can never be thorough unless the roots of things are reached and judged4 ,mere surface work will never do4 ,it is of no use to crop the sprouts2 we must get down to the depths1 the hidden springs1 the moral sources1 and judge them in the very light of the divine presence4 ,this is the true secret of all genuine restoration4 ,let us ponder it deeply4 ,we may rest assured it demands our most solemn consideration4 ,we are all too apt to rest satisfied with cropping off the sprouts that appear above the surface of our practical daily life1 without getting at the roots2 and the sad consequence is that the sprouts quickly appear again1 to our sorrow and shame1 and the dishonor of our ,lord's name4 ,the work of self-judgment must be more profound if we would really make progress4 ,we are terribly shallow1 light1 and flippant4 ,we greatly lack depth1 seriousness1 and moral gravity4 ,we want more of that heart-work which was wrought in ,simon the son of ,jonas on the shore of the sea of ,tiberias4 ,peter was grieved because ,he said unto him the third time1 ,lovest thou ,me8 ,the knife of the divine ,operator had reached the root of the moral disease1 and that was enough4 ,it was needful1 but it was enough2 and the grieved and self-judged ,simon ,peter has only to fall back upon the great fact that his ,lord knew all things4 ,lord1 ,thou knowest all things1 ,thou knowest that ,i love ,thee4 ,it is as though he had said1 ,lord1 it demands the eye of ,omniscience itself to discern in the heart of the poor erring one a single spark of affection for ,thee4 ,reader1 this truly is real work4 ,we have before us a thoroughly restored soul--restored in conscience1 restored in heart4 ,and if it be asked1 ,what remains8 the answer is1 ,we see a servant ,,restored ,,to ,,his ,,work4 ,some would tell us that if a man falls1 he can never recover his position2 and no doubt1 under government1 we must reap as we sow4 ,but grace is another thing altogether4 ,government drove ,adam out of ,eden1 and never replaced him there1 but grace announced the victorious ,seed of the woman4 ,government kept ,moses out of ,canaan1 but grace conducted him to ,pisgah's top4 ,government sent a perpetual sword upon ,david's house1 but grace made the son of ,bathsheba the wisest and wealthiest of ,israel's kings4 ,this distinction must never be lost sight of4 ,to confound grace and government is to commit a very grave mistake indeed4 ,we cannot attempt to enter upon this weighty subject here1 having done so in one of our earlier volumes4 ,but let the reader seek to understand it1 and bear it ever in mind4 ,as to ,simon ,peter1 we not only see him restored to the work to which he was called at the first1 but to something even higher4 ,feed ,my lambs--shepherd ,my sheep--is the new commission given to the man who had denied his ,lord with an oath4 ,is not this something beyond catching men8 ,when thou art restored1 strengthen thy brethren4 ,can anything in the way of service be more elevated than shepherding sheep1 feeding lambs1 and strengthening brethren8 ,there is nothing in all this world nearer or dearer to the heart of ,christ than ,his sheep1 ,his lambs1 ,his brethren3 and hence ,he could not have given ,simon ,peter a more affecting proof of ,his confidence than by committing to his care the dearest objects of ,his deep and tender love4 ,and then mark the closing words1 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto thee1 when thou wast young1 thou girdedst thyself1 and walkedst whither thou wouldest2 but when thou shalt be old1 thou shalt stretch forth thy hands1 and another shall gird thee1 and carry thee whither thou wouldest not4 ,this spake ,he1 signifying by what death he should glorify ,god4 ,and when ,he had spoken this1 ,he saith unto him1 ,,follow ,,me4 ,what weighty words are these6 ,who can tell their depth1 power1 and significance8 ,what a contrast between ,simon1 young1 restless1 forward1 blundering1 boastful1 self-confident2 and ,peter1 old1 subdued1 mellowed1 passive1 crucified6 ,what a difference between a man walking whither he would1 and a man following a rejected ,lord along the dark and narrow pathway of the cross1 home to glory6 ,,conclusion4 ,we could not close this series of papers without glancing1 however cursorily1 at the way in which our apostle discharged his various commissions4 ,we see him catching men2 opening the kingdom of heaven to the ,jew and to the ,gentile2 and1 finally1 feeding and shepherding the lambs and sheep of the flock of ,christ4 ,elevated services these1 for any poor mortal to be called to1 and more especially for one who had fallen so deeply as ,simon ,peter4 ,but the remarkable power with which he was enabled to fulfil his blessed service proved beyond all question the reality and completeness of his restoration4 ,if1 at the close of the ,gospels1 we see ,peter restored in heart and conscience1 in the ,acts and in his epistles we see him restored to his work4 ,we cannot attempt to go into details2 but a point or two must be briefly noticed4 ,there is something uncommonly fine in ,peter's address in the third chapter of ,acts4 ,we can only quote a sentence or two3 ,the ,god of ,abraham1 and of ,isaac1 and of ,jacob1 the ,god of our fathers1 hath glorified ,his ,son ,jesus2 whom ye delivered up1 and denied ,him in the presence of ,pilate1 when he was determined to let ,him go4 ,but ye denied the ,holy ,one and the ,just4 ,what a splendid evidence we have here of ,peter's complete restoration6 ,it would have been utterly impossible for him to charge his audience with having denied the ,holy ,one if his own soul had not been fully and blessedly restored4 ,alas6 he1 too1 had denied his ,lord2 but he had repented1 and wept bitterly4 ,he had been down in the depths of self-judgment1 just where he desired to see every one of his hearers4 ,he had been face to face with his ,lord1 just where he longed to see them4 ,he had been given to taste the sweetness1 the freeness1 the fulness1 of the pardoning love of ,god1 to prove the divine efficacy of the atonement and the prevalency of the advocacy of ,christ4 ,he was pardoned1 healed1 restored2 and as such he stood in their presence a living and striking monument of that grace which he was unfolding to them1 and which was amply sufficient for them as it had proved for him4 ,repent ye1 therefore1 and be converted1 that your sins may be blotted out4 ,who could more distinctly and emphatically utter such precious words than the erring1 restored and forgiven ,peter8 ,if any one of his audience had ventured to remind the preacher of his own history1 what would he have said in reply8 ,doubtless he would have had little to say about himself1 but much1 very much1 to say about that rich and precious grace which had triumphed over all his sin and failure--much1 very much1 about that precious blood which had canceled forever all his guilt1 and given perfect peace to his conscience--much1 very much1 about that all-prevailing advocacy to which he owed his full and perfect restoration4 ,peter was just the man to unfold to others those glorious themes in which he had so thoroughly learnt to find his strength1 his comfort1 and his joy4 ,he had proved in no ordinary way the reality and stability of the grace of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,it was no mere empty theory1 no mere doctrine or opinion1 with him4 ,it was all intensely real to him4 ,his very life and salvation were bound up in it4 ,he knew the heart of ,christ in a very intimate way4 ,he knew its infinite tenderness and compassion1 its unswerving devotedness in the face of many stumbles1 shortcomings1 and sins2 and hence he could bear the most distinct and powerful testimony to the whole house of ,israel to the power of the name of ,jesus1 the efficacy of ,his blood1 and the deep and infinite love of ,his heart4 ,his name1 through faith in ,his name1 hath made this man strong1 whom ye see and know2 yea1 the faith which is by ,him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all4 ,what power in these words6 ,how refreshing is the testimony to the peerless name of ,jesus6 ,it is perfectly delightful at all times1 but specially so in this infidel day in which our lot is cast--a day so marked by the determined and persistent effort of the enemy to exclude the name of ,jesus from every department4 ,look where you will1 whether it be in the domain of science1 of religion1 of philanthropy1 or moral reform1 and you see the same sedulous and diligently pursued purpose to banish the name of ,jesus4 ,it is not said so in plain terms1 but it is so nevertheless4 ,scientific men1 the professors and lecturers in our universities1 talk and write about the forces of nature and the facts of science in such a way as practically to exclude the ,christ of ,god from the whole field of nature4 ,scripture tells us1 blessed be ,god1 that by the ,son of ,his love ,all things were created that are in heaven1 and that are in earth1 visible and invisible1 whether thrones or dominions1 or principalities or powers3 all things were created by ,him and for ,him3 and ,he is before all things1 and by ,him all things consist4 ,and again1 speaking of the ,son1 the inspiring ,spirit says1 ,who being the brightness of ,god's glory1 and the express image of ,his person1 and upholding all things by the word of ,his power1 when ,he had by ,himself purged our sins1 sat down on the right hand of the ,majesty on high4 7,col4 i41 ,heb4 i47 ,these passages lead us to the divine root of the matter4 ,they speak not of the forces of nature1 but of the glory of ,christ1 the power of ,his hand1 the virtue of ,his word4 ,infidelity would rob us of ,christ1 and give us1 instead1 the forces of nature4 ,we vastly prefer our own beloved ,lord4 ,we delight to see ,his name bound up1 indissolubly1 with creation in all its vast and marvelous fields4 ,we vastly prefer the eternal record of the ,holy ,ghost to all the finely-spun theories of infidel professors4 ,we rejoice to see the name of ,jesus bound up in every department of religion and philanthropy4 ,we shrink with ever-increasing horror from every system1 every club1 every order1 every association1 that dares to shut out the glorious name of ,jesus from its schemes of religion and moral reform4 ,we do solemnly declare that the religion1 the philanthropy1 the moral reform1 which does not make the name of ,jesus its ,alpha and its ,omega1 is the religion1 the philanthropy and the moral reform of hell4 ,this may seem strong1 severe1 ultra1 and narrow-minded1 but it is our deep and thorough conviction1 and we utter it fearlessly1 in the presence of all the infidelity and superstition of the day4 ,but we must return to our apostle's discourse1 which has wakened up those glowing sentiments in the very depths of the soul4 ,having charged home their terrible sin upon the consciences of his hearers1 he proceeds to apply the healing1 soothing balm of the gospel1 in words of marvelous power and sweetness3 ,and now1 brethren1 ,i wot that through ignorance ye did it1 as did also your rulers4 ,but those things which ,god before had showed by the mouth of all ,his prophets that ,christ should suffer1 ,he hath so fulfilled4 ,nothing can exceed the grace of this4 ,it recalls the words of ,joseph to his troubled brethren3 ,it was not you that sent me hither1 but ,god4 ,such is the exquisite grace of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 such the infinite love and goodness of our ,god4 ,repent ye1 therefore1 and be converted1 that your sins may be blotted out1 when the time of refreshing shall come from 7or by7 the presence of the ,lord2 and ,he shall send ,jesus ,christ1 which before was preached unto you2 whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things1 which ,god hath spoken by the mouth of all ,his holy prophets since the world began4 ,for ,moses truly said unto the fathers1 ,a ,prophet shall the ,lord your ,god raise up unto you of your brethren1 like unto me2 ,him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever ,he shall say unto you4 ,and it shall come to pass that every soul which will not hear that ,prophet shall be destroyed from among the people4 ,yea1 and all the prophets from ,samuel1 and those that follow after1 as many as have spoken1 have likewise foretold of these days4 ,ye are the children of the prophets1 and of the covenant which ,god made with our fathers1 saying unto ,abraham1 ,and in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed4 ,unto you first ,god1 having raised up ,his ,son ,jesus1 sent ,him to bless you1 in turning away every one of you from his iniquities4 ,thus did this dear and honored apostle1 in the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 throw wide open the kingdom of heaven to the ,jews1 in pursuance of his high commission as recorded in the sixteenth chapter of the ,gospel of ,matthew4 ,it is what we may well call a splendid testimony1 from first to last4 ,most gladly would we linger over it2 but our limited space forbids4 ,we can only commend it to the earnest study of the reader1 and pass on1 for a few moments1 to the tenth chapter of ,acts which records the opening of the kingdom to the ,gentile4 ,we assume that the reader understands the truth in reference to the keys of the kingdom of heaven being committed to ,peter4 ,we shall not therefore occupy his time or our own in combating the ignorant superstition which attributes to our apostle what we may rest assured he would have rejected with intense and holy horror1 namely1 the power to let souls into heaven4 ,detestable folly6 which1 while it obstinately refuses ,christ1 who is ,god's only way to heaven1 will blindly build upon some poor sinful mortal like ourselves who himself was a debtor to the sovereign grace of ,god and the precious blood of ,christ for his entrance into the ,church on earth and into heaven above4 ,but enough of this4 ,all intelligent ,christians understand that the apostle ,peter was commissioned1 by his ,lord and ours1 to open the kingdom of heaven to both ,jew and ,gentile4 ,to him were committed the keys1 not of the ,church1 nor yet of heaven1 but of the kingdom of heaven2 and we find him using them in ,acts iii4 and x4 ,but he was by no means so alert in taking up the latter as he was in taking up the former4 ,prejudice--that sad hindrance then1 now1 and always--stood in the way4 ,he needed to have his mind enlarged to take in the divine purpose in respect to the ,gentiles4 ,to one trained amid the influences of the ,jewish system1 it seemed one thing to admit ,jews into the kingdom1 and quite another to admit ,gentiles4 ,our apostle had to get further instruction in the school of ,christ ere his mind could take in the no difference doctrine4 ,ye know1 he says to ,cornelius1 how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a ,jew to keep company or come unto one of another nation4 ,thus had it been in days gone by2 but now all was changed4 ,the middle wall was broken down--the barriers were swept away2 ,god hath shewed me that ,i should not call any man common or unclean4 ,he had seen1 in a vessel which came from heaven1 and returned thither1 all manner of fourfooted beasts1 and a voice from heaven had commanded him to slay and eat4 ,this was something new to ,simon ,peter4 ,it was a wonderful lesson he was called to learn on the housetop of ,simon the tanner4 ,he was there1 for the first time1 taught that ,god is no respecter of persons1 and that what ,god hath cleansed no man may call common4 ,all this was good and healthful for the soul of our apostle4 ,it was well to have his heart enlarged to take in the precious thoughts of ,god--to see the old barriers swept away before the magnificent tide of grace flowing from the heart of ,god over a lost world--to learn that the question of clean or unclean was no longer to be decided by an examination of hoofs and habits 7,lev4 xi47--that the same precious blood of ,christ which could cleanse a ,jew could cleanse a ,gentile also2 and1 moreover1 that the former needed it just as much as the latter4 ,this1 we repeat1 was most valuable instruction for the heart and understanding of ,simon ,peter2 and if the reader wants to know how far he took it in and appreciated it1 he has but to turn to ,acts xv4 and read the apostle's own commentary upon the matter4 ,the ,church had reached a solemn crisis4 ,judaizing teachers had begun their terrible work4 ,they would fain bring the ,gentile converts under the law4 ,the occasion was intensely interesting and deeply important--yea1 solemnly momentous4 ,the very foundations were at stake4 ,if the enemy could but succeed in bringing the ,gentile believers under the law1 all was gone4 ,but1 all praise to our ever-gracious ,god1 ,he did not abandon ,his ,church to the power or wiles of the adversary4 ,when the enemy came in like a flood1 the ,spirit of the ,lord raised up a standard against him4 ,a great meeting was convened--not in some obscure corner1 but at ,jerusalem1 the very centre and source of all the religious influence of the moment--the very place1 too1 from whence the evil had emanated4 ,god took care that the great question should not be decided at ,antioch by ,paul and ,barnabas1 but at ,jerusalem itself1 by the unanimous voice of the apostles1 elders1 and the whole ,church1 governed1 guided and taught by ,god the ,holy ,ghost4 ,at this great meeting our apostle delivered himself in a style that stirs the very deepest springs of our spiritual life4 ,hear his words3 ,and when there had been much disputing--,alas6 how soon the miserable disputing began--,peter rose up and said unto them1 ,men1 brethren1 ye know how that a good while ago ,god made choice among us that the ,gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel1 and believe4 ,and ,god1 which knoweth the hearts1 bare them witness1 giving them the ,holy ,ghost even as ,he did unto us1 and put no difference between us and them1 purifying their hearts by faith4 ,now1 therefore1 why tempt ye ,god to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear8 ,but we believe that by the grace of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ we shall be saved even as they4 ,this is morally grand4 ,he does not say1 ,they shall be saved even as we4 ,no2 but ,we shall be saved even as they--on the same ground1 after the same model1 in the same way4 ,the ,jew comes down from his lofty dispensational position1 only too thankful to be saved1 just like the poor ,gentile1 by the precious grace of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,how those words of the apostle of the circumcision must have refreshed and delighted the heart of ,paul as he sat at this never-to-be-forgotten meeting6 ,not that ,paul sought in any way the countenance1 the support1 or authority of man4 ,he had received his gospel and his commission1 not from ,peter1 but from ,peter's ,lord2 and from ,him1 too1 not as the ,messiah on earth1 but as the risen and glorified ,son of ,god in heaven4 ,still1 we cannot doubt that the testimony of his beloved fellow-laborer was deeply interesting and cordially welcome to the apostle of the ,gentiles4 ,we can only say1 ,alas6 alas6 that there should have been aught in the after-course of that fellow-laborer in the smallest degree inconsistent with his splendid testimony at the conference4 ,alas6 that ,peter's conduct at ,antioch should vary so much from his words at ,jerusalem4 ,see ,gal4 ii4 ,but such is man1 even the best of men1 if left to himself4 ,and the higher the man is1 the more mischief he is sure to do if he makes a stumble4 ,we shall not1 however1 dwell on the sad and painful scene at ,antioch1 between those two most excellent servants4 ,they are both now in heaven1 in the presence of their beloved ,lord1 where the remembrance of past failure and sin only enhances the value of that blood which cleanseth from all sin1 and of that grace which reigns1 through righteousness1 unto eternal life1 by ,jesus ,christ our ,lord4 ,the ,holy ,ghost has thought proper to record the fact that our apostle failed in frankness and integrity at ,antioch2 and further1 that the blessed apostle of the ,gentiles had to withstand him to the face2 but we are not going to expatiate upon it4 ,we would profit by it1 as well we may1 for it is full of deep instruction and solemn warning4 ,if such a one as the apostle ,peter1 after all his experience1 his fall and restoration1 his long course of service1 his intimate acquaintance with the heart of ,christ1 all the instruction he had received1 all his gifts and knowledge1 all his powerful preaching and teaching--if such a one as this could1 after all1 dissemble through fear of man1 or to hold a place in man's esteem1 what shall we say for ourselves8 ,simply this3 ,o ,lamb of ,god1 still keep me close to ,thy pierced side2 ',tis only there in safety and peace ,i can abide4 ,when foes and snares surround me1 when lusts and fears within1 ,the grace that sought and found me1 alone can keep me clean4 ,may the ,lord greatly bless to our souls our meditation on the history of ,simon ,peter6 ,may his life and its lessons be used of the ,holy ,ghost to deepen in our souls the sense of our own utter weakness and of the matchless grace of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,,christian ,,perfection3 ,,what ,,is ,,it8 ,there are few thoughtful students of the ,new ,testament who have not1 at some time or another1 felt a little perplexed as to the real force and application of the word perfect1 which is of frequent occurrence4 ,this word is used in such a variety of connections that it is deeply important we should be clear as to what the ,holy ,ghost means by it in each particular case4 ,we believe the context will1 generally speaking1 guide as to a right understanding of the just sense and application of the word in any given passage4 ,we are aware that the subject of ,christian ,perfection has given rise to much theological strife and controversy2 but we must at the outset assure our readers that it is not by any means our intention to take up the question in a controversial way2 we shall merely seek to bring under their notice the various passages in the ,new ,testament in which the word perfect occurs1 or at least some of the leading instances of its use1 trusting the ,lord to use what ,he may give us to write1 for the glory of ,his name and the profit of those precious souls for whom we ever desire to write4 ,we shall not trace the word in the order in which it occurs1 but rather in that order which the real need of the soul would naturally suggest4 ,in this way we shall find that the first great aspect of ,christian perfection is presented to us in the ninth verse of the ninth chapter of ,hebrews1 and may be denominated ,,perfection ,,as ,,to ,,the ,,state ,,of ,,the ,,conscience4 ,which was a figure for the time then present1 in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices1 that could not make him that did the service perfect 77 as pertaining to the conscience4 ,the apostle1 in this passage1 is drawing a contrast between the sacrifices under the ,mosaic economy1 and the sacrifice of ,christ4 ,the former could never give a perfect conscience1 simply because they were imperfect in themselves4 ,it was impossible that the blood of a bullock or of a goat could ever give a perfect conscience4 ,hence1 therefore1 the conscience of a ,jewish worshiper was never perfect4 ,he had not1 if we may use the expression1 reached his moral end as to the condition of his conscience4 ,he could never say that his conscience was perfectly purged1 because he had not yet reached a perfect sacrifice4 ,with the ,christian worshiper1 however1 it is different4 ,he has1 blessed be ,god1 reached his moral end4 ,he has arrived at a point1 so far as the state of his conscience is concerned1 beyond which it is utterly impossible for him to go4 ,he cannot get beyond the blood of ,jesus ,christ4 ,he is perfect as to his conscience4 ,as is the sacrifice1 so is the conscience that rests thereon4 ,if the sacrifice is imperfect1 so is the conscience4 ,they stand or fall together4 ,nothing can be simpler1 nothing more solid1 nothing more consolatory1 for any awakened conscience4 ,it is not at all a question of what ,i am2 that has been fully and forever settled4 ,i have been found out1 judged1 and condemned in myself4 ,in me1 that is in my flesh1 dwelleth no good4 ,i have got to the end of myself1 and there ,i have reached the blood of ,christ4 ,i want no more4 ,what could be added to that most precious blood8 ,nothing4 ,i am perfect1 as to the state of my conscience4 ,i do not want an ordinance1 a sacrament1 or a ceremony1 to perfect the condition of my conscience4 ,to say so1 to think so1 would be to cast dishonor upon the sacrifice of the ,son of ,god4 ,the reader will do well to get a clear and firm hold of this foundation-point4 ,if there be any darkness or uncertainty as to this1 he will be wholly unable to understand or appreciate the various aspects of ,christian ,perfection which are yet to pass in review before us4 ,it is quite possible that many pious people fail to enjoy the unspeakable blessing of a perfect conscience by reason of self-occupation4 ,they look in at self1 and not finding aught there to rest upon--who ever did8--they deem it presumption to think of being perfect in any respect whatever4 ,this is a mistake4 ,it may be a pious mistake1 but it is a mistake4 ,were we to speak of perfection in the flesh 7what many1 alas1 are vainly aiming at71 then1 verily1 true piety might recoil with just horror from the presumptuous and silly chimera4 ,but1 thank ,god1 our theme is not perfection in the flesh1 through any process of improvement1 moral1 social1 or religious4 ,this would be poor1 dreary1 depressing work indeed4 ,it would be setting us to look for perfection in the old creation1 where sin and death reign4 ,to look for perfection amid the dust of the old creation were a hopeless task4 ,and yet how many are thus engaged6 ,they are seeking to improve man and mend the world2 and yet1 with all this1 they have never reached1 never understood--yea1 they actually deny--the very first and simplest aspect of ,christian perfection1 namely1 perfection as to the state of the conscience in the presence of ,god4 ,this latter is our thesis1 and we want the anxious reader to understand it in its simplicity1 in order that he may see the solid foundation of his peace laid down by the very hand of ,god ,himself4 ,we want him1 ere he lays aside this paper1 to enter into the joyful sense of sins perfectly forgiven1 and his conscience perfectly purged by the blood of ,jesus4 ,the entire matter hinges upon the question of the sacrifice4 ,what has ,god found in that sacrifice8 ,perfection4 ,well1 then1 that perfection is for you1 anxious one1 and you should at once and forever enjoy it4 ,remember1 it is not a question as to what you are1 nor yet as to what you think about the blood of ,christ4 ,no1 dear friend3 the question is1 ,what does ,god think about the blood of ,his own ,son8 ,this makes all so clear4 ,say1 is it clear to you8 ,can you now rest in it8 ,is your conscience set free by being brought in contact with a perfect sacrifice8 ,oh that it may be so6 ,may ,god's ,spirit now show you the fulness and perfectness of ,christ's atoning work with such clearness1 vividness and power that your whole being may be emancipated1 and your heart filled with praise and thanksgiving6 ,it makes the heart bleed to think of the thousands of precious souls kept in darkness and bondage when they ought to be walking in the light and liberty which flow from a perfectly purged conscience4 ,so many things are mixed up with the simple testimony of the ,word and ,spirit of ,god as to the value of ,christ's work that it is wholly impossible for the heart to get liberated4 ,you will get a little bit of ,christ1 and a little bit of self2 a little bit of grace1 and a little bit of law2 a little bit of faith1 and a little bit of works4 ,thus the soul is kept hovering between confidence and doubt1 hope and fear1 just as one or other of the ingredients predominates in the mixture1 or happens to be tasted at the moment4 ,how rare is the gem of full1 free1 present1 and eternal salvation6 ,we would fain cause that gem to sparkle in all its divine and heavenly lustre under the gaze of the reader at this moment4 ,then shall the chains of his spiritual bondage drop off4 ,if the ,son shall make him free he shall be free indeed1 and thus be able to rise in the power of this freedom and trample the legal system beneath his feet4 ,the more we ponder the question now before us--and we have pondered it a good deal--the more we are convinced that the true secret of all the error1 confusion and perplexity in which so many are involved in reference to it will be found in the fact that they do not clearly understand death and resurrection--the new birth--the new creation4 ,were this grand truth only laid hold of in power it would make all clear as to the state of the conscience4 ,so long as ,i am seeking to tranquilize my conscience by efforts after self-improvement1 so long ,i must be either miserable or self-deceived4 ,it does not matter in the least what means ,i adopt in carrying on the process2 the issue must be one and the same4 ,if ,i attempt to take up the profession of ,christianity for the purpose of bettering self--improving nature or mending my condition in the old creation--,i must be a total stranger to the bliss of a perfect conscience4 ,all flesh is as grass4 ,the old creation lies under the withering influences of sin and its curse4 ,a risen ,christ is the ,head of the new creation--the beginning of the creation of ,god--the first-begotten from among the dead 7 74 ,here in very deed is perfection for the conscience4 ,what more do ,i want8 ,i see the ,one who hung upon the cross1 charged with the full weight of all my sins1 now crowned with glory and honor at the right hand of ,god1 amid the full blaze of heaven's majesty4 ,what can be added to this8 ,do ,i want ordinances1 rites1 ceremonies1 or sacraments8 ,surely not4 ,i dare not add aught to the death and resurrection of the eternal ,son of ,god4 ,the ordinances of baptism and the ,lord's ,supper symbolize and celebrate that grand reality2 and1 so far1 they are precious to the ,christian--most precious4 ,but when1 instead of being used to symbolize and celebrate death and resurrection1 they are used to displace it1--used as patches upon the old creation1 as crutches for the old man1--they must be regarded as a snare1 a curse1 from which may the ,lord deliver the souls of ,his people6 ,we would fain dwell upon this our first point because of its immense importance in this day of ordinances1 traditionary religion1 and self-improvement4 ,we should like to ponder it--to elaborate1 illustrate and enforce it--in order that the reader may get a clear1 full1 bold grasp of it4 ,but we look to ,god the ,holy ,ghost to do ,his own work in this matter2 and if ,he will graciously bring the heart under the power of the truth which has been so feebly unfolded1 then indeed will there be both ability and leisure to look at the second great aspect of ,christian perfection1 namely1 ,,perfection ,,as ,,to ,,the ,,object ,,of ,,the ,,heart4 ,here1 again1 we are ushered into the new creation4 ,christ died to give me a perfect conscience4 ,he lives to give me a perfect object4 ,but it is very clear that until ,i have tasted the deep blessedness of the former1 ,i can never be properly occupied with the latter4 ,i must have a perfect conscience ere my heart can be at leisure to go out after the person of ,christ4 ,how few of us really taste the sweetness of communion with a risen ,christ6 ,how little do any of us know of that fixedness of heart upon ,him as our one paramount1 engrossing1 undivided object6 ,we are occupied with our own things4 ,the world creeps in1 in one way or another2 we live in the region of nature2 we breathe the atmosphere--the dark1 heavy1 murky atmosphere--of the old creation2 self is indulged2 and thus our spiritual vision becomes dimmed1 we lose our sense of peace1 the soul becomes disturbed1 the heart unhinged1 the ,holy ,ghost grieved1 the conscience exercised4 ,then the eye is turned in upon self and back upon its actings4 ,the time that else might be spent in holy and happy occupation with our ,object is1 and must be1 devoted to the business of self-judgment--heavy1 but needed work6--in order to get back into the enjoyment of what we should never have lost1 even a perfect conscience4 ,now1 the moment the eye is turned off from ,christ darkness must set in--ofttimes darkness that may be felt4 ,it is only as the eye is single that the body is full of light4 ,and what1 beloved reader1 is a single eye but having ,christ for our one object8 ,it is thus that light divine pours in upon us1 until every chamber of our moral being becomes lighted up1 and we become lights for others1 as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light4 ,in this way the soul is kept happily free from obscurity1 perplexity1 and anxiety4 ,it finds all its springs in ,christ4 ,it is independent of the world1 and can move on1 singing-- ,salvation in that name is found1 ,cure for my grief and care2 ,a healing balm for every wound3 ,all1 all ,i want is there4 ,it is impossible for words to convey the power and blessedness of having ,jesus ever before the heart as an object4 ,it is perfection1 as we have it in ,philippians iii4 #ae1 where the apostle says1 ,let us therefore1 as many as be perfect 771 be thus minded3 and if in anything ye be differently minded 771 ,god shall reveal even this unto you4 ,when ,christ stands before the heart as our absorbing and satisfying object1 we have reached our moral end so far as an object is concerned2 for how can we ever get beyond the person of ,christ1 in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the ,godhead bodily1 and in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge8 ,impossible4 ,we cannot get beyond the blood of ,christ1 for the conscience2 neither can we get beyond the person of ,christ1 for the heart2 we have therefore reached our moral end in both2 we have perfection as to the state of the conscience1 and as to the object of the heart4 ,here1 then1 we have both peace and power--peace for the conscience1 and power over the affections4 ,it is when the conscience finds sweet repose in the blood that the emancipated affections can go forth and find their full play around the person of ,jesus4 ,and oh1 what tongue can tell1 what pen unfold1 the mighty moral results of gazing upon ,christ8 ,but we all1 with open face1 beholding as in a glass the glory of the ,lord1 are changed into the same image1 from glory to glory1 even as by the ,spirit of the ,lord 7#b ,cor4 iii4 #ah74 ,observe1 ,beholding 444 are changed4 ,there is no legal bondage--no restless effort--no anxious toiling4 ,we gaze1 and gaze1 and--what then8 ,continue to gaze1 and as we gaze we become morally assimilated to the blessed ,object1 through the transforming power of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the image of ,christ is engraved upon the heart1 and reflected back in ten thousand ways in our practical career1 from day to day4 ,reader1 remember1 this is the only true idea of ,christianity4 ,it is one thing to be a religious man1 it is quite another to be a ,christian4 ,paul was a religious man before his conversion2 but he was a ,christian afterwards4 ,it is well to see this4 ,there is plenty of religion in the world1 but1 alas1 how little ,christianity6 ,and why8 ,simply because ,christ is not known1 not loved1 not cared for1 not sought after4 ,and even where ,his work is looked to for salvation--where ,his blood is trusted for pardon and peace--how little is known or thought of ,himself6 ,we are ready enough to take salvation through the death of ,jesus1 but oh1 beloved reader1 how far off do we keep from ,his blessed ,person6 ,how little does ,he get ,his true place in our hearts6 ,this is a serious loss4 ,indeed1 we cannot but believe that the pale1 flickering light of modern profession is the fruit of habitual distance from ,christ1 the central sun of ,christianity4 ,how can there possibly be light1 heat1 or fruitfulness1 if we wander amid the gloomy vaults and dark tunnels of this world's pleasures1 its politics1 or its religion8 ,it is vain to expect it4 ,and even where we make salvation our object--when we are occupied with our spiritual condition1 feeding upon our experiences and looking after our frames and feelings--we must become weak and low1 inasmuch as these things are certainly not ,christ4 ,there are many who1 as we say1 have retired from the world1 have given up its balls1 its parties1 its theatres1 its exhibitions1 its concerts1 its flower shows1 its numberless and nameless vanities1 who1 nevertheless1 have not found their object in a risen and glorified ,christ4 ,they have retired from the world1 but have gone in upon themselves4 ,they are seeking an object in their religion2 they are engrossed with forms of pietism2 they are feeding upon the workings of a morbid conscience or a superstitious mind2 or they are trafficking in the experience of yesterday4 ,now1 these persons are just as far from happiness--as far from the true idea of ,christianity1 as the poor pleasure-hunters of this world4 ,it is quite possible to give up pleasure-hunting and become a religious mope--a morbid1 melancholy mystic--a spiritual hypochondriac4 ,what do ,i gain by the change8 ,nothing2 unless1 indeed1 it be a vast amount of self-deception4 ,i have retired from the world around1 to find an object in the world within--a poor exchange6 ,how different is this from the true ,christian6 ,there he stands1 with a tranquilized conscience and an emancipated heart1 gazing upon an ,object that absorbs his whole soul4 ,he wants no more4 ,talk to him about this world's pleasure8 ,ask him1 has he been to this or that ,exhibition8 ,what is his calm and dignified reply8 ,will he merely tell you of the sin1 the harm1 of such things8 ,nay2 what then8 ,i have found my all in ,christ4 ,i have reached my moral end4 ,i want no more4 ,this is the ,christian's reply4 ,it is a poor affair when we come to talk of the harm of this or that4 ,it often happens that persons who speak thus are occupied1 not with ,christ1 but with their own reputation1 their character1 their consistency with themselves4 ,of what use is all this8 ,is it not self-occupation1 after all8 ,what we want is to keep the eye fixed on ,christ2 then the heart will follow the eye1 and the feet will follow the heart4 ,in this way our path will be as the shining light1 shining more and more until it becomes lost in the blaze of the perfect and everlasting day of glory4 ,may ,god1 in ,his infinite mercy1 grant to the writer and reader of these pages to know more of what it is to have reached our moral end1 both as to the state of the conscience and as to the object of the heart6 99 99 99 99 99 ,in considering the subject of ,christian perfection1 it might seem sufficient to say that the believer is perfect in a risen ,christ3 ,complete in ,him which is the head of all principality and power4 ,this1 surely1 comprehends everything4 ,nothing can be added to the completeness which we have in ,christ4 ,all this is blessedly true2 but does it not still hold good that the inspired writers use the word perfect in various ways8 ,and is it not important that we should understand the sense in which the word is used8 ,this1 we presume1 will hardly be questioned4 ,we cannot suppose for a moment that any thoughtful reader of ,scripture would be satisfied to dismiss the matter without prayerfully seeking to understand the exact force and just application of the word in each particular passage in which it occurs4 ,it is plain that the word perfect in ,heb4 ix4 #i is not applied in the same way as it is in ,phil4 iii4 #ae4 ,and is it not right--is it not profitable--is it not due to our own souls and to the sacred volume--to seek1 through grace1 to understand the difference8 ,for our part1 we cannot question it2 and in this confidence we can happily pursue our examination of the subject of ,christian perfection by calling the reader's attention1 in the third place1 to ,,perfection ,,in ,,the ,,principle ,,of ,,our ,,walk4 ,this is unfolded to us in ,matt4 v4 #dh3 ,be ye therefore perfect 771 even as your ,father which is in heaven is perfect4 ,how1 it may be asked1 can we be perfect as our ,father which is in heaven8 ,how can we reach to such an elevated point as this8 ,how can we attain to so lofty a standard8 ,we can understand our being perfect as to the conscience1 inasmuch as this perfection is based upon what ,christ has done for us4 ,and we can also understand our being perfect as to the object of the heart1 inasmuch as this perfection is based upon what ,christ is to us4 ,but to be perfect as our ,father in heaven seems entirely beyond us4 ,to all this it may be said that our blessed ,lord does not ask us to do impossibilities4 ,he never issues a command without furnishing the needed grace to carry it out4 ,hence1 therefore1 when ,he calls upon us to be perfect as our ,father1 it is plain that ,he confers upon us a holy privilege1 that ,he invests us with a high dignity1 and it is our place to seek to understand and appropriate both the one and the other4 ,what1 then1 is meant by our being perfect as our ,father in heaven8 ,the context of ,matt4 v4 #dh furnishes the answer3 ,but ,i say unto you1 ,love your enemies1 bless them that curse you1 do good to them that hate you1 and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you2 that 77 ye may be the sons 77 of your ,father which is in heaven2 for ,he maketh ,his sun to rise on the evil and on the good1 and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust4444 ,be ye therefore perfect1 even as your ,father which is in heaven is perfect4 ,here we have a lovely phase of ,christian perfection1 namely1 perfection in the principle of our walk4 ,we are called to walk in grace toward all1 and in so doing to be imitators of ,god as dear children4 ,our ,father sends ,his sunshine and ,his showers even upon ,his enemies4 ,he deals in grace with all4 ,this is our model4 ,are we formed upon it8 ,reader1 search and see4 ,are you perfect in the principle of your walk8 ,are you dealing in grace with your enemies and those who are in your debt8 ,are you demanding your rights8 ,are you1 in principle1 taking your fellow by the throat1 and saying1 ,pay me that thou owest8 ,if so1 you are not perfect as your ,father4 ,he is dealing in grace1 and you are dealing in righteousness4 ,were ,he to act as you are acting1 the day of grace would close1 and the day of vengeance open4 ,had ,he dealt with you as you are now dealing with others1 you should long since have been in that place where hope is unknown4 ,let us ponder this4 ,let us see to it that we are not misrepresenting our heavenly ,father4 ,let us aim at perfection in the principle of our daily walk4 ,it will cost us something4 ,it may empty the purse1 but it will fill the heart2 it may contract our pecuniary resources1 but it will enlarge our spiritual circle4 ,it will bring us into closer contact and deeper fellowship with our heavenly ,father4 ,is not this worth something8 ,truly it is4 ,would that we felt its worth more deeply6 ,would that we felt more of the dignity conferred upon us in our being called to represent1 in this evil1 selfish1 dark world1 our heavenly ,father1 who pours in rich profusion ,his blessings upon the unthankful and the unholy4 ,there is no use in preaching grace if we do not act it4 ,it is of little avail to speak of ,god's dealing in long-suffering mercy if we are dealing in high-handed justice4 ,but1 it may be said by some1 ,how ever could we carry out such a principle8 ,we should be robbed and ruined4 ,how could business be carried on if we are not to enforce our rights8 ,we should be imposed upon and plundered by the unprincipled and the designing4 ,this is not the mode in which to arrive at a just conclusion on our point4 ,an obedient disciple never says1 ,how8 ,the question is1 ,does the ,lord ,jesus call upon me to be perfect as my ,father in heaven is perfect8 ,assuredly4 ,well1 then1 am ,i aiming at this when ,i summon my fellow-creature to a bar of justice8 ,is this like my ,father8 ,is this what ,he is doing8 ,no2 blessed be ,his name6 ,he is on a throne of grace4 ,he is reconciling the world4 ,he is not imputing trespasses4 ,this is plain enough4 ,it only needs full subjection of heart4 ,let us bow our souls beneath the weight of this most glorious truth4 ,may we gaze upon this most lovely aspect of ,christian perfection1 and seek to aim at the attainment of it4 ,if we pause to reason about results1 we shall never reach the truth4 ,what we want is1 that moral condition of soul that fully owns the power and authority of the ,word4 ,then1 though there may be failure in detail1 we have always a touchstone by which to test our ways1 and a standard to which to recall the heart and conscience4 ,but if we reason and argue--if we deny that it is our privilege to be perfect in the sense of ,matt4 v4 #dh--;if we justify our going to law when our ,father is not going to law1 but acting in the most unqualified grace1 we deprive ourselves of that perfect model on which our character and ways should ever be formed4 ,may ,god the ,holy ,spirit enable us to understand1 to submit to1 and carry out in practical life1 this perfect principle6 ,it is most lamentable to see the children of ,god adopting in daily life a course of acting the direct opposite of that adopted by their heavenly ,father4 ,we ought to remember that we are called to be ,his moral representatives4 ,we are ,his children by spiritual regeneration1 but we are called to be ,his sons in moral assimilation to ,his character and practical conformity to ,his ways4 ,do good to them that hate you 444 that ye may be the sons of your ,father which is in heaven4 ,striking words6 ,in order to our being morally and characteristically the sons of ,god1 we are called to do good to our enemies4 ,this is what ,he does1 and we are called to be like ,him4 ,alas1 how little we enter into this6 ,how unlike we are6 ,oh for a more faithful representation6 ,time and space would fail us to dwell1 as we should like to do1 upon this deeply practical part of our subject2 we must therefore pass on1 in the fourth place1 to the consideration of ,,perfection ,,in ,,the ,,character ,,of ,,our ,,service4 ,i have not found thy works perfect 77 before ,god 7,rev4 iii4 #b74 ,the ,english reader should be informed that the word here rendered perfect is not the same as that used in the three passages already referred to4 ,it is usually translated fulfilled-- finished--accomplished4 ,its use in reference to the works of the ,church of ,sardis teaches us a deeply solemn and heart-searching lesson4 ,there was a name to live2 but the works were not fulfilled under the immediate eye of ,god4 ,there is nothing more dangerous to a ,christian than to have a name4 ,it is a positive snare of the devil4 ,many a professor has fallen by means of being occupied with a name4 ,many a useful servant has been destroyed by the effort to keep up a name4 ,if ,i have gotten a reputation in any department of service--as an active evangelist--a gifted teacher--a clear and attractive writer--a man of prayer--a man of faith--a person of remarkable sanctity1 or great personal devotedness--a benevolent person--a name for anything1 in short--,i am in imminent danger of making shipwreck4 ,the enemy will lead me to make my reputation my object instead of ,christ4 ,i shall be working to keep up a name instead of the glory of ,christ4 ,i shall be occupied with the thoughts of men instead of doing all my work under the immediate eye of ,god4 ,all this demands intense watchfulness and rigid censorship over myself4 ,i may be doing the most excellent works1 but if they are not fulfilled in the presence of ,god they will prove a positive snare of the devil4 ,i may preach the gospel--visit the sick--help the poor--go through the entire range of religious activity--and never be in the presence of ,god at all4 ,i may do it for a name--do it because others do it1 or expect me to do it4 ,this is very serious1 beloved reader4 ,it demands real prayer--self-emptiness--nearness to and dependence upon ,god--singleness of eye--holy consecration to ,christ4 ,self continually intrudes upon us4 ,oh this self1 self1 self1 even in the very holiest things2 and all the while we may appear to be very active and very devoted4 ,miserable delusion6 ,we know of nothing more terrible than to have a religious name without spiritual life1 without ,christ1 without a sense of ,god's presence possessing the soul4 ,reader1 let us look closely into this4 ,let us see that we begin1 continue1 and end our work under the ,master's eye4 ,this will impart a purity and a moral elevation to our service beyond all price4 ,it will not cripple our energy1 but it will tend to raise and intensify our action4 ,it will not clip our wings1 but it will guide our movements4 ,it will render us independent of the thoughts of men1 and fully deliver us from the slavery of seeking to maintain a name1 or keep up a reputation--miserable1 degrading bondage6 ,may the good ,lord grant us full deliverance from it6 ,may ,he give us grace to fulfil our works1 whatever they may be1 few or many1 small or great1 in ,his own blessed presence6 ,having said thus much in reference to the character of our service1 we shall close with a few lines on ,,perfection ,,in ,,our ,,equipment ,,for ,,service4 ,all ,scripture is given by inspiration of ,god1 and is profitable for doctrine1 for reproof1 for correction1 for instruction in righteousness3 that the man of ,god may be perfect 77 thoroughly furnished unto all good works 7#b ,tim4 iii4 #af1 #ag74 ,here1 again1 we have a different word1 and one which only occurs in this one place in the entire ,new ,testament4 ,it is most expressive4 ,it signifies present readiness for any exigence4 ,the man who is acquainted with1 and subject to the word of ,god1 is ready for every emergency4 ,he has no need to go and cram for an occasion--to consult his authorities--to make himself up on a point4 ,he is ready now4 ,if an anxious inquirer comes1 he is ready2 if a curious inquirer comes1 he is ready2 if a skeptic comes1 he is ready2 if an infidel comes1 he is ready4 ,in a word1 he is always ready4 ,he is perfectly equipped for every occasion4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,lord be praised for all these aspects of ,christian perfection6 ,what more do we want8 ,perfection as to the conscience2 perfection in object2 perfection in walk2 perfection in the character of service2 perfection in our equipment4 ,what remains8 ,what wait we for8 ,just this--perfection in glory--perfect conformity in spirit1 and soul1 and body1 to the image of our glorified ,head in heaven6 ,may the ,lord so work on our hearts by ,his ,spirit1 producing that which is well-pleasing in ,his sight1 that we may stand perfect and complete in all the will of ,god6 ,c4 ,h4 ,m4 ,,the ,,tribe ,,of ,,levi ,,arranged ,,according ,,to ,,their ,,families4 ,first ,class4 ,,gershon1 meaning1 ,a stranger1 or exile4 ,,lael ,dedicated1 or belonging to ,god4 ,,eliasaph ,god hath added4 ,,shimei ,renowned4 ,,libni ,white4 ,second ,class4 ,,kohath ,assembly4 ,,hebron ,association1 communion4 ,,amram ,exalted people1 or of the exalted ,one4 ,,izhar ,oil4 ,,uzziel ,the strength of ,god4 ,third ,class4 ,,merari ,bitter4 ,,mahli ,sick1 sickly4 ,,mushi ,yielding1 forsaking4 ,,abihail ,father of strength4 ,,zuriel ,my rock is ,god4 ,,the ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,tribe ,,of ,,levi ,,considered ,there are few exercises more profitable for the ,christian than that of reflecting upon the character of ,god as unfolded in the history of the saints and fathers of ancient times recorded in the scriptures of the ,old ,testament3 and indeed this might be expected from the very nature of the subject1 which is such that1 whatever be its extent1 it unfolds principles to us which stand intimately connected with all that is important for us to know or be established in4 ,thus1 whether we get the dealings of ,god on a limited scale1 as with any one of the fathers personally1 or more widely extended1 as with the seed of ,israel afterwards1 it is nevertheless the same lesson we are called upon to learn1 namely1 ,god and man4 ,now1 this is what should enhance exceedingly the value of the ,old ,testament to the ,christian2 almost the great body of its teaching is of the above character3 and not only so1 but it also 7as looked at in this point of view7 guards effectually against the mere exercise of imagination2 for when we consider the history of any man or people1 it is not necessary that we should decide positively what is shadowed out therein2#e it is enough for us to see that we have before us a more or less extensive development of the character and actings of ,god and man2 and this1 without ever descending beneath the surface of ,scripture1 cannot fail of being instructive and edifying to the soul4 #e ,in many of the ,old ,testament narratives1 however1 the instruction is so manifestly typical that even the most cautious reader1 if at all familiar with ,scripture1 cannot refuse to look at it in that point of view4 ,but1 of all the histories of the ,old ,testament embodying instruction of the above character1 ,i believe there are few more copious1 deep and varied than that which is about to engage our attention4 ,if the narrative of a soul taken up by sovereign and eternal grace from the pit of corruption and deep depravity1 carried through the various stages which grace and truth had enacted for sinful man1 until at last he is set down in the very sanctuary of ,god and established in the enjoyment of the covenant of life and peace forever2 if1 ,i say1 such a narrative would possess charms and present attractions to us1 then does the history of ,levi abound in this4 ,it is only a matter of astonishment that a history fraught with such rich and varied instruction has not occupied more of the thoughts of those luminaries of the ,church whose writings have been a source of comfort and instruction to all who have been taught to value the truth of ,god4 ,yet1 much as ,i see in the history of ,levi1 and much as ,i admire what ,i do see1 ,i could not think of directing the reader's thoughts to the subject without informing him that ,i purpose doing little more than to bring before his mind in a connected way the various scriptures which treat of this most interesting question2 however1 these scriptures are so plain and striking that no one who is at all familiar with ,scripture truths can fail to enter into them4 ,now1 as ,i purpose1 with the ,lord's blessing and grace1 to follow the history of ,levi through all the scriptures in which it is brought before us1 ,i will commence with ,,his ,,birth1 ,as recorded in ,,genesis xxix4 #cd4 ,and she 7,leah7 conceived again1 and bare a son3 and said1 ,now this time will my husband be joined unto me1 because ,i have borne him three sons3 therefore was his name called ,levi 7that is1 'joined2' see margin74 ,here1 then1 we are presented with the birth and name of this most remarkable character--a name of wondrous significance as looked at in connection with his after history1 whether in nature's wild and lawless extravagance1 in which we find him joined with his brother in the perpetration of a deed of blood and murder 7,gen4 xxxiv471 or in the day when he was called to drink deeply and largely of the cup of ,god's electing grace1 when joined with ,aaron in the work of the tabernacle 7,num4 viii474 ,,genesis xxxiv4 #be1 #bf4 ,and it came to pass on the third day1 when they were sore1 that two of the sons of ,jacob1 ,simeon and ,levi1 ,dinah's brethren1 took each man his sword1 and came upon the city boldly1 and slew all the males4 ,and they slew ,hamor and ,shechem his son with the edge of the sword1 and took ,dinah out of ,shechem's house and went out4 ,as the ,spirit of ,god in ,jacob has furnished us with a striking commentary on the above piece of cruelty1 we will consider the scripture in which the commentary is given1 namely3 ,,genesis xlix4 #e-g4 ,simeon and ,levi are brethren2 instruments of cruelty are in their habitations4 ,o my soul1 come not thou into their secret2 unto their assembly1 mine honor1 be not thou united3 for in their anger they slew a man1 and in their self-will they digged down a wall4 ,cursed be their anger1 for it was fierce2 and their wrath1 for it was cruel2 ,i will divide them in ,jacob1 and scatter them in ,israel4 ,we have here a truly humbling view of human nature as looked at in the light of the holiness of ,god4 ,it is as if the ,lord would say to us1 ,look here6 behold a man clothed in nature's blackest garb1 and presenting nature's most forbidding aspect4 ,examine him closely1 in order that you1 seeing what man is when stripped of all that false clothing which ignorance or vain self-righteousness would put upon him1 may know the rich aboundings of ,my grace1 which can avail to lift even such a one into the loftiest heights of communion--heights which human conception would utterly fail to mount1 but which ,my grace1 through the blood of the cross1 can make available to the very chief of sinners4 ,in reading such a description as that which the above passage presents to us1 how needful it is for the sinner to bear in mind that it is not only in the light of ,god's holiness that he is called to look at himself1 but also in the light of ,his grace4 ,when this is learned he needs not be afraid to penetrate deeply into the dark recesses of his heart's corruption2 for if ,god in grace fill the scene1 the sinner 7so far as his own righteousness is concerned7 must necessarily be out of the scene2 and then it is no longer a question of what we think about sin1 but how ,god will deal with it in grace1 and that is simply to put it away forever--yea1 to bury it forever in the waters of ,his forgetfulness3 thus it will be placing our sin side by side with ,god's grace2 which is what the gospel invites us to do1 and which1 moreover1 is the only way to arrive at a proper settlement of the question of sin4 ,on the other hand1 where this saving principle is not known--not believed--the sinner will undoubtedly seek to make the load of his guilt as light as possible1 in order that he may have as little to do as he may4 ,this will ever lead to the most unutterable and intolerable bondage2 or if not to this1 to that which is much worse1 even to detestable religious pride1 which is of all things most truly abominable in the sight of ,god4 ,reader1 if you have not as yet got the question of sin settled between your conscience and ,god1 ponder1 ,i do beseech you1 what ,i have now stated2 for to know this principle in spirit is life eternal4 ,christ has1 once for all1 borne sin's deepest curse in ,his own body on the tree1 and now even ,levi can lift up his head2 for although he be by nature only conversant with instruments of cruelty1 things which must have kept ,god forever at a distance from his secret and his assembly2 although he be by nature cruel1 fierce1 self-willed1 scattered1 and divided1 yet ,god can1 in the exercise of ,his mercy1 make him conversant with the instruments of the tabernacle1 bring him into the enjoyment of the covenant of life and peace1 in union with the great head of the priestly family1 and1 in the power of this blessed union1 cause him to have his lights and perfections with his ,holy ,one 7,deut4 xxxiii4 #h2 ,mal4 ii4 #d1 #e74 ,however1 we must not anticipate the teaching of passages which are yet to come under our notice2 ,i will therefore close my remarks on this part of our subject by requesting my reader to compare attentively the character of ,levi1 as above recorded1 with that which the apostle ,paul1 quoting from the ,psalms1 has given of man generally1 whether ,jew or ,gentile3 ,there is none righteous1 no1 not one2 there is none that understandeth1 there is none that seeketh after ,god4 ,they are all gone out of the way1 they are together become unprofitable2 there is none that doeth good1 no1 not one4 ,their throat is an open sepulchre2 with their tongues they have used deceit2 the poison of asps is under their lips1 whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness3 their ,,feet ,,are ,,swift ,,to ,,shed ,,blood3 destruction and misery are in their ways2 and the way of peace have they not known3 there is no fear of ,god before their eyes 7,rom4 iii4 #aj-ah74 ,,exodus xxxii4 #be-bi4 ,and when ,moses saw that the people were naked2 7for ,aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies37 then ,moses stood in the gate of the camp1 and said1 ,who is on the ,lord's side8 let him come unto me4 ,and all the sons of ,levi gathered themselves together unto him4 ,and he said unto them1 ,thus saith the ,lord ,god of ,israel1 ,put every man his sword by his side and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp1 and slay every man his brother1 and every man his companion1 and every man his neighbor4 ,and the children of ,levi did according to the word of ,moses3 and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men4 ,for ,moses had said1 ,consecrate yourselves to-day to the ,lord1 even every man upon his son1 and upon his brother2 that ,he may bestow upon you a blessing this day4 ,here a new scene opens to us1 and we are called to witness the dawning of a new day upon ,levi2 a day1 moreover1 which may justly lead us to anticipate great things4 ,it is true we get him here likewise with his sword by his side1 but1 oh1 for what a different purpose1 and in what a different cause6 ,it is not now in anger and self-will slaying a man1 but in holy jealousy and care for the honor of the ,lord ,god of ,israel1 and in simple obedience to ,his command2 and although this may1 and will1 lead to the very cutting off of a brother1 a son1 or a friend1 ,levi cares not2 for the word is1 ,consecrate yourselves to the ,lord1 that ,he may bestow upon you a blessing4 ,this was enough for ,levi2 and although by nature he was vile and utterly unfit either for the fellowship or service of ,god1 yet is he now the foremost in jealous vindication of ,his holy name and worship against those who would seek to turn their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass4 ,nor is ,levi now seen joined with his brother ,simeon--no1 he might join in league with him in the days of his wickedness for the perpetration of deeds of blood2 but here1 as ,i before observed1 we get the opening of a new scene1 and therefore he is seen joined with the ,lord and ,his servant ,moses for the execution of righteous judgment upon idolatry4 ,and henceforth1 in following the footsteps of ,levi1 we shall find that1 instead of being swift to shed blood1 they are to be swift in following the movements of the cloud1 and swift in performing the service of the tabernacle4 ,it would1 of course1 be quite foreign to our subject to dwell upon the sad and humbling scene that called out the above act of service on the part of ,levi4 ,suffice it to say that it was1 as we know1 on the part of ,aaron and the camp1 a ceasing to exercise faith in the fact that ,moses was alive in the presence of ,god for them4 ,the consequence of which was an entire forgetfulness of the mighty ,hand and stretched out ,arm that had brought them up out of the land of ,egypt1 and of their present position in the wilderness2 hence1 as might be expected1 the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play4 ,may the ,lord preserve us from like forgetfulness2 and1 seeing those things were written for our admonition1 may we be truly admonished thereby not to lust after evil things4 ,we shall now pass on to the next scripture1 where we get the ,lord's own thoughts upon the above act of service1 namely1 ,,deuteronomy xxxiii4 #h-aa4 ,and of ,levi he 7,moses7 said1 ,let thy ,thummim and thy ,urim be with thy ,holy ,one1 whom thou didst prove at ,massah1 and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of ,meribah2 who said unto his father and to his mother1 ,i have not seen him2 neither did he acknowledge his brethren1 nor knew his own children3 for they have observed ,thy word and kept ,thy covenant4 ,they shall teach ,jacob ,thy judgments1 and ,israel ,thy law2 they shall put incense before ,thee1 and whole burnt sacrifice upon ,thine altar4 ,bless1 ,lord1 his substance1 and accept the work of his hands3 smite through the loins of them that rise against him1 and of them that hate him1 that they rise not again4 ,in this passage we have real ,levite service brought before us in the words1 who said unto his father and mother1 ,i have not seen him1 etc4 ,the true and decided servant of ,god will ever have to experience something of this2 indeed1 the measure thereof will just be in proportion to the faithfulness and power of his walk3 flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of ,god2 therefore every heir of that kingdom must show himself in readiness to deny all the claims which flesh and blood would make on him1 whether in himself or in others4 ,most happily does the address to the queen1 in ,ps4 xlv41 connect itself with this point3 ,harken1 ,o daughter1 and consider1 and incline thine ear2 forget also thine own people and thy father's house2 so shall the ,king greatly desire thy beauty3 for he is thy ,lord1 and worship thou ,him 7vers4 #aj1 #aa74 ,we have all to watch against a tendency to be influenced by the claims of flesh and blood1 in our testimony for ,christ4 ,he ,himself has said on this subject that no man having put his hand to the plow and looking back1 is fit for the kingdom of ,god 7,luke ix4 #fb74 ,and1 as some one has observed1 it was upon this point that the prophet ,elisha's character seemed a little defective1 for when ,elijah cast his mantle over him1 or1 in other words1 when he had put upon him the high honor of making him a prophet of the ,lord ,god1 ,elisha's heart seemed to yearn after home1 and he said1 ,let me1 ,i pray thee1 kiss my father and my mother1 and then ,i will follow thee 7#a ,kings xix4 #bj74 ,now this was most natural1 and1 as some would say1 amiable and affectionate2 but1 oh1 amiability and natural affection have often hindered people from entering as they should into the ,lord's service2 and although it is one of the marks of the latter-day apostasy to be without natural affection1 yet does ,moses1 in the above-cited passage1 ask the ,lord to bless ,levi1 because he said unto his father and his mother1 ,i have not seen him1 neither did he acknowledge his brethren1 nor knew his own children4 ,how grossly inconsistent would it have been for ,levi to have said1 ,let me kiss my father and my mother1 when called to enter upon the ,lord's work2 and not less so is it for us to allow the claims of flesh and blood to interfere with our true hearted ,levite service to our ,god1 who has done so much for us4 ,but let us carefully observe the blessed consequences of this decision of character on the part of ,levi4 ,these are1 first1 ,they shall teach ,jacob ,thy judgments1 and ,israel ,thy law4 ,secondly1 ,they shall put incense before ,thee1 and whole burnt sacrifice upon ,thine altar4 ,thirdly1 ,bless his substance4 ,fourthly1 ,accept the work of his hands4 ,fifthly1 ,smite through the loins of them that rise against him1 and of them that hate him1 that they rise not again4 ,all these fruits are distinct1 and yet intimately connected1 as springing from the same source1 namely1 simple1 devoted and uncompromising obedience to the ,lord4 ,as to the first of these fruits1 how true it is that it is only the man who himself endeavors to walk in power before ,god that can speak with effect to the hearts and consciences of others2 nothing else will do--nothing else will tell1 either upon the hearts or in the lives of ,christians4 ,there may be1 and1 alas1 is much of mere systematic teaching and preaching of things which the mere intellect may have received1 and which1 by a natural fluency of language1 we may be able to give out2 but all such teaching is vain1 and had much better be avoided in the sight of ,god4 ,true1 it might often give to our public assemblies an appearance of barrenness and poverty which our poor1 proud hearts could ill brook2 but would it not be far better to keep silence than to substitute mere carnal effort for the blessed energy of the ,holy ,spirit8 ,true ministry1 however1 the ministry of the ,spirit1 will always commend itself to the heart and conscience4 ,we can always know the source from which a man is drawing who speaks in the words which the ,holy ,ghost teacheth1 and with the ability which ,god giveth2 and while we should ever pray to be delivered from the mere effort of man's intellect to handle the truth of ,god amongst us1 we should diligently cultivate that power to teach which stands connected1 as in ,levi's case1 with the denial of the claims of flesh and blood1 and with entire devotedness to the ,lord's service4 ,in the second consequence above referred to we have a very elevated point3 ,they shall put incense before ,thee1 and whole burnt sacrifice upon ,thine altar4 ,this is worship4 ,we put incense before ,god when we are enabled1 in the power of communion1 to present in ,his presence the sweet odor of ,christ in ,his person and work4 ,this is our proper occupation as members of the chosen and separated tribe4 ,but it is particularly instructive to look at both the above mentioned consequences in connection2 i4e41 the ,levites in ministry to their brethren1 and the ,levites in worship before ,god3 it was as acceptable in the sight of ,god1 and as divine an exercise of his functions1 for a ,levite to instruct his brethren as it was for him to burn incense before ,god4 ,this is very important4 ,we should never separate these two things4 ,if we do not see that it is the same ,spirit who must qualify us to speak for ,god as to speak to ,him1 there is a manifest want of moral order in our souls4 ,if we could keep this principle clearly before our minds1 it would be a most effectual means of maintaining amongst us the true dignity and solemnity of ministry in the ,word3 having lost sight of it has been productive of very sad consequences4 ,if we imagine for a moment that we can teach ,jacob by any other power or ability than that by which we put incense before ,god1 or if we imagine that one is not as acceptable before ,god as the other1 we are not soundly instructed upon one of the most important points of truth2 for1 as some one has observed1 ,let us look at this point illustrated in the personal ministry of ,christ1 and we shall no longer say that teaching by the ,holy ,ghost is inferior to praise by the same1 for surely the apostleship of ,christ when ,he came from ,god was as sweet in its savor to ,god as ,his priesthood when ,he went to ,god to minister to ,him in that office4 ,the candlestick in the holy place which diffused the light of life--,god's blessed name--was as valuable1 at least in ,his view1 as the altar in the same place1 which presented the perfume of praise4 ,we now come to speak of the third point1 namely1 ,bless1 ,lord1 his substance4 ,this is just what we might have expected2 an increase of blessing will ever be the result of real true-hearted devotedness to ,christ4 ,every branch in ,me that beareth fruit ,he purgeth1 that it may bring forth more fruit2 ,the diligent soul shall be made fat2 and ,to him that hath shall more be given4 ,levi had exhibited much diligence of soul in the ,lord's service--he had shown himself in readiness to vindicate ,his name in strong and decided opposition to every mere human thought and affection2 and now the ,lord will show ,levi that ,he is not unrighteous to forget his work and labor of love1 for ,he will bless his substance4 ,we find the apostle ,paul bringing forward the same principle to his son ,timothy when he tells him to meditate on these things2 give thyself wholly to them1 that thy profiting may appear to all4 ,here he connects the profiting with the giving himself wholly3 this will ever be the case2 and if we would experience more than we do the meaning and power of the words1 ,bless1 ,lord1 his substance1 we must first endeavor to enter into the meaning of what goes before1 namely1 who said to his father and to his mother1 ,i have not known him1 etc4 ,every one that hath forsaken houses1 or brethren1 or sisters1 or father1 or mother1 or wife1 or children1 or lands1 for ,my name's sake1 shall receive an hundredfold1 and shall inherit everlasting life 7,matt4 xix4 #bi74 ,not less striking is the connection between what has just been stated and our fourth point1 namely1 ,accept the work of his hands4 ,this ,i conceive to be a point of the greatest importance to us1 and one which involves a question upon which we frequently display much want of intelligence4 ,we often find it difficult to reconcile the idea of salvation through free grace with that of an increase of blessing and power for walking in obedience2 and yet we find the two things constantly maintained in ,scripture2 thus we read1 ,he that hath ,my commandments1 and keepeth them1 he it is that loveth ,me2 and he that loveth ,me shall be loved of ,my ,father1 and ,i will love him1 and will manifest ,myself to him4 ,and1 again1 ,if a man love ,me1 he will keep ,my words2 and ,my ,father will love him1 and ,we will come unto him and make ,our abode with him 7,john xiv4 #ba1 #bc74 ,this is very clear and decided upon the subject3 we see here that the manifestation of the ,son is made to depend on our keeping the commandments of ,christ4 ,grace takes up a sinner and leads him into the knowledge of the full forgiveness of his sins through faith in the blood of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ3 but all this is simply a means to an end3 it is1 in a word1 to set him down in a position of responsibility to ,christ1 which position he by nature could never have sustained1 because the carnal mind is enmity against ,god2 it is not subject to the law of ,god1 neither indeed can be4 ,if1 then1 a man be put into a place of responsibility1 it is clear that the more faithfully and diligently he maintains that place1 the more enlarged will be his communion4 ,a father may have two children1 the one obedient1 the other the very reverse2 now1 they are both his children2 neither the obedience of the one nor the disobedience of the other can interfere in the least with the relationship existing between them2 but can we have a question as to which of them would enjoy most of the father's presence and affection8 ,surely not2 a father likes to be obeyed1 and will love the obedient child4 ,there may be extraordinary cases where1 from a warped judgment or a blind and unmeaning partiality1 the disobedient1 lawless son may have more of the heart of the parent than the other2 but this is not so with ,god3 ,his judgment is clear and unerring3 ,he can accurately distinguish between the one that honors ,him and the one that despises ,him3 the former ,he will honor1 the latter ,he will lightly esteem4 ,the ,lord does not ask a sinner dead in trespasses and sins to serve ,him1 for all such a one could do would be polluted with sin--his very prayers are polluted--his meditations are polluted--his acts of benevolence are polluted2 in a word1 he is all polluted1 from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot1 and therefore can do nothing acceptable in the sight of ,god4 ,but the ,lord quickens those that are dead in trespasses and sins1 and then teaches them to walk worthy of ,him as dear children1 and to be fruitful in every good word and work1 to the praise of ,his name3 and when we do this ,he graciously condescends to accept the work of our hands4 ,but not only does ,scripture abound with precepts which confirm what has been above stated1 it also affords numerous examples and illustrations of the same2 thus1 for instance1 the case of ,abraham and ,lot1 in the opening of the book of ,genesis4 ,these were both servants of ,god1 but yet how differently they walked6 one loved ,god2 the other loved the well-watered plains of ,sodom3 and the consequence was1 that while the ,lord ,himself could meet with ,abraham1 and sup with him1 and1 moreover1 unfold to him ,his counsels with reference to ,sodom1 ,he merely sends angels to ,sodom1 and we can plainly perceive in their manner toward ,lot their marked disapproval of his circumstances1 for when he invites them into his house1 they reply1 ,nay1 but we will abide in the street all night4 ,this is plain3 the angels of the ,lord would rather abide all night in the streets of guilty ,sodom than go in to a child of ,his who was not walking in obedience2 nor does the fact that they afterwards consented to go in at all interfere with the point which ,i am seeking to establish2 no1 their answer speaks volumes of the most solemn and practical instruction to us2 they enter into ,lot's house1 it is true2 but if they do1 it is only to counteract the sad effects of ,lot's sin4 ,may we1 then1 seek1 by prayer and communion with ,god1 to keep ourselves in the path of obedience1 so that we may prove in our soul's happy experience the meaning of the prayer in our text1 ,accept the work of his hands4 ,we have now arrived at the fifth and last point in this branch of our subject1 namely1 ,smite through the loins of them that rise against him1 and of them that hate him1 that they rise not again4 ,this is properly the last point1 when there shall be neither adversary nor evil occurrent1 we shall rest from our labor and conflict1 and enter into possession of that upon which hope now feeds2 therefore1 when it can be said of our enemies that they rise not again1 we shall be happy indeed4 ,however1 there is much of practical value in this point in the connection in which it stands here1 i4e41 as a consequence of obedience2 there is nothing that gives the soul such marvelous power over enemies as an obedient1 holy walk4 ,every step we take in real obedience to ,christ is1 so far1 a victory gained over the flesh1 and the devil2 and every fresh victory ministers fresh power for the conflict which follows2 thus we grow4 ,and on the other hand1 every battle lost only serves to weaken us1 while it gives power to our enemies to attack us again4 ,thus we see that the man whose heart is truly devoted to the ,lord will have power to teach--power to worship2 he will increase in substance1 for ,christ causes those that love ,him to inherit substance 7,prov4 viii474 ,he will enjoy more of ,god's favor and of the light of ,his countenance1 for them that honor ,me ,i will honor2 and1 finally1 he will have enlarged power over all enemies4 ,all these are the fruits of that true ,levite devotedness which will enable a man to say to his father1 and to his mother1 ,i have not seen him2 or1 in other words1 those fruits can only be enjoyed by one who is ready to leave all and follow ,christ4 ,this being the case1 then1 we can have little difficulty in accounting for the poverty in gifts of ministry--the poverty in worship--the meagreness of growth--the many interruptions in the enjoyment of divine favor--the almost total lack of power over enemies of which we have all to complain4 ,many seek to satisfy themselves by saying that we cannot expect the same power in gifts and worship now as that which fell to the lot of the saints in the apostolic day1 and this1 of course1 we are not going to deny2 but then1 the question is1 ,have we as much power and freshness in these things as we might have8 ,i believe we have not--and why8 ,is not ,levi's ,god our ,god8 ,yes1 ,he is1 blessed be ,his name1 and the same everlasting and abundant fountain of blessing as ever ,he was1 but we1 alas1 are far behind in the matter of ,levi's true devotedness2 and this is the root of it all1 for it remains unalterably true that to him that hath shall more be given1 and we cannot serve two masters4 ,this is true--solemn--and practical4 ,we are now called to consider a scripture which will unfold to us at once the wondrous secret of how a sinner so degraded as ,levi could hold a place of such elevation and nearness to ,god as that which he afterwards occupied4 ,there is nothing in a sinner by nature with which ,god could hold any intercourse2 therefore1 if ever ,he brings any one into a place of blessing and high communion1 ,he does so in pure grace1 and thus excludes boasting altogether1 for no flesh shall glory in ,his presence4 ,those who look upon it as presumption in a sinner to speak of holding a place of such nearness to ,god1 seem to lose sight of this completely4 ,it could never be pride that would lead any one into a place where he would be broken to pieces1 and be shown that he was altogether corrupt and worthless2 if ,god were to elevate flesh1 and bring flesh into a place of nearness to ,himself1 then indeed there would be some force in the objection on the ground of presumption2 but ,god does no such thing3 the flesh is so far gone in ruin that it cannot be improved1 and therefore ,god declares in the ,cross ,his mind about the flesh1 namely1 that it is a condemned thing2 but ,he1 by the same ,cross1 gives the poor sinner life1 and in the power of that life1 and not in the power of life in the flesh1 ,he brings the sinner into ,his presence and sets him down at ,his table2 so that it is not the presumption of a poor prodigal that assigns the place which he is to occupy1 but the grace and boundless lovingkindness of the father3 thus1 ,god says to ,noah1 ,the end of all flesh is come before ,me1 and what then8 ,make thee an ark of gopher wood--and in that ark is ,noah raised up beyond the region of judgment1 and a judged world1 into a place of undisturbed communion4 ,now1 we shall find the very same principles developed in ,god's dealings with ,levi1 in the scripture which is about to engage our attention4 ,i shall first consider their cleansing2 and1 secondly1 their position and service4 ,first1 their cleansing as recorded in ,,numbers viii4 #e-ad4 ,and the ,lord spake unto ,moses1 saying1 ,take the ,levites from among the children of ,israel1 and cleanse them4 ,and thus shalt thou do unto them1 to cleanse them3 ,sprinkle water of purifying upon them1 and let them shave all their flesh1 and let them wash their clothes1 and so make themselves clean4 ,then let them take a young bullock with his meat offering1 even fine flour mingled with oil2 and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering4 ,and thou shalt bring the ,levites before the tabernacle of the congregation3 and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of ,israel together3 and thou shalt bring the ,levites before the ,lord3 and the children of ,israel shall put their hands upon the ,levites3 and ,aaron shall offer the ,levites before the ,lord for an offering of the children of ,israel1 that they may execute the service of the ,lord4 ,and the ,levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks3 and thou shalt offer the one for a sin offering1 and the other for a burnt offering1 unto the ,lord1 to make an atonement for the ,levites4 ,and thou shalt set the ,levites before ,aaron1 and before his sons1 and offer them for an offering unto the ,lord4 ,thus shalt thou separate the ,levites from among the children of ,israel3 and the ,levites shall be ,mine4 ,this passage furnishes us with a very rich and blessed branch of our interesting subject4 ,we were enabled to see1 in looking at ,levi by nature1 that such was his character that ,god would have no fellowship with him whatever1 and that1 so far as ,levi was concerned1 he should abide forever in his own habitation1 in company with the instruments of cruelty which were therein4 ,but ,god will not leave him there1 and therefore ,god must ,himself provide the remedy--,god ,himself must cleanse this self-willed1 cruel and fierce man4 ,and here we are invited to recall a thought which occurred to the mind in the opening of this paper1 viz41 that man's sin must ever be brought into the presence of ,god's grace4 ,levi had nothing else to look to2 his sin was such as to preclude every thought of human remedy2 the law condemned ,levi's nature2 and ,god had pronounced him unfit for ,his presence4 ,and what1 then1 had ,levi to do8 ,could he set himself with heart and soul to keep the law8 ,impossible3 the law had not only condemned his works1 but pronounced the curse of ,god upon his very nature4 ,the law said1 ,thou shalt do no murder2 and having said this1 it added1 ,cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law1 to do them4 ,but ,levi had murder in his nature1 therefore ,levi's nature was cursed4 ,what1 then1 could ,levi do8 ,might he not cast himself over upon the mercy of ,god1 with the hope that ,he would deal lightly with his sins8 ,no2 by no means3 ,god had given forth ,his solemn and unalterable decree1 ,o my soul1 come not thou into their secret2 ,god could not come into a habitation wherein were instruments of cruelty4 ,thus1 then1 ,levi was completely shut up1 without a single means of escape2 the law nailed him down to this one point1 ,answer my demands4 ,and all that ,levi had towards the discharge of these demands was1 anger1 fierceness1 murder1 self-will1 cruelty1 etc43 poor resources1 alas6 ,nor would the law of ,god enter into any composition with the sinner2 it should have the uttermost farthing1 or else the word was1 cursed art thou4 ,therefore ,levi1 as a man alive in the flesh1 or1 in other words1 ,levi1 as seeking to get life through the law1 was judged1 condemned1 and set aside1 and it only remained for him to take thus the place of one dead1 in order that ,god might in grace quicken him into new life1 which ,god was ready and willing to do1 and which1 as we shall see1 ,he graciously did1 according to ,his own marvelous thoughts1 and in ,his own way4#f ,levi1 then1 had just to see himself as one that was1 in ,god's account1 dead1 as we read1 for they 7i4e41 the ,levites7 are wholly given unto me from among the children of ,israel2 instead of such as open every womb1 even instead of the first-born of all the children of ,israel1 have ,i taken them unto me3 for all the first-born of the children of ,israel are mine1 both man and beast3 on the day that ,i smote every first-born in the land of ,egypt1 ,i sanctified them for myself2 and ,i have taken the ,levites for all the first-born of the children of ,israel 7chap4 viii4 #af-ah74 #f ,the reader will1 of course1 bear in mind that what is stated about ,levi in this paper is to be regarded as typical of that which the believer now knows in reality through the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the ,lord passed through the land of ,egypt with the sword of justice unsheathed1 to smite all the first-born1 nor would ,israel's first-born have escaped1 had not the sword fallen upon the neck of the spotless victim2 and thus1 as some one has beautifully observed1 ,there was death in every house1 not only in the houses of the ,egyptians1 but also in those of the ,israelites3 in the former1 it was the death of ,egypt's first-born2 in the latter1 the death of ,god's ,lamb4 ,the ,levites1 then1 were taken instead of those upon whom the sword of the destroying angel should have fallen2 or1 in other words1 the ,levites were1 typically1 a dead and risen people1 and thus were no longer looked at in the circumstances of nature1 but of new life through grace1 in which they were placed by ,god ,himself4 ,and here let me observe that this is the path which every sinner must travel if he would know experimentally anything of ,levi's after history4 ,there is no other way in which to escape from the judgment of the law on the one hand1 or from the horrid workings of indwelling corruption on the other1 than simply to see ourselves dead to both1 and alive unto ,god through ,jesus ,christ4 ,how shall we1 says the apostle1 that are dead to sin live any longer therein8 ,know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into ,jesus ,christ were baptized into ,his death8 ,therefore we are buried with ,him by baptism into death2 that1 like as ,christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the ,father1 even so we also should walk in newness of life 7,rom4 vi4 #b-d74 ,and1 again1 ,wherefore1 my brethren1 ye also are become dead to the law by the body of ,christ1 that ye should be married to another1 even to ,him who is raised from the dead1 that we should bring forth fruit unto ,god 7chap4 vii4 #d74 ,but not only are death and resurrection the only possible means by which a sinner can escape the condemnation of the law and the tyrannical sway of sin1 they are also the only means by which he can acceptably serve ,god4 ,the flesh1 or carnal mind1 cannot serve ,god1 for it is not subject to ,his law1 neither indeed can be2 therefore we infer that the sources of that life by which we can serve ,god are not to be found in the flesh1 but only in union with the ,lord ,jesus in resurrection4 ,if a man abide not in me1 he is cast forth as a branch and is withered 7,john xv4 #f74 ,consequently1 when ,god would bring ,levi into a place of nearness and service to ,himself1 ,he shows him to us as passing through those circumstances which1 in the clearest manner1 illustrate death and resurrection2 for they are taken instead of those that were as dead1 but who escaped through the death of the lamb3 and then1 having thus passed through the circumstances of death1 they are told in chap4 viii4 to put off the old man and put on the new--for that is the meaning of the washing of water1 and shaving of the flesh1 etc4 ,this is in full keeping with what the apostle states to his son ,titus3 ,for we ourselves also were sometime foolish1 disobedient1 deceived1 serving divers lusts and pleasures1 living in malice and envy1 hateful1 and hating one another4 ,but after that the kindness and love of ,god our ,saviour toward man appeared1 not by works of righteousness which we have done1 but according to ,his mercy ,he saved us1 by the washing of regeneration1 and renewing of the ,holy ,ghost1 which ,he shed on us abundantly through ,jesus ,christ our ,saviour 7,titus iii4 #c-f74 ,but in order that we may have a clearer and more comprehensive view of the ground upon which the ,levites stood before ,god1 ,i would refer1 in as brief and concise a manner as ,i can1 to the offerings connected with their consecration3 these were the burnt offering1 the meat offering1 and the sin offering2 all1 as we shall see1 showing out the ,lord ,jesus ,christ in ,his varied aspects4#g ,and first1 the burnt offering3 the principles unfolded in this offering are brought out in the first chapter of ,leviticus1 where we read1 ,if his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd1 let him offer a male without blemish3 he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the ,lord 7ver4 #c74 #g ,it may be well just to observe here that in considering the offerings above referred to ,i have merely looked at them with reference to the question of ,levi's history4 ,here1 then1 is something real for the soul to feed on and rejoice in4 ,we have in the burnt offering the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 in all ,his fulness and perfections1 as offering ,himself without spot to ,god1 and also as accepted before ,god for us4 ,in this ,he was found to be a male without blemish2 so much so1 that the ,one in whose sight the very heavens are not clean1 could say1 ,in whom ,i am well pleased2 and again1 ,mine elect1 in whom ,my soul delighteth4 ,but further1 this unblemished offering presents ,himself voluntarily at the door of the tabernacle4 ,no man1 says the ,lord ,jesus1 speaking of ,his life1 taketh it from me1 but ,i lay it down of myself3 ,i have power to lay it down1 and ,i have power to take it again3 this commandment have ,i received of ,my ,father4 ,and truly1 in tracing the way of the blessed ,jesus through this defiled world1 we can recognize this feature of the burnt offering in a very striking manner4 ,from first to last ,his course was marked with all the steadiness and divine uninterrupted calmness of true devotedness to ,god4 ,the billows of dark and fierce temptation might roll and toss themselves with a rage and fury which would have crushed one less than ,god4 ,the devil might stir up all his deadly malice against ,him2 man might display all his enmity--enmity which could only be outdone by the eternal friendship of this devoted ,one4 ,his disciples1 moreover1 may refuse to watch with ,him one hour4 ,death may arm himself with all his ghastly terrors1 and pour out a cup mixed with hell's bitterest ingredients2 and further1 display his deadly sting in all its infernal keenness and power to wound4 ,the grave may conjure up all its unutterable horrors to make one grand struggle for victory1 but all in vain4 ,the answer of this unblemished voluntary offering to all these was1 ,my meat and my drink is to do the will of ,him that sent ,me1 and to finish ,his work4 ,he had ,his eye upon one object1 and that was the joy that was set before ,him4 ,he looked forward to the moment when ,he would be able to draw forth from the inexhaustible treasuries of eternal love the rich and princely fruits of ,his hard-bought victory1 and pour them forth in divine profusion upon the travail of ,his soul2 even the ,church1 which ,he loved1 and purchased with ,his own precious blood4 ,he eagerly anticipated the morning without clouds1 when1 surrounded by the myriads of ,his ransomed brethren1 ,he will sound forth in everlasting strains the mighty answer to all the foul aspersions of the enemy as to the love of ,god toward the sinner4 ,all these attractions1 ,i say1 ,he had before ,him1 and therefore ,he marched onward in the greatness of ,his strength2 ,he steadfastly set ,his face to go to ,jerusalem4 ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 invigorate our poor cold hearts to sound forth the eternal honors of ,thine adorable name2 and may our lives be more and more the decided evidence of our hearts--love to ,thee1 for ,thou alone art worthy6 ,all this is surely most blessed for us2 but1 blessed as it is1 it is not all2 there are other strokes from the pencil of the ,divine ,artist1 calculated1 in the highest degree1 to captivate our spiritual tastes1 yea1 more1 to feed our souls4 ,he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering2 and it shall be accepted for him1 to make atonement for him 7ver4 #d74 ,here1 then1 is grace6 ,levi1 the self-willed1 cruel1 fierce1 and blood-shedding ,levi1 is accepted in all the perfectness and acceptableness of this unblemished male before ,god3 whatever of excellency1 whatever of value1 whatever of purity1 ,god beheld in this offering1 that did ,he likewise behold in ,levi as accepted in the offering4 ,thus1 look at ,levi apart from the offering1 and you will find him such that ,god could not come into his assembly3 but look at him as in the offering1 and you find him1 through grace1 as pure and as perfect as the offering itself4 ,nothing could surpass this most excellent grace4 ,the grace that could take up a sinner from such a pit of corruption as that in which ,levi lay groveling1 and lead him into such high elevation1 deserves the highest note of praise2 and1 blessed be ,god1 it shall1 ere long1 have it from all who1 like ,levi1 have felt its sacred power4 ,however1 we must not enter too minutely into the detail of this burnt offering1 and there are just two points further to which ,i will refer4 ,the first is presented to us in ver4 #f3 ,and he shall flay the burnt offering1 and cut it into his pieces4 ,here we see at once to what a process of strict1 jealous and uncompromising scrutiny the ,lord ,jesus exposed ,himself in offering ,himself before ,god4 ,it was not enough that the animal should be ,,apparently without blemish1 for the skin1 or outward surface1 might look very well1 and at the same time the offering be not at all fit for ,god's altar2 therefore the outward surface must be removed1 in order that this offering may be examined in all its sinews1 joints and veins1 and thus be found1 as to the springs of action1 the structure of his frame1 and the source and channels of the life that animated him1 a perfectly unblemished offering4 ,but further1 he shall cut it into his pieces1 i4e41 take the offering asunder1 and examine its various parts1 in order that it may not only form a perfect whole1 but that each distinct joint may be found perfect4 ,thus1 in whatever aspect we look at the ,lord ,jesus1 we get divine perfection4 ,he could say to ,god1 ,thou hast tried ,me1 and shalt find nothing2 and ,god could answer1 ,i am well pleased4 ,he could say of the devil1 ,the prince of this world cometh1 and hath nothing in ,me2 and the devil could reply1 ,i know ,thee1 who thou art1 the ,holy ,one of ,god4 ,he could say to men1 ,which of you convinceth ,me of sin8 and man could answer1 ,truly this was a righteous man4 ,thus1 ,i say1 our divine burnt-offering1 who voluntarily presented ,himself at ,god's altar1 and there poured forth ,his most precious blood1 was found1 in every feature and in every aspect1 pure and perfect in the very highest sense of the word1 and confessed so by heaven1 earth1 and hell4#h #h ,we may also observe1 in the act of cutting the offering into his pieces1 this important truth1 that in whatever relationship of life we contemplate the ,lord ,jesus1 we find the same unsullied perfection2 whether we consider ,him as a public or as a private character1 in one position or another1 all is alike4 ,not so with man--here there must be failure in one way or another4 ,if a man is a good public character1 he may be the very plague of the family circle1 and vice versa4 ,and1 surely1 in all this we learn the glorious truth which shall shortly be owned by all created intelligences1 that ,he alone is worthy4 ,all1 therefore1 having been found pure1 and fit for ,god's altar1 it becomes the happy place of ,aaron's sons to send up before ,god the sweet savor of this most acceptable offering1 as we read3 ,and the sons of ,aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar1 and lay the wood in order upon the fire4 ,and the priests1 ,aaron's sons1 shall lay the parts1 the head and the fat1 in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar4 ,but his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water3 and the priest shall burn all on the altar1 to be a burnt sacrifice1 an offering made by fire1 of a sweet savor unto the ,lord 7vers4 #g-i74 ,the fat of the offering was ,god's peculiar part2 no one could with impunity touch that2 yea1 the punishment for so doing was the same as for eating blood2 i4e41 it was as wrong and as daringly presumptuous for a man to intrude upon ,god's portion of the offering as it was for him to assume life in his own right1 which latter was an open denial of the state of death and ruin in which he was by reason of sin4 ,god1 then1 ,i say1 claimed the fat4 ,he alone could feed upon the inward excellency and peerless perfections of ,jesus1 just as in the case of the unmeasured ointment in ,exodus xxx41 where we see1 as well as in the above cited passage1 that the infinite mind of ,god could alone appreciate the infinite value of ,christ4 ,but we find the head burnt in connection with the fat1 showing us1 ,i suppose1 that both the hidden energies of the ,lord ,jesus and the seat of ,his understanding were equally suited to be a sweet savor unto ,god4 ,lastly1 the inwards and legs were washed and burned upon the altar1 showing us that the secret thoughts1 purposes and counsels of the ,lord ,jesus1 as well as the outward development of these in ,his walk1 were perfectly pure and fit for the altar3 and1 in connection with this last point1 one cannot help dwelling with comfort upon the marvelous contrast between the ,lord ,jesus and ,his poor people4 ,how often may our outward walk1 typified by the legs1 appear quite right in the eye of man1 when1 at the same time1 perhaps1 in the eye of ,god1 our inwards may be full of gross impurity4 ,but it is well for us that such was not the case with our great ,head3 in ,him all was alike1 for all was pure4 ,may our hearts1 dear ,christian reader1 enter more and more fully1 under the teaching of the ,spirit1 into the intrinsic excellency of the ,lord ,jesus2 and may we be enabled daily1 standing at the altar before ,god1 to send up in ,his presence the savor of all this6 ,as to the meat offering1 we need not enter minutely into it4 ,it was composed1 as we know1 of that which sprang from the earth1 and such as aptly shadowed out the ,man ,christ ,jesus1 the frankincense thereon marking the entire devotedness of all the actings of ,christ's human nature to ,god ,his ,father4 ,nothing was done by ,him to meet man's eye1 or man's approbation2 nothing was done to produce mere effect2 no1 all was directly before ,god4 ,whether we trace the footsteps of the ,lord ,jesus1 while1 for thirty years1 ,he was subject to ,his parents at home2 or while1 for three years1 ,he was engaged in public ministry amongst the ,jews--all was alike3 all showed forth the pure frankincense that marked ,him1 in all things1 as ,god's peculiar and devoted servant4 ,we may observe further that this meat offering was baked with oil1 and anointed with oil2 thus showing forth1 ,i suppose1 the incarnate ,son of ,god1 who was first conceived of the ,holy ,ghost 7,matt4 i4 #bj71 and then anointed with the ,holy ,ghost 7,matt4 iii4 #af2 ,acts x4 #ch74 ,we now come to speak of the sin offering1 and may the ,lord graciously refresh our spirits while dwelling for a little on the blessed principles unfolded therein4 ,the sin offering is brought before us in ,leviticus iv41 from whence we may select one case for our present purpose4 ,if the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people1 then let him bring for his sin which he hath sinned a young bullock without blemish unto the ,lord for a sin offering4 ,and he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the ,lord1 and shall lay his hand upon the bullock's head and kill the bullock before the ,lord 7vers4 #c1 #d74 ,the reader will1 no doubt1 observe a marked difference between the above passage and that in which the burnt offering was referred to2 and the difference so far mainly consists in this1 that in the last cited passage the words voluntary will are not found1 and this was quite to be looked for4 ,in the burnt offering we were enabled to recognize the ,lord ,jesus ,christ offering ,himself voluntarily before ,god1 in which aspect of ,his blessed work ,he could say1 ,no man taketh it 7,my life7 from ,me1 ,i lay it down of ,myself4 ,in other words1 ,he offered ,himself of ,his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the ,lord4 ,but in the sin offering it is quite different3 ,he shall be brought and ,he shall be killed2 i4e41 instead of coming1 ,he shall be brought2 and instead of laying down ,his life of ,himself1 ,his life shall be taken from ,him4 ,these1 ,i say1 are important distinctions1 and such as arise from the very nature of the two offerings4 ,in the burnt offering the ,lord ,jesus is seen offering ,himself in all the unblemished perfectness which belonged to ,him2 and in this ,his soul had great delight1 because ,he was presenting that before ,god which was so acceptable to ,him4 ,but in the sin offering the ,lord ,jesus is seen standing in connection with that which ,his pure and spotless soul must have deeply abhorred and keenly resented--abhorred and resented1 indeed1 in a way of which we cannot form the faintest idea4 ,he is seen1 in a word1 as standing in connection with sin3 yea1 more1 as made sin 7#b ,cor4 v4 #ba74 ,thus it was that the prophet1 through the ,spirit1 viewed ,him when he said1 ,he was wounded for our transgressions1 ,he was bruised for our iniquities2 the chastisement of our peace was upon ,him2 and with ,his stripes we are healed4 ,all we like sheep have gone astray2 we have turned every one to his own way2 and the ,lord hath laid on ,him the iniquity of us all 7,isa4 liii4 #e1 #f74 ,now ,i believe that by looking at the two offerings in connection we get a very deep and wondrous view of sin's dark and dreadful enormity in the sight of ,god3 for sin in this point of view appears sinful just according to the measure of ,christ's perfectness in ,god's account4 ,if in the burnt offering we were enabled to see that such was the beauty and excellency of ,christ that ,his whole man could go up before ,god as a sweet savor1 and that ,god could find nothing in ,him but perfection1 as a necessary consequence then we must see in the sin offering the blackness and heinousness of sin1 which could oblige ,god to hide ,his face from ,his elect1 in whom ,his soul delighted4 ,this brings us to the next point connected with the sin offering1 viz41 ,he shall lay his hand upon the bullock's head 7ver4 #d74 ,here we have at once the secret of the deep and profound mystery of the three hours' darkness4 ,it was before observed that ,god had to hide ,his face from the ,lord ,jesus on the cross1 but how are we to account for such a mysterious circumstance8 ,simply by the words1 he 7the sinner7 shall lay his hand upon the bullock's head4 ,if1 in contemplating the burnt offering1 we were struck by the fact that all the perfectness of the offering was communicated to the fierce and cruel ,levi1 so here we are called upon to adore the grace that devised the wondrous plan whereby that could be effected1 which was by imputing to the offering all the sin and defilement of ,levi1 and dealing with the sin of ,levi in the person of the sin offering1 in order that ,levi himself might be dealt with in the person of the burnt offering4 ,and all this1 be it observed1 is conveyed to us in the action of the laying on of hands4 ,this action was performed in both cases2 i4e41 ,levi laid his hands on the head of the burnt-offering1 and ,levi laid his hands on the head of the sin offering4 ,as to the act1 it was the same in each case2 but oh1 how different the results6 they were1 in a word1 as different as life and death1 heaven and hell1 sin and holiness4 ,in fact1 we cannot conceive a wider contrast than that which is observable in the results of this action1 to all appearance the same in each case4 ,we may1 perhaps1 be able to form some idea of it by considering that the act of imposition of hands was at once the imputation of sin to one who knew no sin1 but was holy1 harmless1 undefiled1 and whose very nature abhorred all sin4 ,and1 on the other hand1 it was the imputation of perfect righteousness to one who was by nature a cruel1 fierce1 and self-willed murderer4#i ,furthermore1 the act of imposition of hands obliged the ,one who from before all worlds dwelt in the bosom of the ,father to travel far away into the cold and barren regions of death and darkness1 where the genial and life-giving rays of ,his ,father's countenance1 which ,he alone could truly appreciate1 had never penetrated2 and standing upon the confines of which1 ,he cried out1 ,if it be possible1 let this cup pass from ,me6 and again1 when these gloomy regions1 with their ten thousand unutterable horrors1 burst upon ,his spotless soul1 ,my ,god1 ,my ,god1 ,,why ,,hast ,,thou forsaken ,me8 ,and1 on the other hand1 it enabled the one who dwelt in the habitations of cruelty1 into whose assembly ,god could not come1 to stand in the very blaze of the light of ,god's throne4 ,these considerations1 ,i say1 may perhaps assist our conceptions in some measure upon this astounding truth4 ,now1 the apostle states the same truth in the didactic language of the ,new ,testament when he says1 ,he 7,god7 hath made ,him to be sin for us1 that we might be made the righteousness of ,god in ,him 7#b ,cor4 v4 #ba74 ,that is1 ,he hath made the ,one whose perfectness is seen in the burnt offering to be judged as sin1 and treated as such in the sin offering1 in order that we1 who deserved the treatment of the sin offering1 might be treated as accepted in the burnt offering4 #i ,i would observe here that in speaking of the imputation of righteousness1 ,i by no means desire to be understood as giving any countenance to the prevailing theory of the imputed righteousness of ,christ4 ,of this expression1 so much in use in the theology of the present day1 it would be sufficient to say that it is nowhere to be found in the oracles of ,god4 ,i read of the righteousness of ,god 7,rom4 iii4 passim71 and1 moreover1 of the imputation of righteousness 7,rom4 iv4 #aa71 but never of the righteousness of ,christ4 ,it is true1 we read of the ,lord ,jesus being made of ,god unto us righteousness 7,jer4 xxiii4 #f71 but these passages do not support the above theory4 ,i would further add that the moral effect of this idea will be found to be decidedly pernicious1 because it of necessity supposes the believer as standing apart from the ,lord ,jesus1 whereas the doctrine of ,scripture is that the believer is made the righteousness of ,god ,,in ,,him 7#b ,cor4 v4 #ba74 ,and again1 we are ,,in ,,him that is true1 even in ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ 7#a ,jno4 v4 #bj74 ,i would also observe here that there is much force and value in the word made3 it shows out most fully that righteousness was just as foreign to the nature of man as sin was to the nature of ,christ4 ,man had no righteousness of his own1 or1 in other words1 he knew no righteousness1 and therefore he had to be made righteousness4 ,christ knew no sin1 and therefore had to be made sin in order that we might be made righteousness1 even the righteousness of ,god in ,him4 ,but further1 we learn from the passage to which we are referring that the ,lord ,jesus having been made sin for us1 is not more real1 not more true1 not more palpable1 than that the believer is made righteousness in ,him4 ,if there be any truth or reality in the record concerning the cross and passion of the ,lord ,jesus1 then1 it is plain that the moment a soul acts faith upon ,christ in ,his death and resurrection1 that moment he is accepted in all the acceptableness of ,christ4 ,his consciousness of this is1 of course1 quite another question3 a truth and the realization of a truth are quite distinct4 ,the measure of our realization will be in proportion to the measure of our communion with ,god4 ,if we are satisfied to move at a cold and heartless distance from ,god1 our consciousness of the power and value of any truth will1 as a consequence1 be meagre and shallow3 while1 therefore1 it is not to be forgotten that the root and source of all life and communion is the truth stated in the passage to which we are alluding1 it is manifest that the more we walk in communion with ,him who gives us the life1 the more shall we enjoy both ,himself and the life which ,he gives4 ,dear ,christian reader1 let us pray that the cross and passion of the ,lord ,jesus may sink so deeply into our hearts that we may have on the one hand such a view of the loathsomeness of sin as shall lead us to abhor it with a holy abhorrence all the days of our life1 and on the other hand such a view of the amazing love of ,god as shall constrain us to live not unto ourselves but unto ,him who died for us and rose again4 ,thus1 then1 we see that the laying on of hands shows forth nothing less than a change of places on the part of the sinner and the ,saviour4 ,the sinner was out of the favor of ,god3 ,o my soul1 come not thou into their habitation4 ,the ,saviour was in the favor of ,god1 daily ,his delight1 dwelling in ,his bosom from before all worlds4 ,but the amazing plan of redemption shows us the ,saviour out of the favor of ,god1 and ,god forsaking ,him1 while at the same time a condemned malefactor is brought at once into the very presence of a loving and pardoning ,god4 ,amazing1 deep1 inconceivable1 eternal love6 unfathomable wisdom6 love which soars far aloft above the most gigantic conception6 wisdom which has written everlasting contempt upon all the power and base designs of the great enemy of ,god and man6 ,for1 ere ,levi could be introduced into the enjoyment of the covenant of life and peace 7,mal4 ii4 #e71 a spotless ,victim must stand the shock of the king of terrors and all his thunders4 ,but who is this ,victim8 ,we ask not1 ,who is this ,king of glory8 but ,who is this ,victim8 ,the answer to this question it is which gives to the plan of redemption its grandest and most divine characteristic4 ,the ,victim was none less than the ,son of ,god ,himself6 ,yes6 here was love1 here was wisdom4 ,the ,son of ,god had to stoop because man had exalted himself4 ,and surely we may say1 ,if ,god had not entered upon the work1 all1 all were lost1 and that forever4 ,no mere mortal could have entered into that dark scene where sin was being atoned for2 no one but the ,son of ,god could have sustained the weight which1 in the garden and on the cross1 rested on the shoulders of the ,one that was mighty4 ,and here we might refer to the ,lord's language to ,his disciples when ,he was about to enter into conflict with the adversary3 ,hereafter ,i will not talk much with you2 for the prince of this world cometh1 and hath nothing in ,me 7,john xiv4 #cj74 ,why could ,he not talk much with them8 ,because ,he was just going to enter upon the work of atonement1 in which they could do nothing1 because the prince of this world1 had he come1 would have had plenty in them2 but then1 the moment ,he1 as it were1 in spirit passes through that sorrowful hour1 ,he says1 ,arise1 let us go hence2 i4e41 although we could not move a single step in the achievement of the victory1 yet we could enjoy the fruits of it2 and not only so1 but display the fruits of it in a life of service and fruit-bearing to ,god1 which forms the subject of teaching in the next chapter4 ,here1 then1 is what gives peace to the awakened conscience of the sinner4 ,god ,himself has done the work4 ,god has triumphed over all man's wickedness and rebellion1 and now every soul who feels his need of pardon and peace can draw near in faith and holy confidence and reap the fruits of this wondrous triumph of grace and mercy4 ,and now1 dear reader1 if you have not as yet made these wondrous fruits your own2 if you have not as yet cast the whole burden of your sins on ,god's eternal love as seen in the cross1 ,i ask you1 ,why do you stand aloof8 ,why do you doubt8 ,perhaps you feel the hardness of your heart1 perhaps you are ready to say that you feel yourself even now unmoved by the contemplation of all the deep sorrow endured by the ,son of ,god4 ,well1 what of that8 ,if it be a question of your guilt1 you may go much farther than even this1 for in that hour of which we have been speaking you stood unmoved1 looked on with cold and heartless indifference1 while all creation owned the wondrous fact4 ,yea1 more1 you yourself crucified the incarnate ,god1 you spat in ,his face1 and plunged your spear into ,his side4 ,do you shrink back and say1 ,oh1 not so bad6 ,i say it was the act of the human heart2 and if you have a human heart1 it was your act4 ,but the ,scriptures at once decide this point1 for it is written1 ,for of a truth against ,thy holy child ,jesus1 whom ,thou hast anointed1 both ,herod and ,pontius ,pilate1 with the ,gentiles and the people of ,israel1 were gathered together 7,acts iv4 #bg74 ,this passage1 ,i say1 proves that all the world were representatively around the cross4 ,but why insist on this8 ,simply to show forth the riches of the grace of ,god1 which can only be seen in all its effulgent lustre in the cross2 and therein it is seen mounting far above all man's sin and malignant rebellion2 for when man1 in the fiendish pride of his heart1 could plunge his spear into the side of incarnate ,deity1 ,god's cry was--,,blood6 and through that blood remission of sins1 beginning at ,jerusalem4 ,thus1 where sin abounded1 grace did much more abound1 and grace ,,reigns through righteousness by ,jesus ,christ our ,lord4 ,enough1 ,i trust1 has been said to show the grounds upon which the ,levites stood before ,god4 ,these grounds were free and eternal grace--grace exercised toward them through the blood1 which is the only channel through which grace can flow4 ,man has been found to be utterly ruined before ,god1 and therefore it must be a question either of salvation through free grace1 or eternal damnation2 for by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh living be justified4 ,but then1 while man is by nature utterly unfit to render anything like an acceptable righteousness or service to ,god1 yet1 when ,god gives us new life through grace1 ,he1 of course1 looks for the development of that life4 ,in other words1 grace brings the soul into circumstances of responsibility and service1 and it is as we meet those circumstances that ,god is glorified in us and our souls grow in the knowledge of ,god4 ,thus it was in the case of the leper3 up to a certain point in his history he had nothing to do1 the priest was the sole actor4 ,but when the priest had done his part2 when1 by virtue of the blood which had been shed1 he had pronounced him clean1 the leper had then to begin to wash himself 7,lev4 xiv4 #h74 ,now we shall find that the history of ,levi develops all these principles most fully4 ,we have hitherto been engaged with ,levi's condition and character by nature and also the wondrous remedy devised by grace to meet him in his lost estate1 and not only to save him from that estate but also to raise him up to an elevation which could never have entered into the heart of man1 even into the very tabernacle of ,god4 ,we shall now1 with ,god's blessing and grace1 proceed to examine that high elevation to which we have referred1 and also the service which it involved1 as put before us in ,,numbers iii4 ,and the ,lord spake unto ,moses1 saying1 ,bring the tribe of ,levi near1 and present them before ,aaron the priest1 that they may minister unto him4 ,and they shall keep his charge1 and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation1 to do the service of the tabernacle4 ,and they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation1 and the charge of the children of ,israel1 to do the service of the tabernacle4 ,and thou shalt give the ,levites unto ,aaron1 and to his sons3 they are wholly given unto him out of the children of ,israel 7vers4 #e-i74 ,here1 then1 ,god's marvelous purposes of grace toward ,levi fully open before us1 and truly marvelous they are indeed4 ,we see that the sacrifices were but a means to an end2 but both the means and the end were in every way worthy of each other4 ,the means were1 in one word1 death and resurrection1 and all included therein4 ,the end was1 nearness to ,god1 and all included therein4 ,looking at ,levi by nature1 there could not be any point farther removed from ,god than that at which he stood2 but grace in exercise1 through the blood1 could lift him up out of that ruin in which he stood1 and bring him nigh1 yea1 bring him into association with the great head of the priestly family1 there to serve in the tabernacle4 ,thus1 we read1 ,you hath ,he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins1 wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world1 according to the prince of the power of the air1 the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience4444 ,but ,god1 who is rich in mercy1 for ,his great love wherewith ,he loved us1 even when we were dead in sins1 hath quickened us together with ,christ 7by grace ye are saved71 and hath raised us up together1 and made us sit together in heavenly places in ,christ ,jesus 7,eph4 ii4 #a-f74 ,and again1 ,but now1 in ,christ ,jesus1 ye who sometime were afar off1 are made nigh by the blood of ,christ 7ver4 #ac74 ,when nature is left free to work1 it will ever go as far away from ,god as it can4 ,this is true since the day when man said1 ,i heard ,thy voice1 and ,i was afraid and ,i hid myself 7,gen4 iii4 #aj74 ,but when grace is left free and sovereign to work1 it will ever bring the soul nigh4 ,thus it was with ,levi4 ,he was by nature black as the tents of ,kedar2 by grace1 comely as the curtains of ,solomon3 by nature he was joined in a covenant of murder2 by grace joined in a covenant of life and peace4 ,the former1 because he was fierce and cruel2 the latter1 because he feared and was afraid of the ,lord's name4 7,comp4 ,gen4 xlix4 #f1 #g2 ,mal4 ii4 #e47 ,furthermore1 ,levi was by nature conversant with the instruments of cruelty2 by grace1 with the instruments of ,god's tabernacle3 by nature ,god could not come into ,levi's assembly2 by grace1 ,levi is brought into ,god's assembly3 by nature1 his feet were swift to shed blood2 by grace1 swift to follow the movements of the cloud through the desert1 in real1 patient service to ,god4 ,in a word1 ,levi had become a new creature1 and old things had passed away1 and therefore he was no longer to live unto himself1 but unto ,him who had done such marvelous things for him in grace4 ,i would further observe1 on the last cited passage1 that the ,levites are1 in the first place1 declared to be ,god's property1 and then they are ,,wholly ,,given ,,unto ,,aaron4 ,thus we read3 ,thine they were1 and ,thou gavest them ,me1 and they have kept ,thy word 7,john xvii4 #f74 ,and again1 ,all that the ,father giveth ,me shall come to ,me 7,john vi4 #cg74 ,i would now look a little into the detail of their service1 in which1 ,i doubt not1 we shall find much to edify and refresh us4 ,we find that although the whole tribe of ,levi were1 as to standing1 joined with ,aaron1 yet1 as to service1 they were divided into classes4 ,all had not the same office2 and this is what we might have expected1 for1 although in the matter of life and standing they were all on a level1 yet1 in the development of that life1 and in the manifestation of the power of that standing1 they would1 no doubt1 display different measures2 and not only so1 but there would also be seen an assignment to each of distinct position and line of service1 which would serve to distinguish him from his brethren in a very marked and decided manner4 ,and here ,i would observe that ,i know of nothing connected with the walk and service of the ,christian which demands more attention than this point to which ,i am now alluding1 viz41 unity in the matter of life and standing1 and at the same time the greatest variety in the manifestation of character and in the line of service4 ,a due attention to this important point would save us from much of that unwise comparing of ourselves and our service with the persons and services of others1 which is most unholy1 and1 as a consequence1 most unhealthy4#aj ,and not only would it lead thus to beneficial results in a negative point of view1 it would also have a most happy effect in producing and cultivating originality and uniqueness of ,christian character4 ,but while there was this diversity in the line of service amongst the ,levites1 it is also to be remembered that there was manifested unity4 ,the ,levites were one people1 and seen as such2 they were joined with ,aaron in the work of the tabernacle2 moreover1 ,,they ,,had ,,one ,,standard1 round which they all rallied1 and that was the tabernacle of the congregation1 the well known type of ,christ in ,his character and offices4 ,and1 indeed1 this was one of the ends which ,god had in view in calling out the ,levites by ,his grace from amongst the people of ,israel2 it was that they should stand in marked association with ,aaron and his sons1 and in that association bear the tabernacle and all pertaining thereto on their shoulders1 through the barren wilderness around4#aa #aj ,it is worthy the serious attention of the ,christian reader who may desire the unity of the ,church1 that the tribe of ,levi in the desert was a truly striking example of what may be termed unity in diversity4 ,gershon was in one sense totally different from ,merari1 and ,merari was totally different from ,kohath2 and yet ,gershon1 ,merari and ,kohath were one3 they should not1 therefore1 contend about their service1 because they were one2 nor yet would it have been right to confound their services1 because they were totally different4 ,thus1 attention to unity would have saved them from contention1 and attention to diversity would have saved them from confusion4 ,in a word1 all things could only be done decently and in order by a due attention to the fact of there being unity in diversity4 #aa ,i say one of the ends1 for we should ever remember that the grand object before the divine mind in redemption is to show in the ages to come ,his kindness towards us through ,christ ,jesus2 and this object will be secured even though our poor puny services had never been heard of4 ,god did not call out the ,levites merely that they might escape the sad effects of ,god's absence from their assembly2 or1 in other words1 ,god had more than ,,their blessing and security in view in ,his dealings with them4 ,he designed that they should serve in the tabernacle1 and thus be to ,his praise and glory4 ,we shall1 however1 ,i trust1 see this principle upon which ,i am dwelling in a clearer and stronger point of view as we proceed in our subject4 ,we find that ,levi had three sons1 viz41 ,gershon1 and ,kohath1 and ,merari 7,num4 iii4 #ag74 ,these formed the heads of the three classes alluded to1 and we shall find that the nature of the service of each was such as of necessity to impart that tone of character signified by their very name4 ,thus3 ,of ,gershon was the family of the ,libnites and the family of the ,shimites3 these are the families of the ,gershonites4 ,and the chief of the house of the father of the ,gershonites shall be ,eliasaph1 the son of ,lael4 ,and the charge of the sons of ,gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle and the tent1 the covering thereof1 and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation1 and the hangings of the court1 and the curtain for the door of the court1 which is by the tabernacle1 and by the altar round about1 and the cords of it for all the service thereof 7vers4 #ba-bf74 ,here was ,gershon's work1 to carry through the waste and howling wilderness the tabernacle and its coverings4 ,this was indeed true ,levite service1 but it was most blessed service1 and its antitype in the ,church now is what we should much seek after1 because it is that which alone puts the ,christian into his right place in the world1 i4e41 the place of a ,,stranger4 ,there could be but little attractiveness in the rams' skins and badgers' skins2 but1 little as there was1 it was1 nevertheless1 the high privilege of the ,gershonite to take them all up and bear them cheerfully on his shoulders across the trackless sands4 ,what1 then1 are we to understand by the covering of the tabernacle8 ,i believe1 in a word1 it shadowed out the character of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,it was that which would meet the eye4 ,there might be1 and were1 other services among the ,levites of a very blessed nature1 but surely it was most elevated service to carry through the desert that which so strikingly prefigured the character of ,christ4 ,this is what makes the saint a stranger 7as the name ,gershon imports7 in the world4 ,if we are walking in the manifestation of the character of the ,lord ,jesus1 and in so doing realize our place as in the wilderness1 we may rest assured it will impart a very decided tone of strangership to our character in the world4 ,and oh1 would that we knew much more of this4 ,the ,church has laid down the rams' skins and badgers' skins1 and with them the ,gershonite character3 in other words1 the ,church has ceased to walk in the footsteps of her rejected ,lord and ,master1 and the consequence has been that instead of being the wearied and worn stranger1 as she should be1 treading the parched and sterile desert1 with the burden on the shoulders1 she has settled herself down in the green places of the world and made herself at home4 ,but there was another feature of the stranger character shadowed out in the curtain1 viz41 anticipation4 ,this was most blessed--,god dwelling in curtains showed plainly that neither ,god nor the ark of ,his strength had found a resting-place1 but were journeying on towards a rest that remained4 ,and how could there be a rest in the desert8 ,there were no rivers and brooks there--no old corn there--no milk and honey there4 ,true1 the smitten rock sent forth its refreshing streams to meet their need1 and heaven sent down their daily bread2 but all this was not ,canaan4 ,they were still in the desert1 eating wilderness food and drinking wilderness water1 and it was ,gershon's holy privilege to carry upon his shoulders that which in the fullest manner expressed all this1 viz41 ,,the ,,curtain4 ,thus saith the ,lord1 ,shalt thou build ,me an house for ,me to dwell in8 ,whereas ,i have not dwelt in any house since the time that ,i brought up the children of ,israel out of ,egypt1 even to this day1 but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle 7#b ,sam4 vii4 #e1 #f74 ,here1 too1 we have sadly failed4 ,the ,church grew weary of the curtain1 and wished to build a house before the time2 she grew weary of walking in a tent1 and earnestly desired to dwell in a house4 ,and truly we have all to watch and pray against this disposition to grow weary of our ,gershonite character4 ,there is nothing so trying to nature as continual labor in a state of expectancy2 our hearts love rest and fruition1 and therefore nothing but the continual remembrance that our sufficiency is of ,god can at all sustain us in our ,gershon or stranger condition4 ,let us therefore remember that we bear on our shoulders the curtains1 and have beneath our feet the sand of the desert1 above our heads the pillar of cloud1 and before us the land of rest clothed in never-withering green1 and1 both as a stimulus and a warning1 let us remember that ,he that endureth to the end ,,the ,,same shall be saved4#ab #ab ,it would surely be of all importance in this day1 when so many are declining from the narrow path of obedience to the written ,word1 and entering upon the wide and bewildering field of human tradition1 to bear in mind that the ,levite1 when carrying the tabernacle through the desert1 found no support nor guide from beneath2 no1 the grace in which he stood was his sole support1 and the pillar above his sole guide4 ,it would have been miserable indeed had he been left to find a guide in the footmarks on the sand1 which would change at every wind that blew4 ,but all the sand did for him was to add to his labor and toil while he endeavored to follow the heavenly guide above his head4 99 99 99 99 99 ,we shall next consider the ,merarite feature of character2 for1 although the family of ,merari does not stand next in order in the chapter1 yet there is a kindredness of spirit1 as it were1 arising out of the very nature of their service1 that would link them together in the mind4 ,but1 not only is there this intimate connection between the services of these two classes of ,levites1 which would lead us to link them together thus1 the ,lord ,himself presents them to us in marked unity of service1 for we read1 ,and the ,kohathites set forward bearing the sanctuary2 and the other 7i4e41 the ,gershonites and the ,merarites7 did set up the tabernacle against they came 7,num4 x4 #ba74 ,here1 then1 we see that it was the great business of these two families to pass onward through the desert in holy companionship1 bearing with them1 wherever they went1 the tabernacle1 and1 moreover1 the tabernacle as looked at in its character of outward manifestation or testimony2 which would1 as a matter of course1 put those who carried it thus into a place of very laborious discipleship4 ,and under the custody and charge of the sons of ,merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle1 and the bars thereof1 and the pillars thereof1 and the sockets thereof1 and all the vessels thereof1 and all that serveth thereto1 and the pillars of the court round about1 and their sockets1 and their pins1 and their cords 7chap4 iii4 #cf1 #cg74 ,here1 then1 was what ,merari had to do3 he had to take his place here or there1 according to the movement of the cloud1 and set up the boards of the tabernacle in their sockets of silver--and all this1 be it remembered1 upon the sand of the desert4#ac #ac ,it has been well observed that in the tabernacle ,god was seen bringing all ,his glory into immediate connection with the sand of the desert3 and when the high priest went into the holy place1 he found himself in the very presence of that glory1 with his feet upon the sand of the desert likewise4 ,in the temple1 however1 this was not the case1 for the floor of the house was overlaid with gold 7#a ,kings vi4 #cj74 ,so is it with the ,christian now2 he has not as yet his feet upon the pure gold of the heavenly city1 but his deepest and most abiding knowledge of ,god is that which he obtains in connection with his sorrow1 toil and conflict in the wilderness4 ,could anything be more opposed to another than the nature of all that ,merari had to set up was to the waste and howling wilderness around8 ,what could be more unlike than silver and barren sand8 ,but ,merari might not shrink from all this2 no1 his language was1 when he had arrived at a spot in the desert at which the cloud halted1 ,i am come to set up the patterns of things in heaven in the very midst of all the desolation and misery of the wilderness around4 ,all this was most laborious1 and would1 no doubt1 impart to the character of ,merari a tone of sadness or sorrow which was at once expressed in his name1 which means sorrow4 ,and surely the antitype of all this in the ,church now will fully confirm what has been stated about the character of ,merari4 ,let any one take his stand firmly and decidedly in the world for ,christ--let him penetrate into those places where the world is really seen in its vigor--let him oppose himself1 firm as a rock1 to the deep and rapid tide of worldliness1 and there let him begin to set up the sockets of silver1 and1 rest assured of it1 he will find such a course attended with very much sorrow and bitterness of soul2 in a word1 he will realize it to be a path in which the cross is to be taken up daily1 and not only taken up1 but borne4 ,now1 if any further proof were needed of the above interpretation1 we have a most striking one in the fact that there are but very few of the laborious ,merarite character to be found2 and why is this8 ,simply because the exhibition of such a character will ever be attended with very much labor and sorrow to nature1 and nature loves ease1 and therefore human nature never could be a ,merarite2 nothing will make us true ,merarites but deep communion with ,him who was ,,the ,,man ,,of ,,sorrows4 ,there is something in the service of ,gershon from which one does not shrink so much as from that of ,merari4 ,for what had ,gershon to do8 ,he had to place the curtains and badgers' skins over the boards which had been already set up by his laborious and sorrowful brother4 ,and just so now3 if a laborious servant of ,god has gone to a place where hitherto the world and ,satan have reigned supreme1 and there raised a testimony for ,christ1 it will be comparatively easy for another to go and walk on in the simple manifestation of ,christian character1 which would of itself put him into the place of a stranger4 ,but1 although nature may assume the character of a misanthropist1 yet nothing but grace can make us ,merarites1 and the true ,merarite is the true philanthropist1 because he introduces that which alone can bless2 and the very fact that a ,merarite should have to take a place of sorrow is a most convincing proof that the world is an evil place4 ,there was no need of a ,merarite in ,canaan1 nor a ,gershonite either3 for the ,merarite was happy there1 and the ,gershonite at home4 ,but the world is not the ,levite's home1 and therefore if any will carry the curtains1 he must be a stranger2 and if any will carry the sockets and boards1 he must be a man of sorrow2 for when ,he who was a true ,gershonite and a true ,merarite came into the world ,he was emphatically the ,man of sorrows1 who had not where to lay ,his head4 ,however1 if the ,gershonite and the ,merarite had to occupy a place in which they endured not a little of the burden and heat of the day1 yet the ,lord graciously met them in that with a very rich reward1 for ,he is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love1 and therefore1 if they had to labor and toil amongst their brethren1 they were blessedly ministered to by their brethren4 ,thus we read concerning the offerings of the princes3 ,and the ,lord spake unto ,moses1 saying1 ,take it of them1 that they may be to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation2 and thou shalt give them unto the ,levites1 to every man according to his service4 ,and ,moses took the wagons and the oxen and gave them unto the ,levites4 ,two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of ,gershon1 according to their service4 ,and four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of ,merari according unto their service1 under the hand of ,ithamar the son of ,aaron the priest4 ,but unto the sons of ,kohath he gave none1 because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders 7,num4 vii4 #d-i74 ,here we see that the service of ,gershon and ,merari was that which met the rich and blessed ministrations of their brethren4 ,grace had filled the hearts and affections of the princes1 and not only filled but overflowed them1 and in its overflow it was designed to refresh the spirits of the homeless ,gershonite and sorrowful ,merarite3 on the other hand1 the ,kohathites had no part in these ministrations2 and why8 ,because their service1 as we shall see presently1 was in itself a rich reward indeed4 ,we see the very same doctrine taught in the case of the ,levites generally1 as contrasted with the priests1 in chap4 xviii41 where we read3 ,and the ,lord spake unto ,aaron1 ,thou shalt have no inheritance in their land1 neither shalt thou have any part among them3 ,i am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of ,israel 7ver4 #bj74 ,on the other hand1 ,he says of the ,levites1 ,behold1 ,i have given the children of ,levi all the tenth in ,israel for an inheritance1 for their service which they serve1 even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation4 ,and again1 ,ye shall eat it in every place1 ye and your households1 for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation 7vers4 #ba1 #ca74 ,aaron occupied a position so truly elevated that any inheritance in the way of earthly things would have been to him most degrading2 whereas the ,levites 7looked at in one aspect7 had not this high standing1 but had much hard labor2 and consequently1 while ,aaron's very place and service was his reward1 the ,levites had to get a tenth for their reward4 99 99 99 99 99 ,we come now to consider the third and last division of the ,levites1 viz41 the ,kohathites1 of whom we read1 ,the families of the sons of ,kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward4 ,and the chief of the house of the father of the families of the ,kohathites shall be ,elizaphan the son of ,uzziel4 ,and their charge shall be the ark1 and the table1 and the candlestick1 and the altars1 and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister1 and the hanging1 and all the service thereof 7chap4 iii4 #bi-ca74 ,we can now have no difficulty in understanding why it was that ,kohath had no share in the ministrations of the princes4 ,gershon and ,merari might need wagons and oxen to carry the boards1 etc41 but not so ,kohath2 his charge was too precious to be committed to any or aught but himself1 and therefore it was his high and honored place to carry all upon his shoulders4 ,what a privilege1 for example1 to be allowed to carry the ark1 the table1 or the golden candlestick6 ,and would it not have argued an entire absence of ability to appreciate his elevated calling if he had sought for the assistance of oxen in his holy service8 ,what1 then1 we ask1 would have been the effect produced upon the character of ,kohath by this his service8 ,would it not have imparted a very elevated tone thereto8 ,surely it would4 ,what can be more elevated1 at least as far as development of character in the world is concerned1 than the display of that congregational spirit which is expressed in the name of ,kohath8 ,should not ,christians be found rebuking1 by a real union in everything1 man's oft-repeated attempt at forming associations for various purposes8 ,and how can they effect that if it be not by gathering more closely around their common centre1 ,christ1 in all the blessed fulness and variety of that ,name8 a fulness and variety typified by the varied furniture of the tabernacle1 some of the most precious parts of which were designed to be borne on the shoulders of this favored division of the tribe of ,levi4 ,and surely we may safely assert that what would lead the saints now into more of the congregational spirit is just communion with ,him whom the ark and table shadowed forth4 ,if we were more conversant with ,christ as the ark1 covering in this scene of death1 and1 moreover1 with the table of showbread1 whereon stood the food of the priests--if1 ,i say1 we knew more of ,christ in these blessed aspects of ,his character--we should not be as we are1 a proverb and a byword by reason of our gross disunion4 ,but1 alas1 as the ,church grew weary of the curtains and the boards1 and laid aside her ,gershonite and ,merarite character1 so has she laid aside her ,kohathite character1 because she has ceased to carry the ark and the table upon her shoulder1 and cast those precious pearls which were1 through the grace of ,god1 her peculiar property1 to the swine1 and thus has she lost her elevated character and position in the world4 ,thus1 let us review those three grand features of character shown forth in the tribe of ,levi4 99 99 99 99 99 #ast4 ,strangership4 ,therefore the world knoweth us not1 because it knew ,him not4 ,here we have no abiding city4 ,dearly beloved1 ,i beseech you as strangers and pilgrims1 abstain from fleshly lusts1 which war against the soul4 99 99 99 99 99 #b;d4 ,sorrow in the world4 ,in the world ye shall have tribulation4 ,if they have persecuted ,me1 they will also persecute you4 ,i ,,reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us4 ,after that ye have suffered awhile1 make you perfect--ye have need of patience--ye yourselves know that ye are appointed thereunto4 ,if we suffer with ,him1 we shall also reign with ,him4 ,these are they that came out of great tribulation1 and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the ,lamb4 99 99 99 99 99 #c;d4 ,union4 ,that they all may be one4 ,he should gather together in one the children of ,god that are scattered abroad4 ,that ,he might reconcile both unto ,god in ,,one body by the cross4 ,and here1 again1 ,i would request of my reader to bear in mind that1 while there was this beautiful diversity in the character and line of service of the ,levites1 yet they were one people1 and that manifestly--they were one in life1 one in standing1 one in calling1 one in inheritance2 and so should it be with ,christians now4 ,we are not to expect uniformity of opinion on every point1 nor yet are we to look for a perfect correspondence in the line of service and development of life2 but then the saints should be seen as one people--one in worship1#ad one in labor1 one in object1 one in sympathy2 in a word1 one in everything that belongs to them in common as the people of ,god4 #ad ,i say1 one in worship2 and ,i would press this point1 because at the present day it seems to be a thought in the minds of many that there may be unity in service and at the same time the greatest diversity in worship4 ,i would appeal to the spiritual mind of the ,christian reader1 and ,i would ask him1 ,can this really be8 ,what should we say to a family who would unite1 or appear to do so1 for the purpose of carrying on their father's work1 but who could not1 by reason of division1 meet around their father's table8 ,could such unity satisfy a father who loved his children8 99 99 99 99 99 ,how sadly out of order it would have been for a ,levite to call upon one of the uncircumcised of the nations around to assist him in carrying any part of the tabernacle6 and yet we hear ,christians now justifying and insisting upon the propriety of conduct not less disorderly1 viz41 calling upon the openly unconverted and profane to put their hands to the ,lord's work4 ,thus we see that the ,levites have become scattered1 and have forsaken their posts4 ,the ,gershonite has refused to carry the curtains because he has become weary of the stranger condition2 the ,merarite has laid down the boards and sockets because he grew weary of bearing the cross1 and the ,kohathite has degraded his high and holy office by making it the common property of those who have not authority from ,god to put their hands thereunto4 ,thus the name of ,god is blasphemed among the heathen by us1 and we do not sigh and cry for the abominations thus practiced1 but lift up our heads in proud indifference as if it all were right1 and as if the camp of ,god were moving onward in all heavenly order1 under the guidance of the cloud1 communicated by the silver trumpets4 ,my brethren1 these things ought not so to be4 ,may we walk more humbly before our ,god1 and1 while we mourn over the sad fact that ,overturn1 overturn1 overturn has been written by the finger of ,god upon all human arrangements1 let us remember that it is only until ,he come whose right it is1 and then all shall be set right forever1 for ,god1 in all things1 shall be fully glorified through ,jesus ,christ4 99 99 99 99 99 ,thus1 dear reader1 have we followed ,levi in his course2 and oh1 what a marvelous course has it been6 a course1 every step of which displays the visible marks of sovereign grace abounding over man's sin--grace1 which led ,god to stoop from ,his throne in the heavens to visit the habitations of cruelty1 in order to lift a poor perishing sinner from thence1 and bring him1 through the purging power of the blood1 into a place of marvelous blessing indeed1 even into the very tabernacle of ,god1 there to be employed about the instruments of ,god's house4 ,we have found ,levi to have been indeed the one who was dead and is alive again1 who was lost and is found4 ,may we1 then1 adore the grace that could do such mighty acts6 and if we have felt in our hearts the operations of the same grace in delivering us from the death and darkness of ,egypt1 may we remember that its effects should be to constrain us to live1 not unto ourselves1 but unto ,him who died for us and rose again4 ,we are now in the wilderness1 where we are called to carry the tabernacle4 ,may we cheerfully move onward1 declaring ,,plainly that we seek a country1 and anxiously look out for ,,the ,,rest ,,that ,,remains4 ,,part ,i4 ,,glad ,,tidings ,for ,god so loved the world1 that ,he gave ,his only-begotten ,son1 that whosoever believeth in ,him should not perish1 but have everlasting life 7,john iii4 #af74 ,there are some passages of holy ,scripture which seem to contain1 in a line or two1 an entire volume of most precious truth4 ,the verse which we have just penned is one of such4 ,it is part of our ,lord's memorable discourse with ,nicodemus1 and it embodies1 in a condensed form1 a very full statement of gospel truth--a statement which may well be termed1 ,glad ,tidings4 ,it should ever be borne in mind1 both by preachers and those to whom they preach1 that one grand object of the gospel is to bring ,god and the sinner together in such a way as to secure the sinner's eternal salvation4 ,it reveals a ,saviour ,god to a lost man4 ,in other words1 it presents ,god to the sinner in the very character that meets the sinner's need4 ,a ,saviour is precisely what suits the lost1 just as a life-boat suits a drowning man1 or a physician a sick man1 or bread a hungry man4 ,they are fitted the one for the other2 and when ,god as a ,saviour1 and man as a lost sinner1 meet together1 the whole question is settled forever4 ,the sinner is saved1 because ,god is a ,saviour4 ,he is saved according to the perfection which belongs to ,god1 in every character ,he wears1 in every office ,he fills1 in every relationship ,he sustains4 ,to raise a question as to the full and everlasting salvation of a believing soul1 is to deny that ,god is a ,saviour4 ,so it is in reference to justification4 ,god has revealed ,himself as a ,justifier2 and hence1 the believer is justified according to the perfection which attaches to ,god in that character4 ,if a single flaw could be detected in the title of the very weakest believer1 it would be a dishonor to ,god as a ,justifier4 ,grant me but this1 that ,god is my ,justifier1 and ,i argue1 in the face of every opposer and every accuser1 that ,i am1 and must be1 perfectly justified4 ,and1 on the same principle1 grant me but this1 that ,god has revealed ,himself as a ,saviour1 and ,i argue1 with unclouded confidence and holy boldness1 that ,i am1 and must be1 perfectly saved4 ,it does not rest upon aught in me1 but simply and entirely upon ,god's revelation of ,himself4 ,i know ,he is perfect in everything2 and1 therefore1 perfect as my ,saviour4 ,hence1 ,i am perfectly saved1 inasmuch as the glory of ,god is involved in my salvation4 ,there is no ,god else beside ,me3 a just ,god and a ,saviour2 there is none beside ,me4 ,what then8 ,look unto ,me1 and be ye saved1 all the ends of the earth2 for ,i am ,god1 and there is none else 7,isa4 xlv4 #ba1 #bb74 ,one believing look from a lost sinner to a just ,god and a ,saviour1 secures eternal salvation4 ,look6 ,how simple6 ,it is not ,work--,do--,pray--,feel--no2 it is simply ,look4 ,and what then8 ,salvation--everlasting life4 ,it must be so1 because ,god is a ,saviour2 and the precious little word look fully implies all this1 inasmuch as it expresses the fact that the salvation which ,i want is found in the ,one to whom ,i look4 ,it is all there1 ready for me1 and one look secures it--secures it forever--secures it for me4 ,it is not a thing of to-day or to-morrow2 it is an eternal reality4 ,the bulwarks of salvation behind which the believer retreats have been erected by ,god ,himself--the ,saviour-,god1 on the sure foundation of ,christ's atoning work2 and no power of earth or hell can ever shake them4 ,wherefore also it is contained in the ,scripture1 ,behold1 ,i lay in ,zion a chief ,corner-stone1 elect1 precious2 and he that believeth on ,him shall not be confounded 7,isa4 xxviii4 #af2 #a ,pet4 ii4 #f74 ,but let us now turn directly to the profound and comprehensive passage which forms the special subject of this paper4 ,in it1 most assuredly1 we listen to the voice of a ,saviour-,god--the voice of ,him who came down from heaven to reveal ,god in such a way as ,he had never been revealed before4 ,it is a marvelously blessed fact that ,god has been fully revealed in this world--revealed1 so that we--the writer and the reader of these lines--may know ,him1 in all the reality of what ,he is--know ,him1 each for himself1 with the utmost possible certainty1 and have to do with ,him1 in all the blessed intimacy of personal communion4 ,reader1 think of this6 ,think1 we beseech you1 of this amazing privilege4 ,you may know ,god for yourself1 as your ,saviour1 your ,father1 your own very ,god4 ,you may have to do with ,him2 you may lean upon ,him1 cling to ,him1 walk with ,him1 live and move and have your being in ,his own most blessed presence1 in the bright sunshine of ,his loving countenance1 under ,his own immediate eye4 ,this is life and peace4 ,it is far more than mere theology or systematic divinity4 ,these things have their value1 but1 be it remembered1 a man may be a profound theologian1 an able divine1 and yet live and die without ,god and perish eternally4 ,solemn1 awful1 overwhelming thought6 ,a man may go down to hell1 into the blackness and darkness of an eternal night1 with all the dogmas of theology at his fingers' ends4 ,a man may sit in the professor's chair1 stand in the pulpit and at the desk2 he may be looked up to as a great teacher and an eloquent preacher3 hundreds may sit at his feet and learn1 thousands may hang on his lips and be enraptured1 and1 after all1 he himself may descend into the pit1 and spend a dismal1 miserable eternity in company with the most profane and immoral4 ,not so1 however1 with one who knows ,god as ,he is revealed in the face of ,jesus ,christ4 ,such a one has gotten life eternal4 ,this1 says ,christ1 is life eternal1 that they might know ,thee the only true ,god1 and ,jesus ,christ1 whom ,thou hast sent 7,john xvii4 #c74 ,it is not life eternal to know theology or divinity4 ,a man may sit down to the study of these1 as he would to study law or medicine1 astronomy or geology1 and all the while know nothing of ,god1 and therefore be without divine life1 and perish in the end4 ,so also as to mere religiousness4 ,a man may be the greatest devotee in the world4 ,he may most diligently discharge all the offices1 and sedulously attend upon all the ordinances of systematic religion2 he may fast and pray2 hear sermons and say prayers2 be most devout and exemplary2 and all the while know nothing of ,god in ,christ2 yea1 he may live and die without ,god1 and sink into hell forever4 ,look at ,nicodemus4 ,where could you find a better sample of religious human nature than in him8 ,a man of the ,pharisees1 a ruler of the ,jews1 a master in ,israel2 one1 moreover1 who seemed to discern in the miracles of our ,lord the clear proofs of ,his divine mission2 and yet the word to him was1 ,ye must be born again4 ,we have no need1 surely1 to go farther than this to prove that a man may be not only religious1 but actually a guide and a teacher of others1 and yet not have divine life in his soul4 ,but it is not so with one who knows ,god in ,christ4 ,such a one has life and an object4 ,he has ,god ,himself for his priceless portion4 ,this is divine4 ,it lies at the very foundation of personal ,christianity and true religion4 ,it is above and beyond everything4 ,it is not1 we repeat1 mere theology1 divinity1 or religiousness2 it is ,god ,himself1 known1 trusted1 and enjoyed4 ,it is a grand1 unmistakable reality4 ,it is the soul of theology1 the groundwork of divinity1 the life of true religion4 ,there is nothing in all this world like it4 ,it is something which must be felt in order to be known4 ,it is acquaintance with ,god1 confidence in ,him1 and enjoyment of ,him4 ,now1 it may be that the reader is disposed to ask1 ,how can ,i possess this priceless treasure8 ,how can ,i know ,god for myself1 in this living1 saving1 powerful manner8 ,if it be true that without this personal knowledge of ,god ,i must perish eternally1 then how am ,i to obtain it8 ,what am ,i to do1 what am ,i to be1 in order to know ,god8 ,the answer is1 ,god has revealed ,himself4 ,if ,he had not1 we may say with decision that nothing that we could do1 nothing that we could be1 nothing in us or of us1 could possibly make us acquainted with ,god4 ,if ,god had not manifested ,himself1 we should have remained forever in ignorance of ,him and perished in our ignorance4 ,but1 seeing that ,he has come forth from the thick darkness and showed ,himself1 we may know ,him according to the truth of ,his own revelation1 and find1 in that knowledge1 everlasting life1 and a spring of blessedness at which our ransomed souls shall drink throughout the golden ages of eternity4 ,we know of nothing which so clearly and forcibly proves man's utter incompetency to do aught towards procuring life1 as the fact that the possession of that life is based upon the knowledge of ,god3 and this knowledge of ,god must rest upon the revelation of ,god4 ,in a word1 to know ,god is life1 to be ignorant of ,him is death4 ,but where is ,he to be known8 ,this is1 in very deed1 a grave question4 ,many a one has had to cry out1 with ,job1 ,oh1 that ,i knew where ,i might find ,him4 ,where is ,god to be found8 ,am ,i to look for ,him in creation8 ,doubtless1 ,his hand is visible there2 but ah6 that will not do for me4 ,a ,creator-,god will not suit a lost sinner4 ,the hand of power will not avail for a poor1 guilty wretch like me4 ,i want a heart of love4 ,yes1 ,i want a heart that can love me in all my guilt and misery4 ,where can ,i find this8 ,shall ,i look into the wide domain of providence--the widely extended sphere of ,god's government8 ,has ,god revealed ,himself there in such a way as to meet me1 a poor lost one8 ,will providence and government avail for one who knows himself to be a hell-deserving sinner8 ,clearly not4 ,if ,i look at these things1 ,i may see what will perplex and confound me4 ,i am short-sighted and ignorant1 and wholly unable to explain the ins and outs1 the bearings and issues1 the why and the wherefore1 of a single event in my own life1 or in the history of this world4 ,am ,i able to explain all about the loss of ,the ,london8 ,can ,i account for the fact that a most valuable life is suddenly cut short1 and an apparently useless one prolonged8 ,there is a husband and the father of a large family2 he seems perfectly indispensable to his domestic circle and yet1 all in a moment1 he is cut down1 and they are left in sorrow and destitution2 while1 on the other hand1 yonder lies a poor bed-ridden creature1 who has outlived all her relations1 and is dependent on the parish1 or on individual benevolence4 ,she has lain there for years1 a burden to some1 no use to any4 ,can ,i account for this8 ,am ,i competent to interpret the voice of ,providence in this deeply mysterious dispensation8 ,certainly not4 ,i have nothing in or of myself wherewith to thread my way through the mazes of the labyrinth of what is called providence4 ,i cannot find a ,saviour-,god there4 ,well1 then1 shall ,i turn to the law--to the ,mosaic economy--the ,levitical ceremonial8 ,shall ,i find what ,i want there8 ,will a ,lawgiver1 on the top of a fiery mount1 wrapped in clouds and thick darkness1 sending forth thunders and lightnings1 or hidden behind a veil--will such a ,one avail for me8 ,alas6 alas6 ,i cannot meet ,him--,i cannot answer ,his demands nor fulfil the conditions4 ,i am told to love ,him with all my heart1 with all my mind1 and with all my strength2 but ,i do not know ,him4 ,i am blind and cannot see4 ,i am alienated from the life of ,god1 an enemy by wicked works4 ,sin has blinded my mind1 blunted my conscience1 and hardened my heart4 ,the devil has completely perverted my moral being1 and led me into a state of positive rebellion against ,god4 ,i want to be renewed in the very source of my being ere ,i can do what the law demands4 ,how can ,i be thus renewed8 ,only by the knowledge of ,god4 ,but ,god is not revealed in the law4 ,nay1 ,he is hidden--hidden behind an impenetrable cloud1 an unrent veil4 ,hence ,i cannot know ,him there4 ,i am compelled to retire from that fiery mount1 and from that unrent veil1 and from the whole economy of which these were the characteristic features1 the prominent objects1 still crying out1 ,oh6 that ,i knew where ,i might find ,him4 ,in a word1 then1 neither in creation1 nor in providence1 nor in the law1 is ,god revealed as a just ,god and a ,saviour4 ,i see a ,god of power in creation3 a ,god of wisdom in providence2 a ,god of justice in the law2 a ,god of love only in the face of ,jesus ,christ4 ,god was in ,christ1 reconciling the world unto ,himself 7#b ,cor4 v4 #ai74 ,to this stupendous fact we call the reader's earnest attention2 that is1 if he be one who does not yet know the ,lord4 ,it is of the very last possible importance that he be clear as to this4 ,without it there can be nothing right4 ,to know ,god is the first step4 ,it is not merely knowing some things about ,god4 ,it is not unrenewed nature turning religious1 trying to do better1 endeavouring to keep the law4 ,no1 reader2 it is none of these things4 ,it is ,god1 known in the face of ,jesus ,christ4 ,for ,god1 who commanded the light to shine out of darkness1 hath shined in our hearts1 to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of ,god in the face of ,jesus ,christ4 ,this is the deep and blessed secret of the whole matter4 ,the reader1 so far as his natural condition is concerned1 is in a state of darkness4 ,there is not so much as a single ray of spiritual light4 ,he is1 spiritually and morally1 just what creation was physically before that sublime and commanding utterance fell from the lips of the ,almighty ,creator1 ,let there be light4 ,all is dark and chaotic1 for the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not1 lest the light of the glorious gospel of ,christ1 who is the image of ,god1 should shine unto them 7#b ,cor4 iv4 #d-f74 ,here are two things2 namely1 the god of this world blinding the mind1 and seeking to hinder the in-shining of the precious life-giving beams of the light of ,god's glory2 and1 on the other hand1 ,god1 in ,his marvelous grace1 shining in the heart1 to give the light of the knowledge of ,his glory in the face of ,jesus ,christ4 ,thus all hinges upon the grand reality of the knowledge of ,god4 ,is there light8 ,it is because ,god is known4 ,is there darkness8 ,it is because ,god is not known4 ,no doubt there are various measures in the experience and exhibition of this light3 but there is light1 because there is the knowledge of ,god4 ,so also there may be various forms of darkness2 some more hideous than others2 but there is darkness because ,god is not known4 ,the knowledge of ,god is light and life4 ,ignorance of ,god is darkness and death4 ,a man may enrich himself with all the treasures of science and literature2 but if he does not know ,god1 he is in the darkness of primeval night4 ,but1 on the other hand1 a man may be profoundly ignorant of all human learning2 but if he knows ,god1 he walks in broad day-light4 ,in the passage of ,scripture which is engaging our attention1 namely1 ,john iii4 #af1 we have a very remarkable illustration of the character of the entire ,gospel of ,john1 and especially the opening chapters4 ,it is impossible to meditate upon it without seizing this interesting fact4 ,in it we are introduced to ,god ,himself1 in that wondrous aspect of ,his character and nature1 as loving the world1 and giving ,his ,son4 ,in it1 too1 we find1 not only the world as a whole1 but the individual sinner1 under that most satisfactory title of whosoever4 ,thus ,god and the sinner are together--,god1 loving and giving2 and the sinner1 believing and having4 ,it is not ,god judging and exacting2 but ,god loving and giving4 ,the former was law2 the latter1 grace2 that was ,judaism2 this1 ,christianity4 ,in the one1 we see ,god demanding obedience in order to life2 in the other1 we see ,god giving life as the only basis of obedience4 ,in the one1 we see man struggling for life1 but never obtaining it2 in the other1 we see man receiving life as a free gift1 through faith in the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,such is the contrast between the two systems--a contrast which cannot be too deeply pondered4 ,the law was given by ,moses1 but grace and truth came by ,jesus ,christ 7,john i4 #ag74 ,but let us mark the way in which this is unfolded in our text4 ,god so loved the world4 ,here we have the wide aspect of the love of ,god4 ,it is not confined to any particular nation1 tribe1 caste1 or family4 ,it embraces the whole world4 ,god is love2 and1 being so1 it is not a question of the fitness or worthiness of the object of ,his love4 ,it is what ,he is4 ,he is love1 and ,he cannot deny ,himself4 ,it is the very energy and activity of ,his nature4 ,the heart may have many a question1 many an exercise as to its state and condition before ,god1 and very right it should have them4 ,the ,spirit ,himself may produce such exercises and raise such questions2 but1 after all1 the grand truth shines forth in all its lustre1 ,god is love4 ,whatever we are1 whatever the world is1 that is what ,god is2 and we know that the truth as to ,god forms the deep and rich substratum which underlies the whole system of ,christianity4 ,the soul may pass through deep and sore conflict1 under the sense of its own wretchedness2 there may be many doubts and fears2 many dark and heavy clouds2 weeks1 months1 or years may be spent under the law1 in one's inward self-consciousness1 and that1 moreover1 long after the mere intellect has yielded its assent to the principles and doctrines of evangelical truth4 ,but1 after all1 we must be brought into direct personal contact with ,god ,himself--with what ,he is--with ,his nature and character1 as ,he has revealed ,himself in the gospel4 ,we have to acquaint ourselves with ,him1 and ,he is love4 ,observe1 it does not say merely that ,god is loving1 but that ,he is love4 ,it is not only that love is an attribute of ,his character1 but it is the very activity of ,his nature4 ,we do not read that ,god is justice1 or holiness2 ,he is just and ,he is holy2 but it would not express the full and blessed truth to say that ,god is loving2 ,he is much more1 ,he is love itself4 ,hence1 when the sinner--whosoever he be1 it matters not--is brought to see his own total and absolute ruin1 his hopeless wretchedness1 his guilt and misery1 the utter vanity and worthlessness of all within and around him1 7and there is nothing in the whole world that can satisfy his heart1 and nothing in his heart that can satisfy ,god1 or satisfy even his own conscience7 when these things are opened in any measure to his view1 then is he met by this grand substantial truth that ,god is love1 and that ,he so loved the world as to give ,his only-begotten ,son4 ,here is life and rest for the soul4 ,here is salvation1 full1 free1 and everlasting1 for the poor1 needy1 guilty1 lost one2--salvation resting not upon anything in man or of man1 upon aught that he is or can be1 aught that he has done or can do1 but simply upon what ,god is and has done4 ,god loves and gives1 and the sinner believes and has4 ,this is far beyond creation1 government1 or law4 ,in creation1 ,god spake and it was done4 ,he called worlds into existence by the word of ,his mouth4 ,but we hear nothing1 throughout the entire record of creation1 of ,god loving and giving4 ,so as to government1 we see ,god ruling in unsearchable wisdom1 amid the armies of heaven1 and among the children of men3 but we cannot comprehend ,him4 ,we can only say1 as to this subject1 that ,god moves in a mysterious way1 ,his wonders to perform2 ,he plants ,his footsteps in the sea1 ,and rides upon the storm4 ,deep in unfathomable mines ,of never failing skill1 ,he treasures up ,his bright designs1 ,and works ,his sovereign will4 ,finally1 as to the law1 it is1 from beginning to end1 a perfect system of command and prohibition--a system perfect in its action as testing man1 and making manifest his entire alienation from ,god4 ,the law worketh wrath4 ,and again1 ,by the law is the knowledge of sin4 ,but what could such a system do in a world of sinners8 ,could it give life8 ,impossible4 ,why8 ,because man could not fulfil its holy requirements4 ,if there had been a law given which could have given life1 then verily1 righteousness should have been by the law4 ,but no2 the law was a ministration of death and condemnation4 7,see #b ,cor4 iii47 ,the only effect of the law1 to anyone who is under it1 is the pressure of death upon the soul1 and of guilt and condemnation upon the conscience4 ,it cannot possibly be otherwise with an honest soul under the law4 ,what1 then1 is needed8 ,simply this1 the knowledge of the love of ,god1 and of the precious gift which that love has bestowed4 ,this is the eternal groundwork of all4 ,love1 and the gift of love4 ,for1 be it observed and ever remembered1 that ,god's love could never have reached us save through the medium of that gift4 ,god is holy1 and we are sinful4 ,how could we come near ,him8 ,how could we dwell in ,his holy presence8 ,how could sin and holiness ever abide in company8 ,impossible4 ,justice demands the condemnation of sin2 and if love will save the sinner1 it must do so at no less a cost than the gift of the only-begotten ,son4 ,darius loved ,daniel1 and labored hard to save him from the lions' den2 but his love was powerless because of the unbending law of the ,medes and ,persians4 ,he spent the night in sorrow and fasting4 ,he could weep at the mouth of the den2 but he could not save his friend4 ,his love was not mighty to save4 ,if he had offered himself to the lions instead of his friend1 it would have been morally glorious2 but he did not4 ,his love told itself forth in unavailing tears and lamentations4 ,the law of the ,persian kingdom was more powerful than the love of the ,persian king4 ,the law1 in its stern majesty1 triumphed over an impotent love which had nothing but fruitless tears to bestow upon its object4 ,but the love of ,god is not like this--eternal and universal praise to ,his name6 ,his love is mighty to save4 ,it reigns through righteousness4 ,how is this8 ,because ,god so loved the world that ,he gave ,his only-begotten ,son4 ,the law had declared in words of awful solemnity1 ,the soul that sinneth it shall die4 ,was this law less stern1 less majestic1 less stringent1 than the law of the ,medes and ,persians8 ,surely not4 ,how then1 was it to be disposed of8 ,it was to be magnified and made honorable1 vindicated and established4 ,not one jot or tittle of the law could ever be set aside4 ,how1 then1 was the difficulty to be solved8 ,three things had to be done3 the law had to be magnified2 sin condemned2 the sinner saved4 ,how could these grand results be reached8 ,we have the answer in two bold and vivid lines from one of our own poets-- ,on ,jesus' cross this record's graved1 ,let sin be damned1 and sinners saved4 ,precious record6 ,may many an anxious sinner read and believe it6 ,such was the amazing love of ,god1 that ,he spared not ,his own ,son1 but delivered ,him up for us all4 ,his love cost ,him nothing less than the ,son of ,his bosom4 ,when it was a question of creating worlds1 it cost ,him but the word of ,his mouth3 but when it was a question of loving a world of sinners1 it cost ,his only-begotten ,son4 ,the love of ,god is a holy love1 a righteous love1 a love acting in harmony with all the attributes of ,his nature1 and the claims of ,his throne4 ,grace reigns1 through righteousness1 unto eternal life1 by ,christ ,jesus our ,lord4 ,the soul can never be set at liberty till this truth be fully laid hold of4 ,there may be certain vague hopes in the mercy of ,god1 and a measure of confidence in the atoning work of ,jesus1 all true and real so far as it goes2 but true liberty of heart cannot possibly be enjoyed until it is seen and understood that ,god has glorified ,himself in the manner of ,his love toward us4 ,conscience could never be tranquilized1 nor ,satan silenced1 if sin had not been perfectly judged and put away4 ,but ,god so loved the world that ,he gave ,his only-begotten ,son4 ,what depth and power in the little word so6 ,it may here be needful to meet a difficulty which often occurs to anxious souls1 in reference to the question of appropriation4 ,thousands have been harassed and perplexed by this question1 at some stage or other of their spiritual history2 and it is not improbable that many who shall read these pages may be glad of a few words on the subject4 ,many may feel disposed to ask1 ,how am ,i to know that this love1 and the gift of love1 are intended for me8 ,what warrant have ,i for believing that 'everlasting life' is for me8 ,i know the plan of salvation2 ,i believe in the all-sufficiency of the atonement of ,christ for the forgiveness and justification of all who truly believe4 ,i am convinced of the truth of all that the ,bible declares4 ,i believe we are all sinners1 and moreover1 that we can do nothing to save ourselves--that we need to be washed in the blood of ,jesus1 and to be taught and led by the ,holy ,ghost1 ere we can please ,god here1 and dwell with ,him hereafter4 ,all this ,i fully believe1 and yet ,i have no assurance that ,i am saved1 and ,i want to know on what authority ,i am to believe that my sins are forgiven and that ,i have everlasting life4 ,if the foregoing be1 in any measure1 the language of the reader--if it be1 at all1 the expression of his difficulty1 we would1 in the first place1 call his attention to two words which occur in our precious text 7,john iii4 #af71 namely1 world and whosoever4 ,it seems utterly impossible for anyone to refuse the application of these two words4 ,for what1 let us ask1 is the meaning of the term world8 ,what does it embrace8 or1 rather1 what does it not embrace8 ,when our ,lord declares that ,god so loved the world1 on what ground can the reader exclude himself from the range1 scope1 and application of this divine love8 ,on no other ground whatever1 unless he can show that he alone belongs not to the world1 but to some other sphere of being4 ,if it were declared that the world is hopelessly condemned1 could anyone making a part of that world avoid the application of the sentence6 ,could he exclude himself from it8 ,impossible4 ,how then can he--why should he--exclude himself1 when it is a question of ,god's free love1 and of salvation by ,christ ,jesus8 ,but1 further1 we would ask1 ,what is the meaning1 what is the force of the familiar word1 whosoever8 ,assuredly it means anybody2 and if anybody1 why not the reader8 ,it is infinitely better1 infinitely surer and more satisfactory to find the word whosoever in the gospel than to find my own name there1 inasmuch as there may be a thousand persons in the world of the same name2 but whosoever applies to me as distinctly as though ,i were the only sinner on the face of the earth4 ,thus1 then1 the very words of the gospel message--the very terms used to set forth the glad tidings1 are such as leave no possible ground for a difficulty as to their application4 ,if we listen to our ,lord in the days of ,his flesh1 we hear such words as these3 ,god so loved the world that ,he gave ,his only-begotten ,son1 that whosoever believeth in ,him might not perish1 but have everlasting life4 ,again1 if we listen to ,him after ,his resurrection1 we hear these words1 ,go ye into all the world1 and preach the gospel to every creature 7,mark xvi474 ,and lastly1 if we listen to the voice of the ,holy ,ghost sent from a risen1 ascended1 and glorified ,lord1 we hear such words as these3 ,the same ,lord over all is rich unto all that call upon ,him4 ,for whosoever shall call on the name of the ,lord shall be saved 7,rom4 x4 #ab1 #ac74 ,in all the above-cited passages we have two terms used1 one general1 the other particular1 and both together so presenting the message of salvation as to leave no room whatever for anyone to refuse its application4 ,if all the world is the scope1 and every creature is the object of the precious gospel of ,christ1 then1 on what ground can anyone exclude himself8 ,where is there authority for any sinner out of hell to say that the glad tidings of salvation are not for him8 ,there is none4 ,salvation is as free as the air we breathe--free as the dewdrops that refresh the earth--free as the sunbeams that shine upon our pathway2 and if any attempt to limit its application1 they are neither in harmony with the mind of ,christ1 nor in sympathy with the heart of ,god4 ,but it may be that some of our readers would1 at this stage of the subject1 feel disposed to ask us1 ,how do you dispose of the question of election8 ,we reply1 ,very simply1 by leaving it where ,god has placed it1 namely1 as a landmark in the inheritance of the spiritual ,israel1 and not as a stumbling-block in the pathway of the anxious inquirer4 ,this we believe to be the true way of dealing with the deeply important doctrine of election4 ,the more we ponder the subject1 the more thoroughly are we convinced that it is a mistake on the part of the evangelist or preacher of the gospel to qualify his message1 hamper his subject1 or perplex his hearers1 by the doctrine of election or predestination4 ,he has to do with lost sinners in the discharge of his blessed ministry4 ,he meets men where they are1 on the broad ground of our common ruin our common guilt1 our common condemnation4 ,he meets them with a message of full1 free1 present1 personal1 and eternal salvation--a message which comes fresh1 fervent1 and glowing from the very bosom of ,god4 ,his ministry is1 as the ,holy ,ghost declares in #b ,cor4 v41 a ministry of reconciliation1 the glorious characteristics of which are these1 ,god in ,christ 444 reconciling the world unto ,himself 444 not imputing their trespasses2 and the marvelous foundation of which is1 that ,god has made ,jesus who knew no sin to be sin for us1 that we might become the righteousness of ,god in ,him4 ,does this trench1 in the smallest degree1 upon the blessed and clearly established truth of election8 ,by no means4 ,it leaves it1 in all its integrity and in its full value1 as a grand fundamental truth of ,holy ,scripture1 exactly where ,god has placed it2 not as a preliminary question to be settled ere the sinner comes to ,jesus1 but as a most precious consolation and encouragement to him when he has come4 ,this makes all the difference4 ,if the sinner be called upon to settle beforehand the question of his election1 how is he to set about it8 ,whither is he to turn for a solution8 ,where shall he find a divine warrant for believing that he is one of the elect8 ,can he find a single line of ,scripture on which to base his faith as to his election8 ,he cannot4 ,he can find scores of passages declaring him to be lost1 guilty and undone--scores of passages to assure him of his total inability to do aught in the matter of his own salvation--hundreds of passages unfolding the free love of ,god1 the value and efficacy of the atonement of ,christ1 and assuring him of a hearty welcome to come just as he is1 and make ,god's blessed salvation his own4 ,but if it be needed for him to settle the prior question of his predestination and election1 then is his case hopeless1 and he must1 in so far as he is in earnest1 be plunged in black despair4 ,and is it not thus with thousands at this moment through the misapplication of the doctrine of election8 ,we fully believe it is1 and hence our anxiety to help our readers by setting the matter in what we judge to be the true light before their minds4 ,we believe it to be of the utmost importance for the anxious inquirer to know that the standpoint from which he is called to view the cross of ,christ is not the standpoint of election1 but of conscious ruin4 ,the grace of ,god meets him as a lost1 dead1 guilty sinner2 not as an elect one4 ,this is an unspeakable mercy1 inasmuch as he knows he is the former1 but cannot know that he is the latter until the gospel has come to him in power4 ,knowing1 brethren beloved1 your election of ,god4 ,how did he know it8 ,because our gospel came not unto you in word only1 but also in power1 and in the ,holy ,ghost1 and in much assurance 7#a ,thess4 i4 #d1 #e74 ,paul preached to the ,thessalonians as lost sinners2 and when the gospel had laid hold of them as lost1 he could write to them as elect4 ,this puts election in its right place4 ,if the reader will turn for a moment to ,acts xvii41 he will there see how ,paul discharged his business as an evangelist amongst the ,thessalonians3 ,now when they had passed through ,amphipolis and ,apollonia1 they came to ,thessalonica1 where was a synagogue of the ,jews4 ,and ,paul1 as his manner was1 went in unto them1 and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the ,scriptures1 opening and alleging that ,christ must needs have suffered1 and risen again from the dead2 and that this ,jesus whom ,i preach unto you is ,christ4 ,so1 also1 in that passage at the opening of #a ,cor4 xv43 ,moreover1 brethren1 ,i declare unto you the gospel which ,i preached unto you1 which also ye have received1 and wherein ye stand2 by which also ye are saved1 if ye keep in memory what ,i preached unto you1 unless ye have believed in vain4 ,for ,i delivered unto you first of all that which ,i also received1 how that ,christ died for our sins according to the ,scriptures2 and that ,he was buried1 and that ,he rose again the third day1 according to the ,scriptures 7verses #a-d74 ,from this passage1 and many others which might be quoted1 we learn that the apostle preached not merely a doctrine1 but a person4 ,he did not preach election4 ,he taught it to saints1 but never preached it to sinners4 ,this should be the evangelist's model at all times4 ,we never once find the apostles preaching election4 ,they preached ,christ--they unfolded the goodness of ,god--,his loving-kindness--,his tender mercy--,his pardoning love--,his gracious readiness to receive all who come in their true character and condition as lost sinners4 ,such was their mode of preaching1 or1 rather1 such was the mode of the ,holy ,ghost in them2 and such1 too1 was the mode of the blessed ,master ,himself4 ,come unto ,me1 all ye that labor and are heavy laden1 and ,i will give you rest4 ,if any man thirst1 let him come unto ,me and drink4 ,him that cometh to ,me ,i will in no wise cast out 7,matt4 xi42 ,john vi41 vii474 ,here are no stumbling-blocks in the way of anxious inquirers--no preliminary questions to be settled--no conditions to be fulfilled--no theological difficulties to be solved4 ,no1 the sinner is met on his own ground--met as he is--met just now4 ,there is rest for the weary1 drink for the thirsty1 life for the dead1 pardon for the guilty1 salvation for the lost4 ,do these free invitations touch the doctrine of election8 ,assuredly not4 ,and what is more1 the doctrine of election does not touch them4 ,in other words1 a full and free gospel leaves perfectly untouched the grand and all-important truth of election2 and the truth of election1 in its proper place1 leaves the gospel of the grace of ,god on its own broad and blessed base1 and in all its divine length1 breadth1 and fulness4 ,the gospel meets us as lost1 and saves us2 and then1 when we know ourselves as saved1 the precious doctrine of election comes in to establish us in the fact that we can never be lost4 ,it never was the purpose of ,god that poor anxious souls should be harassed with theological questions or points of doctrine4 ,no2 blessed forever be ,his name1 it is ,his gracious desire that the healing balm of ,his pardoning love1 and the cleansing efficacy of the atoning blood of ,jesus1 should be applied to the spiritual wounds of every sin-sick soul4 ,and as to the doctrines of predestination and election1 ,he has unfolded them in ,his ,word to comfort ,his saints1 not to perplex poor sinners4 ,they shine like precious gems on the page of inspiration1 but they were never intended to lie as stumbling-blocks in the way of earnest seekers after life and peace4 ,they are deposited in the hand of the teacher to be unfolded in the bosom of the family of ,god2 but they are not intended for the evangelist1 whose blessed mission is to the highways and hedges of a lost world4 ,they are designed to feed and comfort the children1 not to scare and stumble the sinner4 ,we would say1 and that with real earnestness1 to all evangelists1 ,do not hamper your preaching with theological questions of any sort or description4 ,preach ,christ4 ,unfold the deep and everlasting love of a ,saviour-,god4 ,seek to bring the guilty1 conscience-smitten sinner into the very presence of a pardoning ,god4 ,thunder1 if you please1 if so led1 at the conscience--thunder loud at sin--thunder forth the dread realities of the great white throne1 the lake of fire1 and everlasting torment2 but see that you aim at bringing the guilt-stricken conscience to rest in the atoning virtues of the blood of ,christ4 ,then you can hand over the fruits of your ministry to the divinely qualified1 to be instructed in the deeper mysteries of the faith of ,christ4 ,you may rest assured that the faithful discharge of your duty as an evangelist will never lead you to trespass on the domain of sound theology4 ,and to the anxious inquirer we would say with equal earnestness1 ,let nothing stand in your way in coming this moment to ,jesus4 ,let theology speak as it may1 you are to listen to the voice of ,jesus1 who says1 ,come unto ,me4 ,be assured there is no hindrance1 no difficulty1 no hitch1 no question1 no condition4 ,you are a lost sinner1 and ,jesus is a full ,saviour4 ,put your trust in ,him1 and you are saved forever4 ,believe in ,him1 and you will know your place amongst the elect of ,god who are predestinated to be conformed to the image of ,his ,son4 ,bring your sins to ,jesus and ,he will pardon them1 cancel them by ,his blood1 and clothe you in a spotless robe of divine righteousness4 ,may ,god's ,spirit lead you now to cast yourself simply and entirely upon that precious1 all-sufficient ,saviour6 ,we will now notice1 very briefly1 three distinct evils resulting from a wrong application of the doctrine of election1 namely3 ,i4 ,the discouragement of really earnest souls1 who ought to be helped on in every possible way4 ,if such persons are repulsed by the question of election1 the result must be disastrous in the extreme4 ,if they are told that the glad tidings of salvation are only for the elect--that ,christ died only for such1 and hence only such can be saved--that unless they are elect they have no right to apply to themselves the benefits of the death of ,christ3 if1 in short1 they are turned from ,jesus to theology--from the heart of a loving1 pardoning ,god to the cold and withering dogmas of systematic divinity1 it is impossible to say where they may end2 they may take refuge either in superstition on the one hand1 or in infidelity on the other4 ,they may end in high church1 broad church1 or no church at all4 ,what they really want is ,christ1 the living1 loving1 precious1 all-sufficient ,christ of ,god4 ,he is the true food for anxious souls4 ,,ii4 ,but1 in the second place1 careless souls are rendered more careless still by a false application of the doctrine of election4 ,such persons1 when pressed as to their state and prospects1 will fold their arms and say1 ,you know ,i cannot believe unless ,god give me the power4 ,if ,i am one of the elect1 ,i must be saved2 if not1 ,i cannot4 ,i can do nothing1 but must wait ,god's time4 ,all this false and flimsy reasoning should be exposed and demolished4 ,it will not stand for a moment in the light of the judgment-seat of ,christ4 ,each one will learn there that election furnished no excuse whatever1 inasmuch as it never was set up by ,god as a barrier to the sinner's salvation4 ,the word is1 ,whosoever will1 let him take the water of life freely4 ,the very same form of speech and style of language which removes the stumbling-block from the feet of the anxious inquirer snatches the plea from the lips of the careless rejecter4 ,no one is shut out4 ,all are invited4 ,there is neither barrier on the one hand1 nor a plea on the other4 ,all are made welcome2 and all are responsible4 ,hence1 if any one presumes to excuse himself for refusing ,god's salvation1 which is as clear as a sunbeam1 by urging ,god's decrees1 which are entirely hidden1 he will find himself fatally mistaken4 ,,iii4 ,and now1 in the third and last place1 we have frequently seen with real sorrow of heart the earnest1 loving1 large-hearted evangelist damped and crippled by a false application of the truth of election4 ,this should be most carefully avoided4 ,we hold that it is not the business of the evangelist to preach election4 ,if he is rightly instructed1 he will hold it2 but if he is rightly directed1 he will not preach it4 ,in a word1 then1 the precious doctrine of election is not to be a stumbling-block to the anxious--a plea for the careless--a damper to the fervent evangelist4 ,may ,god's ,spirit give us to feel the adjusting power of truth6 ,having thus briefly endeavored to clear away any difficulty arising from the misuse of the precious doctrine of election1 and to show the reader1 whosoever he be1 that there is no hindrance whatever to his full and hearty acceptance of ,god's free gift1 even the gift of ,his only-begotten ,son1 it now only remains for us to consider the result1 in every case1 of this acceptance1 as set forth in the words of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ3 ,god so loved the world1 that ,he gave ,his only-begotten ,son1 that whosoever believeth in ,him should not perish1 but have everlasting life4 ,here1 then1 we have the result in the case of every one who believes in ,jesus4 ,he shall never perish1 but possesses everlasting life4 ,but who can attempt to unfold all that is included in this word perish8 ,what mortal tongue can set forth the horrors of the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone1 where their worm dieth not1 and the fire is not quenched8 ,we believe1 assuredly1 that none but the ,one who used the word1 in speaking to ,nicodemus1 can fully expound it to anyone2 but we feel called upon to bear our decided and unequivocal testimony as to what ,he has taught on the solemn truth of eternal punishment4 ,we have occasionally referred to this subject1 but we believe it demands a formal notice2 and inasmuch as the word perish occurs in the passage which has been occupying our thoughts1 we cannot do better than call the reader's attention to it4 ,it is a serious and melancholy fact that the enemy of souls and of the truth of ,god is leading thousands1 both in ,europe and ,america1 to call in question the momentous fact of the everlasting punishment of the wicked4 ,this he does on various grounds1 and by various arguments1 adapted to the habits of thought and moral condition and intellectual standpoint of individuals4 ,some he seeks to persuade that ,god is too kind to send anyone to a place of torment4 ,it is contrary to ,his benevolent mind and ,his beneficent nature to inflict pain on any of ,his creatures4 ,now1 to all who stand1 or affect to stand1 upon this ground of argument1 we would suggest the important inquiry1 ,what is to be done with the sins of those who die impenitent and unbelieving8 ,whatever there may be in the idea that ,god is too kind to send sinners to hell1 it is certain that ,he is too holy to let sin into heaven4 ,he is of purer eyes than to behold evil1 and cannot look on iniquity 7,hab4 i4 #ac74 ,god and evil cannot dwell together4 ,this is plain4 ,how1 then1 is the case to be met8 ,if ,god cannot let sin into heaven1 what is to be done with the sinner who dies in his sins8 ,he must perish6 ,but what does this mean8 ,does it mean annihilation--that is1 the utter extinction or blotting out of the very existence of body and soul8 ,nay1 reader1 this cannot be4 ,many would like this1 no doubt4 ,let us eat and drink1 for to-morrow we die1 would1 alas1 suit many thousands of the sons and daughters of pleasure who think only of the present moment1 and who roll sin as a sweet morsel under their tongue4 ,there are millions on the surface of the globe who are bartering their eternal happiness for a few hours of guilty pleasure1 and the crafty foe of mankind seeks to persuade such that there is no such place as hell1 no such thing as the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone2 and in order to obtain a footing for this fatal suggestion1 he bases it upon the plausible and imposing notion of the kindness of ,god4 ,reader1 do not believe the arch-deceiver4 ,remember1 ,god is holy4 ,he cannot let sin into ,his presence4 ,if you die in your sins you must perish1 and this word perish involves1 according to the clear testimony of ,holy ,scripture1 eternal misery and torment in hell4 ,hear what our ,lord ,jesus ,christ saith1 in ,his solemn description of the judgment of the nations3 ,then shall the ,king say also to them on ,his left hand1 ,depart from ,me1 ye cursed1 into everlasting fire1 prepared for the devil and his angels 7,matt4 xxv4 #da74 ,and while you harken to these awfully solemn accents1 remember that the word translated everlasting occurs seventy times in the ,new ,testament1 and is applied as follows3 ,everlasting fire--eternal life--everlasting punishment--eternal damnation--everlasting habitations--the everlasting ,god--eternal weight of glory--everlasting destruction--everlasting consolation--eternal glory--eternal salvation--eternal judgment--eternal redemption--the eternal ,spirit--eternal inheritance--everlasting kingdom--eternal fire4 ,now1 we ask any candid1 thoughtful person1 upon what principle can a word be said to mean eternal when applied to the ,holy ,ghost or to ,god1 and only temporary when applied to hell-fire or the punishment of the wicked8 ,if it means eternal in the one case1 why not also in the other8 ,we have just glanced at a ,greek ,concordance1 and we should like to ask1 ,would it be right to mark off some half-dozen passages in which the word everlasting occurs1 and write opposite to each these words3 ,everlasting here only means for a time8 ,the very thought is monstrous4 ,it would be a daring and blasphemous insult offered to the volume of inspiration4 ,no1 reader1 be assured of it1 you cannot touch the word everlasting in one case without touching it also in all the seventy cases in which it occurs4 ,it is a dangerous thing to tamper with the ,word of the living ,god4 ,it is infinitely better to bow down under its holy authority4 ,it is worse than useless to seek to avoid the plain meaning and solemn force of that word perish as applied to the immortal soul of man4 ,it involves1 beyond all question1 the awful1 the ineffably awful reality of burning forever in the flames of hell4 ,this is what ,scripture means by perishing4 ,the votary of pleasure1 or the lover of money1 may seek to forget this4 ,they may seek to drown all thought of it in the glass or in the busy mart4 ,the sentimentalist may rave about the divine benevolence2 the skeptic may reason about the possibility of eternal fire2 but we are intensely anxious that the reader should rise from this paper with the firm and deeply wrought conclusion and hearty belief that the punishment of all who die in their sins will be eternal in hell as surely as the blessedness of all who die in the faith of ,christ will be eternal in the heavens4 ,were it not so1 the ,holy ,ghost would most assuredly have used a different word1 when speaking of the former1 from that which ,he applies to the latter4 ,this1 we conceive1 is beyond all question4 ,but there is another objection urged against the doctrine of eternal punishment4 ,it is frequently said1 ,how can we suppose that ,god would inflict eternal punishment as a penalty for a few short years of sin8 ,we reply1 ,it is beginning at the wrong end to argue in this way4 ,it is not a question of time as viewed from man's standpoint1 but of the gravity of sin itself as looked at from ,god's standpoint4 ,and how is this question to be solved8 ,only by looking at the ,cross4 ,if you want to know what sin is in ,god's sight1 you must look at what it cost ,him to put it away4 ,it is by the standard of ,christ's infinite sacrifice1 and by that alone1 that you can rightly measure sin4 ,men may compare their few years with ,god's eternity2 they may compare their short span of life with that boundless eternity that stretches beyond2 they may seek to put a few years of sin into one scale1 and an eternity of woe and torment into the other1 and thus attempt to reach a just conclusion3 but it will never do to argue thus4 ,the question is1 ,did it require an infinite atonement to put away sin8 ,if so1 the punishment of sin must be eternal4 ,if nothing short of an infinite sacrifice could deliver from the consequences of sin1 those consequences must be eternal4 ,in a word1 then1 we must look at sin from ,god's point of view1 and measure it by ,his standard1 else we shall never have a just sense of what it is or what it deserves4 ,it is the height of folly for men to attempt to lay down a rule as to the amount or duration of the punishment due to sin4 ,god alone can settle this4 ,and1 after all1 what was it that produced all the misery and wretchedness1 the sickness and sorrow1 the death and desolation1 of well-nigh six thousand years8 ,just one act of disobedience--the eating of a forbidden fruit4 ,can man explain this8 ,can human reason explain how one act produced such an overwhelming amount of misery8 ,it cannot4 ,well1 then1 if it cannot do this1 how can it be trusted when it attempts to decide the question as to what is due to sin8 ,woe be to all those who commit themselves to its guidance on this most momentous point6 ,ah1 reader1 you must see that ,god alone can estimate sin and its just deserts1 and ,he alone can tell us all about it4 ,and has ,he not done so8 ,yes1 verily1 ,he has measured sin in the cross of ,his ,son2 and there1 too1 ,he has set forth in the most impressive manner what it deserves4 ,what1 think you1 must that be that caused the bitter cry1 ,my ,god1 ,my ,god1 why hast ,thou forsaken ,me8 ,if ,god forsook ,his only-begotten ,son when ,he was made sin1 must ,he not also forsake all who are found in their sins8 ,but how can they ever get rid of them8 ,we believe the conclusion is unavoidable4 ,we consider that the infinite nature of the atonement proves unanswerably the doctrine of eternal punishment4 ,that peerless and precious sacrifice is at once the foundation of our eternal life and of our deliverance from eternal death4 ,it delivers from eternal wrath and introduces to eternal glory4 ,it saves from the endless misery of hell and procures for us the endless bliss of heaven4 ,thus1 whatever side of the ,cross we look at1 or from whatever side we view it1 we see eternity stamped upon it4 ,if we view it from the gloomy depths of hell or from the sunny heights of heaven1 we see it to be the same infinite1 eternal1 divine reality4 ,it is by the ,cross we must measure both the blessedness of heaven and the misery of hell4 ,those who put their trust in that blessed ,one who died on the cross obtain everlasting life and felicity4 ,those who reject ,him must sink into endless perdition4 ,we do not by any means pretend to handle this great question theologically1 or to adduce all the arguments that might be advanced in defence of the doctrine of eternal punishment2 but there is one further consideration which we must suggest to the reader as tending to lead him to a sound conclusion1 and that is the immortality of the soul4#ae ,god breathed into man's nostrils the breath of life1 and man became a living soul4 ,the fall of man in nowise touched the question of the soul's immortality4 ,if1 therefore1 the soul is immortal1 annihilation is impossible4 ,the soul must live forever4 ,overwhelming thought6 ,forever6 ,forever6 ,forever6 ,the whole moral being sinks under the awful magnitude of the thought4 ,it surpasses all conception and baffles all mental calculation4 ,human arithmetic can only deal with the finite4 ,it has no figures by which to represent a never-ending eternity4 ,but the writer and the reader must live throughout eternity either in that bright and blessed world above or in that terrible place where hope can never come4 #ae ,for a full examination of this subject1 the reader is referred to ,facts and ,theories as to a future state1--the ,scripture doctrine considered with reference to current denials of eternal punishment1 by ,f4 ,w4 ,grant1 #fdj pp41 #a1ej 7with full index of texts and subjects examined47 ,may ,god's ,spirit impress our hearts more and more with the solemnity of eternity1 and of immortal souls going down into hell4 ,we are deplorably deficient in feeling as to these weighty realities4 ,we are daily thrown in contact with people1 we buy and sell and carry on intercourse in various ways with those who must live forever1 and yet how rarely do we seek occasion to press upon them the awfulness of eternity and the appalling condition of all who die without a personal interest in the blood of ,christ6 ,reader1 let us ask ,god to make us more earnest1 more solemn1 more faithful1 more zealous in pleading with souls1 in warning others to flee from the wrath to come4 ,we want to live more in the light of eternity1 and then we shall be better able to deal with others4 ,it only remains for us now to ponder the last clause of the fruitful passage of ,scripture which has been under consideration 7,john iii4 #af74 ,it sets forth the positive result1 in every case1 of simple faith in the ,son of ,god4 ,it declares1 in the simplest and clearest way1 the fact that every one who believes in the ,lord ,jesus ,christ is a possessor of everlasting life4 ,it is not merely that his sins are blotted out2 that is blessedly true4 ,nor is it merely that he is saved from the consequences of his guilt1 which is equally true4 ,but there is more4 ,the believer in ,jesus has a new life1 and that life is in the ,son of ,god4 ,he is placed upon a new footing altogether4 ,he is no longer looked at in the old ,adam condition1 but in a risen ,christ4 ,this is an immense truth1 and one of deepest possible moment4 ,we earnestly pray the reader's calm and prayerful attention while we seek1 in some feeble way1 to present to him what we believe to be wrapped up in the last clause of ,john iii4 #af4 ,there is in the minds of many a very imperfect sense of what we get by faith in ,christ4 ,some seem to view the atoning work of ,christ merely as a remedial measure for the sins of our old nature--the payment of debts contracted in our old condition4 ,that it is all this we need not say2 blessed be ,god for the precious truth4 ,but it is much more4 ,it is not merely that the sins are atoned for1 but the nature which committed them is condemned and set aside by the cross of ,christ1 and is to be reckoned dead by the believer4 ,it is not merely that the debts contracted in the old condition are canceled1 but the old condition itself is completely ignored by ,god1 and is to be so accounted by the believer4 ,this great truth is doctrinally unfolded in #b ,cor4 v41 where we read1 ,if any man be in ,christ1 he is a new creature3 old things are passed away2 behold1 all things are become new 7ver4 #ag74 ,the apostle does not say1 ,if any man be in ,christ he is pardoned--his sins are forgiven--his debts paid4 ,all this is divinely true2 but the statement just quoted goes very much farther4 ,it declares that a man in ,christ is a new creation altogether4 ,it is not the old nature pardoned1 but completely set aside1 with all its belongings1 and a new creation introduced in which there is not a single shred of the old4 ,all things are become new2 and all things are of ,god4 ,now this gives immense relief to the heart4 ,indeed1 we question if any soul can enter into the full liberty of the gospel of ,christ until he lay hold1 in some measure1 of the truth of the new creation4 ,there may be a looking to ,christ for pardon1 a vague hope of getting to heaven at the last1 a measure of reliance on the goodness and mercy of ,god--there may be all this1 and yet no just sense of the meaning of everlasting life1 no happy consciousness of being a new creation--no understanding of the grand fact that the old ,adam nature is entirely set aside1 the old condition in which we stood done away in ,god's sight4 ,but it is more than probable that some of our readers may be at a loss to know what is meant by such terms as the old ,adam nature--the old condition--the flesh--the old man1 and such like4 ,these expressions may fall strangely on the ears of those for whom we specially write2 and we certainly wish to avoid shooting over the heads of our readers4 ,as ,god is our witness1 there is one thing we earnestly desire1 one object which we would ever keep before our minds1 and that is the instruction and edification of our readers2 and therefore we would rather run the risk of being tedious than make use of phrases which convey no clear or intelligible idea to the mind4 ,such terms as the old man--the flesh1 and the like1 are used in ,scripture in manifold places3 for example1 in ,rom4 vi4 we read1 ,our old man is crucified with ,him 7,christ71 that the body of sin might be destroyed1 that henceforth we should not serve sin 7ver4 #f74 ,now what does the apostle mean by the old man8 ,we believe he means man as in that ,adam nature which we inherited from our first parents4 ,and what does he mean by the body of sin8 ,we believe he means the whole system or condition in which we stood in our unregenerate1 unrenewed1 unconverted state4 ,the old ,adam1 then1 is declared to be crucified--the old condition of sin is said to be destroyed 7annulled7--by the death of ,christ4 ,hence the soul that believes on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ is privileged to know that he--his sinful1 guilty self--is looked upon by ,god as dead and set aside completely4 ,he has no more existence as such before ,god4 ,he is dead and buried4 ,observe1 it is not merely that our sins are forgiven1 our debts paid1 our guilt atoned for2 but the man in the nature that committed the sins1 contracted the debts1 and incurred the guilt1 is put forever out of ,god's sight4 ,it is not ,god's way to forgive us our sins and yet leave us in the same relations in which we committed them4 ,no2 ,he has1 in ,his marvelous grace and vast plan1 condemned and abolished forever1 for the believer1 the old ,adam relationship1 with all its belongings1 so that it is no longer recognized by ,him4 ,we are declared1 by the voice of holy ,scripture1 to be crucified--dead--buried--risen with ,christ4 ,god tells us we are so1 and we are to reckon ourselves to be so4 ,it is a matter of faith1 and not of feeling4 ,if ,i look at myself from my standpoint1 or judge by my feelings1 ,i shall never1 can never understand this truth4 ,and why8 ,because ,i feel myself to be just the same sinful creature as ever4 ,i feel that there is sin in me2 that in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing2 that my old nature is in nowise changed or improved2 that it has the same evil tendencies as ever1 and1 if not mortified and kept down by the gracious energy of the ,holy ,spirit1 it will break out in its true character4 ,and it is just here1 we doubt not1 that so many sincere souls are perplexed and troubled4 ,they are looking at themselves1 and reasoning upon what they see and feel1 instead of resting in the truth of ,god1 and reckoning themselves to be what ,god tells them they are4 ,they find it difficult1 if not impossible1 to reconcile what they feel in themselves with what they read in the word of ,god--to make their inward self-consciousness harmonize with ,god's revelation4 ,but we must remember that faith takes ,god at ,his word4 ,it ever thinks with ,him on all points4 ,it believes what ,he says because ,he says it4 ,hence1 if ,god tells me that my old man is crucified1 that ,he no longer sees me as in the old ,adam state1 but in a risen ,christ1 ,i am to believe1 like a little child1 what ,he tells me1 and walk in the faith of it from day to day4 ,if ,i look in at myself for evidences of the truth of what ,god says1 it is not faith at all4 ,abraham considered not his own body1 now dead1 when he was about an hundred years old2 neither yet the deadness of ,sarah's womb2 he staggered not at the promise of ,god through unbelief1 but was strong in faith1 giving glory to ,god 7,rom4 iv4 #ai1 #bj74 ,this is the great principle which underlies the whole ,christian system4 ,abraham believed ,god1 not something about ,god1 but ,god ,himself4 ,this is faith4 ,it is taking ,god's thoughts in place of our own4 ,it is1 in short1 allowing ,god to think for us4 ,now1 when we apply this to the subject before us1 it makes it most simple4 ,he that believeth in the ,son of ,god hath everlasting life4 ,mark1 it is not he that believeth something about the ,son of ,god4 ,no1 it is he that believeth in ,himself4 ,it is a question of simple faith in the person of ,christ2 and everyone that has this faith is the actual possessor of everlasting life4 ,this is the direct and positive statement of our ,lord in the ,gospels4 ,it is repeated over and over again4 ,nor is this all4 ,not only does the believer thus possess eternal life1 but by the further light which the epistles throw upon this grand question he may see that his old self--that which he was in nature--that which the apostle designates the old man--is accounted by ,god dead and buried4 ,this may be difficult to understand2 but the reader must remember he must believe not because he understands1 but because it is written in ,god's word4 ,it is not said1 ,abraham understood ,god4 ,no2 but he believed ,god4 ,it is when the heart believes that light is poured in upon the understanding4 ,if ,i wait till ,i understand in order to believe1 ,i am leaning to my own understanding1 instead of committing myself in childlike faith to ,god's word4 ,reader1 ponder this6 ,you may say you cannot understand how your sinful self can be looked upon as dead and gone while you feel its workings1 its heavings1 its tossings1 its tendencies1 continually within you4 ,we reply1 or rather ,god's eternal ,word declares1 that if your heart believes in ,jesus1 then is all this true for you1 namely1 you have eternal life2 you are justified from all things2 you are a new creation2 old things are passed away2 all things are become new2 and all things are of ,god4 ,in a word1 you are in ,christ1 and as ,he is1 so are you in this world 7#a ,john iv4 #ag74 ,and is not this a great deal more than the mere pardoning of your sins1 the canceling of your debts1 or the salvation of your soul from hell8 ,assuredly it is4 ,and suppose we were to ask you on what authority you believe in the forgiveness of your sins4 ,is it because you feel1 realize1 or understand8 ,nay2 but because it is written1 ,to ,him give all the prophets witness1 that through ,his name whosoever believeth in ,him shall receive remission of sins 7,acts x4 #dc74 ,the blood of ,jesus ,christ1 ,god's ,son1 cleanseth us from all sin 7#a ,john i4 #g74 ,well1 then1 upon precisely the same authority you are to believe that your old man has been crucified1 that you are not in the flesh1 not in the old creation1 not in the old ,adam relation2 but that1 on the contrary1 you are viewed by ,god as actually in a risen and glorified ,christ--that ,he looks upon you as ,he looks upon ,christ4 ,true it is--alas1 how true6--the flesh is in you1 and you are still here1 as to the fact of your condition1 in this old world1 which is under judgment4 ,but then1 hear what your ,lord saith1 when speaking about you to ,his ,father3 ,they are not of the world1 even as ,i am not of the world4 ,and again1 ,as ,thou hast sent ,me into the world1 even so have ,i also sent them into the world4 ,hence1 therefore1 if you will just bow to ,god's word1 if you will reason not about what you see in yourself1 and feel in yourself1 and think of yourself1 but simply believe what ,god says1 you will enter into the blessed peace and holy liberty flowing from the fact that you are not in the flesh1 but in the ,spirit2 not in the old creation1 but in the new2 not under law1 but under grace2 not of the world1 but of ,god4 ,you have passed clean off the old platform which you occupied as a child of nature and a member of the first ,adam1 and you have taken your place on a new platform altogether as a child of ,god and a member of ,christ4 ,all this is vividly prefigured by the deluge and the ark1 in the days of ,noah4 7,see ,gen4 vi4-viii47 ,and ,god looked upon the earth1 and1 behold1 it was corrupt2 for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth4 ,and ,god said unto ,noah1 ,the end of all flesh is come before ,me2 for the earth is filled with violence through them2 and behold1 ,i will destroy them with the earth4 ,here1 then1 was1 in type1 the end of the old creation4 ,all was to pass under the waters of judgment4 ,what then8 ,make thee an ark of gopher wood4 ,here we have set forth a figure of the new thing4 ,that ark1 floating peacefully over the dark abyss of waters1 was a type of ,christ1 and the believer in ,him4 ,the old world1 together with man1 was buried beneath the waves of judgment1 and the only object that remained was the ark--the vessel of mercy and salvation1 riding in safety and triumph over the billows4 ,thus it is now1 in truth and reality4 ,there is nothing before the eye of ,god but a risen1 victorious and glorified ,christ1 and ,his people linked with ,him4 ,the end of all flesh has come before ,god4 ,it is not a question of some very gross forms of flesh1 or of nature1 of that merely which is vile and refuse4 ,no2 it is the end of all4 ,such is the solemn1 sweeping verdict2 and then--what8 ,a risen ,christ4 ,nothing else4 ,all in ,him are seen by ,god as ,he is seen4 ,all out of ,him are under judgment4 ,it all hinges upon this one question1 ,am ,i in or out of ,christ8 ,what a question6 ,reader1 are you in ,christ8 ,do you believe in ,his name8 ,have you given ,him the confidence of your heart8 ,if so1 you have eternal life--you are a new creature--old things are passed away4 ,god does not see a single shred of the old thing remaining for you4 ,all things are become new1 and all things are of ,god4 ,you may say you do not feel that old things are all passed away4 ,we reply1 ,god says they are1 and it is your happy privilege to believe what ,he says1 and reckon yourself to be what ,he declares you are4 ,god speaks according to that which is true of you in ,christ4 ,he does not see you in the flesh1 but in ,christ4 ,there is absolutely nothing before the eye of ,god but ,christ3 and the very weakest believer is viewed as part of ,christ1 just as your hand is a part of your body4 ,you have no existence before ,god apart from ,christ--no life--no righteousness--no holiness--no wisdom--no power4 ,apart from ,him1 you have nothing1 and can be nothing4 ,in ,him you have all and are all1 ,he says2 you are thoroughly identified with ,christ4 ,marvelous fact6 ,profound mystery6 ,most glorious truth6 ,it is not a question of attainment or of progress4 ,it is the settled and absolute standing of the feeblest member of the ,church of ,god4 ,true1 there are various measures of intelligence1 experience1 and devotedness2 but there is only one life1 one standing1 one position before ,god1 and that is ,christ4 ,there is no such thing as a higher or lower ,christian life4 ,christ is the believer's life1 and you cannot speak of a higher or a lower ,christ4 ,we can understand the higher stages of ,christian life2 but there is no spiritual intelligence in speaking of a higher ,christian life4 ,this is a grand truth1 and we earnestly pray that ,god the ,spirit may open it fully to the mind of the reader4 ,we feel assured that a clearer understanding thereof would chase away a thousand mists1 answer a thousand questions1 and solve a thousand difficulties4 ,it would not only have the effect of giving settled peace to the soul1 but also of determining the believer's position in the most distinct way4 ,if ,christ is my life--if ,i am in ,him and identified with ,him1 then not only do ,i share in ,his acceptance with ,god1 but also in ,his rejection by this present world4 ,the two things go together4 ,they form the two sides of the one grand question4 ,if ,i am in ,christ and as ,christ before ,god1 then ,i am in ,christ and as ,christ before the world3 and it will never do to accept the result of this union before ,god and refuse the result of it as regards the world4 ,if we have the one1 we must have the other likewise4 ,all this is fully unfolded in ,john xvii4 ,there we read on the one hand1 ,the glory which ,thou gavest ,me ,i have given them2 that they may be one1 even as ,we are one3 ,i in them1 and ,thou in ,me1 that they may be made perfect in one2 and that the world may know that ,thou hast sent ,me1 and hast loved them as ,thou hast loved ,me 7vers4 #bb1 #bc74 ,and1 on the other hand1 we read1 ,i have given them ,thy ,word2 and the world hath hated them1 because they are not of the world1 even as ,i am not of the world 7ver4 #ad74 ,this is as plain and positive as anything can be4 ,and be it remembered that1 in this wondrous scripture1 our ,lord is not speaking merely of the apostles1 but1 as ,he says1 of them also who shall believe on ,me through their word1 that is1 of all believers4 ,hence it follows that all who believe in ,jesus are one with ,him as accepted above1 and one with ,him as rejected below4 ,the two things are inseparable4 ,the ,head and the members share in one common acceptance in heaven1 and in one common rejection upon earth4 ,oh that all the ,lord's people entered more into the truth and reality of this6 ,would that we all knew a little more of the meaning of fellowship with a heaven-accepted1 earth-rejected ,christ6 ,,part ,,ii4 ,,the ,,ministry ,,of ,,reconciliation ,and all things are of ,god1 who hath reconciled us to ,himself by ,jesus ,christ1 and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation2 to wit1 that ,god was in ,christ1 reconciling the world unto ,himself1 not imputing their trespasses unto them2 and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation4 ,now then we are ambassadors for ,christ1 as though ,god did beseech you by us3 we pray you in ,christ's stead1 be ye reconciled to ,god4 ,for ,he hath made ,him to be sin for us1 who knew no sin2 that we might be made the righteousness of ,god in ,him 7#b ,cor4 v4 #ah-ba74 ,the fifth chapter of second ,corinthians is a most weighty section of ,inspiration4 ,its closing lines contain the special thesis of the following pages2 but ere we proceed with it1 we must call the reader's attention to some most interesting and important points presented in the course of the chapter4 ,and1 first of all1 let us dwell for a moment on the opening sentence1 ,we know4 ,in it we have the language of ,christian certainty4 ,it does not say1 ,we hope4 ,still less does it say1 ,we fear1 or ,we doubt4 ,no2 such language would not express that unclouded certainty and calm assurance which it is the privilege of the very feeblest child of ,god to possess4 ,and yet1 alas1 how few1 even of the children of ,god1 enjoy this blessed certainty--this calm assurance6 ,many there are who look upon it as the height of presumption to say1 ,we know4 ,they seem to think that doubts and fears argue a proper condition of soul--that it is impossible for anyone to be sure--that the most we can expect is to cherish a vague hope of reaching heaven when we die4 ,now1 it must be admitted that if we ourselves had aught to do with the ground of certainty or assurance1 then it would indeed be the very height of folly to think of being sure2 then assuredly our hope would be a very vague one4 ,but1 thanks be to ,god1 it is not so4 ,we having nothing whatever to do with the ground of our certainty1 it lies entirely outside of ourselves1 and it must be sought only and altogether in the eternal word of ,god4 ,this renders it blessedly simple4 ,it makes the whole question hinge upon the truth of ,god's word4 ,why am ,i sure8 ,because ,god's word is true4 ,a shadow of uncertainty or misgiving on my part would argue a want of authority or security in the word of ,god4 ,it really comes to this3 ,christian certainty rests on the faithfulness of ,god4 ,before you can shake the former1 you must shake the latter4 ,we can understand this simple principle by our dealings with one another4 ,if my fellow man makes a statement to me1 and ,i express the smallest doubt or misgiving1 or if ,i feel it without even expressing it1 ,i am calling in question his truthfulness1 or credibility4 ,if he is a faithful1 competent authority1 ,i have no business to entertain a single doubt4 ,my certainty is linked with his credibility4 ,if he is a competent authority1 ,i may enjoy perfect repose as to the matter concerning which he has spoken4 ,now1 we all know what it is to receive in the most unqualified way the testimony of man1 and to repose with calmness therein4 ,it is not a question of feeling1 but of receiving without a single question a plain statement1 and resting on the authority of a competent witness4 ,well1 then1 as we have it in the ,first ,epistle of ,john1 ,if we receive the testimony of man1 the testimony of ,god is greater4 ,so1 also1 our ,lord said to the men of ,his time1 ,if ,i say the truth1 why do ye not believe ,me8 7,john viii47 ,he appeals to the truth of what ,he says as the reason why1 or the ground on which1 ,he expected to be believed4 ,this1 ,christian reader1 is a very weighty principle1 and one which demands special attention on the part of all anxious inquirers1 as also on the part of all who undertake to deal with such4 ,there is a strong and constant tendency to look within for the ground of assurance--to build upon certain feelings1 experiences1 and exercises1 either past or present--to look back at some special process through which we have passed1 or to look in at certain impressions or convictions of our own minds1 and to find in these the ground of our confidence1 the warrant for our faith4 ,this will never do4 ,it is impossible to find settled peace or calm repose in this way4 ,feelings1 however true and real1 change and pass away4 ,experiences1 however genuine1 may prove defective4 ,impressions and convictions may prove utterly false4 ,none of these things1 therefore1 can form a solid ground of ,christian certainty4 ,this latter must be sought and found in ,god's word alone4 ,it is not in feelings1 not in experiences1 not in impressions or convictions1 not in reasonings1 not in human traditions or doctrines1 but simply in the unchangeable1 eternal ,word of the living ,god4 ,that ,word which is settled forever in heaven1 and which ,god has magnified according to all the stability of ,his name1 can alone impart peace to the mind and stability to the soul4 ,true1 it is only by the gracious ministry of the ,holy ,ghost that we can properly grasp and ever hold fast to the word of ,god2 but still it is ,his ,word1 and that ,word alone1 that forms the ground of ,christian certainty and the true basis and authority for the ,christian in the entire range of practical life and action4 ,we cannot be too simple as to this4 ,we can only adopt the opening sentence of our chapter1 and say1 ,we know1 when we take ,god's word as the all-sufficient ground of our personal confidence4 ,it will not do to be in any wise propped up by human authority4 ,thousands of the people of ,god have been made to taste the bitterness of leaning upon the commandments and doctrines of men4 ,it is sure to end in disappointment and confusion1 sooner or later4 ,the edifice which is built upon the sand of human authority must fall at some time or other2 whereas that which is founded on the rock of ,god's eternal truth shall stand forever4 ,god's word imparts its own stability to the soul that leans upon it4 ,therefore thus saith the ,lord ,god1 ,behold1 ,i lay in ,zion for a foundation a stone1 a sure foundation2 he that believeth shall not make haste 7,isa4 xxviii4 #af74 ,as is the foundation1 so is the faith that builds thereon4 ,hence the solemn importance of seeking to lead souls to build only upon ,god's precious ,word4 ,look at the anxiety of the apostle ,paul in reference to this matter4 ,hear what he says to the ,corinthians who were in such danger of being led away by human leadership and human authority4 ,and ,i1 brethren1 when ,i came to you1 came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom1 declaring unto you the testimony of ,god4 ,for ,i determined not to know anything among you1 save ,jesus ,christ and ,him crucified4 ,and ,i was with you in weakness1 and in fear1 and in much trembling4 ,and my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom1 but in demonstration of the ,spirit and of power4 ,that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men1 but in the power of ,god 7#a ,cor4 ii4 #a-e74 ,here is a grand model for all preachers and teachers4 ,paul declared the testimony of ,god1 nothing more1 nothing less1 nothing different4 ,and not only so1 but he delivered that testimony in such a way as to connect the souls of his hearers immediately with the living ,god4 ,paul did not want the ,corinthians to lean upon him2 nay1 he trembled lest they should be tempted to do so4 ,he would have done them a grievous wrong had he in anywise come in between their souls and the true source of all authority--the true foundation of confidence and peace4 ,had he led them to build upon himself1 he would have robbed them of ,god1 and this would have been a wrong indeed4 ,no marvel1 therefore1 that he was among them in fear and in much trembling4 ,they were evidently very much prone to set up and follow after human leaders1 and thus miss the solid reality of personal communion with and dependence upon the living ,god4 ,hence the jealous care of the apostle in confining himself to the testimony of ,god2 in delivering to them only that which he had received of the ,lord 7see #a ,cor4 xi4 #bc1 xv4 #c71 lest the pure water should suffer in its passage from its source in ,god to the souls of the ,corinthians--lest he should in the smallest degree impart the color of his own thoughts to the precious truth of ,god4 ,we see the same thing in the ,first ,epistle to the ,thessalonians4 ,for this cause also1 says the faithful servant of ,christ1 thank we ,god without ceasing1 because1 when ye received the word of ,god which ye heard of us1 ye received it not as the word of men1 but1 as it is in truth1 the word of ,god1 which effectually worketh also in you that believe 7chap4 ii4 #ac74 ,had he been seeking his own things1 he would have been glad to obtain influence over the ,thessalonians by linking them on to himself and leading them to lean upon him4 ,but no2 he rejoices in seeing them in living connection1 in direct and realized association with ,god ,himself4 ,this is always the effect of true ministry1 as it is ever the object of the true minister4 ,unless the soul be livingly linked with ,god1 there is really nothing done4 ,if it be merely following men--receiving what they say because they say it--an attachment to certain preachers or teachers because of something in their style and manner1 or because they seem to be very holy1 very separated1 or very devoted--all this will come to naught4 ,those human links will soon be snapped asunder4 ,the faith that stands in any measure in the wisdom of men will prove hollow and worthless4 ,nothing will prove permanent1 nothing will endure1 but that faith which rests on the testimony and in the power of the only true ,god4 ,christian reader1 we earnestly invite your attention to this point4 ,we do indeed feel its importance at the present moment4 ,the enemy is seeking diligently to lead souls away from ,god1 away from ,christ1 away from the holy ,scriptures4 ,he is seeking to get them to build on something short of the truth4 ,he does not care what it is1 provided it is not ,christ4 ,it may be reason1 tradition1 religiousness1 human priesthood1 fleshy pietism1 holiness in the flesh1 sectarianism1 morality1 good works1 service 7so called71 human influence1 patronage1 philanthropy1 anything short of ,christ1 short of ,god's word1 short of a lively1 personal1 direct faith in the living ,god ,himself4 ,now it is the sense of this pressing home upon the heart that leads us to urge with earnestness upon the reader the necessity of being thoroughly clear as to the ground on which he is at this moment standing4 ,we want him to be able to say in the face of all around him1 ,i know4 ,nothing less than this will stand4 ,it will not do to say1 ,i hope4 ,no2 there must be certainty4 ,there must be the ability to say1 ,we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved1 we have a building of ,god1 an house not made with hands1 eternal in the heavens4 ,this is the language of faith1 the language of a ,christian4 ,all is calm1 clear1 and sure1 because all is of ,god4 ,there may be an if with regard to the earthly house4 ,it may be dissolved1 it may crumble into dust4 ,all that belongs to this scene may bear the stamp of death2 it may change and pass away1 but the ,word of the ,lord endureth forever1 and the faith that grasps and rests upon that ,word partakes of its eternal stability4 ,it enables one to say1 ,i know that ,i have4 ,naught but faith can say this4 ,reason can only say1 ,i doubt2 superstition1 ,i fear3 only faith can say1 ,i know and am sure4 ,an infidel teacher once said to a dying woman whom he had indoctrinated with his infidel notions1 ,hold fast1 ,mary4 ,what was her reply8 ,i can't hold fast1 for you have never given me anything to hold by4 ,cutting rebuke6 ,he had taught the poor woman to doubt1 but he had given her nothing to believe2 and then1 when flesh and heart were failing1 when earthly scenes were passing away and the dread realities of eternity were crowding in upon her soul's vision1 infidelity altogether failed her2 its wretched cobwebs could afford no refuge1 no covering1 in view of death and judgment4 ,how different the condition of the believer--of the one who1 in all simplicity of heart and humility of mind1 takes his stand on the solid rock of ,holy ,scripture6 ,such an one can calmly say1 ,i am now ready to be offered1 and the time of my departure is at hand4 ,i have fought a good fight1 ,i have finished my course1 ,i have kept the faith2 henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness1 which the ,lord1 the righteous judge1 shall give me at that day3 and not to me only1 but to all them1 also1 that love ,his appearing 7#b ,tim4 iv4 #f-h74 ,it is more than probable that some may find it difficult to reconcile the calm certainty expressed in the first verse of our chapter with the groan of ver4 #b4 ,but the difficulty will vanish the moment we are enabled to see the true reason of the groan4 ,for in this we groan1 earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven1 if so be that1 being clothed1 we shall not be found naked4 ,for we that are in this tabernacle do groan1 being burdened2 not for that we would be unclothed1 but clothed upon1 that mortality might be swallowed up of life4 ,here we see that the very certainty of having a building of ,god1 an house not made with hands1 eternal in the heavens1 makes us groan to possess it4 ,the apostle did not groan in doubt or uncertainty4 ,he did not groan under the weight of guilt or fear4 ,still less did he groan because he could not satisfy the desires of the flesh or of the mind1 or because he could not surround himself with this world's perishable possessions4 ,no2 he longed for the heavenly building--the divine1 the real1 the eternal4 ,he felt the heavy burden of the poor1 crumbling tabernacle2 it was a grievous hindrance to him4 ,it was the only link with the scene around1 and as such it was a heavy clog of which he longed to be rid4 ,but1 most clearly1 he would not1 and could not1 have groaned for the heavenly house if he had a single question on his mind with respect to it4 ,men are never anxious to get rid of the body unless they are sure of possessing something better2 nay1 they grasp this present life with intense eagerness1 and tremble at the thought of the future1 which is all darkness and uncertainty to them4 ,they groan at the thought of quitting the body2 the apostle groaned because he was in it4 ,this makes all the difference4 ,scripture never contemplates such a thing as a ,christian groaning under sin1 guilt1 doubt1 or fear2 or sighing after the riches1 honors or pleasures of this vain1 sin-stricken world4 ,alas1 alas1 they do thus groan through ignorance of their true position in a risen ,christ and their proper portion in the heavens6 ,but such is not the ground or character of the groan in the scripture now before us2 ,paul saw with distinctness his house in the heavens2 and1 on the other hand1 he felt the heavy burden of the tabernacle of clay2 and he ardently longed to lay aside the latter and be clothed with the former4 ,hence1 then1 there is the fullest harmony between we know and we groan4 ,if we did not know for a certainty that we have a building of ,god1 we should like to hold our earthly house as long as possible4 ,we see this constantly4 ,men cling to life4 ,they leave nothing untried to keep body and soul together4 ,they have no certainty as to heaven4 ,they cannot say1 we know that we have anything there4 ,on the other hand1 they have a terrible dread of the future1 which to their vision is wrapped up in clouds and thick darkness4 ,they have never committed themselves in calm confidence to ,god and ,his word2 they have never felt the tranquilizing power of ,his love4 ,they have viewed ,him as an angry ,judge instead of seeing ,him as the sinner's ,friend--a just ,god and a ,saviour--the righteous ,justifier4 ,no marvel1 therefore1 if they shrink with terror from the thought of meeting ,him4 ,but it is a totally different thing with a man who knows ,god as his ,father--his ,saviour--his best ,friend2 who knows that ,jesus died to save him from his sins1 and from all the consequences thereof4 ,such an one can say3 ,i have a home above1 ,from sin and sorrow free2 ,a mansion which eternal ,love ,designed and formed for me4 ,the ,father's gracious hand ,has built this blest abode2 ,from everlasting it was planned1 ,the dwelling-place of ,god4 ,the ,saviour's precious blood ,has made my title sure2 ,he passed through death's dark1 raging flood1 ,to make my rest secure4 ,these are the breathings of simple faith1 and they perfectly harmonize with the groans of a spirit that looks beyond its cage and longs to flee away4 ,the believer finds his body of sin and death a heavy burden1 and longs to be free from the encumbrance1 and to be clothed upon with a body suited to his new and eternal state--a new creation body--a body perfectly free from every trace of mortality4 ,this cannot be until the morning of resurrection1 that glorious moment1 long looked for1 when the dead in ,christ shall rise and the living saints be changed1 in a moment2 when death shall be swallowed up in victory1 and mortality shall be swallowed up of life4 ,it is for this we groan1 not that we would be unclothed1 but clothed upon4 ,the unclothed state is not the object1 though we know that to be absent from the body is to be present with the ,lord2 and to depart and be with ,christ is far better4 ,the ,lord ,jesus is waiting that glorious consummation1 and we wait in sympathy with ,him4 ,meanwhile1 the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now4 ,and not only so1 but ourselves also1 which have the firstfruits of the ,spirit1 even we ourselves groan within ourselves1 waiting for the adoption1 to wit1 the redemption of our body4 ,for we are saved in hope3 but hope that is seen is not hope3 for what a man seeth1 why doth he yet hope for8 ,but if we hope for that we see not1 then do we with patience wait for it 7,rom4 viii4 #bb-be74 ,thus1 then1 beloved reader1 we have before us a very distinct answer to the question1 ,why does the believer groan8 ,he groans1 being burdened4 ,he groans in sympathy with a groaning creation1 with which he is linked by means of a body of sin and death--a body of humiliation4 ,he sees around him1 day by day1 the sad fruits of sin4 ,he cannot pass along the streets of our cities and towns without having before his eyes a thousand proofs of man's sad state4 ,he hears on one side the wail of sorrow2 on another1 the cry of distress4 ,he sees oppression1 violence1 corruption1 strife1 heartless villany and its victims4 ,he sees the thorn1 and the briar4 ,he notes the various disturbing forces which are abroad in the physical1 the moral1 and the political world4 ,he marks the varied forms of disease and misery around him4 ,the cry of the poor and the needy1 the widow and the orphan1 falls sadly upon his ear and upon his heart2 and what can he do but send up from the deepest depths of his spiritual nature a sympathetic groan1 and long for the blissful moment when the creation itself shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the sons of ,god8 ,it is impossible for a true ,christian to pass through a world like this without groaning4 ,look at the blessed ,master ,himself2 did not ,he groan8 ,yes1 verily4 ,mark ,him as ,he approached the grave of ,lazarus1 in company with the two weeping sisters4 ,when ,jesus therefore saw her weeping1 and the ,jews also weeping which came with her1 he groaned in the spirit1 and was troubled1 and said1 ,where have ye laid him8 ,they said unto him1 ,lord1 come and see4 ,jesus wept 7,jno4 xi4 #cc-ce74 ,whence came those tears and groans8 ,was ,he not approaching the grave of ,his friend as the ,prince of ,life--the ,quickener of the dead--the ,conqueror of death--the ,spoiler of the grave8 ,why1 then1 did ,he groan8 ,he groaned in sympathy with the objects of ,his love1 and with the whole scene around ,him4 ,his tears and groans emanated from the profound depths of a perfect human heart which felt1 according to ,god1 the true condition of the human family and of ,israel in particular4 ,he beheld around ,him the varied fruits of sin4 ,he felt for man1 ,he felt for ,israel4 ,in all their afflictions ,he was afflicted4 ,he was a ,man of sorrows and acquainted with grief4 ,he never even cured a person without bearing upon ,his spirit the reality of that with which ,he was dealing4 ,he did not1 ,he would not1 lightly bid away death1 disease1 and sorrow4 ,no3 ,he entered into it all1 as man2 and that1 too1 according to the infinite perfections of ,his divine nature4 ,he bore it all upon ,his spirit1 in the reality of it1 before ,god4 ,though perfectly free from it all1 and above it all1 yet did ,he in grace voluntarily enter into it most thoroughly1 so as to taste1 and prove1 and know it all1 as none else could know it4 ,all this is fully expressed in ,matt4 viii41 where we read the following words3 ,when the even was come1 they brought unto ,him many that were possessed with devils2 and ,he cast out the spirits with ,his word1 and healed all that were sick2 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by ,esaias the prophet1 saying1 ,himself took our infirmities1 and bare our sicknesses 7vers4 #af1 #ag74 ,we have very little idea of what the heart of ,jesus felt as ,he passed through this sorrowful1 because sinful1 world2 and we are far too apt to miss the reality of ,his sufferings by confining them merely to what ,he endured on the cross1 and also by supposing that because ,he was ,god over all1 blessed for ever1 ,he did not feel all that a human heart is capable of feeling4 ,this is a sad loss4 ,indeed we may say it is an incalculable loss4 ,the ,lord ,jesus1 as the ,captain of our salvation1 was made perfect through sufferings4 ,see ,heb4 ii41 where the inspired writer distinguishes carefully between the suffering of death1 and the sufferings of the ,captain of our salvation4 ,in order to save sinners from wrath1 ,he tasted death for every man1 and having done so1 we see ,him crowned with glory and honor4 ,but in order to bring many sons to glory1 ,he had to be perfected through sufferings4 ,and now all true believers have the unspeakable privilege of knowing that there is ,one at the right hand of the ,majesty in the heavens who1 when in this world of sin and woe1 tasted every form of suffering and every cup of sorrow which it was possible for any human heart to know4 ,he could say1 ,reproach hath broken ,my heart1 and ,i am full of heaviness3 and ,i looked for some to take pity1 but there was none1 and for comforters1 but ,i found none 7,ps4 lxix4 #bj74 ,how deeply affecting is all this6 ,but we cannot pursue this subject here4 ,we have merely touched upon it in connection with the question1 ,why does the believer groan8 ,we trust that the reader will see clearly the true answer to this inquiry2 and that it will be most evident to his mind that the groans of a ,christian proceed from the divine nature which he actually possesses1 and cannot therefore1 by any possibility1 be occasioned by doubts or fears1 on the one hand1 nor yet by selfish desires or the insatiable cravings of nature1 on the other4 ,but that1 on the contrary1 the very fact of his possessing everlasting life1 through faith in ,christ1 and the blessed assurance of having a house not made with hands1 eternal in the heavens1 causes him to long for that blessed1 indestructible building1 and to groan because of his connection with a groaning creation1 as well as in sympathy therewith4 ,if any further proof were needed1 on this deeply interesting question1 we have it in verses #e and #f of our chapter 7#b ,cor4 v471 where the apostle goes on to say1 ,now ,he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is ,god1 who also hath given unto us the earnest of the ,spirit4 ,therefore we are always confident 7not doubting or fearing71 knowing that whilst we are at home in the body we are absent from the ,lord 7for we walk by faith1 not by sight71 we are confident1 ,i say1 and willing rather to be absent from the body1 and to be present with the ,lord 7vers4 #e-h74 ,here we have two grand cardinal truths laid down1 namely1 first1 ,the believer is ,god's workmanship2 and secondly1 ,god has given him the earnest of the ,spirit4 ,most marvellous--most glorious facts6 ,facts which demand the attention of the reader4 ,everyone who simply and heartily believes on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ is ,god's workmanship4 ,god has created him anew in ,christ ,jesus4 ,clearly1 therefore1 there can be no possible ground for questioning his acceptance with ,god1 inasmuch as ,god can never call in question ,his own work4 ,he will1 assuredly1 no more do this in ,his new creation1 than ,he did in the old4 ,when ,god looked upon ,his work1 in the opening of the ,book of ,genesis1 it was not to judge it or call it in question1 but to announce it very good1 and express ,his complacency in it4 ,so now1 when ,god looks upon the very feeblest believer1 ,he sees in him ,his own workmanship1 and most assuredly1 ,he is not going1 either here or hereafter1 to call in question ,his own work4 ,god is a rock1 ,his work is perfect1 and the believer is ,god's work2 and because he is ,his work ,he has sealed him with the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the same truth is stated in ,ephesians ii4 where we read1 ,for we are ,god's workmanship1 created in ,christ ,jesus unto good works1 which ,god hath before ordained that we should walk in them4 ,this1 we may truly say1 is a point of the weightiest moment4 ,it claims the grave attention of the reader who desires to be thoroughly established in the truth of ,god as to what a ,christian--what ,christianity really is4 ,it is not a ruined1 lost1 guilty sinner seeking to work himself up into something or other fit for ,god4 ,it is the very reverse4 ,it is ,god1 in the riches of ,his grace1 on the ground of the atoning death of ,christ1 taking up a poor1 dead1 worthless1 condemned thing--a guilty1 hell-deserving sinner1 and creating him anew in ,christ ,jesus4 ,it is1 as it were1 ,god beginning de novo--on the new1 as we may say--to form man in ,christ1 to place him on a new footing altogether1 not now as an innocent being on a creation basis1 but as a justified one1 in a risen ,christ4 ,it is not man's old condition improved by human effort of any sort or description2 but it is ,god's new workmanship in a risen1 ascended1 and glorified ,christ4 ,it is not man's own garment pieced or patched by human device in any shape or form whatever2 but it is ,god's new garment introduced in the person of ,christ1 who having1 in infinite grace1 gone down into the dust of death1 and endured1 on man's behalf1 the judgment of sin1 the righteous wrath of a sin-hating ,god1 was raised from the dead by the glory of the ,father1 and is become the ,head of the new creation--,the beginning of the creation of ,god 7,rev4 iii4 #ad74 ,now1 it must be perfectly clear to the reader1 that if our ,lord ,jesus ,christ be1 in very deed the beginning of ,god's creation1 then we must begin at the beginning1 else we have done absolutely nothing at all4 ,we may labor and toil--we may do our very utmost1 and be perfectly sincere in our doing--we may vow and resolve--we may seek to improve our state1 to alter our course1 to mend our ways1 to live in a different way--but all the while we are in the old creation1 which has been completely set aside1 and is under the judgment of ,god2 we have not begun at the beginning of ,god's new creation1 and1 as a necessary consequence1 we have gained nothing at all4 ,we have been spending our strength for nought and in vain4 ,we have been putting forth efforts to improve a thing which ,god has condemned and set aside altogether4 ,we are1 to use a very feeble figure indeed1 like a man who is spending his time1 his pains1 and his money in painting and papering a house that has been condemned by the government surveyor1 on account of the rottenness of the foundation1 and which must be taken down at once4 ,what should we say to such a man8 ,should we not deem him very foolish8 ,doubtless4 ,but if it be folly to paint and paper a condemned house1 what shall we say to those who are seeking to improve a condemned nature--a condemned world8 ,we must say this1 at least1 they are pursuing a course which must1 sooner or later1 end in disappointment and confusion4 ,oh that this were understood and entered into6 ,would to ,god that ,christians more fully entered into it6 ,would to ,god that all ,christian writers1 preachers1 and teachers entered into it1 and set it forth distinctly with pen and voice6 ,at the least1 we earnestly desire that the reader should thoroughly grasp it4 ,we are most fully persuaded that it is pre-eminently truth for the times4 ,it is truth to meet the need of thousands of souls--to remove their burdens1 relieve their hearts and consciences--solve their difficulties--chase away their clouds4 ,there are1 at this moment1 throughout the length and breadth of ,christendom1 countless multitudes engaged in the fruitless work of painting and papering a condemned house--a house on which ,god has pronounced judgment1 because of the hopelessly ruined condition of its foundations4 ,they are seeking to do little jobs of repairs here and there throughout the house1 forgetting1 or perhaps not knowing1 that the whole building is very shortly to be demolished by order of the divine government4 ,some are doing this with the utmost sincerity1 amid much sore exercise of soul1 and many tears1 because they cannot succeed in satisfying their own hearts even1 much less the claims of ,god4 ,for ,god demands a perfect thing1 not a patched-up ruin4 ,there is no use in seeking to cover with paper and paint old walls tottering on a rotten foundation4 ,god cannot be deceived by surface work1 by shallow outside appearances4 ,the foundations are bad1 the whole thing must come down1 and we must put our whole trust in ,him who is the beginning of the creation of ,god4 ,reader1 pause here for a moment's calm and serious reflection4 ,ask yourself the question1 ,am ,i seeking to patch up a ruin8 ,am ,i seeking to improve the old nature8 ,or have ,i really found my place in ,god's new creation1 of which a risen ,christ is the ,head and ,beginning8 ,remember1 we beseech you1 that you cannot possibly engage in more fruitless toil than seeking to make yourself better4 ,your efforts may be sincere1 but they must1 in the long run1 prove worthless4 ,your paper and paint may be all good and genuine enough1 but you are putting them on a condemned ruin4 ,you cannot say of your unrenewed nature that it is ,god's workmanship2 and1 most assuredly1 your doings1 your good works1 your religious exercises1 your efforts to keep the ten commandments--nothing1 in short1 that you can do1 could possibly be called ,god's workmanship4 ,it is yours1 and not ,god's4 ,he cannot acknowledge it4 ,he cannot seal it with ,his ,spirit4 ,it is all false and good for nothing4 ,if you cannot say1 ,he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is ,god1 you have really nothing4 ,you are yet in your sins4 ,you have not begun at ,god's beginning4 ,you are yet in the flesh3 and the voice of ,holy ,scripture declares that they that are in the flesh cannot please ,god 7,rom4 viii74 ,this is a solemn and sweeping sentence4 ,a man out of ,christ is in the flesh2 and such a man cannot please ,god4 ,he may be most religious1 most moral1 most amiable1 most benevolent1 a most excellent master1 a generous friend1 a liberal giver1 a genial companion1 a patron of the poor1 upright and honorable in all his dealings1 he may be an eloquent preacher and a popular writer1 and all the while not be in ,christ1 but in the flesh1 and therefore he cannot please ,god4 ,can aught be more solemn than this8 ,only to think of how far a person may go in all that is deemed excellent among men1 and yet not be in ,christ1 but in his sins--in the flesh--in the old creation--in the condemned house4 ,and be it noted that it is not a question of gross sins1 of scandalous living1 in all its varied1 hideous shapes of immorality1 in its deeper and darker shades2 no1 the declaration of ,holy ,scripture is1 that they that are in the flesh cannot please ,god4 ,this1 truly1 is most soul-subduing1 and calls for deep and solemn reflection on the part of every thoughtful and earnest soul4 ,but it may be that1 to the reader's view1 difficulties and stumbling blocks still surround this most weighty subject4 ,he may still be utterly at a loss to know what is meant by the expression1 ,in the flesh4 ,if so it will1 we fondly hope1 help him not a little to remember that ,scripture speaks of two men--the first man and the ,second ,man4 ,these two men are presented as the heads of two distinct races4 ,adam fallen is the head of one race2 ,christ risen is the ,head of the other race4 ,now1 the very fact of there being a ,second ,man proves that the first man had been set aside3 for if the first man had proved faultless1 then should no place have been sought for the second4 ,this is clear and unquestionable4 ,the first man is a total wreck--an irreparable ruin4 ,the foundations of the old edifice have given way2 and albeit1 in man's view1 the building seems to stand1 and to be capable of being repaired1 yet1 in ,god's view it is completely set aside1 and a ,second ,man--a new edifice--set up1 on the solid and imperishable ground of redemption4 ,hence1 we read1 in ,gen4 iii41 that ,god drove out the man2 and ,he placed at the east of the garden of ,eden cherubims1 and a flaming sword which turned every way1 to keep the way of the tree of life4 ,in other words1 the first man was driven out1 and every possible way of return was closed against him1 as such4 ,he could only get back by a new and living way1 namely1 through the rent veil of the ,saviour's flesh4 ,the flaming sword turned every way1 so that there was positively no way by which the first man could ever get back to his former state4 ,the only hope1 now1 was through the seed of the woman--the ,second ,man4 ,the flaming sword declared1 in symbolic yet impressive language1 the truth1 which comes out in the ,new ,testament divested of all symbol and shadow1 namely1 that they that are in the flesh cannot please ,god--,ye must be born again4 ,every unconverted man1 woman1 and child is part and parcel of the first man1 fallen1 ruined1 set aside1 and driven out4 ,he is a member of the first ,adam--the old race--a stone in the old condemned building4 ,thus it stands1 if we are to be guided by ,scripture4 ,the head and his race go together4 ,as is the one1 so is the other2 what is true of the one is true of the other4 ,they are1 in ,god's view1 absolutely identical4 ,was the first ,adam fallen when he became the head of a race8 ,was he driven out8 ,was he completely set aside8 ,yes1 verily1 if we are to believe ,scripture2 then the unconverted--the unregenerated reader of these lines is fallen1 driven out1 and set aside4 ,as is the head1 so is the member--each member in particular--all the members together4 ,they are inseparable1 if we are to be taught by divine revelation4 ,but1 further1 was every possible way of return finally closed against the fallen head8 yes1 ,scripture declares that the flaming sword turned every way1 to keep the way of the tree of life4 ,then it is utterly impossible that the unconverted--the unregenerate can improve himself or make himself fit for ,god4 ,if the fallen head could not get back to the tree of life1 neither can the fallen member4 ,they that are in the flesh cannot please ,god4 ,that is1 they that are on the old footing1 in the old creation1 members of the first ,adam1 part and parcel of the old edifice1 cannot please ,god4 ,ye must be born again4 ,man must be renewed in the very deepest springs and sources of his being4 ,he must be ,god's workmanship1 created in ,christ ,jesus unto good works1 which ,god hath before prepared that we should walk in them4 ,he must be able to say1 in the language of our text1 ,he that has wrought us for the selfsame thing is ,god4 ,but this leads us to another point4 ,how is anyone to get into this marvellous position8 ,how can any soul take up such language8 ,how can anyone whose eyes have been opened to see his utter and hopeless ruin1 as connected with the first man1 as standing in the old creation1 as a stone in the old edifice--how can such an one ever reach a position in which he can please ,god8 ,the ,lord be praised1 ,scripture gives an answer1 full1 clear1 and distinct1 to this serious question4 ,a second ,man has appeared upon the scene--the ,seed of the woman1 and1 at the same time1 ,god over all1 blessed for ever4 ,in ,him all begins afresh4 ,he came into this world born of a woman1 made under the law1 pure and spotless1 free from every taint of sin1 personally apart from every claim of sin and death1 standing in the midst of a ruined world1 a guilty race1 ,himself that pure1 untainted grain of wheat4 ,we see ,him lying as a babe in the manger4 ,we see ,him growing up as a youth beneath the parental roof4 ,we see ,him as a man working in a carpenter's shop at ,nazareth4 ,we see ,him baptised in ,jordan1 where all the people were baptised confessing their sins--,himself sinless1 but fulfilling all righteousness1 and1 in perfect grace1 identifying ,himself with the repentant portion of the nation of ,israel4 ,we see ,him anointed with the ,holy ,ghost for the work that lay before ,him4 ,we see ,him in the wilderness faint and hungry1 unlike the first man who was placed in the midst of a paradise of creature delights4 ,we see ,him tempted of ,satan and coming off victorious4 ,we trace ,him along the pathway of public ministry--and such a ministry6 ,what incessant toil6 ,what weariness and watching6 ,what hunger and thirst6 ,what sorrow and travail6 ,worse off than the fowls and the foxes1 the ,son of man had not where to lay ,his head4 ,the contradiction of sinners by day1 the mountain-top by night4 ,such was the marvellous life of this blessed ,one4 ,but this was not all4 ,he died6 ,yes1 ,he died under the weight of the first man's guilt1 ,he died to take away the sin of the world1 and alter completely the ground of ,god's relationship with the world1 so that ,god might deal with man and with the world on the new ground of redemption1 instead of the old ground of sin4 ,he died for the nation of ,israel4 ,he tasted death for every man4 ,he died the just for the unjust4 ,he suffered for sins4 ,he died and was buried1 according to the ,scriptures4 ,he went through all--met all--paid all--finished all4 ,he went down into the dust of death1 and lay in the dark and silent tomb4 ,he descended into the lower parts of the earth4 ,he went down to the very bottom of everything4 ,he endured the sentence passed on man4 ,he paid the penalty1 bore the judgment1 drained the cup of wrath1 went through every form of human suffering and trial1 was tempted in all points1 sin excepted4 ,he made an end of everything that stood in the way1 and1 having finished all1 ,he gave up ,his spirit into the hand of ,his ,father1 and ,his precious body was laid in a tomb on which the smell of death had never passed4 ,nor was this all4 ,he rose6 ,yes1 ,he rose triumphant over all4 ,he rose as the ,head of the new creation--,the beginning of the creation of ,god--,the first-begotten from among the dead--,the first-born among many brethren4 ,and now the second ,man is before ,god1 crowned with glory and honor1 not in an earthly paradise1 but at the right hand of the ,majesty in the heavens4 ,this second ,man is the last ,adam1 because there is none to come after ,him1 we cannot get beyond the last4 ,there is only one ,man before ,god now4 ,the first is set aside4 ,the last is set up4 ,and as the first was the fallen head of a fallen race1 so the last is the risen ,head of a saved1 justified1 and accepted race4 ,the ,head and ,his members are inseparably identified--all the members together1 and each member in particular4 ,we are accepted in ,him4 ,as ,he is1 so are we in this world 7#a ,john iv4 #ag74 ,there is nothing before ,god but ,christ4 ,the ,head and the body1 the ,head and each individual member are indissolubly joined together--inseparably and eternally one4 ,god thinks of the members as ,he thinks of the ,head--loves them as ,he loves ,him4 ,those members are ,god's workmanship1 incorporated by ,his ,spirit into the body of ,christ1 and in ,god's presence1 having no other footing1 no other rank1 position1 or station whatsoever but in ,christ4 ,they are no longer in the flesh1 but in the ,spirit4 ,they can please ,god1 because they possess ,his nature1 and are sealed by ,his ,spirit1 and guided by ,his word4 ,he that hath wrought them is ,god1 and ,god must ever delight in ,his own workmanship4 ,he will never find fault with or condemn the work of ,his own hand4 ,god is a rock1 ,his work is perfect1 and hence the believer1 as ,god's workmanship1 must be perfect4 ,he is ,,in ,,christ1 and that is enough--enough for ,god--enough for faith--enough for ever4 ,and1 now1 if it be asked1 ,how is all this to be attained8 ,scripture replies1 ,,by ,,faith4 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 ,he that heareth ,my word1 and believeth on ,him that sent ,me1 hath everlasting life1 and shall not come into judgment2 but is passed from death unto life 7,john v4 #bd74 ,the reader who has traveled intelligently with us through the opening lines of our chapter will be in a position to understand something of the solemn and momentous subject to which we now approach1 namely1 the judgment-seat of ,christ4 ,if indeed it be true that the believer is ,god's workmanship--if he is actually a member of ,christ--associated with the second ,adam--bound up in the bundle of life with the risen and glorified ,lord1 if all this be true--and ,god's word declares it is--then it must be perfectly evident that the judgment-seat of ,christ cannot1 by any possibility1 touch the ,christian's position1 or prove1 in any wise1 unfriendly to him4 ,no doubt it is a most solemn and serious matter1 involving the most weighty consequences to every servant of ,christ1 and designed to exert a most salutary influence upon the heart and conscience of every man4 ,but it will do all this just in proportion as it is viewed from the true standpoint1 and no further4 ,it is not to be supposed that anyone can reap the divinely appointed blessing from meditating on the judgment-seat1 if he is looking forward to it as the place where the grand question of his eternal salvation is to be settled4 ,and yet how many are thus regarding it6 ,how many of ,god's true people are there1 who1 from not seeing the simple truth involved in these words1 ,he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is ,god1 are anticipating the judgment-seat of ,christ as something that may1 after all1 condemn them4 ,this is greatly to be deplored1 both because it dishonors the ,lord1 and completely destroys the soul's peace and liberty4 ,for how1 let us ask1 is it possible for anyone to enjoy peace so long as there is a single question about salvation to be settled8 ,we conceive it is wholly impossible4 ,the peace of the true believer rests on the fact that every possible question has been divinely and eternally settled2 and as a consequence1 no question can ever arise1 either before the judgment-seat of ,christ1 or at any other time4 ,hear what our ,lord ,jesus ,christ saith in reference to this great question3 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 ,he that heareth ,my word1 and believeth on ,him that sent ,me1 hath everlasting life1 and shall not come into condemnation or judgment2 but is passed from death unto life 7,john v4 #bd74 ,it is important that the reader should understand that the word used by our ,lord in the above passage is not condemnation but judgment4 ,he assures the believer that he shall never come into judgment2 and this1 too1 be it observed1 in immediate connection with the statement that the ,father judgeth no man1 but hath committed all judgment unto the ,son 7ver4 #bb74 ,and1 again1 ,for as the ,father hath life in ,himself1 so hath ,he given to the ,son to have life in ,himself2 and hath given ,him authority to execute judgment also1 because ,he is the ,son of man 7ver4 #bf1 #bg74 ,thus1 then1 the ,one to whom all judgment is committed--who alone has authority to execute judgment1 by the ,father's just decree--this blessed ,one assures us that if we hearken to ,his ,word1 and believe on ,him that sent ,him1 we shall never come into judgment at all4 ,this is clear and conclusive4 ,it must tranquillize the heart completely4 ,it must roll away every cloud and mist1 and conduct the soul into a region where no question can ever arise to disturb its deep and eternal repose4 ,if the ,one who has all judgment in ,his hand1 and all authority to execute it--if ,he assures me that ,i shall never come into judgment1 ,i am perfectly satisfied4 ,i believe ,his ,word1 and rest in the happy assurance that whatever the judgment-seat of ,christ may prove to others1 it cannot prove unfriendly to me4 ,i know that the word of the ,lord endureth for ever1 and that the ,word tells me ,i shall never come into judgment4 ,but it may be that the reader finds it difficult1 if not impossible1 to reconcile this entire exemption from judgment with the solemn fact stated by our ,lord1 that for every idle word that men shall speak1 they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment4 ,but there is really no difficulty in the matter4 ,if a man has to meet judgment at all1 he must give account for every idle word4 ,how awfully solemn the thought6 ,there is no escaping it4 ,were it possible for a single idle word to be let pass1 it would be a dishonor to the judgment-seat4 ,it would be a sign of weakness and incompetency which is utterly impossible4 ,it were blasphemy against the ,son of ,god to suppose that a single stain could escape ,his scrutinizing gaze4 ,if the reader comes into judgment1 that judgment must be perfect1 and1 hence1 his condemnation must be inevitable4 ,we would press this serious matter upon the attention of the unconverted reader4 ,it imperatively demands his immediate and earnest consideration4 ,there is a day rapidly approaching when every idle word1 and every foolish thought1 and every sinful act1 will be brought to light1 and he will have to answer for it4 ,christ1 as a ,judge1 has eyes like unto a flame of fire1 and feet like unto fine brass--eyes to detect1 and feet to crush the evil4 ,there will be no escape4 ,there will be no mercy then3 all will be stern and unmitigated judgment4 ,i saw a great white throne1 and ,him that sat on it1 from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away2 and there was found no place for them4 ,and ,i saw the dead1 small and great1 stand before ,god3 and the books were opened2 and another book was opened1 which is the book of life2 and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books1 according to their works4 ,and the sea gave up the dead which were in it1 and death and the grave gave up the dead which were in them2 and they were judged every man according to their works4 ,and death and the grave were cast into the lake of fire4 ,this is the second death4 ,and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire 7,rev4 xx4 #aa-ae74 ,mark here the difference between the books and the book of life4 ,the entire scene sets forth the judgment of the wicked dead--of those who have died in their sins1 from first to last4 ,the book of life is opened2 but there is no judgment for those whose names are written therein by the hand of electing and redeeming love4 ,the books are opened--those awful records written in characters deep1 broad1 and black--those terrible catalogues of the sins of every man1 woman1 and child1 from the beginning to the end of time4 ,there will be no escaping in the crowd4 ,each one will stand in his own most intense individuality in that appalling moment4 ,the eye of each will be turned in upon himself1 and back upon his past history4 ,all will be seen in the light of the great white throne1 from which there is no escape4 ,the sceptic may reason against all this4 ,he may say1 ,how can these things be8 ,how could all the dead stand before ,god8 ,how could the countless millions1 who have passed away since the foundation of the world find sufficient space before the judgment-seat8 ,the answer is very simple to the true believer1 whatever it may be to the sceptic2 ,god who made them1 will make a place for them to stand for judgment1 and a place to lie in everlasting torment4 ,tremendous thought8 ,god hath appointed a day in the which ,he will judge the world in righteousness1 by that ,man whom ,he hath ordained2 whereof ,he hath given assurance unto all men1 in that ,he hath raised ,him from the dead 7,acts xvii4 #ca74 ,and be it remembered that every man will be judged according to his works4 ,the solemn session of the judgment referred to in ,revelation xx4 will not be an indiscriminate act4 ,let none suppose this4 ,there are books--rolls--records4 ,every man will be judged4 ,how8 ,according to his works4 ,nothing can be more precise and specific4 ,each one has committed his own sins1 and for them he will be judged and punished everlastingly4 ,we are aware that many cherish the notion that people will only be judged for rejecting the gospel4 ,it is a fatal mistake4 ,scripture teaches the direct contrary4 ,it declares that people will be judged according to their works4 ,what are we to learn from the many stripes and the few stripes of ,luke xii48 ,what is the force of the words more tolerable in ,matthew xi48 ,are we not plainly taught by these words that there will be a difference in the degrees of judgment and punishment8 ,and does not the apostle most distinctly teach us in ,ephesians iv41 and ,colossians iii41 that the wrath of ,god cometh upon the children of disobedience 7or unbelief7 because of certain sins against which he solemnly warns the saints8 ,no doubt the rejection of the gospel leaves people on the ground of judgment1 just as the true belief of the gospel takes people off that ground4 ,but the judgment will be1 in every case1 according to a man's works4 ,are we to suppose that the poor ignorant savage1 who has lived and died amid the gloomy shades of heathen darkness1 will be found in the same book1 or punished with the same severity as a man who has lived and died in the total rejection of the full blaze of gospel light and privilege8 ,not for a moment1 so long as the words more tolerable stand on the page of inspiration4 ,the savage will be judged according to his works1 and the baptized sinner will be judged according to his works1 but assuredly it will be more tolerable for the former than the latter4 ,god knows how to deal with people4 ,he can discriminate1 and ,he declares that ,he will give to each according to his works4 ,reader1 think of this1 we beseech you4 ,think deeply1 think seriously4 ,if thou art unconverted1 think of it for thyself1 for1 assuredly1 it concerns thee4 ,and if thou art converted1 think of it for others1 as the apostle says1 ,knowing the terror of the ,lord1 we persuade men4 ,it is impossible for anyone to reflect upon the great and awful fact of judgment to come1 and not be stirred up to warn his fellows4 ,we believe it is of the very last possible importance that the consciences of men should be acted upon by the solemn truth of the judgment-seat of ,christ--that they should be made to feel the seriousness of having to do with ,god as a ,judge4 ,should the reader1 whoever he be1 have been led to feel this--if he has been roused by this weighty matter--if he is1 even now1 asking the question1 ,what must ,i do8 the answer is blessedly simple4 ,the gospel declares that the ,one who will1 ere long1 act as a ,judge1 is now revealed as a ,justifier--even a ,justifier of the ungodly sinner that believeth in ,jesus4 ,this changes the aspect of things entirely4 ,it is not that the thought of the judgment-seat loses a single jot or tittle of its gravity and solemnity4 ,quite the contrary4 ,it stands in all its weight and magnitude4 ,but the believer looks at it from a totally different point of view4 ,in place of looking at the judgment-seat of ,christ as a guilty member of the first ,adam1 he looks at it as a justified and accepted member of the ,second4 ,in place of looking forward to it as the place where the question of his eternal salvation or perdition is to be decided1 he looks to it as one who knows that he is ,god's workmanship1 and that he can never come into judgment1 inasmuch as he has been taken clean off the ground of guilt1 death1 and judgment1 and placed1 through the death and resurrection of ,christ1 on a new ground altogether1 even the ground of life1 righteousness1 and cloudless favor4 ,it is most needful to be clear as to this grand fundamental truth4 ,very many even of the people of ,god are clouded in reference to it1 and hence it is that they are afraid when they think of the judgment-seat4 ,they do not know ,god as a ,justifier4 ,their faith has not grasped ,him as the ,one who raised up ,jesus our ,lord from the dead4 ,they are looking to ,christ to keep ,god out as a ,judge1 very much in the same way as the ,israelites looked to the blood to keep out the destroyer4 ,see ,ex4 xii4 ,it is true and real enough1 so far as it goes2 but it falls very far short of the truth revealed in the ,new ,testament4 ,there is a vast difference between keeping ,god out as a ,destroyer and a ,judge1 and bringing ,him in as a ,saviour and a ,justifier4 ,an ,israelite would have dreaded1 above all things1 ,god's coming in to him4 ,why8 ,because ,god was passing through the land as a ,destroyer4 ,the ,christian1 on the contrary1 delights to be in the presence of ,god4 ,why8 ,because ,he has revealed ,himself as a ,justifier4 ,how8 ,by raising up ,jesus our ,lord from the dead4 ,there are three forms of expression used by the inspired apostle in ,rom4 iii4 and iv4 which should be carefully pondered4 ,in chap4 iii4 #bf1 he speaks of believing in ,jesus4 ,in chap4 iv4 #e1 he speaks of believing in ,him that justifieth the ungodly4 ,and1 ver4 #bd1 he speaks of believing in ,him that raised up ,jesus our ,lord from the dead4 ,now1 there is no distinction in ,scripture without a difference2 and when we see a distinction it is our business to inquire as to the difference4 ,what then1 is the difference between believing in ,jesus1 and believing in ,him that raised up ,jesus8 ,we believe it to be this4 ,we may often find souls who are really looking to ,jesus and believing in ,him1 and yet they have1 deep down in their hearts a sort of dread of meeting ,god4 ,it is not that they doubt their salvation1 or that they are not really saved4 ,by no means4 ,they are saved1 inasmuch as they are looking to ,christ1 by faith1 and all who so look are saved in ,him with an everlasting salvation4 ,all this is most blessedly true3 but still there is this latent fear or dread of ,god1 and a shrinking from death4 ,they know that ,jesus is friendly to them1 inasmuch as ,he died for them2 but they do not see so clearly the friendship of ,god4 ,hence it is that we find so many of ,god's people in uncertainty and spiritual distress4 ,their faith has not yet laid hold of ,god as the ,one who raised up ,jesus our ,lord from the dead4 ,they are not quite sure of how it may go with them4 ,at times they are happy1 because by virtue of the new nature1 of which they are assuredly the partakers1 they get occupied with ,christ3 but at times they are miserable1 because they begin to look at themselves1 and they do not see ,god as their ,justifier1 and as the ,one who has condemned sin in the flesh4 ,they are thinking of ,god as a ,judge with whom some question still remains to be settled4 ,they feel as if ,god's eye were resting on their indwelling sin1 and as if they had1 in some way or other1 to dispose of that question with ,god4 ,thus it is1 we feel persuaded1 with hundreds of the true saints of ,god4 ,they do not see ,god as the ,condemner of sin in ,christ on the cross1 and the ,justifier of the believing sinner in ,christ rising from the dead4 ,they are looking to ,christ on the cross to screen them from ,god as a ,judge1 instead of looking to ,god as a ,justifier1 in raising up ,christ from the dead4 ,jesus was delivered for our offences1 and raised again for our justification4 ,our sins are forgiven2 our indwelling sin1 or evil nature1 is condemned and set aside4 ,it has no existence before ,god4 ,it is in us1 but ,he sees us only in a risen ,christ2 and we are called to reckon ourselves dead1 and by the power of ,god's ,spirit1 to mortify our members1 to deny and subdue the evil nature which still dwells in us1 and will dwell until we are passed out of our present condition1 and find our place forever with the ,lord4 ,this makes all so blessedly clear4 ,we have already dwelt upon the fact1 that they that are in the flesh cannot please ,god2 but the believer is not in the flesh1 though the flesh be in him4 ,he is in the body1 and on the earth1 as to the fact of his existence2 but he is neither in the flesh1 nor of the world1 as to the ground or principle of his standing4 ,ye1 says the ,holy ,ghost1 are not in the flesh1 but in the ,spirit 7,rom4 viii474 ,they1 says our blessed ,lord1 are not of the world1 even as ,i am not of the world 7,john xvii474 ,what a sweet relief to a heart bowed down under a sense of indwelling sin1 and not knowing what to do with it6 ,what solid peace and comfort flow into the soul when ,i see ,god condemning my sin in the cross1 and justifying me in a risen ,christ6 ,where are my sins8 ,blotted out4 ,where is my sin8 ,condemned and set aside4 ,where am ,i8 ,justified and accepted in a risen ,christ4 ,i am brought to ,god without a single cloud or misgiving4 ,i am not afraid of my ,justifier4 ,i confide in ,him1 love ,him1 and adore ,him4 ,i joy in ,god1 and rejoice in hope of ,his glory4 ,thus1 then1 we have1 in some measure1 cleared the way for the believer to approach the subject of the judgment-seat of ,christ1 as set forth in ver4 #aj of our chapter1 which we shall here quote at length1 in order that the reader may have the subject fully before him in the veritable language of inspiration4 ,for we must all appear 7or rather1 be manifested7 before the judgment-seat of ,christ2 that every one may receive the things done in his body1 according to that he hath done1 whether it be good or bad4 ,now there is1 in reality1 no difficulty or ground of perplexity here4 ,all we need is to look at the matter from a divine standpoint1 and with a simple mind1 in order to see it clearly4 ,this is true in reference to every subject treated of in the word of ,god1 and specially so as to the point now before us4 ,we have no doubt whatever that the real secret of the difficulty felt by so many in respect to the question of the judgment-seat of ,christ is self-occupation4 ,hence it is we so often hear such questions as the following1 ,can it be possible that all our sins1 all our failures1 all our infirmities1 all our naughty and foolish ways1 shall be published1 in the presence of assembled myriads1 before the judgment-seat of ,christ8 ,well1 then1 in the first place1 we have to remark that ,scripture says nothing of the kind4 ,the passage before us1 which contains the great1 broad statement of the truth on this weighty subject1 simply declares that we must all be manifested before the judgment-seat of ,christ4 ,but how shall we be manifested8 ,assuredly1 as we are4 ,but how is that8 ,as ,god's workmanship--as perfectly righteous1 and perfectly holy1 and perfectly accepted in the ,person of that very ,one who shall sit on the judgment-seat1 and who ,himself bore in ,his own body on the tree all the judgment due to us1 and made a full end of the entire system in which we stood4 ,all that which1 as sinners1 we had to meet1 ,christ met in our stead4 ,our sins ,he bore2 our sin ,he was condemned for4 ,he stood in our stead and answered all responsibilities which rested upon us as men alive in the flesh1 as members of the first man1 as standing on the old creation-ground4 ,the ,judge ,himself is our righteousness4 ,we are in ,him4 ,all that we are and all that we have1 we owe it to ,him and to ,his perfect work4 ,if we1 as sinners1 had to meet ,christ as a ,judge1 escape were utterly impossible2 but1 inasmuch as ,he is our righteousness1 condemnation is utterly impossible4 ,in short1 the matter is reversed4 ,the atoning death and triumphant resurrection of our ,divine ,substitute have completely changed everything1 so that the effect of the judgment-seat of ,christ will be to make manifest that there is not1 and cannot be1 a single stain or spot on that workmanship of ,god which the saint is declared to be4 ,but1 then1 let us ask1 ,whence this dread of having all our naughtiness exposed at the judgment-seat of ,christ8 ,does not ,he know all about us8 ,are we more afraid of being manifested to the gaze of men and angels than to the gaze of our blessed and adorable ,lord8 ,if we are manifested to ,him1 what matters it to whom beside we are known8 ,how far are ,peter and ,david and many others affected by the fact that untold millions have read the record of their sins1 and that the record thereof has been stereotyped on the page of inspiration8 ,will it prevent their sweeping the strings of the golden harp1 or casting their crowns before the feet of ,him whose precious blood has obliterated for ever all their sins1 and brought them1 without spot1 into the full blaze of the throne of ,god8 ,assuredly not4 ,why then need any be troubled by the thought of their being thoroughly manifested before the judgment-seat of ,christ8 ,will not the ,judge of all the earth do right8 ,may we not safely leave all in the hands of ,him who has loved us and washed us in ,his own blood8 ,cannot we trust ourselves implicitly to the ,one who loved us with such a love8 ,will ,he expose us8 ,will ,he--can ,he1 do aught inconsistent with the love that led ,him to give ,his precious life for us8 ,will the ,head expose the body1 or any member thereof8 ,will the ,bridegroom expose the bride8 ,yes1 ,he will1 in one sense4 ,but how8 ,he will publicly set forth1 in view of all created intelligences1 that there is not a speck or a flaw1 a spot or wrinkle1 or any such thing1 to be seen upon that ,church which ,he loved with a love that many waters could not quench4 ,ah6 ,christian reader1 dost thou not see how that nearness to the heart of ,christ1 as well as the knowledge of ,his perfect work1 would completely roll away the mists which enwrap the subject of the judgment-seat8 ,if thou art washed from thy sins in the blood of ,jesus1 and loved by ,god as ,jesus is loved1 what reason hast thou to fear that judgment-seat1 or to shrink from the thought of being manifested before it8 ,none whatever4 ,nothing can possibly come up there to alter thy standing1 to touch thy relationship1 to blot thy title1 or cloud thy prospect4 ,indeed we are fully persuaded that the light of the judgment-seat will chase away many of the clouds that have obscured the mercy-seat4 ,many1 when they come to stand before that judgment-seat1 will wonder why they ever feared it for themselves4 ,they will see their mistake and adore the grace that has been so much better than all their legal fears4 ,many who have hardly ever been able to read their title here1 will read it there1 and rejoice and wonder--they will love and worship4 ,they will then see1 in broad daylight1 what poor1 feeble1 shallow1 unworthy thoughts they had once entertained of the love of ,christ1 and of the true character of ,his work4 ,they will perceive how sadly prone they ever were to measure ,him by themselves1 and to think and feel as if ,his thoughts and ways were like their own4 ,all this will be seen in the light of that day1 and then the burst of praise--the rapturous hallelujah--will come forth from many a heart that1 when down here1 had been robbed of its peace and joy by legal and unworthy thoughts of ,god and ,his ,christ4 ,but1 while it is divinely true that nothing can come out before the judgment-seat of ,christ to disturb1 in any way1 the standing or relationship of the very feeblest member of the body of ,christ1 or of any member of the family of ,god1 yet is the thought of that judgment most solemn and weighty4 ,yes1 truly1 and none will more feel its weight and solemnity than those who can look forward to it with perfect calmness4 ,and be it well remembered1 that there are two things indispensably needful in order to enjoy this calmness of spirit4 ,first1 we must have a title without a blot2 and1 secondly1 our moral and practical state must be sound4 ,no amount of mere evangelical clearness as to our title will avail unless we are walking in moral integrity before ,god4 ,it will not do for a man to say that he is not afraid of the judgment-seat of ,christ because ,christ died for him1 while1 at the same time1 he is walking in a loose1 careless1 self-indulgent way4 ,this is a most dreadful delusion4 ,it is alarming in the extreme to find persons drawing a plea from evangelical clearness to shrink the holy responsibility resting upon them as the servants of ,christ4 ,are we to speak idle words because we know we shall never come into judgment8 ,the bare thought is horrible2 and yet we may shrink from such a thing when clothed in plain language before us1 while1 at the same time1 we allow ourselves to be drawn1 through a false application of the doctrines of grace1 into most culpable laxity and carelessness as to the claims of holiness4 ,all this must be sedulously avoided4 ,the grace that has delivered us from judgment should exert a more powerful influence upon our ways than the fear of that judgment4 ,and not only so1 but we must remember that while we1 as sinners1 are delivered from judgment and wrath1 yet1 as servants1 we must give account of ourselves and our ways4 ,it is not a question of our being exposed here or there to men1 angels1 or devils4 ,no2 we must give account to ,god 7,rom4 xiv4 #aa1 #ab74 ,this is far more serious1 far more weighty1 far more influential1 than our being exposed in the view of any creature4 ,whatsoever ye do1 do it heartily1 as to the ,lord1 and not unto men2 knowing that of the ,lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance2 for ye serve the ,lord ,christ4 ,but he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done3 and there is no respect of persons 7,col4 iii4 #bc-be74 ,this is most serious and salutary4 ,it may be asked1 ,when shall we have to give account to ,god8 ,when shall we receive for the wrong8 ,we are not told1 because that is not the question4 ,the grand object of the ,holy ,ghost in the passages just quoted is to lead the conscience into holy exercise in the presence of ,god and of the ,lord ,christ4 ,this is good and most needful in a day of easy profession1 like the present1 when there is much said about grace1 free salvation1 justification without works1 our standing in ,christ4 ,is it that we want to weaken the sense of these things8 ,far be the thought4 ,yea1 we would1 in every possible way1 seek to lead souls into the divine knowledge and enjoyment of those most precious privileges4 ,but then we must remember the adjusting power of truth4 ,there are always two sides to a question1 and we find in the pages of the ,new ,testament the clearest and fullest statements of grace1 lying side by side with the most solemn and searching statements as to our responsibility4 ,do the latter obscure the former8 ,assuredly not4 ,neither should the former weaken the latter4 ,both should have their due place1 and be allowed to exert their moulding influence upon our character and ways4 ,some professors seem to have a great dislike to the words duty and responsibility2 but we invariably find that those who have the deepest sense of grace have also1 and as a necessary consequence1 the truest sense of duty and responsibility4 ,we know of no exception4 ,a heart that is duly influenced by divine grace is sure to welcome every reference to the claims of holiness4 ,it is only empty talkers about grace and standing that raise an outcry about duty and responsibility4 ,god deals in moral realities4 ,he is real with us1 and ,he wants us to be real with ,him4 ,he is real in ,his love1 and real in ,his faithfulness2 and ,he would have us real in our dealings with ,him1 and in our response to ,his holy claims4 ,it is of little use to say ,lord1 ,lord if we live in the neglect of ,his commandments4 ,it is the merest sham to say ,i go sir if we do not go4 ,god looks for obedience in ,his children4 ,he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek ,him4 ,may we bear these things in mind1 and remember that all must come out before the judgment-seat of ,christ4 ,we must all be manifested there4 ,this is unmingled joy to a really upright mind4 ,if we do not unfeignedly rejoice at the thought of the judgment-seat of ,christ1 there must be something wrong somewhere4 ,either we are not established in grace1 or we are walking in some false way4 ,if we know that we are justified and accepted before ,god in ,christ1 and if we are walking in moral integrity1 as in ,his presence1 the thought of the judgment-seat of ,christ will not disturb our hearts4 ,the apostle could say1 ,we are made manifest to ,god2 and ,i trust also are made manifest in your consciences4 ,was ,paul afraid of the judgment-seat8 ,not he4 ,but why8 ,because he knew that he was accepted1 as to his person1 in a risen ,christ2 and1 as to his ways1 he labored that whether present or absent he might be acceptable to ,him4 ,thus it was with this holy man of ,god and devoted servant of ,christ4 ,and herein do ,i exercise myself1 to have always a conscience void of offence toward ,god and toward men 7,acts xxiv4 #af74 ,paul knew that he was accepted in ,christ1 and therefore he labored to be acceptable to ,him in all his ways4 ,these two things should never be separated1 and they never will be in any divinely taught mind or divinely regulated conscience4 ,they will be perfectly joined together1 and1 in holy harmony1 exert their formative power over the soul4 ,it should be our aim to walk1 even now1 in the light of the judgment-seat4 ,this would prove a wholesome regulator in many ways4 ,it will not1 in any wise1 lead to legality of spirit4 ,impossible4 ,shall we have any legality when we stand before the judgment-seat of ,christ8 ,assuredly not4 ,well1 then1 why should the thought of that judgment-seat exert a legal influence now8 ,in point of fact1 we feel assured there is1 and can be1 no greater joy to an honest heart than to know that everything shall come clearly and fully out1 in the perfect light of that solemn day that is approaching4 ,we shall see all then as ,christ sees it--judge of it as ,he judges4 ,we shall look back from amid the blaze of divine light shining from the judgment-seat1 and see our whole course in this world4 ,we shall see what blunders we have made--how badly we did this1 that1 and the other work--mixed motives here--an under current there--a false object in something else4 ,all will be seen then in divine truth and light4 ,is it a question of our being exposed to the whole universe8 ,by no means4 ,should we be concerned1 whether or no8 ,certainly not4 ,will it1 can it1 touch our acceptance8 ,nay1 we shall shine there in all the perfectness of our risen and glorified ,head4 ,the ,judge ,himself is our righteousness4 ,we stand in ,him4 ,he is our all4 ,what can touch us8 ,we shall appear there as the fruit of ,his perfect work4 ,we shall even be associated with ,him in the judgment which ,he executes over the world4 ,is not this enough to settle every question8 ,no doubt4 ,but still we have to think of our individual walk and service4 ,we have to look to it that we bring no wood1 hay1 and stubble into the light of the coming day1 for as surely as we do we shall suffer loss1 though we ourselves shall be saved through the fire4 ,we should seek to carry ourselves now as those who are already in the light1 and whose one desire is to do what is well pleasing to our adorable ,lord1 not because of the fear of judgment1 but under the vast constraining influence of ,his love4 ,the love of ,christ constraineth us1 because we thus judge1 that if one died for all1 then were all dead3 and that ,he died for all1 that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves1 but unto ,him who died for them and rose again4 ,this is the true motive-spring in all ,christian service4 ,it is not the fear of judgment impelling1 but the love of ,christ constraining us2 and we may say1 with fullest assurance1 that never shall we have so deep a sense of that love as when we stand before the judgment-seat of ,christ4 ,when this passing world is done1 ,when has sunk yon radiant sun1 ,when ,i stand with ,christ on high1 ,looking o'er life's history1 ,then1 ,lord1 shall ,i fully know1 ,not till then1 how much ,i owe4 ,there are many other points of interest and value in this marvellous chapter2 but we feel we must bring our paper to a conclusion2 and1 most assuredly1 we could not do this more suitably than by unfolding1 as ,god's ,spirit may enable us1 that theme which has been before us all along1 ,the ,ministry of ,reconciliation1 to which we shall now direct the reader's attention as briefly as we can4 ,we may view it under three distinct heads2 namely1 first1 the foundation on which this ministry rests2 secondly1 the objects toward whom it is exercised2 thirdly1 the features by which it is characterized4 #a4 ,and first1 then1 as to the foundation on which the ministry of reconciliation rests4 ,this is set before us1 in the closing verse of our chapter4 ,for ,he 7,god7 hath made ,him 7,christ7 to be sin for us1 who knew no sin2 that we might be made the righteousness of ,god in ,him4 ,we have here three parties1 namely1 ,god1 ,christ1 and sin4 ,this latter is simply the expression of what we are by nature4 ,there is in us nought but sin1 from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot1 the whole man is sin4 ,the principle of sin pervades the entire system of fallen humanity4 ,the root1 trunk1 branches1 leaves1 blossom1 fruit--all is sin4 ,it is not only that we have committed sins2 we are actually born in sin4 ,true1 we have1 all of us1 our characteristic sins4 ,we have not only1 all of us1 gone astray1 but we have turned every one to his own way4 ,each has pursued his own specific path of evil and folly2 and all this is the fruit of that thing called sin4 ,the outward life of each is but a stream from the fountain--a branch from the stem2 that fountain is sin4 ,and what1 let us ask1 is sin8 ,it is the acting of the will in opposition to ,god4 ,it is doing our own pleasure--doing what we like ourselves4 ,this is the root--this the source of sin4 ,let it take what shape1 or clothe itself in what forms it may2 be it gross or be it most refined in its actings1 the great root-principle1 the parent stem1 is self-will1 and this is sin4 ,there is no necessity for entering into any detail2 all we desire is that the reader should have a clear and thorough sense of what sin is1 and not only so1 but that he1 by nature1 is sinful4 ,where this great and solemn fact takes full possession of the soul1 by the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 there can be no settled rest until the soul is brought to lay hold on the truth set forth in #b ,corinthians v4 #ba4 ,the question of sin had to be disposed of ere there could be so much as a single thought of reconciliation4 ,god could never be reconciled to sin4 ,but fallen man was a sinner by practice and sinful in nature4 ,the very sources of his being were corrupt and defiled1 and ,god was holy1 just1 and true4 ,he is of purer eyes than to behold evil1 and cannot look upon iniquity4 ,hence1 then1 between ,god and sinful humanity there could be no such thing as reconciliation4 ,true it is--most blessedly true--that ,god is good1 and merciful1 and gracious4 ,but ,he is also holy2 and holiness and sin could never coalesce4 ,what was to be done8 ,hear the answer3 ,god hath made ,christ to be sin4 ,but where8 ,reader1 look well at this4 ,where was ,christ made sin8 ,was it in ,his birth8 or in ,jordan's flood8 or in the garden of ,gethsemane8 ,nay2 though1 most assuredly1 in that garden the shadows were lengthening1 the darkness was thickening1 the gloom was deepening4 ,but where and when was the holy1 spotless1 precious ,lamb of ,god made sin8 ,on the cross1 and only there6 ,this is a grand cardinal truth--a truth of vital importance--a truth which the enemy of ,god and ,his ,word is seeking to darken and set aside in every possible way4 ,the devil is seeking1 in the most specious manner1 to displace the cross4 ,he cares not how he compasses this end4 ,he will make use of anything and everything in order to detract from the glory of the ,cross1 that great central truth of ,christianity round which every other truth circulates1 and on which the whole fabric of divine revelation rests as upon an eternal foundation4 ,he hath made ,him to be sin4 ,here lies the root of the whole matter4 ,christ1 on the cross1 was made sin for us4 ,he died1 and was buried4 ,sin was condemned4 ,it met the just judgment of a holy ,god who could not pass over a single jot or tittle of sin2 nay1 ,he poured out ,his unmingled wrath upon it in the person of ,his ,son1 when that ,son was made sin4 ,it is a serious error to believe that ,christ was bearing the judgment of ,god during ,his lifetime1 or that aught save the death of ,christ could meet the question of sin4 ,he might have become incarnate--,he might have lived and labored on this earth--,he might have wrought ,his countless miracles--,he might have healed1 and cleansed1 and quickened--,he might have prayed1 and wept1 and groaned2 but not any of these things1 nor yet all of them put together1 could blot out a single stain of that dreadful thing sin4 ,god the ,holy ,ghost declares that without shedding of blood there is no remission 7,heb4 ix4 #bb74 ,now1 then1 reader1 if the holy life and labors of the ,son of ,god--if ,his prayers1 tears1 and groans could not put away sin2 how do you think that your life and labors1 your prayers1 tears1 and groans1 your good works1 rites1 ordinances1 and ceremonies could ever put away sin8 ,the fact is1 that the life of our blessed ,lord only proved man more and more guilty4 ,it laid the topstone upon the superstructure of his guilt1 and therefore left the question of sin wholly unsettled4 ,nor was this all4 ,our blessed ,lord ,himself declares1 over and over again1 the absolute and indispensable necessity of ,his death4 ,except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die1 it abideth alone2 but if it die1 it bringeth forth much fruit 7,john xii474 ,thus it is written1 and thus it behoved 7or was necessary for7 ,christ to suffer 7,luke xxiv4 #df74 ,how then shall the ,scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be 7,matt4 xxvi478 ,in a word1 death was the only pathway of life1 the only basis of union1 the only ground of reconciliation4 ,all who speak of incarnation as being the basis of our union with ,christ deny1 in the plainest way1 the whole range of truth connected with a dead and risen ,christ4 ,many may not see this2 but ,satan sees it1 and he sees too how it will work4 ,he knows what he is about1 and surely the servants of ,christ ought to know what is involved in the error against which we are warning our readers4 ,the fact is1 the enemy does not want souls to see that1 in the death of ,christ1 sentence was passed on fallen human nature and upon the whole world4 ,this was not the case in incarnation at all4 ,an incarnate ,christ put man to the test--a dead ,christ put man to death--a risen ,christ takes the believer into union with ,himself4 ,when ,christ came in the flesh1 fallen man was still under probation4 ,when ,christ died on the cross1 fallen man was wholly condemned4 ,when ,christ rose from the dead1 ,he became the head of a new race1 each member of which1 being quickened by the ,holy ,ghost1 is viewed by ,god as united to ,christ1 in life1 righteousness1 and favor--he is viewed as having been dead1 as having passed through judgment1 and as being now as free from all condemnation as ,christ himself4 ,he hath made ,him to be sin for us1 ,he who knew no sin1 that we might be made the righteousness of ,god in ,him4 ,now1 it must be plain to the reader who bows to ,scripture1 that incarnation did not1 and could not accomplish all this4 ,incarnation did not put away sin4 ,need we stop here to dwell upon the glories of the mystery of incarnation8 ,will anyone imagine that we take away from the value1 or mar the integrity of that priceless fundamental truth1 because we deny that it puts away sin1 or forms the basis of our union with ,christ8 ,we trust not4 ,that incarnation was essentially necessary for the accomplishment of redemption is plain to all4 ,christ had to become a man in order to die4 ,without shedding of blood is no remission4 ,he had to give ,his flesh for the life of the world4 ,but this only goes to prove the absolute necessity of death4 ,it was the giving of ,his flesh1 not the taking of it1 that laid the foundation of the whole fabric--life1 pardon1 peace1 righteousness1 union1 glory1 all4 ,apart from death1 there is1 and could be1 absolutely nothing4 ,through death we have all4 ,but we cannot pursue this profound subject any further now4 ,enough has been said to set forth its connection with our special thesis--the ministry of reconciliation4 ,when we read that ,god hath made ,christ to be sin for us1 we must see that this involved nothing less than the death of the cross4 ,,thou1 says that blessed ,one1 hast brought ,,me into the dust of death 7,psa4 xxii474 ,what an utterance6 ,who can fathom the mighty depths of those words--,thou--,me--and death8 ,who can enter into the question1 ,my ,god1 ,my ,god1 why hast ,thou forsaken ,me8 ,why did a holy1 righteous ,god forsake ,his only begotten1 well-beloved1 eternal ,son8 ,the answer contains the solid basis of that marvelous ministry whereof we speak4 ,christ was made sin4 ,he not only bore our sins in ,his own body on the tree2 but ,he was made sin4 ,he stood charged with the entire question of sin4 ,he was the ,lamb of ,god bearing away the sin of the world4 ,as such ,he gloriously vindicated ,god1 in the very scene where ,he had been dishonored4 ,he glorified ,him in respect to that very thing by which ,his majesty had been insulted4 ,he took upon ,himself the whole matter--placed ,himself beneath the weight of the whole burden1 and completely cleared the ground on which ,god could lay the foundations of the new creation4 ,he opened those eternal flood-gates which sin had closed1 so that the full tide of divine love might roll down along that channel which ,his atoning death alone could furnish2 so long as sin was in question1 reconciliation must be out of the question4 ,but ,christ1 being made sin died and put it away forever1 and thus changed entirely the ground and character of ,god's dealing with man and with the world4 ,the death of ,christ1 then1 as we have seen1 is the alone basis of reconciliation4 ,that divine work has opened the way for placing men and things in their right relationship to ,god1 and on their proper footing before ,him4 ,and this1 be it remembered1 is the true sense and meaning of reconciliation4 ,sin had alienated men from ,god1 and set things entirely astray1 and hence both men and things needed to be reconciled1 or set straight2 and the death of ,christ has cleared the way for this4 ,it is well to see clearly the distinction between atonement and reconciliation4 ,they are often confounded1 through inattention to ,scripture2 and the honored translators of our excellent ,authorised ,version have not1 with sufficient accuracy1 marked this distinction4 ,for example1 in ,rom4 v4 #aa1 they have the word atonement where it ought to be rendered reconciliation and in ,heb4 ii4 #ag1 we have the word reconciliation where it ought to be atonement4 ,nor is the distinction by any means unimportant4 ,the word atonement1 or propitiation1 occurs1 in some one or other of its forms1 six times in the ,greek ,new ,testament4 7,see carefully ,luke xviii4 #ac2 ,rom4 iii4 #be2 ,heb4 ii4 #ag2 ix4 #e2 #a ,john ii4 #b2 iv4 #aj47 ,the word reconciliation occurs1 in one or other of its forms1 thirteen times in the ,new ,testament4 7,see ,rom4 v4 #aj1 #aa2 xi4 #ae2 #a ,cor4 vii4 #aa2 #b ,cor4 v4 #ah1 #ai1 #bj2 ,eph4 ii4 #af2 ,col4 i4 #bj1 #ba47 ,if the reader will take the trouble of examining and comparing these passages1 he will see that atonement and reconciliation are not the same thing1 but that the former is the foundation of the latter4 ,sin had made man an enemy and thrown things into confusion2 and in ,col4 i4 #bj1 #ba1 we read1 ,and1 having made peace through the blood of his cross 7here is the foundation71 by ,him to reconcile all things unto ,himself2 by ,him1 ,i say1 whether they be things in earth1 or things in heaven4 ,and you1 that were sometime alienated1 and enemies in your mind by wicked works1 yet now hath he reconciled1 in the body of ,his flesh1 through death1 to present you holy1 and unblamable1 and unreprovable in his sight4 ,here we have the death of ,christ set forth as the ground of the reconciliation of both men and things4#af #af ,if the reader will turn1 for a moment1 to #a ,cor4 vii4 #aa1 he will see the use of the word reconciliation4 ,but and if she depart1 let her remain unmarried1 or be reconciled to her husband4 ,in classical ,greek the word is applied to the changing money3 the exchanging one thing for another2 exchanging prisoners2 the changing a person from enmity to friendship4 ,in short1 everywhere the distinction is maintained between atonement1 or propitiation and reconciliation4 ,the former is 1 the latter1 4 ,now this leads to another point of immense importance4 ,we often hear it said that the death of ,christ was necessary in order to reconcile ,god to man4 ,this is a pious mistake1 arising from inattention to the language of the ,holy ,ghost1 and indeed to the plain meaning of the word reconcile4 ,god never changed--never stepped out of ,his normal and true position4 ,he abideth faithful4 ,there was1 and could be1 no derangement1 no confusion1 no alienation1 so far as ,he was concerned2 and hence there could be no need of reconciling ,him to us4 ,in fact1 it was exactly the contrary4 ,man had gone astray2 he was the enemy1 and needed to be reconciled4 ,but this was wholly impossible if sin were not righteously disposed of2 and sin could only be disposed of by death--even the death of ,one1 who1 as being a man1 could die1 and being ,god1 could impart all the dignity1 value1 and glory of ,his divine ,person to the atoning sacrifice which ,he offered4 ,wherefore1 then1 as might be expected1 ,scripture never speaks of reconciling ,god to man4 ,there is no such expression to be found within the covers of the ,new ,testament4 ,god was in ,christ reconciling the world 7in its broad aspect--men and things7 unto himself1 not imputing their trespasses unto them4 ,and again1 ,all things are of ,god1 who hath reconciled us to ,himself by ,jesus ,christ4 ,in a word1 it is ,god1 in ,his infinite mercy and grace1 through the atoning death of ,christ1 bringing us back to ,himself1 and placing us not merely in the original place1 or on the original footing1 or in the original relationship2 but1 as was due to the work of ,christ1 giving us back far more than we had lost1 and introducing us into the marvelous relationship of sons1 and setting us in ,his presence1 in divine and eternal righteousness1 and in the infinite favor and acceptableness of ,his own ,son ,jesus ,christ our ,lord4 ,amazing grace6 ,stupendous and glorious plan6 ,what a ministry6 ,and yet need we wonder when we think of the death of ,christ as the foundation of it all8 ,when we remember that ,christ was made sin for us1 it seems but the necessary counterpart that we should be made the righteousness of ,god in ,him4 ,it would have been no adequate result of such a work as ,christ accomplished1 to have brought men and things back to the ,adamic or old creation ground4 ,this would never have satisfied the heart of ,god in any way1 whether as respects ,christ's glory or our blessing4 ,it would not have furnished an answer to that omnipotent appeal of ,john xvii43 ,i have glorified ,thee on the earth3 ,i have finished the work which ,thou gavest ,me to do4 ,and now1 ,o ,father1 glorify ,thou ,me1 with ,thine own self1 with the glory which ,i had with ,thee before the world was 7vers4 #d1 #e74 ,who can gauge the depth and power of those accents as they fell upon the ear of the ,god and ,father of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ8 ,but we must not enlarge1 much as we should like to do so4 ,little remains to be said as to the objects of the ministry of reconciliation1 inasmuch as we have1 in a measure1 anticipated them by speaking of men and things1 for these are1 in very deed1 the objects1 and they are included in that comprehensive word world4 ,god was in ,christ1 reconciling the world unto himself4 ,we would merely add here1 that it is utterly impossible for any creature under heaven to exclude himself from the range of this most precious ministry4 ,before the reader can shut himself out from the application of all this grace to himself1 he must prove that he does not belong to the world4 ,this he cannot do1 and hence he must see that ,god is beseeching him to be reconciled4 ,but this leads us to look1 for a moment1 at the features which characterize this glorious ministry4 #a4 ,and first1 let us mark ,god's attitude4 ,he is beseeching sinners4 ,what a thought6 ,it seems too much for the heart to conceive4 ,only think1 reader1 of the ,most ,high and ,mighty ,god1 the ,creator of the ends of the earth--the ,one who has power to destroy both soul and body in hell--think of ,him as beseeching and praying you to be friends with ,him6 ,it is not a question of your praying to ,him and ,his hearing you4 ,no3 but the very reverse--,he is praying you4 ,and for what does ,he ask you8 ,is it to do anything or to give anything8 ,nay2 ,he simply asks you to be friends with ,him because ,he has befriended you at the cost of ,his own ,son4 ,think of this4 ,he spared not ,his only begotten and well-beloved ,son1 but bruised ,him in your stead4 ,he made ,him to be sin for you4 ,he judged your sin in the person of ,his ,son1 on the cross1 in order that ,he might be able to reconcile you4 ,and now ,he stretches forth ,his arms and opens ,his heart to you1 and prays you to be reconciled--to be friends with ,him4 ,surpassing grace6 ,it really seems to us as though human language can only tend to weaken and impoverish this grand reality4 ,we would only further suggest that the force of ver4 #bj is greatly weakened by the word you1 which1 as the reader will observe1 ought not to be inserted4 ,it makes it appear as though the apostle were beseeching the ,corinthian saints to be reconciled1 whereas he is only setting forth the terms and the style adopted by all ambassadors for ,christ wherever they went through the wide world--the language in which they were to address every creature under heaven4 ,it is not1 ,do this or that--,give this or that4 ,it was not command or prohibition2 but simply1 ,be reconciled4 #b4 ,and then1 what encouragement to the poor trembling heart that feels the burden of sin and guilt to be assured that ,god will not impute1 will not reckon1 one of his sins6 ,this is another precious feature of the ministry of reconciliation4 ,not imputing their trespasses unto them4 ,this must set the heart at rest4 ,if ,god tells me that ,he will not count one of my trespasses to me1 because ,he has already counted them to ,jesus on the cross1 this may well tranquilize my spirit and emancipate my heart4 ,if ,i believe that ,god means what ,he says1 perfect peace must be my portion4 ,true1 it is only by the ,holy ,ghost that ,i can enter into the power of this glorious truth2 but what the ,holy ,ghost leads me to believe and rest in is1 that ,god does not1 and will not1 blessed be ,his name1 impute a single sin to me1 because ,he has already imputed all to ,christ4 ,but this leads us to the third feature of the ministry of reconciliation4 #c4 ,if ,god will not impute my trespasses to me then what will ,he impute8 ,righteousness--even the righteousness of ,god4 ,we cannot attempt to unfold the nature and character of this righteousness4 ,we may do so on another occasion1 if the ,lord permit2 but here we confine ourselves to the statement contained in the passage before us1 which declares that ,god hath made ,christ1 who knew no sin1 to be sin for us who were all sin1 that we might become the righteousness of ,god in ,him4 ,most glorious truth6 ,sin is made an end of1 as regards the believer4 ,christ lives as our subsisting righteousness1 before ,god1 and we live in ,him4 ,there is not so much as one single entry to our debit in the book of divine justice2 but there is a risen and glorified ,christ to our credit4 ,nor is this all4 ,not only are our sins gone1 our guilt cancelled--our old self completely ignored--not only are we made the righteousness of ,god in ,jesus2 but we are loved by ,god as ,jesus is loved--accepted in ,him--one with ,him in all that ,he is and has1 as a risen1 victorious1 ascended1 and glorified ,man at ,god's right hand4 ,higher than this it is impossible to go4 ,and now we must close1 and we do it reluctantly4 ,we do it with a certain painful consciousness of the feebleness and poverty of our handling of this lofty and comprehensive theme4 ,but all this we must leave in the ,master's hand4 ,he knows all about the subject and the treatment thereof--all about the reader and the writer of these lines4 ,to ,him we commit all1 while we make one solemn1 closing appeal to the unconverted1 unawakened reader4 ,dear friend1 let us remind you that this glorious ministry will very soon close4 ,the acceptable year1 the day of salvation1 shall ere long come to an end4 ,the ambassadors shall soon be all called home and their embassy be closed forever4 ,the door shall soon be shut1 and the day of vengeance set in in terror and wrath upon a ,christ-rejecting world4 ,let us entreat of you to flee from the wrath to come4 ,remember that the ,one who is now praying and beseeching you to be reconciled1 has uttered the following awful words1 ,because ,i have called1 and ye refused2 ,i have stretched out ,my hand1 and no man regarded4 ,but ye have set at nought all ,my counsel1 and would none of ,my reproof2 ,i also will laugh at your calamity2 ,i will mock when your fear cometh 7,prov4 i4 #bd-bf74 ,may the reader escape the unutterable horrors of the day of wrath and judgment6 ,c4 ,h4 ,m4 ,,the ,,question ,,of ,,questions ,some call ,him a ,saviour1 in word1 ,but mix their own works with ,his plan2 ,and hope ,he ,his help will afford1 ,when they have done all that they can3 ,if doings prove rather too light 7,a little they own they may fail71 ,they purpose to make up full weight1 ,by casting ,his name in the scale4 ,some style ,him the ,pearl of great price1 ,and say1 ,he's the fountain of joys2 ,yet feed upon folly and vice1 ,and cleave to the world and its toys3 ,like ,judas1 the ,saviour they kiss1 ,and while they salute ,him1 betray3 ,oh6 what will profession like this ,avail in ,his terrible day8 ,if asked what of ,jesus ,i think1 ,though still my best thoughts are but poor1 ,i say1 ,he's my meat and my drink1 ,my life and my strength and my store2 ,my ,shepherd1 my trust and my ,friend1 ,my ,saviour from sin and from thrall2 ,my ,hope from beginning to end1 ,my ,portion1 my ,lord and my ,all4 ,,the ,,great ,,commission ,and ,he said unto them1 ,these are the words which ,i spake unto you while ,i was yet with you1 that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of ,moses1 and in the ,prophets1 and in the ,psalms1 concerning ,me4 ,then opened ,he their understanding1 that they might understand the ,scriptures1 and said unto them1 ,thus it is written1 and thus it behoved ,christ to suffer1 and to rise from the dead the third day2 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in ,his name among all nations1 beginning at ,jerusalem4 ,and ye are witnesses of these things4 ,and1 behold1 ,i send the promise of ,my ,father unto you3 but tarry ye in the city of ,jerusalem1 until ye be endued with power from on high 7,luke xxiv4 #dd-di74 ,this splendid passage of ,holy ,scripture sets before us the great commission which the risen ,lord entrusted to ,his apostles just as ,he was about to ascend into the heavens1 having gloriously accomplished all ,his blessed work upon earth4 ,it is truly a most wonderful commission1 and opens up a very wide field of truth1 through which we may range with much spiritual delight and profit4 ,whether we ponder the commission itself1 its basis1 its authority1 its power1 or its sphere1 we shall find it all full of most precious instruction4 ,may the blessed ,spirit guide our thoughts1 while we meditate1 first of all1 upon ,,the ,,commission ,,itself4 ,the apostles of our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ were specially charged to preach repentance and remission of sins4 ,let us all remember this4 ,we are prone to forget it1 to the serious damaging of our preaching1 and of the souls of our hearers4 ,some of us are apt to overlook the first part of the commission1 in our eagerness1 it may be1 to get to the second4 ,this is a most serious mistake4 ,we may rest assured that it is our truest wisdom to keep close to the veritable terms in which our blessed ,lord delivered ,his charge to ,his earliest heralds4 ,we cannot omit a single point1 not to say a leading branch of the commission1 without serious loss in every way4 ,our ,lord is infinitely wiser and more gracious than we are1 and we need not fear to preach with all possible plainness what ,he told ,his apostles to preach1 namely1 repentance and remission of sins4 ,now the question is1 are we all careful to maintain this very important connection8 ,do we give sufficient prominence to the first part of the great commission8 ,do we preach repentance8 ,we are not now inquiring what repentance is2 that we shall do1 if ,god permit4 ,but1 whatever it is1 do we preach it8 ,that our ,lord commanded ,his apostles to preach it is plain2 and not only so1 but ,he preached it ,himself1 as we read it in ,mark i4 #ad1 #ae3 ,now after that ,john was put in prison1 ,jesus came into ,galilee1 preaching the gospel of the kingdom of ,god1 and saying1 ,the time is fulfilled1 and the kingdom of ,god is at hand2 repent ye and believe the gospel4 ,let us carefully note this record4 ,let all preachers note it4 ,our divine ,master called upon sinners to repent and believe the gospel4 ,some would have us to believe that it is a mistake to call upon persons dead in trespasses and sins to do anything4 ,how1 it is argued1 can those who are dead repent8 ,they are incapable of any spiritual movement4 ,they must first get the power ere they can either repent or believe4 ,what is our reply to all this8 ,a very simple one indeed--,our ,lord knows better than all the theologians in the world what ought to be preached4 ,he knows all about man's condition--his guilt1 his misery1 his spiritual death1 his utter helplessness1 his total inability to think a single right thought1 to utter a single right word1 to do a single right act2 and yet ,he called upon men to repent4 ,this is quite enough for us4 ,it is no part of our business to seek to reconcile seeming differences4 ,it may seem to us difficult to reconcile man's utter powerlessness with his responsibility2 but ,god is ,his own interpreter1 and ,he will make it plain4 ,it is our happy privilege1 and our bounden duty1 to believe what ,he says1 and do what ,he tells us4 ,this is true wisdom1 and it yields solid peace4 ,our ,lord preached repentance1 and ,he commanded ,his apostles to preach it2 and they did so constantly4 ,harken to ,peter on the day of ,pentecost4 ,then ,peter said unto them1 ,repent1 and be baptized1 every one of you1 in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 for the remission of sins1 and ye shall receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,and again1 ,repent ye1 therefore1 and be converted1 that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the ,lord4 ,harken to ,paul also1 as he stood on ,mars' ,hill1 at ,athens3 ,but now ,god commandeth all men everywhere to repent2 because ,he hath appointed a day in which ,he will judge the world in righteousness1 by that ,man whom ,he hath ordained2 whereof ,he hath given assurance unto all men1 in that ,he hath raised ,him from the dead4 ,so also1 in his touching address to the elders of ,ephesus1 he says1 ,i kept back nothing that was profitable1 7blessed servant67 but have showed you1 and have taught you publicly1 and from house to house1 testifying both to the ,jews1 and also the ,greeks1 repentance toward ,god1 and faith toward our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,and again1 in his address to king ,agrippa1 he says1 ,whereupon1 ,o king ,agrippa1 ,i was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision1 but showed first unto them of ,damascus1 and at ,jerusalem1 and throughout all the coasts of ,judea1 and then to the ,gentiles1 that they should repent1 and turn to ,god1 and do works meet for repentance4 ,now1 in the face of this body of evidence--with the example of our ,lord and ,his apostles so fully and clearly before us--may we not very lawfully inquire whether there is not a serious defect in much of our modern preaching8 ,do we preach repentance as we ought8 ,do we assign to it the place which it gets in the preaching of our ,lord1 and of ,his early heralds8 ,it is vanity and folly1 or worse1 to talk about its being legal to preach repentance1 to say that it tarnishes the lustre of the gospel of the grace of ,god to call upon men dead in trespasses and sins to repent1 and do works meet for repentance4 ,was ,paul legal in his preaching8 ,did he not preach a clear1 full1 rich1 and divine gospel8 ,have we got in advance of ,paul8 ,do we preach a clearer gospel than he8 ,how utterly preposterous the notion6 ,well1 but he preached repentance4 ,he told his hearers that ,god now commandeth all men everywhere to repent4 ,does this mar the gospel of the grace of ,god8 ,does it detract from its heavenly fulness and freeness8 ,as well might you tell a farmer that it lowered the quality of his grain to plough the fallow ground before sowing4 ,no doubt it is of the very last possible importance to preach the gospel of the grace of ,god1 or1 if you please1 the gospel of the glory1 in all its fulness1 clearness1 and power4 ,we are to preach the unsearchable riches of ,christ--to declare the whole counsel of ,god1 to present the righteousness of ,god and ,his salvation1 without limit1 condition1 or hindrance of any kind--to publish the good news to every creature under heaven4 ,we should1 in the very strongest possible manner1 insist upon this4 ,but at the same time we must jealously keep to the terms of the great commission4 ,we cannot depart the breadth of a hair from these without serious damage to our testimony1 and to the souls of our hearers4 ,if we fail to preach repentance1 we are keeping back something profitable4 ,what should we say to a husbandman1 if we saw him scattering his precious grain along the beaten highway8 ,we should justly pronounce him out of his mind4 ,the ploughshare must do its work4 ,the fallow ground must be broken up ere the seed is sown2 and we may rest assured that1 as in the kingdom of nature1 so in the kingdom of grace1 the ploughing must precede the sowing4 ,the ground must be duly prepared for the seed1 else the operation will prove altogether defective4 ,let the gospel be preached as ,god has given it to us in ,his ,word4 ,let it not be shorn of one of its moral glories2 let it flow forth as it comes from the deep fountain of the heart of ,god1 through the channel of ,christ's finished work1 on the authority of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,all this is not only most fully admitted but peremptorily insisted upon2 but at the same time we must never forget that our ,lord and ,master called upon men to repent and believe the gospel2 that ,he strictly enjoined it upon ,his holy apostles to preach repentance2 and that the blessed apostle ,paul1 the chief of apostles1 the profoundest teacher the ,church has ever known1 did preach repentance1 calling upon men everywhere to repent and do works meet for repentance4 ,and here it may be well for us to inquire what this repentance is which occupies such a prominent place in the great commission1 and in the preaching of our ,lord and of ,his apostles4 ,if it be--as it most surely is--an abiding and universal necessity for man--if ,god commands all men everywhere to repent--if repentance is inseparably linked with remission of sins--how needful it is that we should seek to understand its true nature6 ,what1 then1 is repentance8 ,may the ,spirit ,himself instruct us by the word of ,god6 ,he alone can4 ,we are all liable to err--some of us have erred--in our thoughts on this most weighty subject4 ,we are in danger1 while seeking to avoid error on one side1 of falling into error on the other4 ,we are poor1 feeble1 ignorant1 erring creatures1 whose only security is in our being kept continually at the feet of our blessed ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,he alone can teach us what repentance is1 as well as what it is not4 ,we feel most fully assured that the enemy of souls and of the truth has succeeded in giving repentance a false place in the creeds1 and confessions1 and public teachings of ,christendom2 and the conviction of this makes it all the more needful for us to keep close to the living teachings of ,holy ,scripture4 ,we are not aware of any formal definition of the subject furnished by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,he does not tell us in so many words what repentance is2 but the more we study the ,word in reference to the great question1 the more deeply we feel convinced that true repentance involves the solemn judgment of ourselves1 our condition1 and our ways1 in the presence of ,god2 and1 further1 that this judgment is not a transient feeling1 but an abiding condition--not a certain exercise to be gone through as a sort of title to the remission of sins1 but the deep and settled habit of the soul1 giving seriousness1 gravity1 tenderness1 brokenness1 and profound humility1 which shall overlap1 underlie1 and characterize our entire course4 ,we seriously question if this aspect of the subject is sufficiently understood4 ,let not the reader mistake us4 ,we do not mean for a moment to teach that the soul should be always bowed down under the sense of unforgiven sin4 ,far be the thought6 ,but we greatly fear that some of us1 in running away from legality on the question of repentance1 have fallen into levity4 ,this is a serious error4 ,we may depend upon it that levity is no remedy for legality3 were it proposed as such1 we should have no hesitation in pronouncing the remedy much worse than the disease4 ,thank ,god we have ,his own sovereign remedy for levity1 on the one hand1 and legality on the other4 ,truth1--insisting upon repentance1 is the remedy for the former4 ,grace--publishing remission of sins1 is the remedy for the latter4 ,and we cannot but believe that the more profound our repentance1 the fuller will be our enjoyment of remission4 ,we are inclined to judge that there is a sad lack of depth and seriousness in much of our modern preaching4 ,in our anxiety to make the gospel simple1 and salvation easy1 we fail to press on the consciences of our hearers the holy claims of truth4 ,if a preacher now-a-days were to call upon his hearers to repent and turn to ,god1 and to do works meet for repentance1 he would1 in certain circles1 be pronounced legal1 ignorant1 below the mark1 and such like4 ,and yet this was precisely what the blessed apostle ,paul did1 as he himself tells us4 ,will any of our modern evangelists have the temerity to say that ,paul was a legal or an ignorant preacher8 ,we trust not4 ,paul carried with him the full1 clear1 precious gospel of ,god--the gospel of the grace1 and the gospel of the glory4 ,he preached the kingdom of ,god--,he unfolded the glorious mystery of the ,church--yea1 that mystery was specially committed to him4 ,but let all preachers remember that ,paul preached repentance4 ,he called upon sinners to judge themselves--to repent in dust and ashes1 as was meet and right they should4 ,he himself had learnt the true meaning of repentance4 ,he had not only judged himself once in a way1 but he lived in the spirit of self-judgment4 ,it was the habit of his soul1 the attitude of his heart1 and it gave a depth1 solidity1 seriousness and solemnity to his preaching of which we modern preachers know but little4 ,we do not believe that ,paul's repentance ended with the three days and three nights of blindness after his conversion4 ,he was a self-judged man all his life long4 ,did this hinder his enjoyment of the grace of ,god or of the preciousness of ,christ8 ,nay1 it gave depth and intensity to his enjoyment4 ,all this1 we feel persuaded1 demands our most serious consideration4 ,we greatly dread the light1 airy1 superficial style of much of our modern preaching4 ,it sometimes seems to us as if the gospel were brought into utter contempt and the sinner led to suppose that he is really conferring a very great favor upon ,god in accepting salvation at ,his hands4 ,now we most solemnly protest against this4 ,it is dishonoring to ,god1 and lowering ,his gospel2 and1 as might be expected1 its moral effect on those who profess to be converted is most deplorable4 ,it superinduces levity1 self-indulgence1 worldliness1 vanity1 and folly4 ,sin is not felt to be the dreadful thing it is in the sight of ,god4 ,self is not judged4 ,the world is not given up4 ,the gospel that is preached is what may be called salvation made easy to the flesh--the most terrible thing we can possibly conceive--terrible in its effect upon the soul--terrible in its results in the life4 ,god's sentence upon the flesh and the world gets no place in the preaching to which we refer4 ,people are offered a salvation which leaves self and the world practically unjudged1 and the consequence is1 those who profess to be converted by this gospel exhibit a lightness and unsubduedness perfectly shocking to people of serious piety4 ,man must take his true place before ,god1 and that is the place of self-judgment1 contrition of heart1 real sorrow for sin1 and true confession4 ,it is here the gospel meets him4 ,the fulness of ,god ever waits on an empty vessel1 and a truly repentant soul is the empty vessel into which all the fulness and grace of ,god can flow in saving power4 ,the ,holy ,ghost will make the sinner feel and own his real condition4 ,it is ,he alone who can do so3 but ,he uses preaching to this end4 ,he brings the word of ,god to bear on man's conscience4 ,the ,word is ,his hammer1 wherewith ,he breaks the rock in pieces--,his plowshare1 wherewith ,he breaks up the fallow ground4 ,he makes the furrow1 and then casts in the incorruptible seed1 to germinate and fructify to the glory of ,god4 ,true1 the furrow1 how deep soever it may be1 can produce no fruit4 ,it is the seed1 and not the furrow2 but there must be the furrow for all that4 ,it is not1 need we say1 that there is anything meritorious in the sinner's repentance4 ,to say so could only be regarded as audacious falsehood4 ,repentance is not a good work whereby the sinner merits the favor of ,god4 ,all this view of the subject is utterly and fatally false4 ,true repentance is the discovery and hearty confession of our utter ruin and guilt4 ,it is the finding out that my whole life has been a lie1 and that ,i myself am a liar4 ,this is serious work4 ,there is no flippancy or levity when a soul is brought to this4 ,a penitent soul in the presence of ,god is a solemn reality2 and we cannot but feel that were we more governed by the terms of the great commission1 we should more solemnly1 earnestly and constantly call upon men to repent and turn to ,god and do works meet for repentance--we should preach repentance as well as remission of sins4 ,,part ,,ii4 ,since writing our last paper1 we have been much interested in the way in which repentance is presented in those inimitable parables in ,luke ,,xv4 ,there we learn1 in a manner the most touching and convincing1 not only the abiding and universal necessity1--the moral fitness in every case of true repentance1--but also that it is grateful to the heart of ,god4 ,our ,lord1 in ,his marvelous reply to the scribes and ,pharisees1 declares that there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth4 ,and again1 ,likewise1 ,i say unto you1 there is joy in the presence of the angels of ,god over one sinner that repenteth4 ,now this gives us a very elevated view of the subject4 ,it is one thing to see that repentance is binding upon man1 and another and very much higher thing to see that it is grateful to ,god4 ,thus saith the high and lofty ,one that inhabiteth eternity1 whose name is ,holy3 ,i dwell in the high and holy place1 with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit1 to revive the spirit of the humble1 and to revive the heart of the contrite ones4 ,a broken heart1 a contrite spirit1 a repentant mind1 gives joy to ,god4 ,let us ponder this fact4 ,the scribes and ,pharisees murmured because ,jesus received sinners4 ,how little they understood ,him6 ,how little they knew of the object that brought ,him down into this dark and sinful world6 ,how little they knew of themselves6 ,it was the lost that ,jesus came to seek4 ,but scribes and ,pharisees did not think themselves lost4 ,they thought they were all right4 ,they did not want a ,saviour4 ,they were thoroughly unbroken1 unrepentant1 self-confident3 and hence they had never afforded one atom of joy in heaven4 ,all the learning of the scribes1 and all the righteousness of the ,pharisees1 could not waken up a single note of joy in the presence of the angels of ,god4 ,they were like the elder son in the parable who said1 ,lo1 these many years do ,i serve thee1 neither transgressed ,i at any time thy commandment2 and yet thou never gavest me a kid1 that ,i might make merry with my friends4 ,here we have a true specimen of an unbroken heart and an unrepentant spirit--a man thoroughly satisfied with himself4 ,miserable object6 ,he had never touched a chord in the ,father's heart--never drawn out the ,father's love--never felt the ,father's embrace--never received the ,father's welcome4 ,how could he8 ,he had never felt himself lost4 ,he was full of himself1 and therefore had no room for the ,father's love4 ,he did not feel that he owed anything1 and hence he had nothing to be forgiven4 ,it rather seemed to him that his father was his debtor4 ,lo1 these many years do ,i serve thee2 and yet thou never gavest me a kid4 ,he had not received his wages4 ,what egregious folly6 ,and yet it is just the same with every unrepentant soul--every one who is building upon his own righteousness4 ,he really makes ,god his debtor4 ,i have served ,thee2 but ,i have never gotten what ,i earned4 ,miserable notion6 ,the man who talks of his duties1 his doings1 his sayings1 his givings1 is really insulting ,god4 ,but on the other hand1 the man who comes with a broken heart1 a contrite spirit1 repentant1 self-judged--that is the man who gives joy to the heart of ,god4 ,and why8 ,simply because such a one feels his need of ,god4 ,here lies the grand moral secret of the whole matter4 ,to apprehend this is to grasp the full truth on the great question of repentance4 ,a ,god of love desires to make ,his way to the sinner's heart1 but there is no room for ,him so long as that heart is hard and impenitent4 ,but when the sinner is brought to the end of himself1 when he sees himself a helpless1 hopeless wreck1 when he sees the utter emptiness1 hollowness and vanity of all earthly things2 when like the prodigal he comes to himself and feels the depth and reality of his need1 then there is room in his heart for ,god1 and--marvelous truth6--,god delights to come and fill it4 ,to this man will ,i look4 ,to whom8 ,to the man who does his duty1 keeps the law1 does his best1 lives up to his light8 ,nay2 but to him who is of a contrite spirit4 ,it will perhaps be said that the words just quoted apply to ,israel4 ,primarily1 they do2 but morally they apply to every contrite heart on the face of the earth4 ,and1 further1 it cannot be said that ,luke xv4 applies specially to ,israel4 ,it applies to all4 ,there is joy in the presence of the angels of ,god over one sinner that--,what8 ,does his duty8 ,nay1 it does not even say1 that believeth4 ,no doubt believing is essential in every case2 but the interesting point here is that a truly repentant sinner causes joy in heaven4 ,a person may say1 ,i fear ,i do not believe4 ,well1 but do you repent8 ,have your eyes been opened to see your true condition before ,god8 ,have you taken your true place before ,god as utterly lost8 ,if so1 you are one of those over whom there is joy in heaven4 ,what gave joy to the shepherd's heart8 ,was it the ninety and nine sheep that went not astray8 ,nay1 it was finding the lost sheep4#ag ,what gave joy to the woman's heart8 ,was it the nine pieces in her possession8 ,nay1 it was finding the one lost piece4 ,what gave joy to the father's heart8 ,was it the service and the obedience of the elder son8 ,nay1 it was getting back his lost son4 ,a repentant1 broken-hearted1 returning sinner wakens up heaven's joy4 ,let us eat and be merry4 ,why8 ,because the elder son has been working in the fields and doing his duty8 ,no2 but ,this my son was dead1 and is alive again2 he was lost1 and is found4 #ag ,let the reader note that the ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance and the elder son that never transgressed his father's commandment is the expression of their own thoughts as to themselves4 ,when ,god's judgment of man is expressed1 the ,scriptures declare1 ,there is none righteous1 no1 not one4444 ,they are all gone out of the way2 444 there is none that doeth good1 no1 not one 7,rom4 iii4 #aj1 #ab74--;,ed4 ,all this is perfectly wonderful4 ,indeed1 it is so wonderful that if we had it not from the lips of ,him who is the ,truth1 and on the eternal page of divine inspiration1 we could not believe it4 ,but1 blessed be ,god1 there it stands1 and none can gainsay it4 ,there shines the glorious truth that a poor1 self-convicted1 broken-hearted1 penitent1 though hell-deserving sinner1 gives joy to the heart of ,god4 ,let people talk as they will about keeping the law and doing their duty3 it may go for what it is worth2 but be it remembered there is no such clause within the covers of the volume of ,god--no such sentence ever dropped from the lips of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ as ,there is joy in heaven over one sinner that does his duty4 ,a sinner's duty6 ,what is it8 ,god commandeth all men everywhere to repent4 ,what is it that can really define our duty8 ,surely the divine command4 ,well1 here it is1 and there is no getting over it4 ,god's command to all men1 in every place1 is to repent4 ,his commandment binds them to do it2 ,his goodness leads them to it2 ,his judgment warns them to it2 and1 above all1 and most marvelous of all1 ,he assures us that our repentance gives joy to ,his heart4 ,a penitent heart is an object of profoundest interest to the mind of ,god1 because that heart is morally prepared to receive what ,god delights to bestow1 namely1 remission of sins--yea1 all the fulness of divine love4 ,a man might spend millions in the cause of religion and philanthropy1 and not afford one atom of joy in heaven4 ,what are millions of money to ,god8 ,a single penitential tear is more precious to ,him than all the wealth of the universe4 ,all the offerings of an unbroken heart are a positive insult to ,god2 but a single sigh from the depths of a contrite spirit goes up as fragrant incense to ,his throne and to ,his heart4 ,no man can meet ,god on the ground of duty2 but ,god can meet any man--the very chief of sinners--on the ground of repentance1 for that is man's true place2 and we may say with all possible confidence that when the sinner1 as he is1 meets ,god as ,he is1 the whole question is settled once and forever4 ,i said1 ,i will confess my transgressions unto the ,lord1 and ,thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin4 ,the moment man takes his true place--the place of repentance--,god meets him with a full forgiveness1 a divine and everlasting righteousness4 ,it is ,his joy to do so4 ,it gratifies ,his heart and it glorifies ,his name to pardon1 justify and accept a penitent soul that simply believes in ,jesus4 ,the very moment the prophet cried1 ,woe is me2 for ,i am undone1--,then flew one of the seraphims with a live coal from off the altar1 to touch his lips1 and to purge his sins 7,isa4 vi4 #e-g74 ,thus it is always4 ,the fulness of ,god ever waits on an empty vessel4 ,if ,i am full of myself1 full of my own fancied goodness1 my own morality1 my own righteousness1 ,i have no room for ,god1 no room for ,christ4 ,he filleth the hungry with good things2 but the rich ,he hath sent empty away4 ,a self-emptied soul can be filled with the fulness of ,god2 but if ,god sends a man empty away1 whither can he go to be filled8 ,all ,scripture1 from ,genesis to ,revelation1 goes to prove the deep blessedness as well as the moral necessity of repentance4 ,it is the grand turning-point in the soul's history--a great moral epoch which sheds its influence over the whole of one's after life4 ,it is not1 we repeat1 a transient exercise1 but an abiding moral condition4 ,we are not now speaking of how repentance is produced2 we are speaking of what it is according to ,scripture1 and of the absolute need of it for every creature under heaven4 ,it is the sinner's true place2 and when through grace he takes it1 he is met by the fulness of ,god's salvation4 ,and here we see the lovely connection between the first and second clauses of the great commission1 namely1 repentance and remission of sins4 ,they are inseparably linked together4 ,it is not that the most profound and genuine repentance forms the meritorious ground of remission of sins4 ,to say or to think so would be to set aside the atonement of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 for in that1 and in that alone1 have we the divine ground on which ,god can righteously forgive us our sins4 ,this we shall see more fully when we come to consider the basis of the great commission4 ,we are now occupied with the commission itself2 and in it we see those two divinely settled facts1 repentance and remission of sins4 ,the holy apostles of our ,lord and ,saviour were charged to preach among all nations--to declare in the ears of every creature under heaven repentance and remission of sins4 ,every man1 be he ,jew or ,gentile1 is absolutely commanded by ,god to repent2 and every repentant soul is privileged to receive1 on the spot1 the full and everlasting remission of sins4 ,and we may add1 the deeper and more abiding the work of repentance1 the deeper and more abiding will be the enjoyment of remission of sins4 ,the contrite soul lives in the very atmosphere of divine forgiveness2 and as it inhales that atmosphere1 it shrinks with ever-increasing horror from sin in every shape and form4 ,let us turn for a moment to the ,acts of the ,apostles1 and see how ,christ's ambassadors carried out the second part of ,his blessed commission4 ,hear the apostle of the circumcision addressing the ,jews on the day of ,pentecost4 ,we cannot attempt to quote the whole of his address2 we merely give the few words of application at the close4 ,therefore let all the house of ,israel know assuredly that ,god hath made that same ,jesus whom ye have crucified both ,lord and ,christ4 ,here the preacher bears down upon the consciences of his hearers with the solemn fact that they had proved themselves to be at issue with ,god ,himself about ,his ,christ4 ,what a tremendous fact6 ,it was not merely that they had broken the law1 rejected the prophets1 refused the testimony of ,john the ,baptist2 but they had actually crucified the ,lord of glory1 the eternal ,son of ,god4 ,now when they heard this1 they were pricked in their heart1 and said unto ,peter and to the rest of the apostles1 ,men1 brethren1 what shall we do8 ,then ,peter said unto them1 ,repent1 and be baptized every one of you in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 for the remission of sins1 and ye shall receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost 7,acts ii4 #cf-ch74 ,here are the two parts of the great commission brought out in all their distinctness and power4 ,the people are charged with the most awful sin that could be committed1 namely1 the murder of the ,son of ,god2 they are called upon to repent1 and assured of full remission of sins and the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,what wondrous grace shines forth in all this6 ,the very people that had mocked and insulted the ,son of ,god1 and crucified ,him1 even these1 if truly repentant1 were assured of the complete pardon of all their sins1 and of this crowning sin amongst the rest4 ,such is the wondrous grace of ,god--such the mighty efficacy of the blood of ,christ--such the clear and authoritative testimony of the ,holy ,ghost--such the glorious terms of the great commission4 ,but let us turn for a moment to ,acts iii4 ,here the preacher1 after charging his hearers with this awful act of wickedness against ,god1 even the rejection and murder of ,his ,son1 adds these remarkable words3 ,and now1 brethren1 ,i wot that through ignorance ye did it1 as did also your rulers4 ,but those things1 which ,god before had showed by the mouth of all ,his prophets1 that ,christ should suffer1 ,he hath so fulfilled4 ,repent ye therefore1 and be converted1 that your sins may be blotted out4 ,it is not possible to conceive anything higher or fuller than the grace that shines out here4 ,it is a part of the divine response to the prayer of ,christ on the cross1 ,father1 forgive them1 for they know not what they do4 ,this surely is royal grace4 ,it is victorious grace--grace reigning through righteousness4 ,it was impossible that such a prayer should fall to the ground4 ,it was answered in part on the day of ,pentecost1 ,it will be answered in full at a future day1 for ,all ,israel shall be saved2 as it is written1 ,there shall come out of ,zion the ,deliverer1 and shall turn away ungodliness from ,jacob4 ,but mark particularly the words ,those things which ,god before had shewed 444 ,he hath so fulfilled4 ,here the preacher brings in ,god's side of the matter3 and this is salvation4 ,to see only man's part in the cross would be eternal judgment4 ,to see ,god's part1 and to rest in it is eternal life1 full remission of sins1 divine righteousness1 everlasting glory4 ,the reader will doubtless be reminded here of the touching scene between ,joseph and his brethren4 ,there is a striking analogy between ,acts iii4 and ,genesis xiv4 ,now therefore1 says ,joseph1 be not grieved1 nor angry with yourselves1 that ye sold me hither2 for ,god did send me before you to preserve life4444 ,and ,god sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth1 and to save your lives by a great deliverance4 ,so now it was not you that sent me hither1 but ,god4 ,but when were these words uttered8 ,not until the guilty brethren had felt and owned their guilt4 ,repentance preceded the remission4 ,they said one to another1 ,we are verily guilty concerning our brother1 in that we saw the anguish of his soul1 when he besought us1 and we would not hear2 therefore is this distress come upon us4 ,joseph spake roughly to his brethren at the first4 ,he brought them through deep waters1 and made them feel and confess their guilt4 ,but the very moment they took the ground of repentance1 he took the ground of forgiveness4 ,the penitent brethren were met by a pardoning ,joseph1 and the whole house of ,pharaoh was made to ring with the joy which filled the heart of ,joseph on getting back to his bosom the very men that had flung him into the pit4 ,what an illustration of repentance and remission of sins6 ,it is ever thus4 ,it is the joy of the heart of ,god to forgive us our sins4 ,he delights in causing the full tide of ,his pardoning love to flow into the broken and contrite heart4 ,yes1 beloved reader1 if you have been brought to feel the burden of your guilt1 then be assured it is your privilege this very moment to receive a divine and everlasting remission of all your sins4 ,the blood of ,jesus ,christ has perfectly settled the question of your guilt1 and you are now invited to rejoice in the ,god of your salvation4 ,,part ,,iii4 ,we shall now turn for a few moments to the ministry of the apostle of the ,gentiles1 and see how he fulfilled the great commission4 ,we have already heard him on the subject of repentance4 ,let us hear him also on the great question of remission of sins4 ,paul was not of the twelve4 ,he did not receive his commission from ,christ on earth1 but1 as he himself distinctly and repeatedly tells us1 from ,christ in heavenly glory4 ,some have spent not a little time and pains in laboring to prove that he was of the twelve1 and that the election of ,matthias in ,acts i4 was a mistake4 ,but it is labor sadly wasted1 and only proves an entire misunderstanding of ,paul's position and ministry4 ,he was raised up for a special object1 and made the depositary of a special truth which had never been made known to any one before1 namely1 the truth of the ,church--the one body composed of ,jew and ,gentile1 incorporated by the ,holy ,ghost1 and linked1 by ,his personal indwelling1 to the risen and glorified ,head in heaven4 ,paul received his own special commission1 of which he gives a very beautiful statement in his address to ,agrippa1 in ,acts xxvi41 ,whereupon1 as ,i went to ,damascus1 with authority and commission from the chief priests1--what a different commission he received ere he entered ,damascus6--at midday1 ,o king1 ,i saw in the way a light from heaven1 above the brightness of the sun1 shining round about me and them which journeyed with me4 ,and when we were all fallen to the earth1 ,i heard a voice speaking unto me1 and saying in the ,hebrew tongue1 ,saul1 ,saul1 why persecutest thou ,me8 it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks4 ,and ,i said1 ,who art thou1 ,lord8 ,and ,he said1 ,i am ,jesus1 whom thou persecutest4 ,here the glorious truth of the intimate union of believers with the glorified ,man in heaven1 though not stated1 is beautifully and forcibly implied4 ,but rise1 and stand upon thy feet1 for ,i have appeared unto thee for this purpose1 to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen1 and of those things in the which ,i will appear unto thee2 delivering thee from the people and the ,gentiles1 unto whom now ,i send thee1 to open their eyes1 and to turn them from darkness to light1 and from the power of ,satan unto ,god1 that they may receive remission of sins 7the same word as in the commission to the twelve in ,luke xxiv47 and inheritance among them which are sanctified1 by faith that is in ,me4#ah #ah ,by faith is connected with remission of sins and inheritance among the sanctified4 ,what depth and fulness in these words6 ,what a comprehensive statement of man's condition6 ,what a blessed presentation of the resources of divine grace6 ,there is a very remarkable harmony between this commission to ,paul and that to the twelve in ,luke xxiv4 ,it will perhaps be said there is nothing about repentance4 ,true1 the word does not occur2 but we have the moral reality1 and that with singular force and fulness4 ,what mean the words1 ,to open their eyes8 ,do they not most certainly involve the discovery of our condition8 ,assuredly4 ,a man who has his eyes opened is brought to the knowledge of himself1 the knowledge of his condition1 the knowledge of his ways2 and this is true repentance4 ,it is a wonderful moment in a man's history when his eyes are opened4 ,it is the grand crisis1 the momentous epoch1 the one turning-point4 ,till then he is blind--morally and spiritually blind4 ,he cannot see a single divine object4 ,he has no perception of anything pertaining to ,god1 to ,christ1 to heaven4 ,this is truly humbling to proud human nature4 ,think of a clear-headed1 highly educated1 deeply learned1 intellectual man1 a profound thinker1 a powerful reasoner1 a thorough philosopher1 who has won the honors1 the medals1 the degrees1 that this world's universities can bestow2 and yet he is blind to everything spiritual1 heavenly1 divine4 ,he gropes in moral darkness4 ,he thinks he sees1 assumes the right to judge and pronounce upon things1 even upon ,scripture and upon ,god ,himself4 ,he undertakes to decide what is fitting for ,god to say and to do4 ,he sets up his own mind as the measure in the things of ,god4 ,he reasons upon immortality1 upon eternal life1 and eternal punishment4 ,he deems himself perfectly competent to give judgment in reference to all these solemn and weighty matters2 and all the while his eyes have never been opened4 ,how much is his judgment worth8 ,nothing6 ,who would take the opinion of a man who1 if his eyes were only opened1 would reverse that opinion in reference to everything heavenly and divine8 ,who would think for a moment of being guided by a blind man8 ,but how do we know that every man in his natural1 unconverted state is blind8 ,because1 according to ,paul's commission1 the very first thing which the gospel is to do for him is to open his eyes4 ,this proves1 beyond all question1 that he must be blind4 ,paul was sent to the people and to the ,gentiles--that is1 to the whole human family--to open their eyes4 ,this proves1 to a divine demonstration1 that all are by nature blind4 ,but there is more than this4 ,man is not only blind1 but he is in darkness4 ,supposing for a moment that a person has his eyesight1 of what use is it to him if he is in the dark8 ,it is the double statement as to man's state and position4 ,as to his state1 he is blind4 ,as to his position1 he is in darkness2 and when his eyes are opened1 and divine light streams in upon his soul1 he then judges himself and his ways according to ,god4 ,he sees his folly1 his guilt1 his rebellion1 his wild1 infidel reasonings1 his foolish notions1 the vanity of his mind1 his pride and ambition1 his selfishness and worldliness--all these things are judged and abhorred4 ,he repents1 and turns right round to the ,one who has opened his eyes and poured in a flood of living light upon his heart and conscience4 ,but1 further1 not only is man--every man--,jew and ,gentile1 blind and in darkness1 but1 as if to give the climax of all1 he is under the power of ,satan4 ,this gives a terrible idea of man's condition4 ,he is the slave of the devil4 ,he does not believe this4 ,he imagines himself free--thinks he is his own master--fancies he can go where he pleases1 do what he likes1 think for himself1 speak and act as an independent being4 ,but he is the bondslave of another1 he is sold under sin1 ,satan is his lord and master4 ,thus ,scripture speaks1 and it cannot be broken4 ,man may refuse to believe1 but that cannot in the least change the fact4 ,a condemned criminal at the bar may refuse to believe the testimony from the witness table1 the verdict from the jury-box1 the sentence from the bench2 but that in nowise alters his terrible condition4 ,he is a condemned criminal all the same4 ,so with man as a sinner2 he may refuse the plain testimony of ,scripture1 but that testimony remains notwithstanding4 ,even if the thousand millions that people this globe were to deny the truth of ,god's word1 that ,word would still stand unmoved4 ,scripture does not depend for its truth upon man's belief4 ,it is true whether he believes it or not4 ,blessed forever is the man who believes2 doomed forever is the man who refuses to believe2 but the word of ,god is settled forever in heaven1 and it is to be received on its own authority1 apart from all human thoughts for or against it4 ,this is a grand fact1 and one demanding the profound attention of every soul4 ,everything depends upon it4 ,the word of ,god claims our belief because it is ,his word4 ,if we want any authority to confirm the truth of ,god's word1 we are in reality rejecting ,god's word altogether1 and resting on man's word4 ,a man may say1 ,how do ,i know that the ,bible is the word of ,god8 ,we reply1 ,it carries its own divine credentials with it2 and if these credentials do not convince1 all the human authority under the sun is perfectly worthless4 ,if the whole population of the earth were to stand before me1 and assure me of the truth of ,god's word1 and that ,i were to believe on their authority1 it would not be saving faith at all4 ,it would be faith in men1 and not faith in ,god2 but the faith that saves is the faith that believes what ,god says because ,god says it4 ,it is not that we undervalue human testimony1 or reject what are called the external evidences of the truth of the ,holy ,scripture4 ,all these things must go for what they are worth2 they are by no means essential in laying the foundation of saving faith4 ,we are perfectly sure that all genuine history1 all true science1 all sound human evidence1 must go to establish the divine authenticity of the ,bible2 but we do not rest our faith upon them1 but upon the ,scriptures to which they bear witness2 for if all human evidence1 all science1 and every page of history1 were to speak against ,scripture1 we should utterly and absolutely reject them2 reverently and implicitly believe it4 ,is this narrow8 ,be it so4 ,it is the blessed narrowness in which we gladly find our peace and our portion forever4 ,it is the narrowness that refuses to admit the weight of a feather as an addition to the word of ,god4 ,if this be narrowness1--we repeat it with emphasis1 and from the very centre of our ransomed being1--let it be ours forever4 ,if to be broad we must look to man to confirm the truth of ,god's word1 then away with such broadness2 it is the broad way that leadeth straight down to hell4 ,no1 reader1 your life1 your salvation1 your everlasting peace1 blessedness and glory1 depend upon your taking ,god at ,his word1 and believing what ,he says because ,he says it4 ,this is faith--living1 saving1 precious faith4 ,may you possess it6 ,god's word1 then1 most distinctly declares that man in his natural1 unrenewed1 unconverted state is ,satan's bondslave4 ,it speaks of ,satan as the god of this world1 as the prince of the power of the air1 the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience4 ,it speaks of man as led captive by the devil at his will4 ,hence1 in ,paul's commission1 the third thing which the gospel is to do is to turn man from the power of ,satan to ,god4 ,thus his eyes are opened2 divine light comes streaming in2 the power of ,satan is broken1 and the delivered one finds himself1 peacefully and happily1 in the presence of ,god4 ,like the demoniac in ,mark v41 he is delivered from his ruthless tyrant1 his cruel master2 his chains are broken and gone2 he is clothed and in his right mind1 and sitting at the feet of ,jesus4 ,what a glorious deliverance6 ,it is worthy of ,god in every aspect of it1 and in all its results4 ,the poor blind slave1 led captive by the devil1 is set free2 and not only so1 but he is brought to ,god1 pardoned1 accepted1 and endowed with an eternal inheritance among the sanctified4 ,and all this is by faith1 through grace4 ,it is proclaimed in the gospel of ,god to every creature under heaven--not one is excluded4 ,the great commission1 whether we read it in ,luke xxiv4 or in ,acts xxvi41 assures us that this most precious1 most glorious salvation is unto all4 ,let us1 ere we close this paper1 listen for a moment to our apostle as he discharges his blessed commission in the synagogue at ,antioch of ,pisidia4 ,most gladly would we transcribe the whole of his precious discourse1 but our limited space compels us to confine ourselves to the powerful appeal at the end4 ,be it known unto you therefore1 men and brethren1 that through ,,this ,,man 7,jesus ,christ1 crucified1 risen1 and glorified7 is preached--not promised in the future1 but preached now1 announced as a present reality--is preached unto you the remission of sins4 ,and by ,him all who believe ,,are justified from all things1 from which ye could not be justified by the law of ,moses4 ,from these words we learn1 in the clearest possible manner1 that every soul in that synagogue was called upon1 there and then1 to receive into his heart the blessed message which fell from the preacher's lips4 ,not one was excluded4 ,unto you is the word of this salvation sent4 ,if any one had asked the apostle if the message was intended for him1 what would have been the reply8 ,unto you is the word of this salvation sent4 ,was there no preliminary question to be settled8 ,not one4 ,all the preliminaries had been settled at the cross4 ,was there no question as to election or predestination8 ,not a syllable about either in the whole range of this magnificent and comprehensive discourse4 ,but is there no such question8 ,not in that great commission whereof we speak4 ,no doubt the grand truth of election shines in its proper place on the page of inspiration4 ,but what is its proper and divinely appointed place8 ,most assuredly not in the preaching of the evangelist1 but in the ministry of the teacher or pastor4 ,when the apostle sits down to instruct believers1 we hear such words as these3 ,whom ,he did foreknow1 ,he also did predestinate4 ,and again3 ,knowing1 brethren beloved1 your election of ,god4 ,but let it never be lost sight of1 when he stands up as an ambassador of ,christ1 the herald of salvation1 he proclaims in the most absolute and unqualified manner a present1 a personal1 a perfect salvation to every creature under heaven2 and every one who heard him was responsible there and then to believe4 ,and every one who reads him now is equally so4 ,if any one had presumed to tell the preacher that his hearers were not responsible1 that they were powerless1 and could not believe--that it was only deceiving them to call upon them to believe--what would have been his reply8 ,we think we are warranted in saying that a full and overwhelming reply to this1 and every such preposterous objection1 is wrapped up in the solemn appeal with which the apostle closes his address1 ,beware1 therefore1 lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the prophets3 ,behold1 ye despisers1 and wonder1 and perish2 for ,i work a work in your days1 a work which ye shall in no wise believe1 though a man declare it unto you4 ,,part ,,iv4 ,having in the former papers dwelt a little upon the terms of the great commission1 we shall now1 in dependence upon divine teaching1 seek to unfold the truth as to the basis4 ,it is of the greatest importance to have a clear understanding of the solid ground on which repentance and remission of sins are announced to every creature under heaven4 ,this we have distinctly laid down in our ,lord's own words1 ,it behooved ,christ to suffer1 and to rise from the dead the third day4 ,here lies1 in its impregnable strength1 the foundation of the glorious commission whereof we speak4 ,god--blessed forever be ,his holy name--has been pleased to set before us with all possible clearness the moral ground on which ,he commands all men everywhere to repent1 and the righteous ground on which ,he can proclaim to every repentant soul the perfect remission of sins4 ,we have already had occasion to guard the reader against the false notion that any amount of repentance on the part of the sinner could possibly form the meritorious ground of forgiveness4 ,but inasmuch as we write for those who may be ignorant of the foundations of the gospel1 we feel bound to put things in the very simplest possible form1 so that all may understand4 ,we know how prone the human heart is to build upon something of our own--if not upon good works1 at least upon our penitential exercises4 ,hence1 it becomes our bounden duty to set forth the precious truth of the atoning work of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ as the only righteous ground of the forgiveness of sins4 ,true1 all men are commanded to repent4 ,it is meet and right that they should4 ,how could it be otherwise8 ,how can we look at that accursed tree on which the ,son of ,god bore the judgment of sin and not see the absolute necessity of repentance8 ,how can we hearken to that solemn cry breaking forth from amid the shadows of ,calvary1 ,my ,god1 ,my ,god1 why hast ,thou forsaken ,me8 and not own1 from the deepest depths of our moral being1 the moral fitness of repentance8 ,if indeed sin is so terrible1 so absolutely hateful to ,god1 so perfectly intolerable to ,his holy nature1 that ,he had to bruise ,his well beloved and only begotten ,son on the cross in order to put it away1 does it not well become the sinner to judge himself1 and repent in dust and ashes8 ,had the blessed ,lord to endure the hiding of ,god's countenance because of our sins1 and we not be broken1 self-judged and subdued on account of these sins8 ,shall we with impenitent heart hear the glad tidings of full and free forgiveness of sins--a forgiveness which cost nothing less than the unutterable horrors and agonies of the cross8 ,shall we1 with flippant tongue1 profess to have peace--a peace purchased by the ineffable sufferings of the ,son of ,god8 ,if it was absolutely necessary that ,christ should suffer for our sins1 is it not morally fitting that we should repent of them8 ,nor is this all4 ,it is not merely that it becomes us1 once in a way1 to repent4 ,there is far more than this4 ,the spirit of self-judgment1 genuine contrition and true humility must characterize every one who enters at all into the profound mystery of the sufferings of ,christ4 ,indeed1 it is only as we contemplate and deeply ponder those sufferings that we can form anything approaching to a just estimate of the hatefulness of sin on the one hand1 and the divine fulness and perfectness of remission on the other4 ,such was the hatefulness of sin1 that it was absolutely necessary that ,christ should suffer2 but--all praise to redeeming love6--such were the sufferings of ,christ1 that ,god can forgive us our sins according to the infinite value which ,he attaches to those sufferings4 ,both go together2 and both1 we may add1 exert a formative influence1 under the powerful ministry of the ,holy ,ghost1 on the ,christian character from first to last4 ,our sins are all forgiven2 but it behooved ,christ to suffer2 and hence1 while our peace flows like a river1 we must never forget the soul-subduing fact that the basis of our peace was laid in the ineffable sufferings of the ,son of ,god4 ,this is most needful1 owing to the excessive levity of our hearts4 ,we are ready enough to receive the truth of the remission of sins1 and then go on in an easy1 self-indulgent1 world-loving spirit1 thus proving how feebly we enter into the sufferings of our blessed ,lord1 or into the real nature of sin4 ,all this is truly deplorable1 and calls for the deepest exercise of soul4 ,there is a sad lack amongst us of that real brokenness of spirit which ought to characterize those who owe their present peace and everlasting felicity and glory to the sufferings of ,christ4 ,we are light1 frivolous1 and self-willed4 ,we avail ourselves of the death of ,christ to save us from the consequences of our sins1 but our ways do not exhibit the practical effect of that death in its application to ourselves4 ,we do not walk as those who are dead with ,christ--who have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts--who are delivered from this present evil world4 ,in a word1 our ,christianity is sadly deficient in depth of tone2 it is shallow1 feeble1 and stunted4 ,we profess to know a great deal of truth2 but it is to be feared it is too much in theory--therefore not turned to practical account as it should be4 ,it may1 perhaps1 be asked1 ,what has all this to do with the great commission8 ,it has to do with it in a very intimate way4 ,we are deeply impressed with a sense of the superficial way in which the work of evangelization is carried on at the present day4 ,not only are the terms of the great commission overlooked1 but the basis seems to be little understood4 ,the sufferings of ,christ are not duly dwelt upon and unfolded4 ,the atoning work of ,christ is presented in its sufficiency for the sinner's need--and no doubt this is a signal mercy4 ,we have to be profoundly thankful when preachers and writers hold up the precious blood of ,christ as the sinner's only plea1 instead of preaching up rites1 ceremonies1 sacraments1 good works 7falsely so called71 creeds1 churches1 religious ordinances1 and such-like delusions4 ,all this is most fully admitted4 ,but at the same time we must give expression to our deep and solemn conviction that much of our modern evangelical preaching is extremely shallow and bald2 and the result of that preaching is seen in the light1 airy1 flippant style of many of our so-called converts4 ,some of us seem so intensely anxious to make everything so easy and simple for the sinner that the preaching becomes extremely one-sided4 ,thanks be to ,god1 ,he has indeed made all easy and simple for the needy1 broken-hearted1 penitent sinner4 ,he has left him nothing to do1 nothing to give4 ,it is to him that worketh not1 but believeth on ,him that justifieth the ungodly4 ,it is not possible for any evangelist to go too far in stating this side of the question4 ,no one can go beyond ,rom4 iv4 #e in setting forth salvation by free grace1 through faith1 without works of any sort or description4 ,but then1 we must remember that the blessed apostle ,paul--the greatest evangelist that ever lived1 except his divine ,master--did not confine himself to this one side2 and neither should we4 ,he pressed the claims of divine holiness4 ,he called upon sinners to judge themselves1 and he called upon believers to subdue and deny themselves4 ,he did not preach a gospel that left people at ease in the world1 satisfied with themselves1 and occupied with earthly things4 ,he did not tell people that they were saved from the flames of hell and were therefore free to enjoy the follies of earth4 ,this was not ,paul's gospel4 ,he preached a gospel which1 while it fully met the sinner's deepest need1 did also most fully maintain ,god's glory--a gospel which1 while it came down to the very lowest point of the sinner's condition1 did not leave him there4 ,paul's gospel not only set forth a full1 clear1 unqualified1 unconditional1 present forgiveness of sins1 but also1 just as fully and clearly1 the condemnation of sin1 and the believer's entire deliverance from this present evil world4 ,the death of ,christ1 in ,paul's gospel1 not only assured the soul of complete deliverance from the just consequences of sins1 as seen in the judgment of ,god in the lake of fire1 but it also set forth1 with magnificent fulness and clearness1 the complete snapping of every link with the world1 and entire deliverance from the present power and rule of sin4 ,now1 here is precisely where the lamentable deficiency and culpable one-sidedness of our modern preaching are so painfully manifest4 ,the gospel which one often hears nowadays is1 if we may be allowed the use of such a term1 a carnal1 earthly1 worldly gospel4 ,it offers a kind of ease1 but it is fleshly1 worldly ease4 ,it gives confidence1 but it is rather a carnal confidence than the confidence of faith4 ,it is not a delivering gospel4 ,it leaves people in the world1 instead of bringing them to ,god4 ,and what must be the result of all this8 ,we can hardly bear to contemplate it4 ,we greatly fear that1 should our ,lord tarry1 the fruit of much of what is going on around us will be a terrible combination of the very highest profession with the very lowest practice4 ,it cannot be otherwise4 ,high truth taken up in a light1 carnal spirit tends to lull the conscience and quash all godly exercise of soul as to our habits and ways in daily life4 ,in this way people escape from legality only to plunge into levity1 and truly the last state is worse than the first4 ,we earnestly hope that the ,christian reader may not feel unduly depressed by the perusal of these lines4 ,god knows we would not pen a line to discourage the feeblest lamb in all the precious flock of ,christ4 ,we desire to write in the divine presence4 ,we have entreated the ,lord that every line of this paper1 and of all our papers1 should come directly from ,himself to the reader4 ,hence1 therefore1 we must ask the reader--and we do so most faithfully and affectionately--to ponder what is here put before him4 ,we cannot hide from him the fact that we are most seriously impressed with the condition of things around us4 ,we feel that the tone and aspect of much of the so-called ,christianity of this our day are such as to awaken the gravest apprehension in the mind of every thoughtful observer4 ,we perceive a terribly rapid development of the features of the last days1 as detailed by the pen of inspiration4 ,this know also that1 in the last days1 perilous times shall come4 ,for men shall be lovers of their own selves1 covetous1 boasters1 proud1 blasphemers1 disobedient to parents1 unthankful1 unholy1 without natural affection1 truce-breakers1 false accusers1 incontinent1 fierce1 despisers of those that are good1 traitors1 heady1 high-minded1 lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of ,god1 having a form of godliness1 but denying the power thereof3 from such turn away 7#b ,tim4 iii4 #a-e74 ,what an appalling picture6 ,how solemn to find the same evils that characterize the heathen1 as recorded in ,rom4 i41 reproduced in connection with the profession of ,christianity6 ,should not the thought of this awaken the most serious apprehensions in the mind of every ,christian8 ,should it not lead all who are engaged in the holy service of preaching and teaching amongst us to examine themselves closely as to the tone and character of their ministry1 and as to their own private walk and ways8 ,we want a more searching style of ministry on the part of evangelists and teachers4 ,there is a lack of hortatory and prophetic ministry4 ,by prophetic ministry we mean that which brings the conscience into the immediate presence of ,god4 7,see #a ,cor4 xiv4 #a-c1 #bc-bf47 ,in this we are lamentably deficient4 ,there is a vast amount of objective truth in circulation amongst us--more1 perhaps1 than ever since the days of the apostles4 ,books and periodicals by hundreds and thousands1 tracts by thousands and millions1 are sent forth annually4 ,do we object to this8 ,nay2 we bless ,god for it4 ,but we cannot shut our eyes to the fact that by far the largest proportion of this vast mass of literature is addressed to the intelligence1 and not enough to the heart and conscience4 ,now1 while it is quite right to enlighten the understanding1 it is quite wrong to neglect the heart and conscience4 ,we feel it to be a most serious thing to allow the intelligence to outstrip the conscience--to have more truth in the head than in the heart--to profess principles which do not govern the practice4 ,nothing can be more dangerous4 ,it tends to place us directly in the hands of ,satan4 ,if the conscience be not kept tender1 if the heart be not governed by the fear of ,god1 if a broken and contrite spirit be not cultivated1 there is no telling what depths we may plunge into4 ,when the conscience is kept in a sound condition1 and the heart is humble and true1 then every fresh ray of light that shines in upon the understanding ministers strength to the soul and tends to elevate and sanctify our whole moral being4 ,this is what every earnest spirit must crave4 ,all true-hearted ,christians must long for increased personal holiness1 more likeness to ,christ1 more genuine devotedness of heart1 a deepening1 strengthening and expanding of the kingdom of ,god in the soul--that kingdom which is righteousness1 and peace1 and joy in the ,holy ,ghost4 ,may we all have grace to seek after these divine realities6 ,may we diligently cultivate them in our own private life1 and seek in every possible way to promote them in all those with whom we come in contact6 ,thus shall we in some measure stem the tide of hollow profession around us1 and be a living testimony against the powerless form of godliness so sadly dominant in this our day4 ,christian reader6 art thou one with us in this current of thought and feeling8 ,if so1 then let us most earnestly entreat thee to join us in earnest prayer to ,god that ,he will graciously raise our spiritual tone by drawing us closer to ,himself1 and filling our hearts with love to ,him and earnest desire for the promotion of ,his glory1 the progress of ,his cause1 and the prosperity of ,his people4 ,,part ,v4 ,in pursuing our subject1 we have yet to consider the authority and the sphere of the great commission2 but ere proceeding to treat of these we must dwell a little longer on the basis4 ,the commission is truly a great one1 and would need a solid foundation on which to rest it2 and such it has1 blessed be ,god1 in the atoning death of ,his ,son4 ,nothing less than this could sustain such a magnificent fabric2 but the grace that planned the commission has also laid the foundation2 so that a full remission of sins can be preached among all nations1 inasmuch as ,god has been glorified1 in the death of ,christ1 as to the entire question of sin4 ,this is a grand point for the reader to seize4 ,it lies at the very foundation of the ,christian system4 ,it is the keystone of the arch of divine revelation4 ,god has been glorified as to sin4 ,his judgment has been executed upon it4 ,the claims of ,his throne have been vindicated as to it4 ,the insult offered to ,his divine majesty has been flung back in the enemy's face4 ,if the sweet story of remission of sins had never fallen upon a human ear or entered a human heart1 the divine glory would none the less have been most perfectly maintained4 ,the ,lord ,jesus ,christ did1 by ,his most precious death1 wipe off the stain which the enemy sought to cast upon the eternal glory of ,god4 ,a testimony has been given in the ,cross1 to all created intelligence1 as to ,god's thoughts about sin4 ,it can there be seen1 with all possible clearness1 that a single trace of sin can never enter the precincts of the divine presence4 ,god is of purer eyes than to behold evil1 and cannot look on iniquity4 ,sin1 wherever found1 must be met by divine judgment4 ,where1 we may ask1 does all this come most fully and forcibly out8 ,assuredly in the ,cross4 ,harken to that solemn and most mysterious cry1 ,my ,god1 ,my ,god1 why hast ,thou forsaken ,me8 ,what means this wondrous inquiry8 ,who is the speaker8 ,is he one of ,adam's fallen posterity8 ,is he a sinner8 ,surely not2 for were he such1 there would be no moral force whatever in the question4 ,there never was a sinner on the face of this earth who1 so far as he was personally concerned1 did not richly deserve to be forsaken of a holy1 sin-hating ,god4 ,this must never be forgotten4 ,some people entertain most foolish notions as to this point4 ,they have1 in their own vain imagination1 invented a god to suit themselves--one who will not punish sin--one who is so tender1 so kind1 so benevolent1 that he will connive at evil and pass it over as though it were nothing4 ,now1 nothing is more certain than that this god of the human imagination is a false one1 just as false as any of the idols of the heathen4 ,the ,god of the ,bible1 the ,god of ,christianity1 the ,god whom we see at the cross1 is not like this4 ,men may reason as they will2 but sin must be condemned--it must be met by the just and inflexible judgment of a sin-hating ,god4 ,but we repeat the question1 ,who uttered those words at the opening of ,psa4 xxii48 ,if he was not a sinner1 who was he8 ,wonderful to declare1 ,he was the only spotless1 perfectly holy1 pure and sinless ,man that ever trod this earth4 ,he was more4 ,he was the eternal ,son of the ,father1 the object of ,god's ineffable delight1 who had dwelt in ,his bosom from all eternity1 the brightness of ,his glory and the exact expression of ,his substance4 ,and yet ,he was forsaken of ,god6 yes1 that holy and perfect ,one1 who knew no sin1 whose human nature was absolutely free from every taint1 who never had a single thought1 never uttered a single word1 never did a single act that was not in the most perfect harmony with the mind of ,god2 whose whole life1 from ,bethlehem to ,calvary1 was a perfect sacrifice of sweetest odor presented to the heart of ,god4 ,again and again we see heaven opening upon ,him1 and the voice of the ,father is heard giving expression to ,his infinite complacency in the ,son of ,his bosom4 ,and yet1 ,he it is whose voice is heard in that bitter cry1 ,my ,god1 my ,god1 why hast ,thou forsaken me8 ,marvelous question6 ,it stands alone in the annals of eternity4 ,no such question had ever been asked before2 no such question has ever been asked since2 and no such question can ever be asked again4 ,whether we consider the ,one who asked the question1 or the ,one of whom it was asked1 or the answer1 we must admit that it is perfectly unique4 ,that ,god should forsake such an ,one is the most profound and marvelous mystery that could possibly engage the attention of men or angels4 ,human reason cannot fathom its depths4 ,no created intelligence can comprehend its mighty compass4 ,yet there it stands1 a stupendous fact before the eye of faith4 ,our blessed ,lord ,himself assures us that it was absolutely necessary4 ,thus it is written1 and thus it behooved ,christ to suffer4 ,but why was it necessary8 ,why should the only perfect1 sinless1 spotless ,man have to suffer8 ,why should ,he be forsaken of ,god8 ,the glory of ,god1 the eternal counsels of redeeming love1 man's guilty1 ruined1 helpless condition--all these things rendered it indispensable that ,christ should suffer4 ,there was no other way in which the divine glory could be maintained2 no other way in which the claims of the throne of ,god could be answered2 no other way in which heaven's majesty could be vindicated2 no other way in which the eternal purposes of love could be made good2 no other way in which sin could be fully atoned for1 and finally taken away out of ,god's creation2 no other way in which sins could be forgiven2 no other way in which ,satan and all the powers of darkness could be thoroughly vanquished2 no other way in which ,god could be just1 and yet the ,justifier of any poor ungodly sinner2 no other way in which death could be deprived of its sting1 or the grave of its victory2 no other way in which any or all of these grand results could be reached save by the sufferings and death of our adorable ,saviour1 our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,but1 blessed forever be ,his holy name1 ,he went through it all4 ,he went down under the heavy billows and waves of ,god's righteous wrath against sin4 ,he took the sinner's place1 stood in his stead1 sustained the judgment1 paid the penalty1 died the death1 answered every question1 met every demand1 vanquished every foe2 and having done all1 ,he ascended into the heavens and took ,his seat on the throne of ,god1 where ,he is now crowned with glory and honor as the divine and all-glorious ,accomplisher of the entire work of man's redemption4 ,such1 then1 reader1 is the basis of the great commission whereof we speak4 ,need we wonder at the terms1 when we contemplate the basis8 ,can there be anything too good1 anything too great1 anything too glorious1 for the ,god of all grace to bestow upon us poor sinners of the ,gentiles1 seeing ,he has been so fully glorified in the death of ,christ8 ,that most precious death furnishes a divinely righteous ground on which our ,god can indulge the deep and everlasting love of ,his heart in the perfect remission of our sins4 ,it has removed out of the way every barrier to the full flood-tide of redeeming love which can now flow through a perfectly righteous channel1 to the very vilest sinner that repents and believes in ,jesus4 ,a ,saviour-,god can now publish a full and immediate remission of sins to every creature under heaven4 ,there is positively no hindrance4 ,god has been glorified as to the question of sin2 and the time is coming when every trace of sin shall be forever obliterated from ,his fair creation1 and those words of ,john the ,baptist shall have their full accomplishment1 ,behold the ,lamb of ,god that taketh away the sin of the world4 ,meanwhile1 the heralds of salvation are commanded to go forth to the ends of the earth and publish1 without let or limitation1 perfect remission of sins to every soul that believes4 ,it is the joy of ,god's heart to pardon sins2 and it is due to the ,one who bore the judgment of sin on the cross that in ,his name forgiveness of sins should be thus freely published1 fully received1 and abidingly enjoyed4 ,but what of those who reject this glorious message--who shut their ears against it and turn away their hearts from it8 ,this is the solemn question4 ,who can answer it8 ,who can attempt to set forth the eternal destiny of those who die in their sins1 as all must who refuse ,god's only basis of remission8 ,men may reason and argue as they will2 but all the reasoning and argument in the world cannot set aside the word of ,god1 which assures us in manifold places1 and in terms so plain as to leave no possible ground for questioning1 that all who die in their sins--all who die out of ,christ--must inevitably perish eternally1 must bear the consequences of their sins1 in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone4 ,to quote the passages in proof of the solemn truth of eternal punishment would require a small volume4 ,we cannot attempt it here2 nor is it necessary1 inasmuch as we have gone into the subject again and again in other places4 ,but we would here put a question which arises naturally out of our present thesis4 ,it is this3 ,was ,christ judged1 bruised and forsaken on the cross--did ,god visit ,his only begotten and well beloved ,son with the full weight of ,his righteous wrath against sin--and shall impenitent sinners escape8 ,we solemnly press this question on all whom it may concern4 ,men talk of its being inconsistent with the idea of divine goodness1 tenderness and compassion that ,god should send any of ,his creatures to hell4 ,we reply1 ,who is to be the judge8 ,is man competent to decide as to what is morally fitting for ,god to do8 ,and further1 we ask1 ,what is to be the standard of judgment8 ,anything that human reason can grasp8 ,assuredly not4 ,what then8 ,the cross on which the ,son of ,god died1 the ,just for the unjust--this1 and this only1 is the great standard by which to judge the question as to sin's desert4 ,who can harken to that bitter cry emanating from the broken heart of the ,son of ,god1 ,my ,god1 my ,god1 why hast ,thou forsaken ,me8 and question the eternal punishment of all who die in their sins8 ,talk of tenderness1 goodness1 and compassion6 ,where do these shine out most brightly and blessedly8 ,surely in the great commission which publishes full and free forgiveness of sins to every creature under heaven4 ,but would it be just1 or good1 or compassionate1 to suffer the rejecter of ,christ to escape8 ,if we would see the goodness1 kindness1 mercy and deep compassion of ,god1 we must look at the cross4 ,he spared not ,his own ,son1 but delivered ,him up for us all4 ,it pleased ,jehovah to bruise ,him4 ,he hath put ,him to grief4 ,he hath made ,him who knew no sin to be sin for us1 that we might become the righteousness of ,god in ,him4 ,but if men reject all this1 and go on in their sins1 in their rebellion1 in their infidel reasonings and impious speculations--what then8 ,if men maintain that suffering for sin is not necessary1 and that there is another and a better way of disposing of the matter--what then8 ,our ,lord declared in the ears of ,his apostles that it was necessary that ,christ should suffer--that there was no other way possible by which the great question could be settled4 ,whom are we to believe8 ,was the death of ,christ gratuitous8 ,was ,his heart broken for nothing8 ,was the ,cross a work of supererogation8 ,did ,jehovah bruise ,his ,son and put ,him to grief for an end which might be gained some other way8 ,how monstrous are the reasonings1 or rather the ravings1 of infidelity6 ,infidel doctors begin by throwing overboard the word of ,god--that peerless and perfect revelation2 and then1 when they have deprived us of our divine guide1 with singular audacity1 they present themselves before us1 and undertake to point out for us a more excellent way2 and when we inquire what that way is1 we are met by a thousand and one fine-spun theories1 no two of which agree in anything save in shutting out ,god and ,his ,word4 ,true1 they talk plausibly about a ,god2 but it is a ,god of their own imagination--one who will connive at sin--who will allow them to indulge in their lusts1 and passions1 and pleasures1 and then take them to a heaven of which they really know nothing4 ,they talk of mercy1 and kindness1 and goodness2 but they reject the only channel through which these can flow1 namely1 the ,cross of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,they speak not of righteousness1 holiness1 truth1 and judgment to come4 ,they would fain have us to believe that ,god put ,himself to needless cost in delivering up ,his ,son4 ,they would ignore that marvelous transaction which stands alone in the entire history of the ways of ,god--the atoning death of ,his ,son4 ,in one word1 the grand object of the devil1 in all the skeptical1 rationalistic and infidel theories that have ever been propounded in this world1 is to shut out completely the word of ,god1 the ,christ of ,god1 and ,god ,himself4 ,we solemnly call upon all our readers1 specially our young friends1 to ponder this4 ,it is our deep and thorough conviction that the harboring of a single infidel suggestion is the first step on that inclined plane which leads straight down to the dark and terrible abyss of atheism--down to the blackness of darkness forever4 ,we shall have occasion to recur to the foregoing line of thought when we come to consider the authority on which the great commission comes to us4 ,we have been drawn into it by the sad fact that in every direction1 and on every subject1 we are assailed by the contemptible reasonings of infidelity2 and we feel imperatively called upon to warn all with whom we come in contact against infidel books1 infidel lectures1 infidel theories in every shape and form4 ,may the inspired word of ,god be more and more precious to our hearts6 ,may we walk in its light1 feel its sacred power1 bow to its divine authority1 hide it in our hearts1 feed upon its treasures1 own its absolute supremacy1 confess its all-sufficiency1 and utterly reject all teaching which dares to touch the integrity of ,,the ,,holy ,,scriptures4 ,,part ,,vi4 ,we have seen that the basis of the great commission is the death and resurrection of our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4 ,this must never be lost sight of4 ,it behooved ,christ to suffer1 and to rise from the dead the third day4 ,it is a risen ,christ that sends forth ,his heralds to preach repentance and remission of sins4 ,the incarnation and the crucifixion are great cardinal truths of ,christianity2 but it is only in resurrection they are made available for us in any way4 ,incarnation--precious and priceless mystery though it be--could not form the groundwork of remission of sins1 for without shedding of blood is no remission 7,heb4 ix4 #bb74 ,we are justified by the blood1 and reconciled by the death of ,christ4 ,but it is in resurrection that all this is made good unto us4 ,christ was delivered for our offenses1 and raised again for our justification 7,rom4 iv4 #be2 v4 #i1 #aj74 ,for ,i delivered unto you first of all that which ,i also received1 how that ,christ died for our sins according to the ,scriptures2 and that ,he was buried1 and that ,he rose again the third day according to the ,scriptures 7#a ,cor4 xv4 #c1 #d74 ,hence1 therefore1 it is of the very last possible importance1 for all who would carry out our ,lord's commission1 to know in their own souls1 and to set forth in their preaching1 the grand truth of resurrection4 ,the most cursory glance at the preaching of the earliest heralds of the gospel will suffice to show the prominent place which they gave to this glorious fact4 ,harken to ,peter on the day of ,pentecost1 or rather to the ,holy ,ghost1 just come down from the risen1 ascended and glorified ,saviour4 ,ye men of ,israel1 hear these words3 ,jesus of ,nazareth1 a man approved of ,god among you by miracles1 and wonders1 and signs1 which ,god did by ,him in the midst of you1 as ye yourselves also know3 ,him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of ,god1 ye have taken1 and by wicked hands have crucified and slain3 whom ,god hath raised up1 having loosed the pains of death3 because it was not possible that ,he should be holden of it4444 ,this ,jesus hath ,god raised up1 whereof we all are witnesses4 ,therefore being by the right hand of ,god exalted1 and having received of the ,father the promise of the ,holy ,ghost1 ,he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear 7,acts ii474 ,so also in chapter iii43 ,the ,god of ,abraham1 and of ,isaac1 and of ,jacob1 the ,god of our fathers1 hath glorified ,his ,son ,jesus2 whom ye delivered up1 and denied ,him in the presence of ,pilate1 when he was determined to let ,him go4 ,but ye denied the ,holy ,one and the ,just1 and desired a murderer to be granted unto you2 and killed the ,prince of life1 whom ,god hath raised from the dead2 whereof we are witnesses4444 ,unto you first ,god1 having raised up ,his ,son ,jesus1 sent ,him to bless you1 in turning away every one of you from his iniquities4444 ,and as they spake unto the people1 the priests1 and the captain of the temple1 and the ,sadducees1 came upon them1 being grieved that they taught the people1 and preached through ,jesus the resurrection from the dead4 ,their preaching was characterized by the prominent place which it assigned to the glorious1 powerful and telling fact of resurrection4 ,true1 there was the full and clear statement of incarnation and crucifixion1 with the great moral bearings of these facts4 ,how could it be otherwise8 ,the ,son of ,god had to become a man to die1 in order that by death ,he might glorify ,god as to the entire question of sin2 destroy the power of ,satan2 rob death of its sting1 and the grave of its victory2 put away forever the sins of ,his people1 and associate them with ,himself in the power of eternal life in the new creation1 where all things are of ,god1 and where a single trace of sin or sorrow can never enter4 ,eternal and universal homage and adoration to ,his peerless name6 ,but let all preachers remember the place which resurrection holds in apostolic preaching and teaching4 ,with great power gave the apostles witness4 ,of what8 ,incarnation or crucifixion merely8 ,nay2 but of the resurrection of the ,lord ,jesus4 ,this was the stupendous fact that glorified ,god and ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ4 ,it was this that attested1 in the view of all created intelligences1 the divine complacency in the work of redemption4 ,it was this that demonstrated1 in the most marvelous way1 the complete and eternal overthrow of the kingdom of ,satan and all the powers of darkness4 ,it was this that declared the full and everlasting deliverance of all who believe in ,jesus--their deliverance1 not only from all the consequences of their sins1 but from this present evil world1 and from every link that bound them to that old creation which lies under the power of evil4 ,no marvel1 therefore1 if the apostles1 filled as they were with the ,holy ,ghost1 persistently and powerfully presented the magnificent truth of resurrection4 ,hear them again before the council--a council composed of the great religious leaders and guides of the people4 ,the ,god of our fathers raised up ,jesus1 whom ye slew1 and hanged on a tree4 ,they were at issue with ,god on the all-important question as to ,his ,son4 ,they had slain ,him1 but ,god raised ,him from the dead4 ,him hath ,god exalted with ,his right hand1 a ,prince and a ,saviour1 for to give repentance to ,israel1 and remission of sins4 ,so also in ,peter's address to the ,gentiles1 in the house of ,cornelius1 speaking of ,jesus of ,nazareth1 he says1 whom they slew1 and hanged on a tree1 ,him ,god raised up the third day1 and showed ,him openly3 not to all the people1 but unto witnesses chosen before of ,god1 to us who did eat and drink with ,him after ,he rose from the dead4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is careful to set forth the weighty and1 to us1 profoundly interesting fact that ,god raised up ,his ,son ,jesus4 ,this fact has a double bearing4 ,it proves that ,god is at issue with the world1 seeing ,he has raised1 exalted and glorified the very ,one whom they slew and hanged on a tree4 ,but1 blessed throughout all ages be ,his holy name1 it proves that ,he has found eternal rest and satisfaction as to us1 and all that was or could be against us1 seeing ,he has raised up the very ,one who took our place and stood charged with all our sin and guilt4 ,but all this will come more fully out as we proceed with our proofs4 ,let us now listen for a moment to ,paul's address in the synagogue at ,antioch4 ,men1 brethren1 children of the stock of ,abraham1 and whosoever among you feareth ,god1 to you is the word of this salvation sent4 ,for they that dwell at ,jerusalem1 and their rulers1 because they knew ,him not1 nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every ,sabbath day1 they have fulfilled them in condemning ,him4 ,and though they found no cause of death in ,him1 yet desired they ,pilate that ,he should be slain4 ,and when they had fulfilled all that was written of ,him1 they took ,him down from the tree1 and laid ,him in a sepulchre4 ,but ,god raised ,him from the dead4 ,and ,he was seen many days of them which came up with ,him from ,galilee to ,jerusalem1 who are ,his witnesses unto the people4 ,and we declare unto you glad tidings1 how that the promise which was made unto the fathers1 ,god hath fulfilled the same unto us their children1 in that ,he hath raised up ,jesus2 as it is also written in the second psalm1 ,thou art ,my ,son1 this day have ,i begotten ,thee4 ,and as concerning that ,he raised ,him up from the dead1 no more to return to corruption1 ,he said on this wise1 ,i will give you the sure mercies of ,david4 ,wherefore ,he saith also in another psalm1 ,thou shalt not suffer ,thy ,holy ,one to see corruption4 ,for ,david1 after he had served his own generation by the will of ,god1 fell on sleep1 and was laid unto his fathers1 and saw corruption3 but ,he whom ,god raised again saw no corruption4 ,then follows the powerful appeal which1 though not bearing upon our present line of argument1 we cannot omit in this place4 ,be it known unto you therefore1 men and brethren1 that through this ,man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins3 and by ,him all that believe are justified from all things1 from which ye could not be justified by the law of ,moses4 ,beware therefore1 lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the prophets3 ,behold1 ye despisers1 and wonder1 and perish2 for ,i work a work in your days1 a work which ye shall in no wise believe1 though a man declare it unto you 7,acts xiii4 #bf-da74 ,we shall close our series of proofs from the ,acts of the ,apostles by a brief quotation from ,paul's address at ,athens4 ,forasmuch then as we are the offspring of ,god1 we ought not to think that the ,godhead is like unto gold1 or silver1 or stone1 graven by art and man's device4 ,and the times of this ignorance ,god overlooked2 but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent2 because ,he hath appointed a day in the which ,he will judge the world in righteousness by that ,man whom ,he hath ordained2 whereof ,he hath given assurance unto all1 in that ,he hath raised ,him from the dead 7,acts xvii474 ,this is a very remarkable and deeply solemn passage4 ,the proof that ,god is going to judge the world in righteousness--a proof offered to all--is that ,he has raised ,his ordained ,man from the dead4 ,he does not here name the ,man2 but at verse #ah we are told that some of the ,athenians deemed the apostle a setter forth of strange gods1 because he preached unto them ,jesus and the resurrection4 ,from all this it is perfectly plain that the blessed apostle ,paul gave a most prominent place in all his preachings to the glorious truth of resurrection4 ,whether he addresses a congregation of ,jews in the synagogue at ,antioch1 or an assembly of ,gentiles on ,mars' ,hill at ,athens1 he presents a risen ,christ4 ,in a word1 he was characterized by the fact that he preached not merely the incarnation and the crucifixion1 but the resurrection2 and this1 too1 in all its mighty moral bearings--its bearing upon man in his individual state and destiny2 its bearing upon the world as a whole1 in its history in the past1 its moral condition in the present1 and its certain doom in the future2 in its bearing upon the believer1 proving his absolute1 complete and eternal justification before ,god1 and his thorough deliverance from this present evil world4 ,and we have to bear in mind that in apostolic preaching the resurrection was not presented as a mere doctrine1 but as a living1 telling1 mighty moral fact--a fact1 the magnitude of which is beyond all power of human utterance or thought4 ,the apostles1 in carrying out the great commission of their ,lord1 pressed the stupendous fact that ,god had raised ,jesus from the dead--had raised the ,man who was nailed to the cross and buried in the grave4 ,in short1 they preached a resurrection gospel4 ,their preaching was governed by these words1 ,it was necessary that ,christ should suffer1 and rise from the dead the third day4 ,we shall now turn for a moment to the ,epistles1 and see the wondrous way in which the ,holy ,ghost unfolds and applies the fact of resurrection4 ,but ere doing so we would call the reader's attention to a passage which is sadly misunderstood and misapplied4 ,the apostle1 in writing to the ,corinthians1 says1 ,we preach ,christ crucified4 ,these words are continually quoted for the purpose of casting a damper on those who earnestly desire to advance in the knowledge of divine things4 ,but a moment's serious attention to the context would be sufficient to show the true meaning of the apostle4 ,did he confine himself to the fact of the crucifixion8 ,the bare idea1 in the face of the body of ,scripture which we have quoted1 is simply absurd4 ,the fact is1 the glorious truth of resurrection shines out in all his discourses4 ,what1 then1 does the apostle mean when he declares1 ,we preach ,christ crucified8 ,simply this1 that the ,christ whom he preached was the ,one whom the world crucified4 ,he was a rejected1 outcast ,christ--one assigned by the world to a malefactor's gibbet4 ,what a fact for the poor ,corinthians1 so full of vanity and love for this world's wisdom6 ,a crucified ,christ was the one whom ,paul preached1 to the ,jews a stumbling-block1 and unto the ,greeks foolishness2 but to those that are called1 both ,jews and ,greeks1 ,christ the power of ,god1 and the wisdom of ,god4 ,because the foolishness of ,god is wiser than men1 and the weakness of ,god is stronger than men4 ,remarkable words6 words divinely suited to people prone to boast themselves in the so-called wisdom and greatness of this world--the vain reasonings and imaginations of the poor human mind1 which all perish in a moment4 ,all the wisdom of ,god1 all ,his power1 all ,his greatness1 all ,his glory1 all that ,he is1 in short1 comes out in a crucified ,christ4 ,the ,cross confounds the world1 vanquishes ,satan and all the powers of darkness1 saves all who believe1 and forms the solid foundation of the everlasting and universal glory of ,god4 ,we shall now turn for a moment to a very beautiful passage in ,rom4 iv41 in which the inspired writer sets forth the subject of resurrection in a most edifying way for us4 ,speaking of ,abraham1 he says1 ,who against hope believed in hope1 that he might become the father of many nations1 according to that which was spoken1 ,so shall thy seed be4 ,and being not weak in faith1 he considered not his own body now dead1 when he was about a hundred years old1 neither yet the deadness of ,sarah's womb3 he staggered not at the promise of ,god through unbelief1--which is always sure to stagger1--but was strong in faith1 giving glory to ,god--as faith always does2 and being fully persuaded that what ,he had promised ,he was able also to perform4 ,and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness4 ,and then1 lest any should say that all this applied only to ,abraham1 who was such a devoted1 holy1 remarkable man1 the inspiring ,spirit adds1 with singular grace and sweetness1 ,now it was not written for his sake alone1 that it was imputed to him1 but for us also1 to whom it shall be imputed1 if we believe on ,him that--what8 ,gave ,his ,son8 ,bruised ,his ,son on the cross8 ,not merely this1 but that raised up ,jesus our ,lord from the dead4 ,here lies the grand point of the apostle's blessed and powerful argument4 ,we must1 if we would have settled peace1 believe in ,god as the ,one who raised up ,jesus from the dead1 and who in so doing proved ,himself friendly to us1 and proved too ,his infinite satisfaction in the work of the ,cross4 ,jesus1 having been delivered for our offenses1 could not be where ,he now is if a single one of these offenses remained unatoned for4 ,but1 blessed forever be the ,god of all grace1 ,he raised from among the dead the ,one who had been delivered for our offenses2 and to all who believe in ,him righteousness shall be reckoned4 ,it behooved ,christ to suffer1 and to rise from the dead the third day4 ,see how this glorious theme1 the basis of the great commission1 expands under our gaze as we pursue our study of it6 ,one more brief quotation shall close this paper4 ,in ,heb4 xiii4 we read1 ,now the ,god of peace1 that brought again from the dead our ,lord ,jesus1 that great ,shepherd of the sheep1 through the blood of the everlasting covenant4 ,this is uncommonly fine4 ,the ,god of judgment met the ,sin-bearer at the cross1 and there1 with ,him1 entered thoroughly into and definitively settled the question of sin4 ,and then1 in glorious proof that all was done--sin atoned for--guilt put away--,satan silenced--,god glorified--all divinely accomplished--the ,god of peace entered the scene1 and raised from the dead our ,lord ,jesus1 that great ,shepherd of the sheep4 ,beloved reader1 how glorious is all this6 ,how enfranchising to all who simply believe6 ,jesus is risen4 ,his sufferings are over forever4 ,god has exalted ,him4 ,eternal ,justice has wreathed ,his blessed brow with a diadem of glory2 and1 wondrous fact1 that very diadem is the eternal demonstration that all who believe are justified from all things1 and accepted in a risen and glorified ,christ4 ,eternal and universal hallelujahs to the ,father1 and to the ,son1 and to the ,holy ,ghost6 ,,part ,,vii4 ,we are now called to consider the deeply important subject of the authority on which the great commission proceeds4 ,this we have presented to us in that one commanding and most comprehensive sentence ,it is written--a sentence which ought to be engraved in characters deep and broad on the tablet of every ,christian's heart4 ,nothing can possibly be more interesting or edifying than to note the way in which our blessed ,lord on all occasions and under all circumstances exalts the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,he1 though ,god over all1 blessed forever1 and as such the ,author of all ,scripture1 yet1 having taken ,his place as man on the earth1 ,he plainly sets forth what is the bounden duty of every man1 and that is to be absolutely1 completely and abidingly governed by the authority of ,scripture4 ,see ,him in conflict with ,satan6 ,how does ,he meet him8 ,simply as each one of us should meet him--by the written ,word4 ,it could be no example to us had our ,lord vanquished him by the putting forth of divine power4 ,of course ,he could1 there and then1 have consigned him to the bottomless pit or the lake of fire1 but that would have been no example for us1 inasmuch as we could not so overcome4 ,but on the other hand1 when we find the blessed ,one referring to ,holy ,scripture1 when we find ,him appealing again and again to that divine authority1 when we find ,him putting the adversary to flight simply by the written ,word1 we learn in the most impressive manner the place1 the value and the authority of the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,and is it not of the very last possible importance to have this great lesson impressed upon us at the present moment8 ,unquestionably it is4 ,if ever there was a moment in the history of the ,church of ,god when it behooved ,christians to bow down their whole moral being to this very lesson1 it is the moment through which we are just now passing4 ,on all hands the divine authority1 integrity1 plenary inspiration and all-sufficiency of ,holy ,scripture are called in question4 ,the word of ,god is openly insulted and flung aside4 ,its integrity is called in question1 and that too in quarters where we should least expect it4 ,at our colleges and universities our young men are continually assailed by infidel attacks upon the blessed word of ,god4 ,men who are in total spiritual blindness1 and who therefore cannot possibly know anything whatever about divine things1 and are utterly incompetent to give an opinion on the subject of ,holy ,scripture1 have the cool audacity to insult the sacred volume1 to pronounce the five books of ,moses an imposture1 to assert that ,moses never wrote them at all6 ,what is the opinion of such men worth8 ,not worth the weight of a feather4 ,who would think of going to a man who was born in a coal mine1 and had never seen the sun1 to get his judgment as to the properties of light1 or the effect of the sun's beams upon the human constitution8 ,who would think of going to one who was born blind to get his opinion upon colors1 or the effect of light and shade8 ,surely no one in his senses4 ,well1 then1 with how much more moral force1 may we not ask1 who would think of going to an unconverted man--a man dead in trespasses and sins--a man spiritually blind1 wholly ignorant of things divine1 spiritual1 and heavenly--who would think for a moment of going to such a one for a judgment on the weighty question of ,holy ,scripture8 ,and if such a one were audacious enough1 in ignorant self-confidence1 to offer an opinion on such a subject1 what man in his sober senses would think of giving the slightest heed8 ,it will perhaps be said1 ,the illustration does not apply4 ,why not8 ,we admit it fails in force1 but most certainly not in its moral application4 ,is it not a commonly received axiom amongst us that no man has any right to give an opinion on a subject of which he is totally ignorant8 ,no doubt4 ,well1 what does the blessed apostle say as to the unconverted man8 ,we quote the whole context for the reader4 ,it is morally grand1 and its interest and value just now are unspeakable4 ,and ,i1 brethren1 when ,i came to you1 came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom1 declaring unto you the testimony of ,god4 ,for ,i determined not to know anything among you save ,jesus ,christ1 and ,him crucified4 ,and ,i was with you in weakness1 and in fear1 and in much trembling4 ,and my speech and my preaching were not with enticing words of man's wisdom1 but in demonstration of the ,spirit and of power3 that your faith--mark these words1 beloved reader--should not stand in the wisdom of men1 but in the power of ,god4 ,howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect2 yet not the wisdom of this world1 nor of the princes of this world1 that come to naught4 ,but we speak the wisdom of ,god in a mystery1 even the hidden wisdom which ,god ordained before the world unto our glory3 which none of the princes of this world knew2 for had they known it1 they would not have crucified the ,lord of glory4 ,but1 as it is written1 ,eye hath not seen1 nor ear heard1 neither have entered into the heart of man1 the things which ,god hath prepared for them that love ,him4 ,but ,god hath revealed them to us by ,his ,spirit2--otherwise they could not possibly be known2--for the ,spirit1 searcheth all things1 yea1 the deep things of ,god4 ,for what man knoweth the things of a man1 save the spirit of man which is in him8 ,even so the things of ,god knoweth no man1 but the ,spirit of ,god4 ,now we--all true believers1 all ,god's children--have received1 not the spirit of the world1 but the ,spirit which is of ,god2 that we might know the things that are freely given to us of ,god4 ,which things also we speak1 not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth1 but which the ,holy ,ghost teacheth2 comparing spiritual things with spiritual--or1 communicating spiritual things through a spiritual medium4 ,but the natural man receiveth not the things of the ,spirit of ,god2 neither can he know them1--be he ever so wise and learned1--because they are spiritually discerned4 ,but he that is spiritual judgeth all things1 yet he himself is judged of no man4 ,for who hath known the mind of the ,lord1 that he may instruct ,him8 ,but we have the mind of ,christ 7#a ,cor4 ii4 #a-af74 ,we dare not offer an apology for giving so lengthened an extract from the word of ,god4 ,we deem it invaluable1 not only because it proves that it is only by divine teaching that divine things can be understood1 but also because it completely withers up all man's pretensions to give judgment as to ,scripture4 ,if the natural man cannot know the things of the ,spirit of ,god1 then it is perfectly plain that all infidel attacks upon the word of ,god are absolutely unworthy of the very smallest attention4 ,in fact1 all infidel writers1 be they ever so clever1 ever so wise1 ever so learned1 are put out of court2 they are not to be listened to for a moment4 ,the judgment of an unconverted man in reference to the ,holy ,scriptures is more worthless than the judgment of an uneducated plowman as to the use of the differential calculus1 or the truth of the ,copernican system4 ,as to each1 we have only to say1 he knows nothing whatever about the matter4 ,his thoughts are absolutely good for nothing4 ,but how truly delightful and refreshing to turn from man's worthless notions1 and see the way in which our blessed ,lord ,jesus ,christ prized and used the ,holy ,scriptures6 ,in ,his conflict with ,satan1 ,he appeals three times over to the book of ,deuteronomy4 ,it is written is ,his one simple and unanswerable reply to the suggestions of the enemy4 ,he does not reason4 ,he does not argue or explain4 ,he does not refer to ,his own personal feelings1 evidences1 or experiences4 ,he does not argue from the great facts of the opened heavens1 the descending ,spirit1 the voice of the ,father--precious and real as all these things were4 ,he simply takes ,his stand upon the divine and eternal authority of the ,holy ,scriptures1 and of that portion of the ,scriptures in particular which modern infidels have audaciously attacked4 ,he uses as ,his authority that which they are not afraid to pronounce an imposture6 ,how dreadful for them6 ,what will be their end1 unless they repent8 ,but not only did the ,son of ,god--,himself1 as ,god1 the ,author of every line of ,holy ,scripture--use the word of ,god as ,his only weapon against the enemy1 but ,he made it also the basis and the material of ,his public ministry4 ,when ,his conflict in the wilderness was over1 ,he returned in the power of the ,spirit into ,galilee3 and there went out a fame of ,him through all the region round about4 ,and ,he taught in their synagogues1 being glorified of all4 ,and ,he came to ,nazareth1 where ,he had been brought up2 and1 as ,his custom was1 ,he went into the synagogue on the ,sabbath day1 and stood up for to read--,his custom was to read the ,scriptures publicly4 ,and there was delivered unto ,him the book of the prophet ,esaias4 ,here ,he puts ,his seal upon the prophet ,isaiah1 as before upon the law of ,moses4 ,and when ,he had opened the book1 ,he found the place where it was written1 ,the ,spirit of the ,lord is upon ,me1 because ,he hath anointed ,me to preach the gospel to the poor2 ,he hath sent ,me to heal the broken-hearted1 to preach deliverance to the captives1 and recovering of sight to the blind1 to set at liberty them that are bruised1 to preach the acceptable year of the ,lord 7,luke iv474 ,let us turn now to that most solemn parable of the rich man and ,lazarus1 at the close of ,luke xvi41 in which we have a solemn testimony from the ,master's own lips to the integrity1 value and surpassing importance of ,moses and the ,prophets--the very portions of the divine ,word which infidels impiously assail4 ,the rich man in torment--alas1 no longer rich1 but miserably and eternally poor6--entreats ,abraham to send ,lazarus to warn his five brethren1 lest they also should come into that place of torment4 ,mark the reply6 ,mark it1 all ye infidels1 rationalists1 and skeptics6 ,mark it1 all ye who are in danger of being deluded and turned aside by the impudent and blasphemous suggestions of infidelity6 ,abraham saith unto him1 ,they have ,moses and the ,prophets2 let them hear them4 ,yes2 hear them--hear those very writings which infidels tell us are not divinely inspired at all1 but documents palmed upon us by impostors pretending to inspiration4 ,assuredly the rich man knew better2 indeed1 the devil himself knows better4 ,there is no thought of calling in question the genuineness of ,moses and the ,prophets2 but perhaps if one went unto them from the dead1 they will repent4 ,hear the weighty rejoinder6 ,and he said unto him1 ,if they hear not ,moses and the ,prophets1 neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead4 ,now we must confess we rejoice exceedingly in the grandeur of this testimony4 ,nothing can be clearer1 nothing higher1 nothing more thoroughly confirmatory as to the supreme authority and divine integrity of ,moses and the ,prophets4 ,we have the blessed ,lord ,himself setting ,his seal to the two grand divisions of ,old ,testament ,scripture2 and hence we may with all possible confidence commit our souls to the authority of these holy writings2 and not only to ,moses and the ,prophets1 but to the whole canon of inspiration1 inasmuch as ,moses and the ,prophets are so largely and so constantly quoted everywhere1 are so intimately1 yea1 indissolubly1 bound up with every part of the ,new ,testament1 that all must stand or fall together4 ,but we must pass on1 and turn for a moment to the last chapter of ,luke--that precious section which contains the great commission whereof we speak4 ,we might refer with profit and blessing to those occasions in which our blessed ,lord1 in ,his interviews with ,pharisees1 ,sadducees1 and lawyers1 ever and only appeals to the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,in short1 whether in conflict with men or devils1 whether speaking in private or in public1 whether for ,his public ministry or for ,his private walk1 we find the perfect ,man1 the ,lord from heaven1 always putting the very highest honor upon the writings of ,moses and the ,prophets1 thus commending them to us in all their divine integrity1 and giving us the very fullest and most blessed encouragement to commit our souls1 for time and eternity1 with absolute confidence1 to those peerless writings4 ,but we turn to ,luke xxiv41 and listen to the glowing words uttered in the ears of the two bewildered travelers to ,emmaus--words which are the sure and blessed remedy for all bewilderment--the perfect solution of every honest difficulty--the divine and all-satisfying answer to every upright inquiry4 ,we do not quote the words of the perplexed disciples2 but here is the ,master's reply4 ,then said ,he unto them1 ,o fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken6 ,alas6 nowadays a man is counted a fool if he does believe all that the prophets have spoken4 ,in many learned circles1 yea1 and in not a few religious circles likewise1 the man who avows--as every true man ought--his hearty belief in every line of ,holy ,scripture1 is almost sure to be met with a sneer of contempt4 ,it is deemed clever to doubt the genuineness of ,scripture1--fatal1 detestable cleverness1 from which may the good ,lord deliver us6--cleverness which is sure to lead the soul that is ensnared by it down into the dark and dreary abyss of atheism1 and the darker and more dreary abyss of hell4 ,from all such cleverness1 we again say1 from the profoundest depths of our moral being1 may ,god1 in ,his mercy1 deliver us and all our young people6 ,beloved reader1 have we not much cause to bless the ,lord for these words of ,his addressed to ,his poor perplexed ones on their way to ,emmaus8 ,they may seem severe2 but it is the necessary severity of a pure1 a perfect1 and a divinely wise love4 ,o fools1 and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken6 ,ought not ,christ to have suffered these things1 and to enter into ,his glory8 ,and--mark these words6--beginning at ,moses and all the ,prophets1 ,he expounded unto them in all the ,scriptures the things concerning ,himself4 ,he ,himself--all homage to ,his glorious person6--is the divine centre of all the things contained in the ,scriptures from cover to cover4 ,he is the golden chain that binds into one marvelous and magnificent whole every part of the inspired volume1 from ,genesis to ,revelation4 ,hence the man that touches a single section of the sacred canon is guilty of the heinous sin of seeking to overthrow the word of ,god2 and of such a man even charity itself must say he knows neither the ,christ of ,god nor ,god ,himself4 ,the man who dares to tamper in any way with the word of ,god has taken the first step on that inclined plane that leads inevitably down to eternal perdition4 ,let men beware1 then1 how they speak against the ,scriptures2 and if some will speak1 let others beware how they listen4 ,if there were no infidel listeners1 there would be few infidel lecturers4 ,how awful to think that there should be either the one or the other in this our highly favored land6 ,may ,god have mercy upon them1 and open their eyes ere it be too late6 ,five minutes in hell will quash forever all the infidel theories that ever were propounded in this world4 ,oh1 the egregious folly of infidelity6 ,we return to our chapter1 which furnishes one more proof of the place assigned by our risen ,lord to the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,after having manifested ,himself in infinite grace and tranquilizing power to ,his troubled disciples1 having shown them ,his hands and ,his feet1 and assured them of ,his personal identity by eating in their presence1 ,he said unto them1 ,these are the words which ,i spake unto you while ,i was yet with you1 that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of ,moses1 and in the ,prophets1 and in the ,psalms1 concerning ,me4 ,then opened ,he their understanding1 that they might understand the ,scriptures1 and said unto them1 ,thus it is written4 ,here again we have the divine seal put upon all the grand divisions of the ,old ,testament4 ,this is most comforting and strengthening for all pious lovers of ,scripture4 ,to find our ,lord ,himself on all occasions1 and under all circumstances1 referring to ,scripture1 using it at all times and for all purposes1 feeding upon it ,himself and commending it to others1 wielding it as the sword of the ,spirit1 bowing to its holy authority in all things1 appealing to it as the only perfect standard1 test and touchstone1 the only infallible guide for man in this world1 the only unfailing light amid all the surrounding moral gloom--all this is comforting and encouraging in the very highest degree1 and it fills our hearts with deepest praise to the ,father of mercies who has so provided for us in all our weakness and need4 ,here we might close this branch of our subject1 but we feel bound to furnish our readers with two more uncommonly fine illustrations of our thesis2 one from the ,acts1 and one from the ,epistles4 ,in ,acts xxiv4 the apostle ,paul1 in his address to ,felix1 thus expresses himself as to the ground of his faith3 ,but this ,i confess unto thee1 that after the way which they call heresy1 so worship ,i the ,god of my fathers1 believing all things which are written in the ,law and in the ,prophets4 ,so1 then1 he reverently believed in ,moses and the ,prophets4 ,he fully accepted the ,old ,testament ,scriptures as the solid foundation of his faith1 and as the divine authority for his entire course4 ,now how did ,paul know that the ,scriptures were given of ,god8 ,he knew it in the only way in which any one can know it1 namely1 by divine teaching4 ,god alone can give the knowledge that the ,holy ,scriptures are ,his own very revelation to man4 ,if ,he does not give it1 no one can2 if ,he does1 no one need4 ,if ,i want human evidence to accredit the word of ,god1 it is not the word of ,god to me4 ,the authority on which ,i receive it is higher than the ,word itself4 ,supposing ,i could by reason or human learning work my way to the rational conclusion that the ,bible is the word of ,god1 then my faith would merely stand in the wisdom of man1 and not in the power of ,god4 ,such a faith is worthless2 it does not link me with ,god1 and therefore leaves me unsaved1 unblessed1 uncertain4 ,it leaves me without ,god1 without ,christ1 without hope4 ,saving faith is believing what ,god says because ,he says it1 and this faith is wrought in the soul by the ,holy ,spirit4 ,intellectual faith is a cold1 lifeless1 worthless faith1 which only deceives and puffs up2 it never can save1 sanctify1 or satisfy4 99 99 99 99 99 ,we turn now to #b ,tim4 iii4 #ad-ag4 ,the aged apostle1 at the close of his marvelous career1 from his prison at ,rome1 looking back at the whole of his ministry1 looking around at the failure and ruin so sadly apparent on every side1 looking forward to the terrible consummation of the last days1 and looking beyond all to the crown of righteousness which the ,lord1 the righteous ,judge1 shall give in that day1 thus addresses his beloved son3 ,but continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of1 knowing of whom thou hast learned2 and that from a child thou hast known the ,holy ,scriptures1 which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in ,christ ,jesus4 ,all ,scripture is given by inspiration of ,god1 and is profitable for doctrine1 for reproof1 for correction1 for instruction in righteousness2 that the man of ,god may be perfect 7complete71 thoroughly furnished unto all good works4 ,all this is unspeakably precious to every true lover of the word of ,god4 ,the place here assigned1 and the virtues here attributed1 to the ,holy ,scriptures are beyond all price4 ,in short1 it is utterly impossible to overstate the value and importance of the foregoing quotation4 ,it is deeply touching to find the revered and beloved old veteran1 in the full power of the ,holy ,ghost1 recalling ,timothy to the days of his childhood1 when1 at the knees of his pious mother1 he drank at the pure fountain of inspiration4 ,how did the dear child know that these holy writings were the word of ,god8 ,he knew it just in the same way that the blessed apostle himself knew it1 by their divine power and effect upon his heart and conscience through the ,holy ,ghost4 ,did the ,holy ,scriptures need man's credentials8 ,what an insult to the dignity of ,scripture to imagine that any human seal or guarantee is necessary to accredit it to the soul6 ,do we want the authority of the ,church1 the judgment of the ,fathers1 the decrees of councils1 the consent of the doctors1 the decision of the universities1 to accredit the word of ,god8 ,far away be the thought6 ,who would think of bringing out a rushlight at noon to prove that the sun shines1 or to bring home its beams in their genial virtue to the human frame8 ,what son would think of taking his father's letter to an ignorant crossing-sweeper to have it accredited and interpreted to his heart8 ,these figures are feebleness itself when used to illustrate the egregious folly of submitting the ,holy ,scriptures to the judgment of any human mind4 ,no1 reader1 the word of ,god speaks for itself4 ,it carries its own powerful credentials with it4 ,its own internal evidences are amply sufficient for every pious1 right-minded1 humble child of ,god4 ,it needs no letter of commendation from men4 ,no doubt external evidences have their value and their interest4 ,human testimony must go for what it is worth4 ,we may rest assured that the more thoroughly all human evidence is sifted1 and the nearer all human testimony approaches to the truth1 the more fully and distinctly will all concur in demonstrating the genuineness and integrity of our precious ,bible4 ,and further1 we must declare our deep and settled conviction that no infidel theory can hold water for a moment2 no infidel argument can pass muster with an honest mind4 ,we invariably find that all infidel assaults upon the ,bible recoil upon the heads of those who make them4 ,infidel writers make fools of themselves1 and leave the divine volume just where it always was1 and where it always will be1 like an impregnable rock1 against which the waves of infidel thought dash themselves in contemptible impotency4 ,there stands the word of ,god in its divine majesty1 in its heavenly power1 in its beautiful simplicity1 in its matchless glory1 in its unfathomed because unfathomable depths1 in its never-failing freshness and power of adaptation1 in its marvelous comprehensiveness1 in its vastness of scope1 its perfect unity1 its thorough uniqueness4 ,the ,bible stands alone4 ,there is nothing like it in the wide world of literature2 and if anything further were needed to prove that that book which we call ,the ,bible is in very deed the living and eternal word of ,god1 it may be found in the ceaseless efforts of the devil to prove that it is not4 ,forever1 ,o ,lord1 ,thy word is settled in heaven4 ,what remains1 beloved reader1 for thee8 ,just this3 ,thy word have ,i hid in my heart1 that ,i might not sin against ,thee4 ,thus it stands1 blessed be ,his holy name2 and when we have ,his ,word hid in the depths of our hearts1 the theories and the arguments1 the reasonings or the ravings1 the questionings and the conclusions of skeptics1 rationalists and infidels1 will be to us of less moment than the pattering of rain upon the window4 ,thus much as to the weighty question of the authority upon which the great commission proceeds4 ,the immense importance of the subject1 and the special character of the moment through which we are passing1 must account for the unusual length of this article4 ,we feel profoundly thankful for an opportunity of bearing our feeble testimony to the power1 authority1 all-sufficiency and divine glory of the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,thanks be to ,god for ,his unspeakable gift6 ,,part ,,viii4 ,in full keeping with all that has passed in review before us is the sphere of the great commission1 as set forth in that comprehensive clause1 ,among all nations4 ,such was to be the wide range of those heralds whom the risen ,lord was sending forth to preach repentance and remission of sins4 ,theirs was emphatically a world-wide mission4 ,in ,matt4 x4 we find something quite different4 ,there the ,lord1 in sending forth the twelve apostles1 commanded them1 saying1 ,go not into the way of the ,gentiles1 and into any city of the ,samaritans enter ye not4 ,this was to be a mission exclusively to the house of ,israel4 ,there was no message for the ,gentiles1 no word for the poor ,samaritans4 ,if these messengers approached a city of the uncircumcised1 they were on no account to enter it4 ,the ways of ,god--,his dispensational dealings--demanded a circumscribed sphere for the twelve apostles sent forth by the ,messiah in the days of ,his flesh4 ,the lost sheep of the house of ,israel were to be the special objects of their ministry4 ,but in ,luke xxiv4 all is changed4 ,the dispensational barriers are no longer to interfere with the messengers of grace4 ,israel is not to be forgotten1 but the ,gentiles are to hear the glad tidings4 ,the sun of ,god's salvation must now pour its living beams over the whole world4 ,not a soul is to be excluded from the blessed light4 ,every city1 every town1 every village1 every hamlet1 every street1 lane and alley1 hedge and highway1 must be diligently and lovingly searched out and visited1 so that every creature under heaven might hear the good news of a full and free salvation4 ,how like our ,god is all this6 ,how worthy of ,his large1 loving heart6 ,he would have the tide of ,his salvation flowing from pole to pole1 and from the river to the ends of the earth4 ,his righteousness is unto all1 and the sweet tale of ,his pardoning love must be wafted far and wide over a lost and guilty world4 ,such is ,his most gracious purpose1 however tardy ,his servants may be in carrying it out4 ,it is of the greatest importance to have a clear view as to this branch of our subject4 ,it brings out the character of ,god in a very magnificent light1 and it leaves man wholly without excuse4 ,salvation is sent to the ,gentiles4 ,there is absolutely no limit1 and no obstacle4 ,like the sun in the heavens1 it shines on all4 ,if a man will persist in hiding himself in a mine or in a tunnel1 so that he cannot see the sun1 he has none but himself to blame4 ,it is no defect in the sun if all do not enjoy his beams4 ,he shines for all4 ,and in like manner1 the grace of ,god that bringeth salvation unto all men hath appeared4 ,no one need perish because he is a poor lost sinner1 for ,god will have all to be saved1 and to come to the knowledge of the truth4 ,he willeth not that any should perish1 but that all should come to repentance4 ,and then1 that not a single feature might be lacking to set forth with all possible force and fulness the royal grace which breathes in the great commission1 our blessed ,lord does not fail to point out to ,his servants the remarkable spot which was to be the centre of their sphere4 ,he tells them to begin at ,jerusalem4 ,yes1 ,jerusalem1 where our ,lord was crucified2 where every indignity that human enmity could invent was heaped upon ,his divine person2 where a murderer and a robber was preferred to ,god manifest in the flesh2 where human iniquity had reached its culminating point in nailing the ,son of ,god to a malefactor's cross--there the messengers were to begin their blessed work2 that was to be the centre of the sphere of their gracious operations2 and from thence they were to travel to the utmost bounds of the habitable globe4 ,they were to begin with ,jerusalem sinners--with the very murderers of the ,son of ,god1 and then go forth to publish everywhere the glorious tidings1 so that all might know that precious grace of ,god which was sufficient to meet the crimson guilt of ,jerusalem itself4 ,how glorious is all this6 ,the guilty murderers of the ,son of ,god were the very first to hear the sweet tale of pardoning love1 so that all men might see in them a pattern of what the grace of ,god and the blood of ,christ can do4 ,truly the grace that could pardon ,jerusalem sinners can pardon any one2 the blood that could cleanse the betrayers and murderers of the ,christ of ,god can cleanse any sinner outside the precincts of hell4 ,these heralds of salvation1 as they made their way from nation to nation1 could tell their hearers where they had come from2 they could tell of that superabounding grace of ,god which had commenced its operations in the guiltiest spot on the face of the earth1 and which was amply sufficient to meet the very vilest of the sons of ,adam4 ,sovereign grace o'er sin abounding3 ,ransomed souls the tidings swell2 ',tia a deep that knows no sounding2 ,who its length or breadth can tell8 ,precious grace of ,god6 ,may it be published with increased energy and clearness throughout the divinely appointed sphere4 ,alas1 alas1 that those who know it should be so slow to make it known to others6 ,that slowness is1 most surely1 not of ,god4 ,he absolutely delights in the publication of ,his saving1 pardoning grace4 ,he tells us that the feet of the evangelist are beautiful upon the mountains4 ,he assures us that the preaching of the ,cross is a sweet savor to ,his heart4 ,ought not all this to quicken our energies in the blessed work8 ,ought we not in every possible way to seek to carry out the gracious desire of the heart of ,god8 ,why are we so slow8 ,why so cold and indolent8 ,why so easily discouraged and repulsed8 ,why so ready to make excuses for not speaking to people about their souls8 ,there stands the great commission shining on the eternal page of inspiration in all its moral grandeur--its terms1 its basis1 its authority1 its sphere6 ,the work is not yet done4 ,nearly nineteen hundred years have rolled past since the risen ,saviour sent forth ,his messengers2 and still ,he waits1 in sweet1 long-suffering mercy1 not willing that any should perish4 ,why are we not more willing-hearted in carrying out the gracious desire of ,his heart8 ,it is not by any means necessary that we should be great preachers1 or powerful public speakers1 in order to carry on the precious work of evangelization4 ,what we want is a heart in communion with the heart of ,god1 the heart of ,christ1 and that will surely be a heart for souls4 ,we do not1 and cannot1 believe that one who is not led out in loving desire after the salvation of souls can really be in communion with the mind of ,christ4 ,we cannot be in ,his presence and not think of the souls of those around us4 ,for whoever cared for souls as ,he did8 ,mark ,his marvelous path6--,his ceaseless toil as a teacher and preacher6--,his thirst for the salvation and blessing of souls6 ,and has ,he not left us an example that we should follow ,his steps8 ,are we doing so in this one matter of making known the blessed gospel8 ,are we seeking to imitate ,him in ,his earnest diligence in seeking the lost8 ,see ,him at the well of ,sychar6 ,mark ,his whole deportment6 ,listen to ,his earnest1 loving words6 ,note the joy and refreshment of ,his spirit as ,he sees one poor sinner receiving ,his message6 ,i have meat to eat that ye know not of2 ,lift up your eyes1 and look on the fields2 for they are white already to harvest4 ,and he that reapeth receiveth wages1 and gathereth fruit unto life eternal2 that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together4 ,we would earnestly entreat the ,christian reader to consider this great subject in the divine presence4 ,we deeply feel its importance4 ,we cannot but judge that1 amid all the writing and reading1 all the speaking and hearing1 all the coming and going1 there is a sad lack of deep-toned1 earnest1 solemn dealing with individual souls4 ,how often do we rest satisfied with inviting people to come to the preaching1 instead of seeking to bring them directly to ,christ8 ,how often do we rest content with the periodical preaching1 instead of earnestly seeking1 all the week through1 to persuade souls to flee from the wrath to come8 ,no doubt it is good to preach1 and good to invite people to the preaching2 but we may rest assured there is something more than all this to be done1 and that something must be sought in deeper communion with the heart and mind of ,christ4 ,some there are who speak disparagingly of the blessed and holy work of evangelization4 ,we tremble for them4 ,we feel persuaded they are not in the current of the ,master's mind1 and hence we utterly reject their thoughts4 ,it is to be feared that their hearts are cold in reference to an object that engages the heart of ,god4 ,if so1 they would need to humble themselves in ,his presence1 and seek to get their souls restored to a true sense of the magnitude1 importance and interest of the grand question before us4 ,at least let them beware of how they seek to discourage and hinder others whose hearts the ,lord has moved to care for precious1 immortal souls4 ,the present is most assuredly not the time for raising difficulties1 and starting questions which can only prove stumbling-blocks in the pathway of earnest workers4 ,it becomes us to seek in every right way to strengthen the hands of all who are endeavoring1 according to their measure1 to publish the glad tidings1 and make known the unsearchable riches of ,christ4 ,let us see that we do so1 so far as in us lies2 and above all things1 let us never utter a sentence calculated to hinder any one in the blessed work of winning souls to ,christ4 ,but we must draw this paper1 and this series of papers1 to a close4 ,we might do so here1 were it not that there is one more point in our subject which we feel must not be omitted1 and that is the power by which the great commission was to be carried out4 ,to leave this out would be a great defect1 a serious blank indeed2 and we are the more anxious to notice it1 inasmuch as the special form in which the power was communicated links itself1 in a very remarkable way1 with that which has been before us in this paper4 ,if the sphere was to be all nations1 the power must be adapted thereto2 and1 blessed be ,god1 so it was4 ,our blessed ,lord1 in closing ,his commission to ,his disciples1 said1 ,and ye are witnesses of these things4 ,and behold1 ,i send the promise of ,my ,father upon you2 but tarry ye in the city of ,jerusalem1 until ye be endued with power from on high4 ,this promise was fulfilled1 this power was communicated on the day of ,pentecost4 ,the ,holy ,ghost came down from the ascended and glorified ,man1 to qualify ,his servants for the glorious work for which ,he had called them4 ,they had to tarry until they got the power4 ,how could they go without it8 ,who but the ,holy ,ghost could speak adequately of the love of ,god1 of the person1 work and glory of ,christ8 ,who but ,he could enable any one to preach repentance and remission of sins8 ,who but ,he could properly handle all the weighty subjects comprehended in the great commission8 ,in a word1 the power of the ,holy ,ghost is absolutely essential in every branch of ,christian service1 and all who go to work without it will find it to be barrenness1 misery1 and desolation4 ,but we must call the reader's special attention to the form in which the ,holy ,ghost came down on the day of ,pentecost4 ,it is full of deepest interest1 and lets us into the precious secret of the heart of ,god in a most touching manner4 ,let us turn to chapter ii4 of the ,acts of the ,apostles4 ,and when the day of ,pentecost was fully come1 they were all with one accord in one place--instructive and suggestive fact6--,and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind1 and it filled all the house where they were sitting4 ,and there appeared unto them cloven tongues1 like as of fire1 and it sat upon each of them4 ,and they were all filled with the ,holy ,ghost--,he had full possession of their hearts and minds1 full sway over their whole moral being--blessed condition6--,and they began to speak with other tongues 7not in the absurd and unintelligible jargon of cunning impostors or deluded fanatics1 but71 as the ,spirit gave them utterance4 ,and there were dwelling at ,jerusalem ,jews1 devout men1 out of every nation under heaven4 ,note this fact4 ,now when this was noised abroad1 the multitude came together1 and were confounded1 because that every man heard them speak in his own language4--,how real--how telling6--,and they were all amazed1 and marveled1 saying one to another1 ,behold1 are not all these which speak ,galileans8 ,and how hear we every man in our own tongue wherein we were born8--not merely wherein we were educated--,parthians1 and ,medes1 and ,elamites1 and the dwellers in ,mesopotamia1 and in ,judea1 and ,cappadocia1 in ,pontus and ,asia1 ,phrygia and ,pamphylia1 in ,egypt1 and in the parts of ,libya about ,cyrene1 and strangers of ,rome1 ,jews and proselytes1 ,cretes and ,arabians1 we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of ,god4 ,what a marvelous occurrence6 ,how marked the coincidence6 ,god so ordered it1 in ,his infinite wisdom and perfect grace1 that there should be assembled in the city of ,jerusalem1 at the exact moment1 people from every nation on the face of the whole earth1 in order that--even should the twelve apostles fail to carry out their commission--all might hear1 in the very dialect in which their mothers first whispered into their infant ears the accents of a mother's love1 the precious tidings of ,god's salvation4 ,can anything exceed this in interest8 ,who can fail to see in the fact here recorded that it was the loving desire of the heart of ,god to reach every creature under heaven with the sweet story of ,his grace8 ,the world had rejected the ,son of ,god1 had crucified and slain ,him2 but no sooner had ,he taken ,his seat at the right hand of ,god than down came the august ,witness1 ,god the ,spirit1 to speak to man--to every man--to speak to him1 not in accents of withering denunciation1 not in the thundering anathemas of judgment1 but in accents of deep and tender love1 to tell him of full remission of sins through the blood of the ,cross4 ,true1 ,he called on man to judge himself1 to repent1 to take his only true and proper place4 ,why not8 ,how could it be otherwise8 ,repentance is--as we have already fully shown and earnestly insisted upon in these papers--a universal and abiding necessity for man4 ,but the ,spirit of ,god came down to speak face to face with man1 to tell him in his own mother tongue of the wonderful works of ,god4 ,he did not speak to a ,hebrew in ,latin1 or to a ,roman in ,greek2 but ,he spoke to each in the very dialect in which he was born1 thus proving to a demonstration--proving in the most affecting manner possible--that it was ,god's gracious desire to make ,his way to man's heart in deepest1 richest1 fullest grace4 ,all homage to ,his name6 ,how different it was when the law was to be published from mount ,sinai6 ,if all the nations of the earth had been assembled round that fiery mount1 they could not have understood one word--unless1 indeed1 any one happened to know the ,hebrew tongue4 ,the law was addressed to one people1 it was wrapped up in one language1 it was enclosed in the ark4 ,god took no pains to publish the record of man's duty in every language under heaven4 ,but when grace was to be published1 when the glad tidings of salvation were to be sounded abroad1 when testimony was to be borne to a crucified1 risen1 ascended and coming ,saviour and ,lord1 then1 verily1 ,god the ,holy ,ghost came down1 for the purpose of fitting ,his messengers to speak to every man in a tongue which he could understand4 ,facts are powerful arguments1 and assuredly the above two facts1 in reference to the law and the gospel1 must speak to every heart1 in a manner the most convincing1 of the matchless grace of ,god4 ,god did not send forth heralds to publish the law to all nations4 ,no--this was reserved for the great commission on which we have been dwelling1 and which we now earnestly commend1 with all its great subjects1 to the serious attention of every reader4 ,c4 ,h4 ,m4 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's note3 ,variations in spelling1 punctuation and hyphenation have been retained except in obvious cases of typographical error4