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diff --git a/old/gdng10.txt b/old/gdng10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bbe8b17 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/gdng10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8897 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Good News of God, by Charles Kingsley + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The Good News of God + +Author: Charles Kingsley + +Release Date: December, 2004 [EBook #7051] +[This file was first posted on March 2, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD *** + + + + +Transcribed from the 1887 Macmillan and Co. edition by David Price, +email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk + + + + +THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD + + + + +SERMON I. THE BEATIFIC VISION + + + +MATTHEW xxii. 27. + +Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy +soul, and with all thy mind. + +These words often puzzle and pain really good people, because they +seem to put the hardest duty first. It seems, at times, so much more +easy to love one's neighbour than to love God. And strange as it may +seem, that is partly true. St. John tells us so--'He that loves not +his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not +seen?' Therefore many good people, who really do love God, are +unhappy at times because they feel that they do not love him enough. +They say in their hearts--'I wish to do right, and I try to do it: +but I am afraid I do not do it from love to God.' + +I think that they are often too hard upon themselves. I believe that +they are very often loving God with their whole hearts, when they +think that they are not doing so. But still, it is well to be afraid +of oneself, and dissatisfied with oneself. + +I think, too--nay, I am certain--that many good people do not love +God as they ought, and as they would wish to do, because they have +not been rightly taught who God is, and what He is like. They have +not been taught that God is loveable; they have been taught that God +feels feelings, and does deeds, which if a man felt, or did, we +should call him arbitrary, proud, revengeful, cruel: and yet they +are told to love him; and they do not know how to love such a being +as that. Nor do I either, my friends. + +Let us therefore think over to-day for ourselves why we ought to love +God; and why both Bible and Catechism bid child as well as man to +love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, and minds, before +they bid us love our neighbours. And keep this in mind all through, +that the reason why we are to love God must depend upon what God's +character is. For you cannot love any one because you are told to +love them. You can only love them because they are loveable and +worthy of your love. And that they will not be, unless they are +loving themselves; as it is written, we love God because he first +loved us. + +Now, friends, look at this one thing first. When we see any man do a +just action, or a kind action, do we not like to see it? Do we not +like the man the better for doing it? A man must be sunk very low in +stupidity and ill-feeling--dead in tresspasses and sins, as the Bible +calls it--if he does not. Indeed, I never saw the man yet, however +bad he was himself, who did not, in his better moments, admire what +was right and good; and say, 'Bad as I may be, that man is a good +man, and I wish I could do as he does.' + +One sees the same, but far more strongly, in little children. From +their earliest years, as far as I have ever seen, children like and +admire what is good, even though they be naughty themselves; and if +you tell them of any very loving, generous, or brave action, their +hearts leap up in answer to it. They feel at once how beautiful +goodness is. + +But why? + +St. John tells us. That feeling comes, he tells us, from Christ, the +light who is the life of men, and lights every man who comes into the +world; and that light in our hearts, which makes us see, and admire, +and love what is good, is none other than Christ himself shining in +our hearts, and showing to us his own likeness, and the beauty +thereof. + +But if we stop there; if we only admire what is good, without trying +to copy it, we shall lose that light. Our corrupt and diseased +nature (and corrupt and diseased it is, as we shall surely find, as +soon as we begin to try to do right) will quench that heavenly spark +in us more and more, till it dies out--as God forbid that it should +die out in any of us. For if it did die out, we should care no more +for what is good. We should see nothing beautiful, and noble, and +glorious, in being just, and loving, and merciful. And then, indeed, +we should see nothing worth loving in God himself:- and it were +better for us that we had never been born. + +But none of us, I trust, are fallen as low as that. We all, surely, +admire a good action, and love a good man. Surely we do. Then I +will go on, to ask you one question more. + +Did it ever strike you, that goodness is not merely A beautiful +thing, but THE beautiful thing--by far the most beautiful thing in +the world; and that badness is not merely AN ugly thing, but the +ugliest thing in the world?--So that nothing is to be compared for +value with goodness; that riches, honour, power, pleasure, learning, +the whole world and all in it, are not worth having, in comparison +with being good; and the utterly best thing for a man is to be good, +even though he were never to be rewarded for it: and the utterly +worst thing for a man is to be bad, even though he were never to be +punished for it; and, in a word, goodness is the only thing worth +loving, and badness the only thing worth hating. + +Did you ever feel this, my friends? Happy are those among you who +have felt it; for of you the Lord says, Blessed are they that hunger +and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled. Ay, happy +are you who have felt it; for it is the sign, the very and true sign, +that the Holy Spirit of God, who is the Spirit of goodness, is +working in your hearts with power, revealing to you the exceeding +beauty of holiness, and the exceeding sinfulness of sin. + +But did it never strike you besides, that goodness was one, and +everlasting? Let me explain what I mean. + +Did you never see, that all good men show their goodness in the same +way, by doing the same kind of good actions? Let them be English or +French, black or white, if they be good, there is the same honesty, +the same truthfulness, the same love, the same mercy in all; and what +is right and good for you and me, now and here, is right and good for +every man, everywhere, and at all times for ever. Surely, surely, +what is noble, and loveable, and admirable now, was so five thousand +years ago, and will be five thousand years hence. What is honourable +for us here, would be equally honourable for us in America or +Australia--ay, or in the farthest star in the skies. + +But, some of you may say, men at different times and in different +countries have had very different notions--indeed quite opposite +notions, of what men ought to be. + +I know that some people say so. I can only answer that I differ from +them. True, some men have had less light than others, and, God +knows, have made fearful mistakes enough, and fancied that they could +please God by behaving like devils: but on the first principles of +goodness, all the world has been pretty well agreed all along; for +wherever men have been taught what is really right, there have been +plenty of hearts to answer, 'Yes, this is good! this is what we have +wanted all along, though we knew it not.' And all the wisest men +among the heathen--the men who have been honoured, and even +worshipped as blessings to their fellow men, have agreed, one and +all, in the great and golden rule, 'Thou shalt love God, with all thy +heart and soul, and thy neighbour as thyself.' + +Believe about this as you may, my friends, still I believe, and will +believe; I preach, and will preach, this, and nought else but this:- +That there is but one everlasting goodness, which is good in men, +good in all rational beings--yea, good in God himself. + +These last are solemn words, but they are true; and the more you +think over them, the more, I tell you, will you find them true. And +to them I have been trying to lead you; and will try once more. + +For, did it never strike you, again--as it has me--and all the world +has looked different to me since I found it out--that there must be +ONE, in whom all goodness is gathered together; ONE, who must be +perfectly and absolutely good? And did it never strike you, that all +the goodness in the world must, in some way or other, come from HIM? +I believe that our hearts and reasons, if we will listen fairly to +them, tell us that it must be so; and I am certain that the Bible +tells us so, from beginning to end. When we see the million rain- +drops of the shower, we say, with reason, there must be one great sea +from which all these drops have come. When we see the countless rays +of light, we say, with reason, there must be one great central sun +from which all these are shed forth. And when we see, as it were, +countless drops, and countless rays of goodness scattered about in +the world, a little good in this man, and a little good in that, +shall we not say, there must be one great sea, one central sun of +goodness, from whence all human goodness comes? And where can that +centre of goodness be, but in the very character of God himself? + +Yes, my friends; if you would know what God is, think of all the +noble, beautiful, loveable actions, tempers, feelings, which you ever +saw or heard of. Think of all the good, and admirable, and loveable +people whom you ever met; and fancy to yourselves all that goodness, +nobleness, admirableness, loveableness, and millions of times more, +gathered together in one, to make one perfectly good character--and +then you have some faint notion of God, some dim sight of God, who is +the eternal and perfect Goodness. + +It is but a faint notion, no doubt, that the best man can have of +God's goodness, so dull has sin made our hearts and brains: but let +us comfort ourselves with this thought--That the more we learn to +love what is good, the more we accustom ourselves to think of good +people and good things, and to ask ourselves why and how this action +and that is good, the more shall we be able to see the goodness of +God. And to see that, even for a moment, is worth all sights in +earth or heaven. + +Worth all sights, indeed. No wonder that the saints of old called it +the 'Beatific Vision,' that is, the sight which makes a man utterly +blessed; namely, to see, if but for a moment, with his mind's eye +what God is like, and behold he is utterly good! + +No wonder that they said (and I doubt not that they spoke honestly +and simply what they felt) that while that thought was before them, +this world was utterly nothing to them; that they were as men in a +dream, or dead, not caring to eat or to move, for fear of losing that +glorious thought; but felt as if they were (as they were most really +and truly) caught up into heaven, and taken utterly out of themselves +by the beauty and glory of God's perfect goodness. No wonder that +they cried out with David, 'Whom have I in heaven, O Lord, but Thee? +and there is none on earth whom I desire in comparison of Thee.' No +wonder that they said with St. Peter when he saw our Lord's glory, +'Lord, it is good for us to be here,' and felt like men gazing upon +some glorious picture or magnificent show, off which they cannot take +their eyes; and which makes them forget for the time all beside in +heaven and earth. + +And it was good for them to be there: but not too long. Man was +sent into this world not merely to see, but to do; and the more he +sees, the more he is bound to go and do accordingly. St. Peter had +to come down from the mount, and preach the Gospel wearily for many a +year, and die at last upon the cross. St. Augustine, in like wise, +though he would gladly have lived and died doing nothing but fixing +his soul's eye steadily on the glory of God's goodness, had to come +down from the mount likewise, and work, and preach, and teach, and +wear himself out in daily drudgery for that God whom he learnt to +serve, even when he could not adore Him in the press of business, and +the bustle of a rotten and dying world. + +But see, my dear friends, and consider it well--Before a man can come +to that state of mind, or anything like it, he must have begun by +loving goodness wherever he saw it; and have settled in his heart +that to be good, and therefore to do good, is the most beautiful +thing in the world. So he will begin by loving his brother whom he +has seen, and by taking delight in good people, and in all honest, +true, loving, merciful, generous words and actions, and in those who +say and do them. And so he will be fit to love God, whom he has not +seen, when he finds out (as God grant that you may all find out) that +all goodness of which we can conceive, and far, far more, is gathered +together in God, and flows out from him eternally over his whole +creation, by that Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father and the +Son, and is the Lord and Giver of life, and therefore of goodness. +For goodness is nothing else, if you will receive it, but the eternal +life of God, which he has lived, and lives now, and will live for +evermore, God blessed for ever. Amen. + +So, my dear friends, it will not be so difficult for you to love God, +if you will only begin by loving goodness, which is God's likeness, +and the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit. For you will be like a man +who has long admired a beautiful picture of some one whom he does not +know, and at last meets the person for whom the picture was meant-- +and behold the living face is a thousand times more fair and noble +than the painted one. You will be like a child which has been +brought up from its birth in a room into which the sun never shone; +and then goes out for the first time, and sees the sun in all his +splendour bathing the earth with glory. If that child had loved to +watch the dim narrow rays of light which shone into his dark room, +what will he not feel at the sight of that sun from which all those +rays had come Just so will they feel who, having loved goodness for +its own sake, and loved their neighbours for the sake of what little +goodness is in them, have their eyes opened at last to see all +goodness, without flaw or failing, bound or end, in the character of +God, which he has shown forth in Jesus Christ our Lord, who is the +likeness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person; +to whom be glory and honour for ever. Amen. + + + +SERMON II. THE GLORY OF THE CROSS + + + +JOHN xvii. 1. + +Father, the hour is come. Glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may +glorify thee. I spoke to you lately of the beatific vision of God. +I will speak of it again to-day; and say this. + +If any man wishes to see God, truly and fully, with the eyes of his +soul: if any man wishes for that beatific vision of God; that +perfect sight of God's perfect goodness; then must that man go, and +sit down at the foot of Christ's cross, and look steadfastly upon him +who hangs thereon. And there he will see, what the wisest and best +among the heathen, among the Mussulmans, among all who are not +Christian men, never have seen, and cannot see unto this day, however +much they may feel (and some of them, thank God, do feel) that God is +the Eternal Goodness, and must be loved accordingly. + +And what shall we see upon the cross? + +Many things, friends, and more than I, or all the preachers in the +world, will be able to explain to you, though we preached till the +end of the world. But one thing we shall see, if we will, which we +have forgotten sadly, Christians though we be, in these very days; +forgotten it, most of us, so utterly, that in order to bring you back +to it, I must take a seemingly roundabout road. + +Does it seem, or does it not seem, to you, that the finest thing in a +man is magnanimity--what we call in plain English, greatness of soul? +And if it does seem to you to be so, what do you mean by greatness of +soul? When you speak of a great soul, and of a great man, what +manner of man do you mean? + +Do you mean a very clever man, a very far-sighted man, a very +determined man, a very powerful man, and therefore a very successful +man? A man who can manage everything, and every person whom he comes +across, and turn and use them for his own ends, till he rises to be +great and glorious--a ruler, king, or what you will? + +Well--he is a great man: but I know a greater, and nobler, and more +glorious stamp of man; and you do also. Let us try again, and think +if we can find his likeness, and draw it for ourselves. Would he not +be somewhat like this pattern?--A man who was aware that he had vast +power, and yet used that power not for himself but for others; not +for ambition, but for doing good? Surely the man who used his power +for other people would be the greater-souled man, would he not? Let +us go on, then, to find out more of his likeness. Would he be stern, +or would he be tender? Would he be patient, or would he be fretful? +Would he be a man who stands fiercely on his own rights, or would he +be very careful of other men's rights, and very ready to waive his +own rights gracefully and generously? Would he be extreme to mark +what was done amiss against him, or would he be very patient when he +was wronged himself, though indignant enough if he saw others +wronged? Would he be one who easily lost his temper, and lost his +head, and could be thrown off his balance by one foolish man? Surely +not. He would be a man whom no fool, nor all fools together could +throw off his balance; a man who could not lose his temper, could not +lose his self-respect; a man who could bear with those who are +peevish, make allowances for those who are weak and ignorant, forgive +those who are insolent, and conquer those who are ungrateful, not by +punishment, but by fresh kindness, overcoming their evil by his +good.--A man, in short, whom no ill-usage without, and no ill-temper +within, could shake out of his even path of generosity and +benevolence. Is not that the truly magnanimous man; the great and +royal soul? Is not that the stamp of man whom we should admire, if +we met him on earth? Should we not reverence that man; esteem it an +honour and a pleasure to work under that man, to take him for our +teacher, our leader, in hopes that, by copying his example, our souls +might become great like his? + +Is it so, my friends? Then know this, that in admiring that man, you +admire the likeness of God. In wishing to be like that man, you wish +to be like God. + +For this is God's true greatness; this is God's true glory; this is +God's true royalty; the greatness, glory, and royalty of loving, +forgiving, generous power, which pours itself out, untiring and +undisgusted, in help and mercy to all which he has made; the glory of +a Father who is perfect in this, that he causeth his rain to fall on +the evil and on the good, and his sun to shine upon the just and on +the unjust, and is good to the unthankful and the evil; a Father who +has not dealt with us after our sins, or rewarded us after our +iniquities: a Father who is not extreme to mark what is done amiss, +but whom it is worth while to fear, for with him is mercy and +plenteous redemption;--all this, and more--a Father who so loved a +world which had forgotten him, a world whose sins must have been +disgusting to him, that he spared not his only begotten Son, but +freely gave him for us, and will with him freely give us all things; +a Father, in one word, whose name and essence is love, even as it is +the name and essence of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. + +This, my friends, is the glory of God: but this glory never shone +out in its full splendour till it shone upon the cross. + +For--that we may go back again, to that great-souled man, of whom I +spoke just now--did we not leave out one thing in his character? or +at least, one thing by which his character might be proved and tried? +We said that he should be generous and forgiving; we said that he +should bear patiently folly, peevishness, ingratitude: but what if +we asked of him, that he should sacrifice himself utterly for the +peevish, ungrateful men for whose good he was toiling? What if we +asked him to give up, for them, not only all which made life worth +having, but to give up life itself? To die for them; and, what is +bitterest of all, to die by their hands--to receive as their reward +for all his goodness to them a shameful death? If he dare submit to +that, then we should call his greatness of soul perfect. +Magnanimity, we should say, could rise no higher; in that would be +the perfection of goodness. + +Surely your hearts answer, that this is true. When you hear of a +father sacrificing his own life for his children; when you hear of a +soldier dying for his country; when you hear of a clergyman or a +physician killing himself by his work, while he is labouring to save +the souls or the bodies of his fellow-creatures; then you feel--There +is goodness in its highest shape. To give up our lives for others is +one of the most beautiful, and noble, and glorious things on earth. +But to give up our lives, willingly, joyfully for men who +misunderstand us, hate us, despise us, is, if possible, a more +glorious action still, and the very perfection of perfect virtue. +Then, looking at Christ's cross, we see that, and even more--ay, far +more than that. The cross was the perfect token of the perfect +greatness of God, and of the perfect glory of God. + +So on the cross, the Father justified himself to man; yea, glorified +himself in the glory of his crucified Son. On the cross God proved +himself to be perfectly just, perfectly good, perfectly generous, +perfectly glorious, beyond all that man could ever have dared to +conceive or dream. That God must be good, the wise heathens knew; +but that God was so utterly good that he could stoop to suffer, to +die, for men, and by men--that they never dreamed. That was the +mystery of God's love, which was hid in Christ from the foundation of +the world, and which was revealed at last upon the cross of Calvary +by him who prayed for his murderers--'Father, forgive them, for they +know not what they do.' That truly blessed sight of a Saviour-God, +who did not disdain to die the meanest and the most fearful of +deaths--that, that came home at once, and has come home ever since, +to all hearts which had left in them any love and respect for +goodness, and melted them with the fire of divine love; as God grant +it may melt yours, this day, and henceforth for ever. + +I can say no more, my friends. If this good news does not come home +to your hearts by its own power, it will never be brought home to you +by any words of mine. + + + +SERMON III. THE LIFE OF GOD + + + +1 JOHN i. 2. + +For the Life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, +and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father and +was manifested unto us! + +What do we mean, when we speak of the Life everlasting? + +Do we mean that men's souls are immortal, and will live for ever +after death, either in happiness or misery? + +We must mean more than that. At least we ought to mean more than +that, if we be Christian men. For the Bible tells us, that Christ +brought life and immortality to light. Therefore they must have been +in darkness before Christ's coming; and men did not know as much +about life and immortality before Christ's coming as they know--or +ought to know--now. + +But if we need only believe that we shall live for ever after death +in happiness or misery, then Christ has not brought life and +immortality to light. He has thrown no fresh light upon the matter. + +And why? For this simple reason, that the old heathen knew as much +as that before Christ came. + +The old Greeks and Romans, and Persians, and our own forefathers +before they became Christians, believed that men's souls would live +for ever happy or miserable. The Mussulmans, Mahommedans, Turks as +they are called in the Prayer-book, believe as much as that now. +They believe that men's souls live for ever after death, and go to +'heaven' or 'hell.' + +So those words 'everlasting Life' must needs mean something more than +that. What do they mean? + +First. What does everlasting mean? + +It means exactly the same as eternal. The two words are the same: +only everlasting is English, and eternal Latin. But they have the +same sense. + +Now everlasting and eternal mean something which has neither +beginning nor end. That is certain. The wisest of the heathen knew +that: but we are apt to forget it. We are apt to think a thing may +be everlasting, because it has no end, though it has a beginning. We +are careless thinkers, if we fancy that. God is eternal because he +has neither beginning nor end. + +But here come two puzzles. + +First. The Athanasian Creed says that there is but one Eternal, that +is, God; and never were truer words written. + +But do we not make out two Eternals? For God is one Eternal; and +eternal life is another Eternal. Now which is right; we, or the +Athanasian Creed? I shall hold by the Athanasian Creed, my friends, +and ask you to think again over the matter: thus--If there be but +one Eternal, there is but one way of escaping out of our puzzle, +which makes two Eternals; and that is, to go back to the old doctrine +of St. Paul, and St. John, and the wisest of the Fathers, and say-- +There is but one Eternal; and therefore eternal life is in the +Eternal God. And it is eternal Life because it is God's life; the +life which God lives; and it is eternal just because, and only +because, it is the life of God; and eternal death is nothing but the +want of God's eternal life. + +Certainly, whether you think this true or not, St. John thought it +true; for he says so most positively in the text. He says that the +Life was manifested--showed plainly upon earth, and that he had seen +it. And he says that he saw it in a man, whom his eyes had seen, and +his hands had handled. How could that be? + +My friends, how else could it be? How can you see life, but by +seeing some one live it? You cannot see a man's life, unless you see +him live such and such a life, or hear of his living such and such a +life, and so knowing what his life, manners, character, are. And so +no one could have seen God's life, or known what life God lived, and +what character God's was, had it not been for the incarnation of our +Lord Jesus Christ, who was made flesh, and dwelt among us, that by +seeing him, the Son, we might see the Father, whose likeness he was, +and is, and ever will be. + +But now, says St. John, we know what God's eternal life is; for we +know what Christ's life was on earth. And more, we know that it is a +life which men may live; for Christ lived it perfectly and utterly, +though He was a man. + +What sort of life, then, is everlasting life? + +Who can tell altogether and completely? And yet who cannot tell in +part? Use the common sense, my friends, which God has given to you, +and think;--If eternal life be the life of God, it must be a good +life; for God is good. That is the first, and the most certain thing +which we can say of it. It must be a righteous and just life; a +loving and merciful life; for God is righteous, just, loving, +merciful; and more, it must be an useful life, a life of good works; +for God is eternally useful, doing good to all his creatures, working +for ever for the benefit of all which he has made. + +Yes--a life of good works. There is no good life without good works. +When you talk of a man's life, you mean not only what he feels and +thinks, but what he does. What is in his heart goes for nothing, +unless he brings it out in his actions, as far as he can. + +Therefore St. James says, 'Thou hast faith, and I have works. Shew +me thy faith WITHOUT thy works,' (and who can do that?) 'and I will +shew thee my faith by my works.' + +And St. John says, there is no use SAYING you love. 'Let us love not +in word and in tongue, but in deed and in truth;' and again--and +would to God that most people who talk so glibly about heaven and +hell, and the ways of getting thither, would recollect this one plain +text--'Little children, let no man deceive you. He that DOETH +righteousness is righteous, even as God is righteous.' And therefore +it is that St. Paul bids rich men 'be rich also in noble deeds,' +generous and liberal of their money to all who want, that they may +'lay hold of that which is really life,' namely, the eternal life of +goodness. + +And therefore also, my friends, we may be sure that God loves in deed +and in truth: because it is written that God is love. + +For if a man loves, he longs to help those whom he loves. It is the +very essence of love, that it cannot be still, cannot be idle, cannot +be satisfied with itself, cannot contain itself, but must go out to +do good to those whom it loves, to seek and to save that which is +lost. And therefore God is perfect love, and his eternal life a life +of eternal love, because he sends his Son eternally to seek and to +save that which is lost. + +This, then, is eternal life; a life of everlasting love showing +itself in everlasting good works; and whosoever lives that life, he +lives the life of God, and hath eternal life. + +What I have just said will help you, I think, to understand another +royal text about eternal life. + +For now' we may understand why it is written, that this is life +eternal, to know the true and only God, and Jesus Christ whom he has +sent. For if eternal life be God's life, we must know God, and God's +character, to know what eternal life is like: and if no man has seen +God at any time, and God's life can only be seen in the life of +Christ, then we must know Christ, and Christ's life, to know God and +God's life; that the saying may be fulfilled in us, God hath given to +us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. + +One other royal text, did I say? We may understand many, perhaps +all, the texts which speak of life, and eternal life, if we will look +at them in this way. We may see why St. Paul says that to be +spiritually minded is life; and that the life of Jesus may be +manifested in men: and how the sin of the old heathen lay in this, +that they were alienated from the life of God. We may understand how +Christ's commandment is everlasting life; how the water which he +gives, can spring up within a man's heart to everlasting life--all +such texts we may, and shall, understand more and more, if we will +bear in mind that everlasting life is the life of God and of Christ, +a life of love; a life of perfect, active, self-sacrificing goodness, +which is the one only true life for all rational beings, whether on +earth or in heaven. + +In heaven, my friends, as well as on earth. Form your own notions, +as you will, about angels, and saints in heaven, for every one must +have some notions about them, and try to picture to himself what the +souls of those whom he has loved and lost are doing in the other +world: but bear this in mind: that if the saints in heaven live the +everlasting life, they must be living a life of usefulness, of love +and of good works. + +And here I must say, friends, that however much the Roman Catholics +may be wrong on many points, they have remembered one thing about the +life everlasting, which we are too apt to forget; and that is, that +everlasting life cannot be a selfish, idle life, spent only in being +happy oneself. They believe that the saints in heaven are NOT idle; +that they are eternally helping mankind; doing all sorts of good +offices for those souls who need them; that, as St. Paul says of the +angels, they are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to those +who are heirs of salvation. And I cannot see why they should not be +right. For if the saints' delight was to do good on earth, much more +will it be to do good in heaven. If they helped poor sufferers, if +they taught the ignorant, if they comforted the afflicted, here on +earth, much more will they be able, much more will they be willing, +to help, comfort, teach them, now that they are in the full power, +the full freedom, the full love and zeal of the everlasting life. If +their hearts were warmed and softened by the fire of God's love here, +how much more there! If they lived God's life of love here, how much +more there, before the throne of God, and the face of Christ! + +But if any one shall say, that the souls of good men in heaven cannot +help us who are here on earth, I answer, When did they ascend into +heaven, to find out that? If they had ever been there, friends, be +sure they would have had better news to bring home than this--that +those whom we have honoured and loved on earth have lost the power +which they used to have, of comforting us who are struggling here +below. That notion springs altogether out of a superstitious fancy +that heaven is a great many millions of miles away from this earth-- +which fancy, wherever men get it from, they certainly do not get it +from the Bible. Moreover it seems to me, that if the saints in +heaven cannot help men, then they cannot be happy in heaven. Cannot +be happy? Ay, must be miserable. For what greater misery for really +good men, than to see things going wrong, and not to be able to mend +them; to see poor creatures suffering, and not to be able to comfort +them? No, my friends, we will believe--what every one who loves a +beloved friend comes sooner or later to believe--that those whom we +have honoured and loved, though taken from our eyes, are near to our +spirits; that they still fight for us, under the banner of their +Master Christ, and still work for us, by virtue of his life of love, +which they live in him and by him for ever. + +Pray to them, indeed, we need not, as if they would help us out of +any self-will of their own. There, I think, the Roman Catholics are +wrong. They pray to the saints as if the saints had wills of their +own, and fancies of their own, and were respecters of persons; and +could have favourites, and grant private favours to those who +especially admired and (I fear I must say it) flattered them. But +why should we do that? That is to lower God's saints in our own +eyes. For if we believe that they are made perfect, and like +perfectly the everlasting life, then we must believe that there is no +self-will in them: but that they do God's will, and not their own, +and go on God's errands, and not their own; that he, and not their +own liking, sends them whithersoever he wills; and that if we ask of +HIM--of God our Father himself, that is enough for us. + +And what shall we ask? + +Ask--'Father, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.' + +For in asking that, we ask for the best of all things. We ask for +the happiness, the power, the glory of saints and angels. We ask to +be put into tune with God's whole universe, from the meanest flower +beneath our feet, to the most glorious spirit whom God ever created. +We ask for the one everlasting life which can never die, fail, +change, or disappoint: yea, for the everlasting life which Christ +the only begotten Son lives from eternity to eternity, for ever +saying to his Father, 'Thy will be done.' + +Yes--when we ask God to make us do his will, then indeed we ask for +everlasting life. + +Does that seem little? Would you rather ask for all manner of +pleasant things, if not in this life, at least in the life to come? + +Oh, my friends, consider this. We were not put into this world to +get pleasant things; and we shall not be put into the next world, as +it seems to me, to get pleasant things. We were put into this world +to do God's will. And we shall be put (I believe) into the next +world for the very same purpose--to do God's will; and if we do that, +we shall find pleasure enough in doing it. I do not doubt that in +the next world all manner of harmless pleasure will come to us +likewise; because that will be, we hope, a perfect and a just world, +not a piecemeal, confused, often unjust world, like this: but +pleasant things will come to us in the next life, only in proportion +as we shall be doing God's will in the next life; and we shall be +happy and blessed, only because we shall be living that eternal life +of which I have been preaching to you all along, the life which +Christ lives and has lived and will live for ever, saying to the +Eternal Father--I come to do thy will--not my will but thine be done. + +Oh! may God give to us all his Spirit; the Spirit by which Christ did +his Father's will, and lived his Father's life in the soul and body +of a mortal man, that we may live here a life of obedience and of +good works, which is the only true and living life of faith; and that +when we die it may be said of us--'Blessed are the dead who die in +the Lord; for they rest from their labours, and their works do follow +them.' + +They rest from their labours. All their struggles, disappointments, +failures, backslidings, which made them unhappy here, because they +could not perfectly do the will of God, are past and over for ever. +But their works follow them. The good which they did on earth--that +is not past and over. It cannot die. It lives and grows for ever, +following on in their path long after they are dead, and bearing +fruit unto everlasting life, not only in them, but in men whom they +never saw, and in generations yet unborn. + + + +SERMON IV. THE SONG OF THE THREE CHILDREN + + + +DANIEL iii. 16, 17, 18. + +O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. +If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the +burning fiery furnace; and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O +king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not +serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. + +We read this morning, instead of the Te Deum, the Song of the Three +Children, beginning, 'Oh all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: +praise him, and magnify him for ever.' It was proper to do so: +because the Ananias, Azarias, and Misael mentioned in it, are the +same as the Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego, whose story we heard in +the first lesson; and because some of the old Jews held that this +noble hymn was composed by them, and sung by them in the burning +fiery furnace, wherefore it has been called 'The Song of the Three +Children;' for child, in old English, meant a young man. + +Be that as it may, it is a glorious hymn, worthy of the Church of +God, worthy of those three young men, worthy of all the noble army of +martyrs; and if the three young men did not actually use the very +words of it, still it was what they believed; and, because they +believed it, they had courage to tell Nebuchadnezzar that they were +not careful to answer him--had no manner of doubt or anxiety +whatsoever as to what they were to say, when he called on them to +worship his gods. For his gods, we know, were the sun, moon, and +planets, and the angels who (as the Chaldeans believed) ruled over +the heavenly bodies; and that image of gold is supposed, by some +learned men, to have been probably a sign or picture of the wondrous +power of life and growth which there is in all earthly things--and +that a sign of which I need not speak, or you hear. So that the +meaning of this Song of the Three Children is simply this: + +'You bid us worship the things about us, which we see with our bodily +eyes. We answer, that we know the one true God, who made all these +things; and that, therefore, instead of worshipping THEM, we will bid +them to worship HIM.' + +Now let us spend a few minutes in looking into this hymn, and seeing +what it teaches us. + +You see at once, that it says that the one God, and not many gods, +made all things: much more, that things did not make themselves, or +grow up of their own accord, by any virtue or life of their own. + +But it says more. It calls upon all things which God has made, to +bless him, praise him, and magnify him for ever. This is much more +than merely saying, 'One God made the world.' For this is saying +something about God's character; declaring what this one God is like. + +For when you bless a person--(I do not mean when you pray God to +bless him--that is a different thing)--when you bless any one, I say, +you bless him because he is blessed, and has done blessed things: +because he has shown himself good, generous, merciful, useful. You +praise a person because he is praiseworthy, noble, and admirable. +You magnify a person--that is, speak of him to every one, and +everywhere, in the highest terms--because you think that every one +ought to know how good and great he is. And, therefore, when the +hymn says, 'Bless God, praise him, and magnify him for ever,' it does +not merely confess God's power. No. It confesses, too, God's +wisdom, goodness, beauty, love, and calls on all heaven and earth to +admire him, the alone admirable, and adore him, the alone adorable. + +For this is really to believe in God. Not merely to believe that +there is a God, but to know what God is like, and to know that He is +worthy to be believed in; worthy to be trusted, honoured, loved with +heart and mind and soul, because we know that He is worthy of our +love. + +And this, we have a right to say, these three young men did, or +whosoever wrote this hymn; and that as a reward for their faith in +God, there was granted to them that deep insight into the meaning of +the world about them, which shines out through every verse of this +hymn. + +Deep? I tell you, my friends, that this hymn is so deep, that it is +too deep for the shallow brains of which the world is full now-a- +days, who fancy that they know all about heaven and earth, just +because they happen to have been born now, and not two hundred years +ago. To such this old hymn means nothing; it is in their eyes merely +an old-fashioned figure of speech to call on sun and stars, green +herb and creeping thing, to praise and bless God. Nevertheless, the +old hymn stands in our prayer-books, as a precious heir-loom to our +children; and long may it stand. Though we may forget its meaning, +yet perhaps our children after us will recollect it once more, and +say with their hearts, what we now, I fear, only say with our lips +and should not say at all, if it was not put into our months by the +Prayer-book. + +Do you not understand what I mean? Then think of this:- + +If we were writing a hymn about God, should we dare to say to the +things about us--to the cattle feeding in the fields--much less to +the clouds over our heads, and to the wells of which we drink, 'Bless +ye the Lord, praise him, and magnify him for ever?' + +We should not dare; and for two reasons. + +First--There is a notion abroad, borrowed from the old monks, that +this earth is in some way bad, and cursed; that a curse is on it +still for man's sake: but a notion which is contrary to plain fact; +for if we till the ground, it does NOT bring forth thorns and +thistles to us, as the Scripture says it was to do for Adam, but +wholesome food, and rich returns for our labour: and which in the +next place is flatly contrary to Scripture: for we read in Genesis +viii. 21, how the Lord said, 'I will not again curse the ground any +more for man's sake;' and the Psalms always speak of this earth, and +of all created things, as if there was no curse at all on them; +saying that 'all things serve God, and continue as they were at the +beginning,' and that 'He has given them a law which cannot be +broken;' and in the face of those words, let who will talk of the +earth being cursed, I will not; and you shall not, if I can help it. + +Another reason why we dare not talk of this earth as this hymn does +is, that we have got into the habit of saying, 'Cattle and creeping +things--they are not rational beings. How can they praise God? +Clouds and wells--they are not even living things. How can they +praise God? Why speak of them in a hymn; much less speak to them?' + +Yet this hymn does speak to them; and so do the Psalms and the +Prophets again and again. And so will men do hereafter, when the +fashions and the fancies of these days are past, and men have their +eyes opened once more to see the glory which is around them from +their cradle to their grave, and hear once more 'The Word of the Lord +walking among the trees of the garden.' + +But how can this be? How can not only dumb things, but even dead +things, praise God? + +My friends, this is a great mystery, of which the wisest men as yet +know but little, and confess freely how little they know. But this +at least we know already, and can say boldly--all things praise God, +by fulfilling the law which our Lord himself declared, when he said +'Not every one who saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the +kingdom of heaven: but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in +heaven.' + +By doing the will of the heavenly Father. By obeying the laws which +God has given them. By taking the shape which he has appointed for +them. By being of the use for which he intended them. By +multiplying each after their kind, by laws and means a thousand times +more strange than any signs and wonders of which man can fancy for +himself; and by thus showing forth God's boundless wisdom, goodness, +love, and tender care of all which he has made. + +Yes, my friends, in this sense (and this is the true sense) all +things can serve and praise God, and all things do serve and praise +Him. Not a cloud which fleets across the sky, not a clod of earth +which crumbles under the frost, not a blade of grass which breaks +through the snow in spring, not a dead leaf which falls to the earth +in autumn, but is doing God's work, and showing forth God's glory. +Not a tiny insect, too small to be seen by human eyes without the +help of a microscope, but is as fearfully and wonderfully made as you +and me, and has its proper food, habitation, work, appointed for it, +and not in vain. Nothing is idle, nothing is wasted, nothing goes +wrong, in this wondrous world of God. The very scum upon the +standing pool, which seems mere dirt and dust, is all alive, peopled +by millions of creatures, each full of beauty, full of use, obeying +laws of God too deep for us to do aught but dimly guess at them; and +as men see deeper and deeper into the mystery of God's creation, they +find in the commonest things about them wonder and glory, such as eye +hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of +man to conceive; and can only say with the Psalmist, 'Oh Lord, thy +ways are infinite, thy thoughts are very deep;' and confess that the +grass beneath their feet, the clouds above their heads--ay, every +worm beneath the sod and bird upon the bough, do, in very deed and +truth, bless the Lord who made them, praise him, and magnify him for +ever, not with words indeed, but with works; and say to man all day +long, 'Go thou, and do likewise.' + +Yes, my friends, let us go and do likewise. If we wish really to +obey the lesson of the Hymn of the Three Children, let us do the will +of God: and so worship him in spirit and in truth. Do not fancy, as +too many do, that thou canst praise God by singing hymns to him in +church once a week, and disobeying him all the week long, crying to +him 'Lord, Lord,' and then living as if he were not thy Lord, but +thou wast thine own Lord, and hadst a right to do thine own will, and +not his. If thou wilt really bless God, then try to live his blessed +life of Goodness. If thou wilt truly praise God, then behave as if +God was praiseworthy, good, and right in what he bids thee do. If +thou wouldest really magnify God, and declare his greatness, then +behave as if he were indeed the Great God, who ought to be obeyed-- +ay, who MUST be obeyed; for his commandment is life, and it alone, to +thee, as well as to all which He has made. Dost thou fancy as the +heathen do, that God needs to be flattered with fine words? or that +thou wilt be heard for thy much speaking, and thy vain repetitions? +He asks of thee works, as well as words; and more, He asks of thee +works first, and words after. And better it is to praise him truly +by works without words, than falsely by words without works. + +Cry, if thou wilt, 'Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts;' but show +that thou believest him to be holy, by being holy thyself. Sing, if +Thou wilt, of 'The Father of an Infinite Majesty:' but show that thou +believest his majesty to be infinite, by obeying his commandments, +like those Three Children, let them cost thee what they may. Join, +and join freely, in the songs of the heavenly host; for God has given +thee reason and speech, after the likeness of his only begotten Son, +and thou mayest use them, as well as every other gift, in the service +of thy Father. But take care lest, while thou art trying to copy the +angels, thou art not even as righteous as the beasts of the field. +For they bless and praise God by obeying his laws; and till thou dost +that, and obeyest God's laws likewise, thou art not as good as the +grass beneath thy feet. + +For after all has been said and sung, my friends, the sum and +substance of true religion remains what it was, and what it will be +for ever; and lies in this one word, 'If ye love me, keep my +commandments.' + + + +SERMON V. THE ETERNAL GOODNESS + + + +MATTHEW xxii. 39. + +Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. + +Why are wrong things wrong? Why, for instance, is it wrong to steal? + +Because God has forbidden it, you may answer. But is it so? +Whatsoever God forbids must be wrong. But, is it wrong because God +forbids it, or does God forbid it because it is wrong? + +For instance, suppose that God had not forbidden us to steal, would +it be right then to steal, or at least, not wrong? + +We must really think of this. It is no mere question of words, it is +a solemn practical question, which has to do with our every-day +conduct, and yet which goes down to the deepest of all matters, even +to the depths of God himself. + +The question is simply this. Did God, who made all things, make +right and wrong? Many people think so. They think that God made +goodness. But how can that be? For if God made goodness, there +could have been no goodness before God made it. That is clear. But +God was always good, good from all eternity. But how could that be? +How could God be good, before there was any goodness made? That +notion will not do then. And all we can say is that goodness is +eternal and everlasting, just as God is: because God was and is and +ever will be eternally and always good. + +But is eternal goodness one thing, and the eternal God, another? +That cannot be, again; for as the Athanasian Creed tells us so wisely +and well, there are not many Eternals, but one Eternal. Therefore +goodness must be the Spirit of God; and God must be the Spirit of +goodness; and right is nothing else but the character of the +everlasting God, and of those who are inspired by God. + +What is wrong, then? Whatever is unlike right; whatever is unlike +goodness; whatever is unlike God; that is wrong. And why does God +forbid us to do wrong? Simply because wrong is unlike himself. He +is perfectly beautiful, perfectly blest and happy, because he is +perfectly good; and he wishes to see all his creatures beautiful, +blest, and happy: but they can only be so by being perfectly good; +and they can only be perfectly good by being perfectly like God their +Father; and they can only be perfectly like God the Father by being +full of love, loving their neighbour as themselves. + +For what do we mean when we talk of right, righteousness, goodness? + +Many answers have been given to that question. + +The old Romans, who were a stern, legal-minded people, used to say +that righteousness meant to hurt no man, and to give every man his +own. The Eastern people had a better answer still, which our blessed +Lord used in one place, when he told them that righteousness was to +do to other people as we would they should do to us: but the best +answer, the perfect answer, is our Lord's in the text, 'Thou shalt +love thy neighbour as thyself.' This is the true, eternal +righteousness. Not a legal righteousness, not a righteousness made +up of forms and ceremonies, of keeping days holy, and abstaining from +meats, or any other arbitrary commands, whether of God or of man. +This is God's goodness, God's righteousness, Christ's own goodness +and righteousness. Do you not see what I mean? Remember only one +word of St. John's. God is love. Love is the goodness of God. God +is perfectly good, because he is perfect love. Then if you are full +of love, you are good with the same goodness with which God is good, +and righteous with Christ's righteousness. That as what St. Paul +wished to be, when he wished to be found in Christ, not having his +own righteousness, but the righteousness which is by faith in Christ. +His own righteousness was the selfish and self-conceited +righteousness which he had before his conversion, made up of forms, +and ceremonies, and doctrines, which made him narrow-hearted, +bigoted, self-conceited, fierce, cruel, a persecutor; the +righteousness which made him stand by in cold blood to see St. +Stephen stoned. But the righteousness which is by faith in Christ is +a loving heart, and a loving life, which every man will long to lead +who believes really in Jesus Christ. For when he looks at Christ, +Christ's humiliation, Christ's work, Christ's agony, Christ's death, +and sees in it nothing but utter and perfect LOVE to poor sinful, +undeserving man, then his heart makes answer, Yes, I believe in that! +I believe and am sure that that is the most beautiful character in +the world; that that is the utterly noble and right sort of person to +be--full of love as Christ was. I ought to be like that. My +conscience tells me that I ought. And I can be like that. Christ, +who was so good himself, must wish to make me good like himself, and +I can trust him to do it. I can have faith in him, that he will make +me like himself, full of the Spirit of love, without which I shall be +only useless and miserable. And I trust him enough to be sure that, +good as he is, he cannot mean to leave me useless or miserable. So, +by true faith in Christ, the man comes to have Christ's +righteousness--that is, to be loving as Christ was. He believes that +Christ's loving character is perfect beauty; that he must be the Son +of God, if his character be like that. He believes that Christ can +and will fill him with the same spirit of love; and as he believes, +so is it with him, and in him those words are fulfilled, 'Whosoever +shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and +he in God;' and that 'If a man love me,' says the Lord, 'I and my +Father will come to him, and take up our abode with him.' Those are +wonderful words: but if you will recollect what I have just said, +you may understand a little of them. St. John puts the same thing +very simply, but very boldly. 'God is Love,' he says, 'and he that +dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him.' Strange as it +may seem, it must be so if God be love. Let us thank God that it is +true, and keep in mind what awful and wonderful creatures we are, +that God should dwell in us; what blessed and glorious creatures we +may become in time, if we will only listen to the voice of God who +speaks within our hearts. + +And what does that voice say? The old commandment, my friends, which +was from the beginning, 'Love one another.' Whatever thoughts or +feeling in your hearts contradict that; whatever tempts you to +despise your neighbour, to be angry with him, to suspect him, to +fancy him shut out from God's love, that is not of God. No voice in +our hearts is God's voice, but what says in some shape or other, +'Love thy neighbour as thyself. Care for him, bear with him long, +and try to do him good.' + +For love is of God, and every one that loveth is born of God, and +knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love. +Still less can he who is not loving fulfil the law; for the law of +God is the very pattern and picture of God's character; and if a man +does not know what God is like, he will never know what God's law is +like; and though he may read his Bible all day long, he will learn no +more from it than a dumb animal will, unless his heart is full of +love. For love is the light by which we see God, by which we +understand his Bible; by which we understand our duty, and God's +dealings, in the world. Love is the light by which we understand our +own hearts; by which we understand our neighbours' hearts. So it is. +If you hate any man, or have a spite against him, you will never know +what is in that man's heart, never be able to form a just opinion of +his character. If you want to understand human beings, or to do +justice to their feelings, you must begin by loving them heartily and +freely, and the more you like them the better you will understand +them, and in general the better you will find them to be at heart, +the more worthy of your trust, at least the more worthy of your +compassion. + +At least, so St. John says, 'He that saith he is in the light, and +hates his brother, is in darkness even till now, and knoweth not +whither he goeth. But he that loveth his brother abideth in the +light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him.' + +No occasion of stumbling. That is of making mistakes in our +behaviour to our neighbours, which cause scandal, drive them from us, +and make them suspect us, dislike us--and perhaps with too good +reason. Just think for yourselves. What does half the misery, and +all the quarrelling in the world come from, but from people's loving +themselves better than their neighbours? Would children be +disobedient and neglectful to their parents, if they did not love +themselves better than their parents? Why does a man kill, commit +adultery, steal, bear false witness, covet his neighbour's goods, his +neighbour's custom, his neighbour's rights, but because he loves his +own pleasure or interest better than his neighbour's, loves himself +better than the man whom he wrongs? Would a man take advantage of +his neighbour if he loved him as well as himself? Would he be hard +on his neighbour, and say, Pay me the uttermost farthing, if he loved +him as he loves himself? Would he speak evil of his neighbour behind +his back, if he loved him as himself? Would he cross his neighbour's +temper, just because he WILL have his own way, right or wrong, if he +loved him as himself? Judge for yourselves. What would the world +become like this moment if every man loved his neighbour as himself, +thought of his neighbour as much as he thinks of himself? Would it +not become heaven on earth at once? There would be no need then for +soldiers and policemen, lawyers, rates and taxes, my friends, and all +the expensive and heavy machinery which is now needed to force people +into keeping something of God's law. Ay, there would be no need of +sermons, preachers and prophets to tell men of God's law, and warn +them of the misery of breaking it. They would keep the law of their +own free-will, by love. For love is the fulfilling of the law; and +as St. Augustine says, 'Love you neighbour, and then do what you +will--because you will be sure to will what is right.' So truly did +our Lord say, that on this one commandment hung all the law and the +prophets. + +But though that blessed state of things will not come to the whole +world till the day when Christ shall reign in that new heaven and new +earth, in which Righteousness shall dwell, still it may come here, +now, on earth, to each and every one of us, if we will but ask from +God the blessed gift; to love our neighbour as we love ourselves. + +And then, my friends, whether we be rich or poor, fortunate or +unfortunate, still that spirit of Love which is the Spirit of God, +will be its exceeding great reward. + +I say, its own reward. + +For what is to be our reward, if we do our duty earnestly, however +imperfectly? 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter thou +into the joy of thy Lord.' + +And what is the joy of our Lord? What is the joy of Christ? The joy +and delight which springs for ever in his great heart, from feeling +that he is for ever doing good; from loving all, and living for all; +from knowing that if not all, yet millions on millions are grateful +to him, and will be for ever. + +My friends, if you have ever done a kind action; if you have ever +helped any one in distress, or given up a pleasure for the sake of +others--do you not know that that deed gave you a peace, a self- +content, a joy for the moment at least, which nothing in this world +could give, or take away? And if the person whom you helped thanked +you; if you felt that you had made that man your friend; that he +trusted you now, looked on you now as a brother--did not that double +the pleasure? I ask you, is there any pleasure in the world like +that of doing good, and being thanked for it? Then that is the joy +of your Lord. That is the joy of Christ rising up in you, as often +as you do good; the love which is in you rejoicing in itself, because +it has found a loving thing to do, and has called out the love of a +human being in return. + +Yes, if you will receive it, that is the joy of Christ--the glorious +knowledge that he is doing endless good, and calling out endless love +to himself and to the Father, till the day when he shall give up to +his Father the kingdom which he has won back from sin and death, and +God shall be all in all. + +That is the joy of your Lord. If you wish for any different sort of +joy after you die, you must not ask me to tell you of it; for I know +nothing about the matter save what I find written in the Holy +Scripture. + + + +SERMON VI. WORSHIP + + + +ISAIAH i. 12, 13. + +When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your +hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is +an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of +assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn +meeting. + +This is a very awful text; one of those which terrify us--or at least +ought to terrify us--and set us on asking ourselves seriously and +honestly--'What do I believe after all? What manner of man am I +after all? What sort of show should I make after all, if the people +round me knew my heart and all my secret thoughts? What sort of +show, then, do I already make, in the sight of Almighty God, who sees +every man exactly as he is?' + +I say, such texts as this ought to terrify us. It is good to be +terrified now and then; to be startled, and called to account, and +set thinking, and sobered, as it were, now and then, that we may look +at ourselves honestly anti bravely, and see, if we can, what sort of +men we are. + +And therefore, perhaps, it is that this chapter is chosen for the +first Advent Lesson; to prepare us for Christmas; to frighten us +somewhat; at least to set us thinking seriously, and to make us fit +to keep Christmas in spirit and in truth. + +For whom does this text speak of? + +It speaks of religious people, and of a religious nation; and of a +fearful mistake which they were making, and a fearful danger into +which they had fallen. Now we are religious people, and England is a +religious nation; and therefore we may possibly make the same +mistake, and fall into the same danger, as these old Jews. + +I do not say that we have done so; but we may; for human nature is +just the same now as it was then; and therefore it is as well for us +to look round--at least once now and then, and see whether we too are +in danger of falling, while we think that we are standing safe. + +What does Isaiah, then, tell the religious Jews of his day? + +That their worship of God, their church-going, their sabbaths, and +their appointed feasts were a weariness and an abomination to him. +That God loathed them, and would not listen to the prayers which were +made in them. That the whole matter was a mockery and a lie in his +sight. + +These are awful words enough--that God should hate and loathe what he +himself had appointed; that what would be, one would think, one of +the most natural and most pleasant sights to a loving Father in +heaven--namely, his own children worshipping, blessing, and praising +him--should be horrible in his sight. There is something very +shocking in that; at least to Church people like us. If we were +Dissenters, who go to chapel chiefly to hear sermons, it would be +easy for us to say--'Of course, forms and ceremonies and appointed +feasts are nothing to begin with; they are man's invention at best, +and may therefore be easily enough an abomination to God.' But we +know that they are not so; that forms and ceremonies and appointed +feasts are good things as long as they have spirit and truth in them; +that whether or not they be of man's invention, they spring out of +the most simple, wholesome wants of our human nature, which is a good +thing and not a bad one, for God made it in his own likeness, and +bestowed it on us. We know, or ought to know, that appointed feast +days, like Christmas, are good and comfortable ordinances, which +cheer our hearts on our way through this world, and give us something +noble and lovely to look forward to month after month; that they are +like landmarks along the road of life, reminding us of what God has +done, and is doing, for us and all mankind. And if you do not know, +I know, that people who throw away ordinances and festivals end, at +least in a generation or two, in throwing away the Gospel truth which +that ordinance or festival reminds us of; just as too many who have +thrown away Good Friday have thrown away the Good Friday good news, +that Christ died for all mankind; and too many who have thrown away +Christmas are throwing away--often without meaning to do so--the +Christmas good news, that Christ really took on himself the whole of +our human nature, and took the manhood into God. + +So it is, my friends, and so it will be. For these forms and +festivals are the old landmarks and beacons of the Gospel; and if a +man will not look at the landmarks, then he will lose his way. + +Therefore, to Church people like us, it ought to be a shocking thing +even to suspect that God may be saying to us, 'Your appointed feasts +my soul hateth;' and it ought to set them seriously thinking how such +a thing may happen, that they may guard against it. For if God be +not pleased with our coming to his house, what right have we in his +house at all? + +But recollect this, my dear friends, that we are not to use this text +to search and judge others' faults, but to search and judge our own. + +For if a man, hearing this sermon, looks at his neighbour across the +church, and says in his heart, 'Ay, such a bad one as he is--what +right has he in church?'--then God answers that man, 'Who art thou +who judgest another? To his own master he standeth or falleth.' +Yes, my friends, recollect what the old tomb-stone outside says--(and +right good doctrine it is)--and fit it to this sermon. + + +When this you see, pray judge not me + For sin enough I own. +Judge yourselves; mend your lives; + Leave other folks alone. + + +But if a man, hearing this sermon, begins to say to himself, Such a +man as I am--so full of faults as I am--what right have I in church? +So selfish--so uncharitable--so worldly--so useless--so unfair (or +whatever other faults the man may feel guilty of)--in one word, so +unlike what I ought to be--so unlike Christ--so unlike God whom I +come to worship. How little I act up to what I believe! how little I +really believe what I have learnt! what right have I in church? What +if God were saying the same of me as he said of those old Jews, 'Thy +church-going, thy coming to communion, thy Christmas-day, my soul +hateth; I am weary to bear it. Who hath required this at thy hands, +to tread my courts?' People round me may think me good enough as men +go now; but I know myself too well; and I know that instead of saying +with the Pharisee to any man here, 'I thank God that I am not as this +man or that,' I ought rather to stand afar off like the publican, and +not lift up so much as my eyes toward heaven, crying only 'God, be +merciful to me a sinner.' + +If a man should think thus, my friends, his thoughts may make him +very serious for awhile; nay, very sad. But they need not make him +miserable: need still less make him despair. + +They ought to set him on thinking--Why do I come to church? + +Because it is the fashion? + +Because I want to hear the preacher? + +No--to worship God. + +But what is worshipping God? + +That must depend entirely my friends, upon who God is. + +As I often tell you, most questions--ay, if you will receive it, all +questions--depend upon this one root question, who is God? + +But certainly this question of worshipping God must depend upon who +God is. For how he ought to be worshipped depends on what will +please him. And what will please him, depends on what his character +is. + +If God be, as some fancy, hard and arbitrary, then you must worship +him in a way in which a hard arbitrary person would like to be +addressed; with all crouching, and cringing, and slavish terror. + +If God be again, as some fancy, cold, and hard of hearing, then you +must worship him accordingly. You must cry aloud as Baal's priests +did to catch his notice, and put yourselves to torment (as they did, +and as many a Christian has done since) to move his pity; and you +must use repetitions as the heathen do, and believe that you will be +heard for your much speaking. The Lord Jesus called all such +repetitions vain, and much speaking a fancy: but then, the Lord +Jesus spoke to men of a Father in heaven, a very different God from +such as I speak of--and, alas! some Christian people believe in. + +But, my friends, if you believe in your heavenly Father, the good God +whom your Lord Jesus Christ has revealed to you; and if you will +consider that he is good, and consider what that word good means, +then you will not have far to seek before you find what worship +means, and how you can worship him in spirit and in truth. + +For if God be good, worshipping him must mean praising and admiring +him--adoring him, as we call it--for being good. + +And nothing more? + +Certainly much more. Also to ask him to make us good. That, too, +must be a part of worshipping a good God. For the very property of +goodness is, that it wishes to make others good. And if God be good, +he must wish to make us good also. + +To adore God, then, for his goodness, and to pray to him to make us +good, is the sum and substance of all wholesome worship. + +And for that purpose a man may come to church, and worship God in +spirit and in truth, though he be dissatisfied with himself, and +ashamed of himself; and knows that he is wrong in many things:- +provided always that he wishes to be set right, and made good. + +For he may come saying, 'O God, thou art good, and I am bad; and for +that very reason I come. I come to be made good. I admire thy +goodness, and I long to copy it; but I cannot unless thou help me. +Purge me; make me clean. Cleanse thou me from my secret faults, and +give me truth in the inward parts. Do what thou wilt with me. Train +me as thou wilt. Punish me if it be necessary. Only make me good.' + +Then is the man fit indeed to come to church, sins and all:- if he +carry his sins into church not to carry them out again safely and +carefully, as we are all too apt to do, but to cast them down at the +foot of Christ's cross, in the hope (and no man ever hoped that hope +in vain)--that he will be lightened of that burden, and leave some of +them at least behind him. Ay, no man, I say, ever hoped that in +vain. No man ever yet felt the burden of his sins really intolerable +and unbearable, but what the burden of his sins was taken off him +before all was over, and Christ's righteousness given to him instead. + +Then a man is fit, not only to come to church, but to come to Holy +Communion on Christmas-day, and all days. For then and there he will +find put into words for him the very deepest sorrows and longings of +his heart. There he may say as heartily as he can (and the more +heartily the better), 'I acknowledge and bewail my manifold sins and +wickedness. The remembrance of them is grievous unto me; the burden +of them is intolerable:' but there he will hear Christ promising in +return to pardon and deliver him from all his sins, to confirm and +strengthen him in all goodness. That last is what he ought to want; +and if he wants it, he will surely find it. + +He may join there with the whole universe of God in crying, 'Holy, +holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts, heaven and earth are full of Thy +glory:' and still in the same breath he may confess again his +unworthiness so much as to gather up the crumbs under God's table, +and cast himself simply and utterly upon the eternal property of +God's eternal essence, which is--always to have mercy. But he will +hear forthwith Christ's own answer--'If thou art bad, I can and will +make thee good. My blood shall wash away thy sin: my body shall +preserve thee, body, soul, and spirit, to the everlasting life of +goodness.' + +And so God will bless that man's communion to him; and bless to him +his keeping of Christmas-day; because out of a true penitent heart +and lively faith he will be offering to the good God the sacrifice of +his own bad self, that God may take it, and make it good; and so will +be worshipping the everlasting and infinite Goodness, in spirit and +in truth. + + + +SERMON VII. GOD'S INHERITANCE + + + +GAL. iv. 6, 7. + +Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into +your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a +servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. + +This is the second good news of Christmas-day. + +The first is, that the Son of God became man. + +The second is, why he became man. That men might become the sons of +God through him. + +Therefore St. Paul says, You are the sons of God. Not--you may be, +if you are very good: but you are, in order that you may become very +good. Your being good does not tell you that you are the sons of +God: your baptism tells you so. Your baptism gives you a right to +say, I am the child of God. How shall I behave then? What ought a +child of God to be like? Now St. Paul, you see, knew well that we +could not make ourselves God's children by any feelings, fancies, or +experiences of our own. But he knew just as well that we cannot make +ourselves behave as God's children should, by any thoughts and trying +of our own. + +God alone made us His children; God alone can make us behave like his +children. + +And therefore St. Paul says, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into +our hearts: by which we cry to God, Our Father. + +But some will say, Have we that Spirit? + +St. Paul says that you have: and surely he speaks truth. + +Let us search, then, and see where that Spirit is in us. It is a +great and awful honour for sinful men: but I do believe that if we +seek, we shall find that He is not far from any one of us, for in Him +we live and move, and have our being; and all in us which is not +ignorance, falsehood, folly, and filth, comes from Him. + +Now the Bible says that this Spirit is the Spirit of God's Son, the +Spirit of Christ:- and what sort of Spirit is that? + +We may see by remembering what sort of a Spirit Christ had when on +earth; for He certainly has the same Spirit now--the Spirit which +proceedeth everlastingly from the Father and from the Son. + +And what was that Like? What was Christ Like? What was his Spirit +Like? It was a Spirit of Love, mercy, pity, generosity, usefulness, +unselfishness. A spirit of truth, honour, fearless love of what was +right: a spirit of duty and willing obedience, which made Him +rejoice in doing His Father's will. In all things the spirit of a +perfect SON, in all things a lovely, noble, holy spirit. + +And now, my dear friends, is there nothing in you like that? You may +forget it at times, you may disobey it very often: but is there not +something in all your hearts more or less, which makes you love and +admire what is right? + +When you hear of a noble action, is there nothing in you which makes +you approve and admire it? Is there nothing in your hearts which +makes you pity those who are in sorrow and long to help them? +Nothing which stirs your heart up when you hear of a man's nobly +doing his duty, and dying rather than desert his post, or do a wrong +or mean thing? Surely there is--surely there is. + +Then, O my dear friends, when those feelings come into your hearts, +rejoice with trembling, as men to whom God has given a great and +precious gift. For they are none other than the Spirit of the Son of +God, striving with your hearts that He may form Christ in you, and +raise up your hearts to cry with full faith to God, 'My Father which +art in heaven!' + +'Ah but,' you will say, 'we like what is right, but we do not always +do it. We like to see pity and mercy: but we are very often proud +and selfish and tyrannical. We like to see justice and honour: but +we are too apt to be mean and unjust ourselves. We like to see other +people doing their duty: but we very often do not do ours.' + +Well, my dear friends, perhaps that is true. If it be, confess your +sins like honest men, and they shall be forgiven you. If you can so +complain of yourselves, I am sure I can of myself, ten times more. + +But do you not see that this very thing is a sign to you that the +good and noble thoughts in you are not your own but God's? If they +came out of your own spirits, then you would have no difficulty in +obeying them. But they came out of God's Spirit; and our sinful and +self-willed spirits are striving against his, and trying to turn away +from God's light. What can we do then? We can cherish those noble +thoughts, those pure and higher feelings, when they arise. We can +welcome them as heavenly medicine from our heavenly Father. We can +resolve not to turn away from them, even though they make us ashamed. +Not to grieve the Spirit of the Son of God, even though he grieves us +(as he ought to do and will do more and more), by showing us our own +weakness and meanness, and how unlike we are to Christ, the only +begotten Son. + +If we shut our hearts to those good feelings, they will go away and +leave us. And if they do, we shall neither respect our neighbours, +nor respect ourselves. We shall see no good in our neighbours, but +become scornful and suspicious to them; and if we do that, we shall +soon see no good in ourselves. We shall become discontented with +ourselves, more and more given up to angry thoughts and mean ways, +which we hate and despise, all the while that we go on in them. + +And then--mark my words--we shall lose all real feeling of God being +our Father, and we his sons. We shall begin to fancy ourselves his +slaves, and not his children; and God our taskmaster, and not our +Father. We shall dislike the thought of God. We shall long to hide +from God. We shall fall back into slavish terror, and a fearful +looking forward to of judgment and fiery indignation, because we have +trampled under foot the grace of God, the noble, pure, tender, and +truly graceful feelings which God's Spirit bestowed on us, to fill us +with the grace of Christ. + +Therefore, my dear friends, never check any good or right feelings in +yourselves, or in your children; for they come from the spirit of the +Son of God himself. But, as St. Paul says, Phil. iv. 3, 'Finally, +brethren, whatsoever things are honourable, whatsoever things are +just, what soever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, +whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if +there be any praise, think on these things', . . . 'and the God of +peace shall be with you.' Avoid all which can make you mean, low, +selfish, cruel. Cling to all which can fill your mind with lofty, +kindly, generous, loyal thoughts; and so, in God's good time, you +will enter into the meaning of those great words--Abba, Father. The +more you give up your hearts to such good feelings, the more you will +understand of God; the more nobleness there is in you, the more you +will see God's nobleness, God's justice, God's love, God's true +glory. The more you become like God's Son, the more you will +understand how God can stoop to call himself your Father; and the +more you will understand what a Father, what a perfect Father God is. +And in the world to come, I trust, you will enter into the glorious +liberty of the sons of God--that liberty which comes, as I told you +last Sunday, not from doing your own will, but the will of God; that +glory which comes, not from having anything of your own to pride +yourselves upon, but from being filled with the Spirit of God, the +Spirit of Jesus Christ, by which you shall for ever look up freely, +and yet reverently, to the Almighty God of heaven and earth, and say, +'Impossible as the honour seems for man, yet thou, O God, hast said +it, and it is true. Thou, even thou art my Father, and I thy son in +Jesus Christ, who became awhile the Son of man on earth, that I might +become for ever the son of God in heaven.' + +And so will come true to us St. Paul's great words: --If we be sons, +then heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ. + +Heirs of God: but what is our inheritance? The same as Christ's. + +And what is Christ's inheritance? What but God himself?--The +knowledge of our Father in heaven, of his love to us, and of his +eternal beauty and glory, which fills all heavens and all worlds with +light and life. + + + +SERMON VIII. 'DE PROFUNDIS' + + + +PSALM cxxx. 1. + +Out of the deep have I cried unto thee, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice. + +What is this deep of which David speaks so often? He knew it well, +for he had been in it often and long. He was just the sort of man to +be in it often. A man with great good in him, and great evil; with +very strong passions and feelings, dragging him down into the deep, +and great light and understanding to show him the dark secrets of +that horrible pit when he was in it; and with great love of God too, +and of order, and justice, and of all good and beautiful things, to +make him feel the horribleness of that pit where he ought not to be, +all the more from its difference, its contrast, with the beautiful +world of light, and order, and righteousness where he ought to be. +Therefore he knew that deep well, and abhorred it, and he heaps +together every ugly name, to try and express what no man can express, +the horror of that place. It is a horrible pit, mire and clay, where +he can find no footing, but sinks all the deeper for his struggling. +It is a place of darkness and of storms, a shoreless and bottomless +sea, where he is drowning, and drowning, while all God's waves and +billows go over him. It is a place of utter loneliness, where he +sits like a sparrow on the housetop, or a doleful bird in the desert, +while God has put his lovers and friends away from him, and hid his +acquaintance out of his sight, and no man cares for his soul, and all +men seem to him liars, and God himself seems to have forgotten him +and forgotten all the world. It is a dreadful net which has +entangled his feet, a dark prison in which he is set so fast that he +cannot get forth. It is a torturing disgusting disease, which gives +his flesh no health, and his bones no rest, and his wounds are putrid +and corrupt. It is a battle-field after the fight, where he seems to +lie stript among the dead, like those who are wounded and cut away +from God's hand, and lies groaning in the dust of death, seeing +nothing round him but doleful shapes of destruction and misery, alone +in the outer darkness, while a horrible dread overwhelms him. Yea, +it is hell itself, the pit of hell, the nethermost hell, he says, +where God's wrath burns like fire, till his tongue cleaves to his +gums, and his bones are burnt up like a firebrand, till he is weary +of crying; his throat is dry, his heart fails him for waiting so long +upon his God. + +Yes. A dark and strange place is that same deep pit of God--if, +indeed, it be God's and God made it. Perhaps God did not make it. +For God saw everything that he had made, and behold it was very good: +and that pit cannot be very good; for all good things are orderly, +and in shape; and in that pit is no shape, no order, nothing but +contradiction and confusion. When a man is in that pit, it will seem +to him as if he were alone in the world, and longing above all things +for company; and yet he will hate to have any one to speak to him, +and wrap himself up in himself to brood over his own misery. When he +is in that pit he shall be so blind that he can see nothing, though +his eyes be open in broad noon-day. When he is in that pit he will +hate the thing which he loves most, and love the thing which he hates +most. When he is in that pit he will long to die, and yet cling to +life desperately, and be horribly afraid of dying. When he is in +that pit it will seem to him that God is awfully, horribly near him, +and he will try to hide from God, try to escape from under God's +hand: and yet all the while that God seems so dreadfully near him, +God will seem further off from him than ever, millions and millions +of miles away, parted from him by walls of iron, and a great gulf +which he can never pass. There is nothing but contradiction in that +pit: the man who is in it is of two minds about himself, and his kin +and neighbours, and all heaven and earth; and knows not where to +turn, or what to think, or even where he is at all. + +For the food which he gets in that deep pit is very hunger of soul, +and rage, and vain desires. And the ground which he stands on in +that deep is a bottomless quagmire, and doubt, and change, and +shapeless dread. And the air which he breathes in that deep is the +very fire of God, which burns up everlastingly all the chalk and +dross of the world. + +I said that that deep was not merely the deep of affliction. No: +for you may see men with every comfort which wealth and home can +give, who are tormented day and night in that deep pit in the midst +of all their prosperity, calling for a drop of water to cool their +tongue, and finding none. And you may see poor creatures dying in +agony on lonely sick beds, who are not in that pit at all, but in +that better place whereof it is written, 'Blessed are they who, going +through the vale of misery, use it for a well, and the pools are +filled with water;' and again, 'If any man thirst, let him come to +me, and drink;' and 'the water that I shall give him shall be in him +a well of water, springing up to everlasting life.' + +No--that deep pit is a far worse place; an utterly bad place; and yet +it may be good for a man to have fallen into it; and, strangely +enough, if he do fall in, the lower he sinks in it, the better for +him at last. That is another strange contradiction in that pit, +which David found, that though it was a bottomless pit, the deeper he +sank in it, the more likely he was to find his feet set on a rock; +the further down in the nethermost hell he was, the nearer he was to +being delivered from the nethermost hell. + +Of course, if he had staid in that pit, he must have died, body and +soul. No mortal man, or immortal soul could endure it long. No +immortal soul could; for he would lose all hope, all faith in God, +all feeling of there being anything like justice and order in the +world, all hope for himself, or for mankind, lying so in that living +grave where no man can see God's righteousness, or his faithfulness +in that land where all things are forgotten. + +And his mere mortal body could not stand it. The misery and terror +and confusion of his soul would soon wear out his body, and he would +die, as I have seen men actually die, when their souls have been left +in that deep somewhat too long; shrink together into dark melancholy, +and pine away, and die. And I have seen sweet young creatures too, +whom God for some purpose of his own (which must be good and loving, +for HE did it) has let fall awhile into that deep of darkness; and +then in compassion to their youth, and tenderness, and innocence, has +lifted them gently out again, and set their weary feet upon the +everlasting Rock, which is Christ; and has filled them with the light +of his countenance, and joy and peace in believing; and has led them +by green pastures and made them rest by the waters of comfort; and +yet, though their souls were healed, their bodies were not. That +fearful struggle has been too much for frail humanity, and they have +drooped, and faded, and gone peacefully after a while home to their +God, as a fair flower withers if the fire has but once past over it. + +But some I have seen, men and women, who have arisen, like David, out +of that strange deep, all the stronger for their fall; and have found +out another strange contradiction about that deep, and the fire of +God which burns below in it. For that fire hardens a man and softens +him at the same time; and he comes out of it hardened to that +hardness of which it is written, 'Do thou endure hardness like a good +soldier of Jesus Christ;' and again, 'I have fought a good fight, I +have kept the faith, I have finished my course:' yet softened to that +softness of which it is written, 'Be ye tenderhearted, compassionate, +forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven +you;'--and again, 'We have a High Priest who can be touched with the +feeling of our infirmities, seeing that he has been tempted in all +things like as we are, yet without sin.' + +Happy, thrice happy are they who have thus walked through the valley +of the shadow of death, and found it the path which leads to +everlasting life. Happy are they who have thus writhed awhile in the +fierce fire of God, and have had burnt out of them the chaff and +dross, and all which offends, and makes them vain, light, and yet +makes them dull, drags them down at the same time; till only the pure +gold of God's righteousness is left, seven times tried in the fire, +incorruptible, and precious in the sight of God and man. Such people +need not regret--they will not regret--all that they have gone +through. It has made them brave, made them sober, made them patient. +It has given them + + +The reason firm, the temperate will, +Endurance, foresight, strength and skill; + + +and so has shaped them into the likeness of Christ, who was made +perfect by suffering; and though he were a Son, yet in the days of +his flesh, made strong supplication and crying with tears to his +Father, and was heard in that he feared; and so, though he died on +the cross and descended into hell, yet triumphed over death and hell, +by dying and by descending; and conquered them by submitting to them. +And yet they have been softened in that fierce furnace of God's +wrath, into another likeness of Christ--which after all is still the +same; the character which he showed when he wept by the grave of +Lazarus, and over the sinful city of Jerusalem; which he showed when +his heart yearned over the perishing multitude, and over the leper, +and the palsied man, and the maniac possessed with devils; the +character which he showed when he said to the woman taken in +adultery, 'Neither do I condemn thee; go and sin no more;' which he +showed when he said to the sinful Magdalene, who washed his feet with +tears, and wiped them with her hair, 'her sins, which are many, are +forgiven; for she loved much;' the likeness which he showed in his +very death agony upon the torturing cross, when he prayed for his +murderers, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' +This is the character which man may get in that dark deep.--To feel +for all, and feel with all; to rejoice with those who rejoice, and +weep with those who weep; to understand people's trials, and make +allowances for their temptations; to put oneself in their place, till +we see with their eyes, and feel with their hearts, till we judge no +man, and have hope for all; to be fair, and patient, and tender with +every one we meet; to despise no one, despair of no one, because +Christ despises none, and despairs of none; to look upon every one we +meet with love, almost with pity, as people who either have been down +into the deep of horror, or may go down into it any day; to see our +own sins in other people's sins, and know that we might do what they +do, and feel as they feel, any moment, did God desert us; to give and +forgive, to live and let live, even as Christ gives to us, and +forgives us, and lives for us, and lets us live, in spite of all our +sins. + +And how shall we learn this? How shall the bottomless pit, if we +fall into it, be but a pathway to the everlasting rock? + +David tells us: + +'Out of the deep have I cried unto thee, O Lord.' + +He cried to God. + +Not to himself, his own learning, talents, wealth, prudence, to pull +him out of that pit. Not to princes, nobles, and great men. Not to +doctrines, books, church-goings. Not to the dearest friend he had on +earth; for they had forsaken him, could not understand him, thought +him perhaps beside himself. Not to his own good works, almsgivings, +church-goings, church-buildings. Not to his own experiences, faith's +assurances, frames or feelings. The matter was too terrible to be +plastered over in that way, or in any way. He was face to face with +God alone, in utter weakness, in utter nakedness of soul, He cried to +God himself. There was the lesson. + +God took away from him all things, that he might have no one to cry +to but God. + +God took him up, and cast him down: and there he sat all alone, +astonished and confounded, like Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah, when +she sat alone upon the parching rock. Like Rizpah, he watched the +dead corpses of all his hopes and plans, all for which he had lived, +and which made life worth having, withering away there by his side. +But it was told David what Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah, had done. +And it is told to one greater than David, even to Jesus Christ, the +Son of David, what the poor soul does when it sits alone in its +despair. Or rather it need not be told him; for he sees all, weeps +over all, will comfort all: and it shall be to that poor soul as it +was to poor deserted Hagar in the sandy desert, when the water was +spent in the bottle, and she cast her child--the only thing she had +left--under one of the shrubs and hurried away; for she said, 'Let me +not see the child die.' And the angel of the Lord called to her out +of heaven, saying, 'The Lord hath heard the voice of the lad where he +is;' and God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. + +It shall be with that poor soul as it was with Moses, when he went up +alone into the mount of God, and fasted forty days and forty nights +amid the earthquake and the thunderstorm, and the rocks which melted +before the Lord. And behold, when it was past, he talked face to +face with God, as a man talketh with his friend, and his countenance +shone with heavenly light, when he came down triumphant out of the +mount of God. + +So shall it be with every soul of man who, being in the deep, cries +out of that deep to God, whether in bloody India or in peaceful +England. For He with whom we have to do is not a tyrant, but a +Father; not a taskmaster, but a Giver and a Redeemer. We may ask him +freely, as David does, to consider our complaint, because he will +consider it well, and understand it, and do it justice. He is not +extreme to mark what is done amiss, and therefore we can abide his +judgments. There is mercy with him, and therefore it is worth while +to fear him. He waits for us year after year, with patience which +cannot tire; therefore it is but fair that we should wait a while for +him. With him is plenteous redemption, and therefore redemption +enough for us, and for those likewise whom we love. He will redeem +us from all our sins: and what do we need more? He will make us +perfect, even as our Father in heaven is perfect. Let him then, if +he must, make us perfect by sufferings. By sufferings Christ was +made perfect; and what was the best path for Jesus Christ is surely +good enough for us, even though it be a rough and a thorny one. Let +us lie still beneath God's hand; for though his hand be heavy upon +us, it is strong and safe beneath us too; and none can pluck us out +of his hand, for in him we live and move and have our being; and +though we go down into hell with David, with David we shall find God +there, and find, with David, that he will not leave our souls in +hell, or suffer his holy ones to see corruption. Yes; have faith in +God. Nothing in thee which he has made shall see corruption; for it +is a thought of God's, and no thought of his can perish. Nothing +shall be purged out of thee but thy disease; nothing shall be burnt +out of thee but thy dross; and that in thee shall be saved, and live +to all eternity, of which God said at the beginning, Let us make man +in our own image. Yes. Have faith in God; and say to him once for +all, 'Though thou slay me, yet will I love thee; for thou lovedst me +in Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world.' + + + +SERMON IX. THE LOVE OF GOD ITS OWN REWARD + + + +DEUT. xxx. 19, 20. + +I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have +set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose +life that both thou and thy seed may live; that thou mayest love the +Lord thy God, and that thou mayest cleave unto him, for he is thy +life and the length of thy days, that thou mayest dwell in the land +which the Lord God sware unto thy fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob +to give them. + +I spoke to you last Sunday on this text. But there is something more +in it, which I had not time to speak of then. + +Moses here tells the Israelites what will happen to them if they keep +God's law. + +They will love God. That was to be their reward. They were to have +other rewards beside. Beside loving God, it would be well with them +and their children, and they would live long in the land which God +had given them. But their first reward, their great reward, would be +that they would love God. + +If they obeyed God, they would have reason to love him. + +Now we commonly put this differently. + +We say, If you love God, you will obey him; which is quite true. But +what Moses says is truer still, and deeper still. Moses says, If you +obey God, you will love him. + +Again we say, If you love God, God will reward you; which is true; +though not always true in this life. But Moses says a truer and +deeper thing. Moses says that loving God is our reward; that the +greatest reward, the greatest blessing which a man can have, is this- +-that the man should love God. Now does this seem strange? It is +not strange, nevertheless. + +For there are two sorts of faith; and one must always, I sometimes +think, come before the other. + +The first is implicit faith--blind faith--the sort of faith a child +has in what its parents tell it. A child, we know, believes its +parents blindly, even though it does not understand what they tell +it. It takes for granted that they are right. + +The second is experimental faith--the faith which comes from +experience and reason, when a man looks back upon his life, and on +God's dealings with him; and then sees from experience what reason he +has for trusting and loving God, who has helped him onward through so +many chances and changes for so many years. + +Now some people cry out against blind implicit faith, as if it was +childish and unreasonable. But I cannot. I think every one learns +to love his neighbour, very much as Moses told the Jews they would +learn to love God; namely, by trusting them somewhat blindly at +first. + +Is it not so? Is it not so always with young people, when they begin +to be fond of each other? They trust each other, they do not know +why, or how. Before they are married, they have little or no +experience of each other; of each other's tempers and characters: +and yet they trust each other, and say in their hearts, 'He can never +be false to me;' and are ready to put their honour and fortunes into +each other's hands, to live together for better for worse, till death +them part. It is a blind faith in each other, that, and those who +will may laugh at it, and call it the folly and rashness of youth. I +do not believe that God laughs at it: that God calls it folly and +rashness. It surely comes from God. + +For there is something in each of them worth trusting, worth loving. +True, they may be disappointed in each other; but they need not be. +If they are true to themselves; if they will listen to the better +voice within, and be true to their own better feelings, all will be +well, and they will find after marriage that they did not do a rash +and a foolish thing, when they gave up themselves to each other, and +cast in their lot together blindly to live and die. + +And then, after that first blind faith and love in each other which +they had before marriage, will come, as the years roll by, a deeper, +sounder faith and love from experience.--An experience of which I +shall not talk here; for those who have not felt it for themselves +would not know what I mean; and those who have felt it need no clumsy +words of mine to describe it to them. + +Now, my dear friends, this is one of the things by which marriage is +consecrated to an excellent mystery, as the Prayer-book says. This +is one of the things in which marriage is a pattern and picture of +the spiritual union which is between Christ and his Church. + +First, as I said, comes blind faith. A young person, setting out in +life, has little experience of God's love; he has little to make him +sure that the way of life, and honour, and peace, is to obey God's +laws. But he is told so. His Bible tells him so. Wiser and older +people than he tell him so, and God himself tells him so. God +himself makes up in the young person's heart a desire after goodness. + +Then he takes it for granted blindly. He says to himself, I can but +try. They tell me to taste and see whether the Lord is gracious. I +will taste. They tell me that the way of his commandments is the way +to make life worth loving, and to see good days. I will try. And so +the years go by. The young person has grown middle-aged, old. He or +she has been through many trials, many disappointments; perhaps more +than one bitter loss. But if they have held fast by God; if they +have tried, however clumsily, to keep God's law, and walk in God's +way, then there will have grown up in them a trust in God, and a love +for God, deeper and broader far than any which they had in youth; a +love grounded on experience. They can point back to so many +blessings which the Lord gave them unexpectedly; to so many sorrows +which the Lord gave them strength to bear, though they seemed at +first sight past bearing; to so many disappointments which seemed ill +luck at the time, and yet which turned out good for them in the end. +And so comes a deep, reasonable love to their Heavenly Father. Now +they have TASTED that the Lord is gracious. Now they can say, with +the Samaritans, 'Now we believe, not because of thy saying, but +because we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the +Christ, the Saviour of the world.' And when sadness and affliction +come on them, as it must come, they can look back, and so get +strength to look forward. They can say with David, 'I will go on in +the strength of the Lord God. I will make mention only of his +righteousness. Oh my God, thou hast taught me from my youth up until +now; hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also, when I +am old and grey-headed, oh Lord, forsake me not, till I have showed +thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to those whom I +leave behind me.' + +And so, by remembering what God HAS been to them, they can face what +is coming. 'They will not be afraid of evil tidings,' as David says; +'for their heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.' + +And when old age comes, and brings weakness and sickness, and low +spirits, still they have comfort. They can say with David again, 'I +have been young, and now am old, but never saw I the righteous +forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread.' + +Oh my dear friends, young people especially--there are many things +which you may long for which you cannot have: much happiness which +is NOT within your reach. But THIS you can have, if you will but +long for it: this happiness IS within your reach, if you will but +put out your hand and take it.--The everlasting unfailing comfort of +loving God, and of knowing that God loves you. Oh choose that now at +once. Choose God's ways which are pleasantness, and God's paths +which are peace; and then in your old age, whether you become rich or +poor, whether you are left alone, or go down to your grave in peace +with children and grandchildren to close your eyes, you will still +have the one great reward, the true reward, the everlasting reward +which Moses promised the old Israelites. You will have reason to +love God, who has carried you safe through life, and will carry you +safe through death, and to say with all his saints and martyrs, 'Many +things I know not; and many things I have lost: but this I know.--I +know in whom I have believed; and this I cannot lose; even God +himself, whose name is faithful and true.' + + + +SERMON X. THE RACE OF LIFE + + + +JOHN i. 26. + +There standeth one among you whom ye know not. + +This is a solemn text. It warns us, and yet it comforts us. It +tells us that there is a person standing among us so great, that John +the Baptist, the greatest of the prophets, was not worthy to unloose +his shoes' latchet. + +Some of you know who he is. Some of you, perhaps, do not. If you +know him, you will be glad to be reminded of him to-day. If you do +not know him, I will tell you who he is. + +Only bear this in mind, that whether you know him or not, he is +standing among us. We have not driven him away, and cannot drive him +away. Our not seeing him will not prevent his seeing us. He is +always near us; ready, if we ask him, as the Collect bids us, to +'come among us, and with great might succour us.' + +For, my friends, this is the meaning of the text, as far as it has to +do with us. The noble Collect for to-day tells this, and explains to +us what we are to think of the Epistle and the Gospel. + +The Epistle tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ is at hand, and that +therefore we are to fret about nothing, but make our requests known +to him. The Gospel tells us that he stands among us. The Collect +tells us what we are to do, because he is at hand, because he stands +among us. + +And what are we to do? + +Recollect my friends, what John the Baptist said, according to St. +Matthew, after the words in the text--'He shall baptize you with the +Holy Ghost, and with fire.' + +The Collect asks him to do that--the first half of it at least. To +baptize us with the Holy Ghost, lest he should need to baptize us +with fire. + +For the Collect says, we have all a race to run. We have all a +journey to make through life. We have all so to get through this +world, that we shall inherit the world to come; so to pass through +the things of time (as one of the Collects says) that we finally lose +not the things eternal. God has given each of us our powers and +character, marked out for each of us our path in life, set each of us +our duty to do. + +But how shall we make the proper use of our powers? + +How shall we keep to our path in life? + +How shall we do our duty faithfully? + +In short, so as St. Paul puts it--How shall we run our race, so as +not to lose, but to win it? + +For the Collect says--and we ought to have found it out for ourselves +before now--Our sins and wickedness hinder us sorely in running the +race which is set before us. + +Our sins and wickedness. The Collect speaks of these as two +different things; and I believe rightly, for the New Testament speaks +of them as two different things. Sin, in the New Testament, means +strictly what we call "failings," "defects" a missing the mark, a +falling short; as it is written--All have sinned, and come short of +the glory of God, that is, of the likeness of a perfect man. {75} + +Thus, stupidity, laziness, cowardice, bad temper, greediness after +pleasure--these are strictly speaking what the New Testament calls +sins. Wickedness--iniquity--seem to be harder words, and to mean +worse offences. They mean the evil things which a man does, not out +of the weakness of his mortal nature, but out of his own wicked will, +and what the Bible calls the naughtiness of his heart. So wickedness +means, not merely open crimes which are punishable by the law, but +all which comes out of a man's own wilfulness and perverseness-- +injustice (which is the first meaning of iniquity), cunning, +falsehood, covetousness, pride, self-conceit, tyranny, cruelty--these +seem to be what the Scripture calls wickedness. Of course one cannot +draw the line exactly, in any matters so puzzling as questions about +our own souls must always be: but on the whole. I think you will +find this rule not far wrong - + +That all which comes from the weakness of a man's soul, is sin: all +which comes from abusing its strength, is wickedness. All which +drags a man down, and makes him more like a brute animal, is sin: +all which puffs him up, and makes him more like a devil, is +wickedness. It is as well to bear this in mind, because a man may +have a great horror of sin, and be hard enough, and too hard upon +poor sinners; and yet all the time he may be thoroughly, and to his +heart's core, a wicked man. The Pharisees of old were so. So they +are now. Take you care that you be not like to them. Keep clear of +sin: but keep clear of wickedness likewise. + +For, says the Collect, both will hinder you in your race: perhaps +cause you to break down in it, and never reach the goal at all. + +Sin will hinder you, by dragging you back. + +Wickedness will hinder you, by putting you altogether out of the +right road. + +If a man be laden with sins; stupid, lazy, careless, over fond of +pleasure;--much more, if he be given up to enjoying himself in bad +ways, about which we all know too well--then he is like a man who +starts in a race, weak, crippled, over-weighted, or not caring +whether he wins or loses; and who therefore lags behind, or grows +tired, or looks round, and wants to stop and amuse himself, instead +of pushing on stoutly and bravely. And therefore St. Paul bids us +lay aside every weight (that is every bad habit which makes us lazy +and careless), and the sin which does so easily beset us, and run +with patience our appointed race, looking to Jesus, the author of our +faith--who stands by to give us faith, confidence, courage to go on-- +Jesus, who has compassion on those who are ignorant, and out of the +way by no wilfulness of their own; who can be touched with the +feeling of our infirmities; who can help us, can deliver us, and who +will do what he can, and do all he can. + +He can and will strengthen us, freshen us, encourage us, inspirit us, +by giving us his Holy Spirit, that we may have spirit and power to +run our race, day by day, and tide by tide. And so, if he sees us +weak and fainting over our work, he will baptize us with the Holy +Ghost. + +And yet there are times when he will baptize a sinner not only with +the Holy Ghost, but with fire--I am still speaking, mind, of a +sinner, not of a wicked man. + +And when? When he sees the man sitting down by the roadside to play, +with no intention of moving on. I do not say--if he sees the man +sitting down to play at all. God forbid! How can a man run his +life-long race--how can he even keep up for a week, a day, at doing +his best at the full stretch of his power, without stopping to take +breath? I cannot, God knows. If any man can--be it so. Some are +stronger than others: but be sure of this; that God counts it no sin +in a man to stop and take breath. 'Press forward toward the mark of +your high calling,' St. Paul says: but he does not forbid a man to +refresh and amuse himself harmlessly and rationally, from time to +time, with all the pleasant things which God has put into this world. +They do refresh us, and they do amuse us, these pleasant things. And +God made them, and put them here. Surely he put them here to refresh +and amuse us. He did not surely put them here to trap us, and snare +us, and tempt us not to run the very race which he himself has set +before us? No, no, my friends. He made pleasant things to please +us, amusing things to amuse us. Every good gift comes from him. + +But if a man thinks of nothing but amusing himself, he is like a +horse who stands still in the middle of a journey, and begins +feeding. Let him do his day's journey, and feed afterwards; and so +get strength for his next day's work. But if he will stand still, +and feed; if he will forget that he has any work at all to do; then +we shall punish him, to make him go on. And so will God do with us. +He will strike us then; and sharply too. Much more, if a man gives +himself up to sinful pleasure; if he gives himself up to a loose and +profligate life, and, like many a young man, wastes his substance in +riotous living, and devours his heavenly Father's gifts with harlots- +-then God will strike that man; and all the more sharply the more +worth and power there is in the man. The more God has given the man, +the sharper will be God's stroke, if he deserves it. + +And why? + +Ask yourselves. Suppose that your horse had plunged into a deep +ditch, and was lying there in mire and thorns; would you not strike +him, and sharply too, to make him put out his whole strength, and +rise, and by one great struggle clear himself? + +Of course you would: and the more spirited, the more powerful the +animal was, the sharper you would be with him, because the more sure +you would be that he could answer to your call if he chose. + +Even so does God with us. If he sees us lying down; forgetting +utterly that we have any work or duty to do; and wallowing in the +mire of fleshly lusts, and thorns of worldly cares, then he will +strike; and all the more sharply, the more real worth or power there +is in us; that he may rouse us, and force us to exert ourselves and +by one great struggle, like the mired horse, clear ourselves out of +the sin which besets us, and holds us down, and leap, as it were, +once and for all, out of the death of sin, into the life of +righteousness. + +But much more if there be not merely sin in us, but wickedness; self- +will, self-conceit, and rebellion. + +For see, my friends. If we were training a young animal, how should +we treat it? If it were merely weak, we should strengthen and +exercise it. If it were merely ignorant, we should teach it. If it +were lazy, we should begin to punish it; but gently, that it might +still have confidence, faith in us, and pleasure in its work. + +But if we found wickedness in it--vice, as we rightly call it--if it +became restive, that is, rebellious and self-willed, then we should +punish it indeed. Seldom, perhaps, but very sharply; that it might +see clearly that we were the stronger, and that rebellion was of no +use at all. + +And so does the Lord with us, my friends. If we will not go his way +by kindness, he will make us go by severity. + +First, when we are christened, and after that day by day, if we ask +him--and often when we ask him not--he gives us the gentle baptism of +his Holy Spirit, freshening, strengthening, encouraging, inspiriting. +But if we will not go on well for that; if we will rebel, and try our +own way, and rush out of God's road after this and that, in pride and +self-will, as if we were our own masters; then, my friends--then will +God baptize us with fire, and strike with a blow which goes nigh to +cut a man in two. Very seldom he strikes; for he is pitiful, and of +tender mercy: but with a rod as of fire, of which it is written, +that it is sharper than a two-edged sword, and pierces through the +joints and marrow. Very seldom: but very sharply, that there may be +no mistake about what the blow means, and that the man may know, +however cunning, or proud, or self-righteous he may be, that God is +the Lord, God is his Master, and will be obeyed; and woe to him, if +he obey him not. And what can a man do then, but writhe in the +bitterness of his soul, and get back into God's highway as fast as he +can, in fear and trembling lest the next blow cut him in asunder? +And so, by the bitterness of disappointment, or bereavement, or +sickness, or poverty, or worst of all, of shame, will the Lord +baptize the man with fire. + +But all in love, my friends; and all for the man's good. Does God +LIKE to punish his creatures? LIKE to torment them? Some think that +he does, and say that he finds what they call 'satisfaction' in +punishing. I think that they mistake the devil for God. No, my +friends; what does he say himself? 'Have I any pleasure in the death +of the wicked; and not rather that he should turn from his ways, and +live?' Surely he has not. If he had, do you think that he would +have sent us into this world at all? I do not. And I trust and hope +that you will not. Believe that even when he cuts us to the heart's +core, and baptizes us with fire, he does it only out of his eternal +love, that he may help and deliver us all the more speedily. + +For God's sake--for Christ's sake--for your own sake--keep that in +mind, that Christ's will, and therefore God's will, is to help and +deliver us; that he stands by us, and comes among us, for that very +purpose. Consider St. Paul's parable, in which he talks of us as men +running a race, and of Christ as the judge who looks on to see how we +run. But for what purpose does Christ look on? To catch us out, as +we say? To mark down every fault of ours, and punish wherever he has +an opportunity or a reason? Does he stand there spying, frowning, +fault-finding, accusing every man in his turn, extreme to watch what +is done amiss? If an earthly judge did that, we should call him-- +what he would be--an ill-conditioned man. But dare we fancy anything +ill-conditioned in God? God forbid! His conditions are altogether +good, and his will a good will to men; and therefore, say the Epistle +and the Collect, we ought not to be terrified, but to rejoice, at the +thought that the Lord is looking on. However badly we are running +our race, yet if we are trying to move forward at all, we ought to +rejoice that God in Christ is looking on. + +And why? + +Why? Because he is looking on, not to torment, but to help. Because +he loves us better than we love ourselves. Because he is more +anxious for us to get safely through this world than we are +ourselves. + +Will you understand that, and believe that, once for all, my +friends?--That God is not AGAINST you, but FOR you, in the struggles +of life; that he WANTS you to get through safe; WANTS you to succeed; +WANTS you to win; and that therefore he will help you, and hear your +cry. + +And therefore when you find yourselves wrong, utterly wrong, do not +cry to this man or that man, 'Do YOU help me; do you set me a little +more right, before God comes and finds me in the wrong, and punishes +me.' Cry to God himself, to Christ himself; ask HIM to lift you up, +ask him to set you right. Do not be like St. Peter before his +conversion, and cry, 'Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord; +wait a little, till I have risen up, and washed off my stains, and +made myself somewhat fit to be seen.'--No. Cry, 'Come quickly, O +Lord--at once, just because I am a sinful man; just because I am sore +let and hindered in running my race by my own sins and wickedness; +because I am lazy and stupid; because I am perverse and vicious, +THEREFORE raise up thy power, and come to me, thy miserable creature, +thy lost child, and with thy great might succour me. Lift me up for +I have fallen very low; deliver me, for I have plunged out of thy +sound and safe highway into deep mire, where no ground is. Help +myself I cannot, and if thou help me not, I am undone.' + +Do so. Pray so. Let your sins and wickedness be to you not a reason +for hiding from Christ who stands by; but a reason, the reason of all +reasons, for crying to Christ who stands by. + +And then, whether he deliver you by kind means or by sharp ones, +deliver you he will; and set your feet on firm ground, and order your +goings, that you may run with patience the race which is set before +you along the road of life, and the pathway of God's commandments, +wherein there is no death. + +This, my friends, is one of the meanings of Advent. This is the +meaning of the Collect, the Epistle, and the Gospel.--That God in +Christ stands by us, ready to help and deliver us; and that if we cry +to him even out of the lowest depth, he will hear our voice. And +that then, when he has once put us into the right road again, and +sees us going bravely along it to the best of the power which he has +given us, he will fulfil to us his eternal promise, 'Thy sins--and +not only thy sins, but thine iniquities--I will remember no more.' + + + +SERMON XI. SELF-RESPECT AND SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS + + + +PSALM vii. 8. + +Give sentence for me, O Lord, according to my righteousness; and +according to the innocency that is in me. + +Is this speech self-righteous? If so, it is a bad speech; for self- +righteousness is a bad temper of mind; there are few worse. If we +say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not +in us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive +us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say +that we have not sinned, we make him a liar. + +This is plain enough; and true as God is true. But there is another +temper of mind which is right in its way; and which is not self- +righteousness, though it may look like it at first sight. I mean the +temper of Job, when his friends were trying to prove to him that he +must be a bad man, and to make him accuse himself of all sorts of +sins which he had not committed; and he answered that he would utter +no deceit, and tell no lies about himself. 'Till I die I will not +remove mine integrity from me; my righteousness I will hold fast, and +will not let it go; my heart shall not reproach me as long as I +live.' I have, on the whole, tried to be a good man, and I will not +make myself out a bad one. + +For, my friends, with the Bible as with everything else, we must hear +both sides of the question, lest we understand neither side. + +We may misuse St. John's doctrine, that if we say we have no sin, we +deceive ourselves. We may deceive ourselves in the very opposite +way. + +In the first place, some people, having learnt that it is right to +confess their sins, try to have as many sins as possible to confess. +I do not mean that they commit the sins, but that they try to fancy +they have committed them. This is very common now, and has been for +many hundred years, especially among young women and lads who are of +a weakly melancholy temper, or who have suffered some great +disappointment. They are fond of accusing themselves; of making +little faults into great ones; of racking their memories to find +themselves out in the wrong; of taking the darkest possible view of +themselves, and of what is going to happen to them. They forget that +Solomon, the wise, when he says, 'Be not over-much wicked; neither be +thou foolish--why shouldst thou die before thy time?'--says also, 'Be +not righteous over-much; neither make thyself over-wise. Why +shouldst thou destroy thyself?' + +For such people do destroy themselves. I have seen them kill their +own bodies, and die early, by this folly. And I have seen them kill +their own souls, too, and enter into strong delusions, till they +believe a lie, and many lies, from which one had hoped that the Bible +would have delivered any and every man. + +One cannot be angry with such people. One can only pity them, and +pity them all the more, when one finds them generally the most +innocent, the very persons who have least to confess. One can but +pity them, when one sees them applying to themselves God's warnings +against sins of which they never even heard the names, and fancying +that God speaks to them, as St. Paul says that he did to the old +heathen Romans, when they were steeped up to the lips in every crime. + +No--one can do more than pity them. One can pray for them that they +may learn to know God, and who he is: and by knowing him, may be +delivered out of the hands of cunning and cruel teachers, who make a +market of their melancholy, and hide from them the truth about God, +lest the truth should make them free, while their teachers wish to +keep them slaves. + +This is one misuse of St. John's doctrine. There is another and a +far worse misuse of it. + +A man may be proud of confessing his sins; may become self-righteous +and conceited, according to the number of the sins which he +confesses. + +So deceitful is this same human heart of ours, that so it is I have +seen people quite proud of calling themselves miserable sinners. I +say, proud of it. For if they had really felt themselves miserable +sinners, they would have said less about their own feelings. If a +man really feels what sin is--if he feels what a miserable, pitiful, +mean thing it is to be doing wrong when one knows better, to be the +slave of one's own tempers, passions, appetites--oh, if man or woman +ever knew the exceeding sinfulness of sin, he would hide his own +shame in the depths of his heart, and tell it to God alone, or at +most to none on earth save the holiest, the wisest, the trustiest, +the nearest and the dearest. + +But when one hears a man always talking about his own sinfulness, one +suspects--and from experience one has only too much reason to +suspect--that he is simply saying in a civil way, 'I am a better man +than you; for I talk about my sinfulness, and you do not.' + +For if you answer such a man, as old Job or David would have done, 'I +will not confess what I have not felt. I have tried and am trying to +be an upright, respectable, sober, right-living man. Let God judge +me according to the innocency that is in me. I know that I am not +perfect: no man is that: but I will not cant; I will not be a +hypocrite; and if I accuse myself of sins which I have not committed, +it seems to me that I shall be mocking God, and deceiving myself. I +will trust to God to judge me fairly, to balance between the good and +the evil which is in me, and deal with me accordingly.' + +If you speak in that way, the other man will answer you plainly +enough, 'Ah! you are utterly benighted. You are building on legality +and morality. You have not yet learnt the first principles of the +Gospel.' And with these, and other words, will give you to +understand this--That he thinks he is going to heaven, and you are +going to hell. + +Now, my dear friends, you are partly right, and he is partly right. +St. Paul will show you where you are right and where he is right. He +does so, I think, in a certain noble text of his in which he says, 'I +judge not mine own self; for I know nothing against myself, yet am I +not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.' + +Now remember that no man was less self-righteous than St. Paul. No +man ever saw more clearly the sinfulness of sin. No man ever put +into words so strongly the struggle between good and evil which goes +on in the human heart. In one place, even, when speaking of his +former life, he calls himself the chief of sinners. Yet St. Paul, +when he had done his duty, knew that he had done it, and was not +afraid to say--as no honest and upright man need be afraid to say--'I +know nothing against myself.' For if you have done right, my friend, +it is God who has helped you to do it; and it is difficult to see how +you can honour God, by pretending instead that he has left you to do +wrong. + +This, then, seems to be the rule. If you have done wrong, be not +afraid to confess it. If you have done right, be not afraid to +confess that either. And meanwhile keep up your self-respect. Try +to do your duty. Try to keep your honour bright. Let no man be able +to say that he is the worse for you. Still more let no woman be able +to say that she is the worse for you; for if you treat another man's +daughter as you would not let him treat yours, where is your honour +then, or your clear conscience? What cares man, what cares God, for +your professions of uprightness and respectability, if you take good +care to behave well to men, who can defend themselves, and take no +care to behave well to a poor girl, who cannot defend herself? +Recollect that when Job stood up for his own integrity, and would not +give up his belief that he was a righteous man, he took care to +justify himself in this matter, as well as on others. 'I made a +covenant with mine eyes,' he says; 'why then should I think upon a +maid? If mine heart have been deceived by a woman; or if I have laid +wait at my neighbour's door;' 'Then,' he says in words too strong for +me to repeat, 'let others do to my wife as I have done to theirs.' + +Avoid this sin, and all sins. Let no man be able to say that you +have defrauded him, that you have tyrannized over him; that you have +neglected to do your duty by him. Let no man be able to say that you +have rewarded him evil for evil. If possible, let him not be able to +say that you have even lost your temper with him. Be generous; be +forgiving. If you have an opportunity, be like David, and help him +who without a cause is your enemy; and then you will have a right to +say, like David, 'Give sentence with me, O Lord, according to my +righteousness, and according to the cleanness of my hands in thy +sight.' + +True--that will not justify you. In God's sight shall no man living +be justified, if justification is to come by having no faults. What +man is there who lives, and sins not? Who is there among us, but +knows that he is not the man he might be? Who does not know, that +even if he seldom does what he ought not, he too often leaves undone +what he ought? And more than that--none of us but does many a really +wrong thing of which he never knows, at least in this life. None of +us but are blind, more or less, to our own faults; and often blind-- +God forgive us!--to our very worst faults. + +Then let us remember, that he who judges us IS THE LORD. + +Now is that a thought to be afraid of? + +David did not think so, when he had done right. For he says, in this +Psalm, 'Judge me, O Lord!' + +And when he has done wrong, he thinks so still less; for then he asks +God all the more earnestly, not only to judge him, but to correct him +likewise. 'Purge me,' he says, 'and I shall be clean. Cleanse thou +me from my secret faults, and make me to understand wisdom secretly. +For thou requirest truth in the inward parts.' + +That is bravely spoken, and worthy of an honest man, who wishes above +all things to be right, whatsoever it may cost him. + +But how did David get courage to ask that? + +By knowing God, and who God was. + +For this, my friends, is the key to the whole matter--as it is to all +matters--Who is God? + +If you believe God to be a hard task-master, and a cruel being, +extreme to mark what is done amiss, an accuser like the devil, +instead of a forgiver and a Saviour, as he really is;--then you will +begin judging yourself wrongly and clumsily, instead of asking God to +judge you wisely and well. + +You will break both of the golden rules which St. Anthony, the famous +hermit, used to give to his scholars.--'Regret not that which is +past; and trust not in thine own righteousness.' For you will lose +time, and lose heart, in fretting over old sins and follies, instead +of confessing them once and for all to God, and going boldly to his +throne of grace to find mercy and grace to help you in the time of +need; that you may try again and do better for the future. And so it +will be true of you--I am sure I have seen it come true of many a +poor soul--what David found, before he found out the goodness of +God's free pardon:- 'While I held my tongue, my bones waxed old +through my daily complaining. For thy hand was heavy upon me night +and day; my moisture was like the drought in summer.' + +And all that while (such contradictory creatures are we all), you may +be breaking St. Anthony's other golden rule, and trusting in your own +righteousness. + +You will begin trying to cleanse yourself from little outside faults, +and fancying that that is all you have to do, instead of asking God +to cleanse you from your secret faults, from the deep inward faults +which he alone can see; forgetting that they are the root, and the +outside faults only the fruit. And so you will be like a foolish +sick man, who is afraid of the doctor, and therefore tries to physic +himself. But what does he do? Only tamper and peddle with the +outside symptoms of his complaint, instead of going to the physician, +that he may find out and cure the complaint itself. Many a man has +killed his own body in that way; and many a man more, I fear, has +killed his own soul, because he was afraid of going to the Great +Physician. + +But if you will believe that God is good, and not evil; if you will +believe that the heavenly Father is indeed YOUR Father; if you will +believe that the Lord Jesus Christ really loves you, really died to +save you, really wishes to deliver you from your sins, and make you +what you ought to be, and what you can be: then you will have heart +to do your duty; because you will be sure that God helps you to do +your duty. You will have heart to fight bravely against your bad +habits, instead of fretting cowardly over them; because you know that +God is fighting against them for you. You will not, on the other +hand, trust in your own righteousness; because you will soon learn +that you have no righteousness of your own: but that all the good in +you comes from God, who works in you to will and to do of his good +pleasure. + +And when you examine yourself, and think over your own life and +character, as every man ought to do, especially in Advent and Lent, +you will have heart to say, 'O God, thou knowest how far I am right, +and how far wrong. I leave myself in thy hand, certain that thou +wilt deal fairly, justly, lovingly with me, as a Father with his son. +I do not pretend to be better than I am: neither will I pretend to +be worse than I am. Truly, I know nothing about it. I, ignorant +human being that I am, can never fully know how far I am right, and +how far wrong. I find light and darkness fighting together in my +heart, and I cannot divide between them. But thou canst. Thou +knowest. Thou hast made me; thou lovest me; thou hast sent thy Son +into the world to make me what I ought to be; and therefore I believe +that he will make me what I ought to be. Thou willest not that I +should perish, but come to the knowledge of the truth: and therefore +I believe that I shall not perish, but come to the knowledge of the +truth about thee, about my own character, my own duty, about +everything which it is needful for me to know. And therefore I will +go boldly on, doing my duty as well as I can, though not perfectly, +day by day; and asking thee day by day to feed my soul with its daily +bread. Thou feedest my soul with ITS daily bread. How much more +then wilt thou feed my mind and my heart, more precious by far than +my body? Yes, I will trust thee for soul and for body alike; and if +I need correcting for my sins, I am sure at least of this, that the +worst thing that can happen to me or any man, is to do wrong and NOT +to be corrected; and the best thing is to be set right, even by hard +blows, as often as I stray out of the way. And therefore I will take +my punishment quietly and manfully, and try to thank thee for it, as +I ought; for I know that thou wilt not punish me beyond what I +deserve, but far below what I deserve; and that thou wilt punish me +only to bring me to myself, and to correct me, and purge me, and +strengthen me. For this I believe--on the warrant of thine own word +I believe it--undeserved as the honour is, that thou art my Father, +and lovest me; and dost not afflict any man willingly, or grieve the +children of men out of passion or out of spite; and that thou willest +not that I should be damned, nor any man; but willest have all men +saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth. + + + +SERMON XII. TRUE REPENTANCE + + + +EZEKIEL xviii. 27. + +When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness which he hath +committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save +his soul alive. + +We hear a great deal about repentance, and how necessary it is for a +man to repent of his sins; for unless a man repent, he cannot be +forgiven. But do we all of us really know what repentance means? + +I sometimes fear not. I sometimes fear, that though this text stands +at the opening of the Church service, and though people hear it as +often as any text in the whole Bible, yet they have not really learnt +the lesson which God sends them by it. + +What, then, does repentance mean? + +'Being sorry for what we have done wrong,' say some. + +But is that all? I suppose there are few wicked things done upon +earth, for which the doers of them are not sorry, sooner or later. A +man does a wrong thing, and his conscience pricks him, and makes him +uneasy, and he says in his heart, 'I wish after all I had left that +alone.' But the next time he is tempted to do the same thing, he +does it, and is ashamed of himself afterwards again: but that is not +repentance. I suppose that there have been few murders committed in +the world, after which sooner or later the murderer did not say in +his heart--'Ah, that that man were alive and well again!' But that +is not repentance. + +For aught I can tell, the very devil is sorry for his sin;-- +discontented, angry with himself, ashamed of himself for being a +devil. He may be so to all eternity, and yet never repent. For the +dark uneasy feeling which comes over every man sooner or later, after +doing wrong, is not repentance; it is remorse; the most horrible and +miserable of all feelings, when it comes upon a man in its full +strength; the feeling of hating oneself, being at war with oneself, +and with all the world, and with God who made it. + +But that will save no man's soul alive. Repentance will save any and +every soul alive, then and there: but remorse will not. Remorse may +only kill him. Kill his body, by making him, as many a poor creature +has done, put an end to himself in sheer despair: and kill his soul +at least, by making him say in his heart, 'Well, if bad I am, bad I +must be. I hate myself, and God hates me also. All I can do is, to +forget my unhappiness if I can, in business, in pleasure, in drink, +and drive remorse out of my head;' and often a man succeeds in so +doing. The first time he does a wrong thing, he feels sorry and +ashamed after it. Then he takes courage after awhile, and does it +again; and feels less sorrow and shame; and so again and again, till +the sin becomes easier and easier to him, and his conscience grows +more and more dull; till at last perhaps, the feeling of its being +wrong quite dies within--and that is the death of his soul. + +But of true repentance, it is written, that he who repents shall save +his soul ALIVE. And how? + +The word for repentance in Scripture means simply a change of mind. +To change one's mind is, in Scripture words, to repent. + +Now if a man changes his mind, he changes his conduct also. If you +set out to go to a place and change your mind, then you do not go +there. If as you go on, you begin to have doubts about its being +right to go, or to be sorry that you are going, and still walk on in +the same road, however slowly or unwillingly, that is not changing +your mind about going. If you do change your mind, you will change +your steps. You will turn back, or turn off, and go some other road. + +This may seem too simple to talk of. But if it be, why do not people +act upon it? If a man finds that in his way through life be is on +the wrong road, the road which leads to shame, and sorrow, and death +and hell, why will he confess that he is on the wrong road, and say +that he is very sorry (as perhaps he really may be) that he is going +wrong, and yet go on, and persevere on the wrong path? At least, as +long as he keeps on the road which leads to ruin, he has not changed +his mind, or repented at all. He may find the road unpleasant, full +of thorns, and briars, and pit-falls; for believe me, however broad +the road is which leads to destruction, it is only the GATE of it +which is easy and comfortable; it soon gets darker and rougher, that +road of sin; and the further you walk along it, the uglier and more +wretched a road it is: but all the misery which it gives to a man is +only useless remorse, unless he fairly repents, and turns out of that +road into the path which leads to life. + +Now the one great business of foolish man in all times has been to +save his soul (as he calls it) without doing right; to go to heaven +(as he calls it) without walking the road which leads to heaven. It +is a folly and a dream. For no man can get to heaven, unless he be +heavenly; and being heavenly is simply being good, and neither more +or less. And sin is death, and no man can save his soul alive, while +it is dead in sin. Still men have been trying to do it in all ages +and countries; and as soon as one plan has failed, they have tried +some new one; and have invented some false repentance which was to +serve instead of the true one. The old Jews seem to have thought +that the repentance which God required was burnt-offerings and +sacrifices: that if they could only offer bullocks and goats enough +on God's altar, he would forgive them their sins. But David, and +Isaiah after him, and Ezekiel after him, found out that THAT was but +a dream; that that sort of repentance would save no man's soul; that +God did not require burnt-offerings and sacrifice for sin: but +simply that a man should do right and not wrong. 'When ye come +before me,' saith the Lord, 'who has required this at your hand, to +tread my courts?' They were to bring no more vain offerings: but to +put away the evil of their doings; to cease to do evil, to learn to +do well; to seek justice, relieve the oppressed, judge the +fatherless, plead for the widow; and then, and then only, though +their sins were as scarlet, they should be white as snow. For God +would take them for what they were--as good, if they were good; as +bad, if they were bad. And this agrees exactly with the text. 'When +the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness which he hath +committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save +his soul alive.' + +The Papists again, thought that the repentance which God required, +was for a man to punish himself bitterly for his sins; to starve and +torture himself, to give up all that makes life pleasant, and so to +atone. And good and pious men and women, with a real hatred and +horror of sin, tried this: but they found that making themselves +miserable took away their sins no more than burnt-offerings and +sacrifices would do it. Their consciences were not relieved; they +gained no feeling of comfort, no assurance of God's love. Then they +said, 'I have not punished myself enough. I have not made myself +miserable enough. I will try whether more torture and misery will +not wipe out my sins.' And so they tried again, and failed again, +and then tried harder still, till many a noble man and woman in old +times killed themselves piecemeal by slow torments, in trying to +atone for their sins, and wash out in their own blood what was +already washed out in the blood of Jesus Christ. But on the whole, +that was found to be a failure. And now the great mass of the +Papists have fallen back on the wretched notion that repentance +merely means confessing their sins to a priest, and receiving +absolution from him, and doing some little penance too childish to +speak of here. + +But is there no false repentance among us English, too, my friends? +No paltry substitute for the only true repentance which God will +accept, which is, turning round and doing right? How many there are, +who feel--'I am very wrong. I am very sinful. I am on the road to +hell. I am quarrelling and losing my temper, and using bad +language.--Or--I am cheating my neighbour. Or--I am living in +adultery and drunkenness: I must repent before it is too late.' But +what do they mean by repenting? Coming as often as they can to +church or chapel, and reading all the religious books which they can +get hold of: till they come, from often reading and hearing about +the Gospel promises, to some confused notion that their sins are +washed away in Christ's blood; or perhaps, on the strength of some +violent feelings, believe that they are converted all on a sudden, +and clothed with the robe of Christ's righteousness, and renewed by +God's Spirit, and that now they belong to the number of believers, +and are among God's elect. + +Now, my dear friends, I complain of no one going to hear all the good +they can; I complain of no one reading all the religious books they +can: but I think--and more, I know--that hearing sermons and reading +tracts may be, and is often, turned into a complete snare of the +devil by people who do not wish to give up their sins and do right, +but only want to be comfortable in their sins. + +Hear sermons if you will; read good books if you will: but bear in +mind, that you know already quite enough to lead you to REPENTANCE. +You need neither book nor sermon to teach you those ten commandments +which hang here over the communion table: all that books and tracts +and sermons can do is to teach you how to KEEP those commandments in +spirit and in truth: but I am sure I have seen people read books, +and run about to sermons, in order to enable them to forget those ten +commandments; in order to find excuses for not keeping them; and to +find doctrines which tell them, that because Christ has done all, +they need do nothing;--only FEEL a little thankfulness, and a little +sorrow for sin, and a little liking to hear about religion: and call +that repentance, and conversion, and the renewal of the Holy Spirit. + +Now, my dear friends, let me ask you as reasonable beings, Do you +think that hearing me or any man preach, can save your souls alive? +Do you think that sitting over a book for an hour a day, or all day +long, will save your souls alive? Do you think that your sins are +washed away in Christ's blood, when they are there still, and you are +committing them? Would they be here, and you doing them, if they +were put away? Do you think that your sins can be put away out of +God's sight, if they are not even put out of your own sight? If you +are doing wrong, do you think that God will treat you as if you were +doing right? Cannot God see in you what you see in yourselves? Do +you think a man can be clothed in Christ's righteousness at the very +same time that he is clothed in his own unrighteousness? Can he be +good and bad at once? Do you think a man can be converted--that is +turned round--when he is going on his old road the whole week? Do +you think that a man has repented--that is, changed his mind--when he +is in just the same mind as ever as to how he shall behave to his +family, his customers, and everybody with whom he has to do? Do you +think that a man is renewed by God's Spirit, when except for a few +religious phrases, and a little more outside respectability, he is +just the old man, the same character at heart he ever was? Do you +think that there is any use in a man's belonging to the number of +believers, if he does not do what he believes; or any use in thinking +that God has elected and chosen him, when he chooses not to do what +God has chosen that every man must do, or die? + +Be not deceived. God is not mocked. What a man sows, that shall he +reap. Let no man deceive you. He that doeth righteousness is +righteous, even as Christ is righteous, and no one else. + +He who tries to do as Christ did, and he only, has Christ's +righteousness imputed to him, because he is trying to do what Christ +did, that which is lawful and right. He who does righteousness, and +he only, has truly repented, changed his mind about what he should +do, and turned away from his wickedness which he has committed, and +is now doing that which is lawful and right. He who does +righteousness, and he only, shall save his soul alive: not by +feeling this thing, or believing about that thing, but by doing that +which is lawful and right. + +We must face it, my dear friends. We cannot deceive God: and God +will certainly not deceive himself. He sees us as we are, and takes +us for what we are. What is right in us, he accepts for the +salvation of Jesus Christ, in whom we are created unto good works. +What is wrong in us, he will assuredly punish, and give us the exact +reward of the deeds done in the body, whether they be good or evil. +Every work of ours shall come into judgment, unless it be repented +of, and put away by the only true repentance--not doing the thing any +more. + +God, I say, will judge righteous judgment, and take us as we are. + +For the sake of Jesus the Lamb slain from the foundation of the +world, there is full, free, and perfect forgiveness for every sin, +when we give it up. As soon as a man turns round, and, instead of +doing wrong, tries to do right, he need be under no manner of fear or +terror any more. He is taken back into his Father's house as freely +and graciously as the prodigal son in the parable was. Whatsoever +dark score there was against him in God's books is wiped out there +and then, and he starts clear, a new man, with a fresh chance of +life. And whosoever tells him that the score is not wiped out, lies, +and contradicts flatly God's holy word. But as long as a man does +NOT give up his sins, the dark score DOES stand against him in God's +books; and no praying, reading, devoutness of any kind will wipe it +out; and as long as he sins, he is still in his sins, and his sins +will be his ruin. Whosoever tells him that they are wiped out, he +too lies, and contradicts flatly God's holy word. + +For God is just, and true; and therefore God takes us for what we +are, and will do so to all eternity; and you will find it so, my +dearest friends. In spite of all doctrines which men have invented, +and then pretended to find in the Bible, to drug men's consciences, +and confuse God's clear light in their hearts, you will find, now and +for ever, that if you do right you will be happy even in the midst of +sorrow; if you do wrong, you will be miserable even in the midst of +pleasure. Oh believe this, my dear friends, and do not rashly count +on some sudden magical change happening to you as soon as you die to +make you fit for heaven. There is not one word in the Bible which +gives us reason to suppose that we shall not be in the next world the +same persons which we have made ourselves in this world. If we are +unjust here, we shall, for aught we know, or can know, try to be +unjust there; if we be filthy here, we shall be so there; if we be +proud here, we shall be so there; if we be selfish here, we shall be +so there. What we sow here, we shall reap there. And it is good for +us to know this, and face this. Anything is good for us, however +unpleasant it may be, which drives us from the only real misery, +which is sin and selfishness, to the only true happiness, which is +the everlasting life of Christ; a pure, loving, just, generous, +useful life of goodness, which is the righteousness of Christ, and +the glory of Christ, and which will be our righteousness and our +glory also for ever: but only if we live it; only if we be useful as +Christ was, generous as Christ was, just as Christ was, gentle as +Christ was, pure as Christ was, loving as Christ was, and so put on +Christ, not in name and in word, but in spirit and in truth, that +having worn Christ's likeness in this world, we may share his victory +over all evil in the life to come. + + + +SERMON XIII. THE LETTER AND THE SPIRIT + + + +(Twelfth Sunday after Trinity.) + +II COR. iii. 6. + +God, who hath made us able ministers of the New Testament; not of the +letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter killeth, but the Spirit +giveth life. + +When we look at the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel for to-day one after +the other, we do not see, perhaps, what they have to do with each +other. But they have to do with each other. They agree with each +other. They explain each other. They all three tell us what God is +like, and what we are to believe about God, and why we are to have +faith in God. + +The Collect tells of a God who is more ready to hear than we are to +pray; and is 'wont to give'--that is, usually, and as a matter of +course, every day and all day long, gives us--'more than either we +desire or deserve,' of a God who gives and forgives, abundant in +mercy. It bids us, when we pray to God, remember that we are praying +to a perfectly bountiful, perfectly generous God. + +Some people worship quite a different God to that. They fancy that +God is hard; that he sits judging each man by the letter of the law; +watching and marking down every little fault which they commit; +extreme to mark what is done amiss; and that in the very face of +Scripture, which says that God is NOT extreme to mark what is done +amiss; for if he were, who could abide it? + +Their notion of God is, that he is very like themselves; proud, +grudging, hard to be entreated, expecting everything from men, but +not willing to give without a great deal of continued asking and +begging, and outward reverence, and scrupulous fear lest he should be +offended unexpectedly at the least mistake; and they fancy, like the +heathen, that they shall be heard for their much speaking. They +forget altogether that God is their Father, and knows what they need +before they ask, and their ignorance in asking, and has (as any +father fit to be called a father would have) compassion on their +infirmities. + +There is a great deal of this lip-service, and superstitious +devoutness, creeping in now-a-days; a spirit of bondage unto fear. +St. Paul warns us against it, and calls it will-worship, and +voluntary humility. And I tell you of it, that it is not Christian +at all, but heathen; and I say to you, as St. Paul bids me say, God, +who made the world, and all therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven +and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is +worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing +that he giveth to all life and breath, and all things. For in him we +live and move, and have our being, and are the offspring--the +children--of God. + +Away, then, with this miserable spirit of bondage and fear, which +insults that good God which it pretends to honour; and in spirit and +in truth, not with slavish crouchings and cringings, copied from the +old heathen, let us worship THE FATHER. + +But this leads us to the Epistle. + +St. Paul tells us how it is that God is wont to give us more than we +either desire or deserve: because he is the Lord and Giver of life, +in whom all created things live and move and have their being. +Therefore in the Epistle he tells us of a Spirit which gives life. + +But some may ask, 'What life?' + +The Gospel answers that, and says, 'All life.' + +It tells us that our Lord Christ cared not merely for the life of +men's souls, but for the life of their bodies. That wherever he went +he brought with him, not merely health for men's souls by his +teaching, but health for their bodies by his miracles. That when he +saw a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, he sighed +over him in compassion; and did not think it beneath him to cure that +poor man of his infirmity, though it was no such very great one. + +For he wished to show men that his heavenly Father cared for them +altogether, body as well as soul; that all health and strength +whatsoever came from him. + +When we hear, therefore, of the Spirit giving life, we are not to +fancy that means only some high devout spiritual life, or that God's +Spirit has to do only with a few elect saints. That may be a very +pleasant fancy for those who believe themselves to be the elect +saints; but the message of the Gospel is far wider and deeper than +that, or any other of vain man's narrow notions. It tells us that +life--all life which we can see; all health, strength, beauty, order, +use, power of doing good work in God's earthly world, come from the +Spirit of God, just as much as the spiritual life which we cannot +see--goodness, amiableness, purity, justice, virtue, power of doing +work in God's heavenly world. This latter is the higher life: and +the former the lower, though good and necessary in its place: but +the lower, as well as the higher, is life; and comes from the Spirit +of God, who gives life and breath to all things. + +And now, perhaps, we may see what St. Paul meant, by his being a +minister 'not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter +killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.' + +Do you not see yet, my friends? Then I will tell you. + +If I were to get up in this pulpit, and preach the terrors of the +law, and the wrath of God, and hell fire: if I tried to bind heavy +burdens on you, and grievous to be borne, crying--You MUST do this, +you MUST feel that, you MUST believe the other--while I having fewer +temptations and more education than you, touched not those burdens +with one of my fingers; if I tried to make out as many sins as I +could against you, crying continually, this was wrong, and that was +wrong, making you believe that God is always on the watch to catch +you tripping, and telling you that the least of your sins deserved +endless torment--things which neither I nor any man can find in the +Bible, nor in common justice, nor common humanity, nor elsewhere, +save in the lying mouth of the great devil himself;--or if I put into +your hands books of self-examination (as they are called) full of +long lists of sins, frightening poor innocents, and defiling their +thoughts and consciences, and making the heart of the righteous sad, +whom God has not made sad;--if I, in plain English, had my mouth full +of cursing and bitterness, threatening and fault-finding, and +distrustful, and disrespectful, and insolent language about you my +parishioners: why then I might fancy myself a Christian priest, and +a minister of the Gospel, and a very able, and eloquent, and earnest +one; and might perhaps gain for myself the credit of being a +'searching preacher,' by speaking evil of people who are most of them +as good and better than I, and by taking a low, mean, false view of +that human nature which God made in his own image, and Christ +justified in his own man's flesh, and soul, and spirit; but instead +of being an able minister of the New Covenant, or of the Spirit of +God, I should be no such man, but the very opposite. + +No. I should be one of those of whom the Psalmist says, 'Their +mouths are full of cursing and bitterness'--and also, 'Their feet are +swift to shed blood.' + +To shed blood; to kill with the letter which killeth; and your blood, +if I did succeed in killing your souls, would be upon my foolish +head. + +For such preaching as that does kill. + +It kills three things. + +1. It kills the Gospel. It turns the good news of God into the very +worst news possible, and the ministration of righteousness into the +ministration of condemnation. + +2. It kills the souls of the congregation--or would kill them, if +God's wisdom and love were not stronger than his minister's folly and +hardness. For it kills in them self-respect and hope, and makes them +say to themselves, 'God has made me bad, and bad I must be. Let me +eat and drink, for to-morrow I die. God requires all this of me, and +I cannot do it. I shall not try to do it. I shall take my chance of +being saved at last, I know not how.' It frightens people away from +church, from religion, from the very thought of God. It sets people +on spying out their neighbours' faults, on judging and condemning, on +fancying themselves righteous and despising others; and so kills in +them faith, hope, and charity, which are the very life of their +spirits. + +3. And by a just judgment, it kills the soul of the preacher also. +It makes him forget who he is, what God has set him to do; and at +last, even who God is. It makes him fancy that he is doing God's +work, while he is simply doing the work of the devil, the slanderer +and accuser of the brethren; judging and condemning his congregation, +when God has said, 'Judge not and ye shall not be judged, condemn not +and ye shall not be condemned.' It makes him at last like the false +God whom he has been preaching (for every man at last copies the God +in whom he believes), dark and deceiving, proud and cruel;--and may +the Lord have mercy upon his soul! + +But I will tell you how I can be an able minister of the New +Testament, and of the Spirit who gives life. + +If I say to you--and I do say it now, and will say it as long as I am +here--Trust God, because God is good; obey God, because God is good. + +I preach to you the good God of the Collect, even your heavenly +Father; who needs not be won over or appeased by anything which you +can do, for he loves you already for the sake of his dear Son, whose +members you are. He will not hear you the more for your much +speaking, for he knows your necessities before you ask, and your +ignorance in asking. He will not judge you according to the letter +of Moses' law, or any other law whatsoever, but according to the +spirit of your longings and struggles after what is right. He will +not be extreme to mark what you do amiss, but will help you to mend +it, if you desire to mend; setting you straight when you go wrong, +and helping you up when you fall, if only your spirit is struggling +after what is right. + +This all-good heavenly Father I preach to you, and I say to you, +Trust HIM. + +I preach to you a Spirit who is the Lord and Giver of life; who hates +death, and therefore wills not that you should die; who has given you +all the life you have, all health and strength of body, all wit and +power of mind, all right, pure, loving, noble feelings of heart and +spirit, and who is both able and willing to keep them alive and +healthy in you for ever. + +This all-good Spirit of life I preach to you; and I say to you, Trust +HIM. + +I preach to you a Son of God, who is the likeness of his Father's +glory, and the express image of his person; in order that by seeing +him and how good he is, you may see your heavenly Father, and how +good he is likewise; a Son of God who is your Saviour and your Judge; +who judges you that he may save you, and saves you by judging you; +who has all power given to him in heaven and earth, and declares that +almighty power most chiefly by showing mercy and pity; who, when he +was upon earth, made the deaf to hear, the lame to walk, the blind to +see; who ate and drank with publicans and sinners, and was the friend +of all mankind; a Son of God who has declared everlasting war against +disease, ignorance, sin, death, and all which makes men miserable. +Those are his enemies; and he reigns, and will reign, till he has put +all enemies under his feet, and there is nothing left in God's +universe but order and usefulness, health and beauty, knowledge and +virtue, in the day when God shall be all in all. + +This all-good Son of God I preach to you, and I say to you, Trust +HIM, and obey him. Obey him, not lest he should become angry and +harm you, like the false gods of the heathen, but because his +commandments are life; because he has made them for your good. + +Oh! when will people understand that--that God has not made laws out +of any arbitrariness, but for our good?--That his commandments are +LIFE? David of old knew as much as that. Why do not we know more, +instead of knowing, most of us, much less? It is simple enough, if +you will but look at it with simple minds. God has made us; and if +he had not loved us, he would not have made us at all. God has sent +us into the world; and if he had not loved us, he would not have sent +us into the world at all. In him we live, and move, and have our +being, and are the offspring and children of God. And therefore God +alone knows what is good for us; what is the good life, the +wholesome, the safe, the right, the everlasting life for us. And he +sends his Son to tell us--This is the right life; a life like +Christ's; a life according to God's Spirit; and if you do not live +that life you will die, not only body but soul also, because you are +not living the life which God meant for you when he made you. Just +as if you eat the wrong food, you will kill your bodies; so if you +think the wrong thoughts, and feel the wrong feelings, and therefore +do the wrong things, you will kill your own souls. God will not kill +you; you will kill yourselves. God grudges you nothing. God does +not wish to hurt you, wish to punish you. He wishes you to live and +be happy; to live for ever, and be happy for ever. But as your body +cannot live unless it be healthy, so your soul cannot live unless it +be healthy. And it cannot be healthy unless it live the right life. +And it cannot live the right life without the right spirit. And the +only right spirit is the Spirit of God himself the Spirit of your +Father in heaven, who will make you, as children should be, like your +Father. + +But that Spirit is not far from any of you. In him you live, and +move, and have your being already. Were he to leave you for a moment +you would die, and be turned again to your dust. From him comes all +the good of body and soul which you have already. Trust him for +more. Ask him for more. Go boldly to the throne of his grace, +remembering that it is a throne of GRACE, of kindness, tenderness, +patience, bountiful love, and wealth without end. Do not think that +he is hard of hearing, or hard of giving. How can he be? For he is +the Spirit of the all-generous Father and of the all-generous Son, +and has given, and gives now; and delights to give, and delights to +be asked. He is the charity of God; the boundless love by which all +things consist; and, like all love, becomes more rich by spending, +and glorifies himself by giving himself away; and has sworn by +himself--that is, by his own eternal and necessary character, which +he cannot alter or unmake--'This is the new covenant which I will +make with my people. I will write my laws in their hearts, and in +their minds will I write them; and I will dwell with them, and be +their God.' + +Oh, my friends, take these words to yourselves; and trust in that +good Father in heaven, whose love sent you into this world, and gave +you the priceless blessing of life; whose love sent his Son to show +you the pattern of life, and to redeem you freely from all your sins; +whose love sends his Spirit to give you the power of leading the +everlasting life, and will raise you up again, body and soul, to that +same everlasting life after death. Trust him, for he is your Father. +Whatever else he is, he is that. He has bid you call him that, and +he will hear you. If you forget that he is your Father, you forget +him, and worship a false God of your own invention. And whenever you +doubt; whenever the devil, or ignorant preachers, or superstitious +books, make you afraid, and tempt you to fancy that God hates you, +and watches to catch you tripping, take refuge in that blessed name, +and say, 'Satan, I defy thee; for the Almighty God of heaven is my +Father.' + + + +SERMON XIV. HEROES AND HEROINES +(Whitsunday.) + + + +PSALM xxxii. 8. + +I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: +I will guide thee with mine eye. + +This is God's promise; which he fulfilled at sundry times and in +different manners to all the men of the old world who trusted in him. +He informed them; that is, he put them into right form, right shape, +right character, and made them the men which they were meant to be. +He taught them in the way in which they ought to go. He guided them +where they could not guide themselves. + +But God fulfilled this promise utterly and completely on the first +Whitsuntide, when the Holy Spirit came down on the apostles. + +That was an extraordinary and special gift; because the apostles had +to do an extraordinary and special work. They had to preach the +Gospel to all nations, and therefore they wanted tongues with which +to speak to all nations; at least to those of their countrymen who +came from foreign parts, and spoke foreign tongues, that they might +carry home the good news of Christ into all lands. And they wanted +tongues of fire, too, to set their own hearts on fire with divine +zeal and earnestness, and to set on fire the hearts of those who +heard them. + +But that was an extraordinary gift. There was never anything like it +before; nor has been, as far as we know, since; because it has not +been needed. + +It is enough for us to know, that the apostles had what they needed. +God called and sent them to do a great work: and therefore, being +just and merciful, he gave them the power which was wanted for that +great work. + +But if that is a special case; if there has been nothing like it +since, what has Whitsuntide to do with us? We need no tongues of +fire, and we shall have none on this Whitsunday or any Whitsunday. +Has Whitsunday then no blessing for us? Do we get nothing by it? +God forbid, my friends. + +We get what the apostles got, and neither more nor less; though not +in the same shape as they did. + +God called them to do a work: God calls us, each of us, to do some +work. + +God gave them the Holy Spirit to make them able to do their work. +God gives US the Holy Spirit, to make us able to do OUR work, +whatsoever that may be. + +As their day, so their strength was: as our day is, so our strength +shall be. + +For instance. - + +How often one sees a person--a woman, say--easy and comfortable, +enjoying life, and taking little trouble about anything, because she +has no need. And when one looks at such a woman, one is apt to say +hastily in one's heart, 'Ah, she does not know what sorrow is--and +well for her she does not; for she would make but a poor fight if +trouble came on her; she would make but a poor nurse if she had to +sit months by a sick bed. She would become down-hearted, and +peevish, and useless. There is no strength in her to stand in the +evil day.' + +And perhaps that woman would say so of herself. She might be +painfully afraid of the thought of affliction; she might shrink from +the notion of having to nurse any one; from having to give up her own +pleasure and ease for the sake of others; and she would say of +herself, as you say of her, 'What would become of me if sorrow came? +_I_ have no strength to stand in the evil day.' + +Yes, my friends, and you say true, and she says true. And yet not +true either. She has no strength to stand: but she will stand +nevertheless, for God is able to make her stand. As her day, so her +strength shall be. A day of suffering, anxiety, weariness, all but +despair may come to her. But in that day she shall be baptized with +the Holy Spirit and with fire; and then you shall be astonished, and +she shall be astonished, at what she can do, and what she can endure; +because God's Spirit will give her a right judgment in all things, +and enable her, even in the midst of her sorrow, to rejoice in his +holy comfort. And people will call her--those at least who know her- +-a 'heroine.' And they speak truly and well, and give her the right +and true name. Why, I will tell you presently. + +Or how often it happens to a man to be thrown into circumstances +which he never expected. An officer, perhaps, in war time in a +foreign land--in India now. He has a work to do: a heavy, +dangerous, difficult, almost hopeless work. He does not like it. He +is afraid of it. He wishes himself anywhere but where he is. He has +little or no hope of succeeding; and if he fails, he fears that he +will be blamed, misunderstood, slandered. But he feels he must go +through with it. He cannot turn back; he cannot escape. As the +saying is, the bull is brought to the stake, and he must bide the +baiting. + +At first, perhaps, he tries to buoy himself up. He begins his work +in a little pride and self-conceit, and notion of his own courage and +cunning. He tries to fancy himself strong enough for anything. He +feeds himself up with the thought of what people will say of him; the +hope of gaining honour and praise: and that is not altogether a +wrong feeling--God forbid! + +But the further the man gets into his work, the more difficult it +grows, and the more hopeless he grows. He finds himself weak, when +he expected to be strong; puzzled when he thought himself cunning. +He is not sure whether he is doing right. He is afraid of +responsibility. It is a heavy burden on him, too heavy to bear. His +own honour and good name may depend upon a single word which he +speaks. The comfort, the fortune, the lives of human beings may +depend on his making up his mind at an hour's notice to do exactly +the right thing at the right time. People round him may be mistaking +him, slandering him, plotting against him, rebelling against him, +even while he is trying to do them all the good he can. Little +comfort does he get then from the thought of what people at home may +say of him. He is set in the snare, and he cannot find his way out. +He is at his own wits' end; and from whence shall he get fresh wits? +Who will give him a right judgment in all things? Who will give him +a holy comfort in which he can rejoice?--a comfort which will make +him cheerful, because he knows it is a right comfort, and that he is +doing right? His heart is sinking within him, getting chill and cold +with despair. Who will put fresh fire and spirit into it? + +God will. When he has learnt how weak he is in himself, how stupid +he is in himself;--ay, bitter as it is to a brave man to have to +confess it, how cowardly he is in himself--then, when he has learnt +the golden lesson, God will baptize him with the Holy Ghost and with +fire. + +A time will come to that man, when, finding no help in himself, no +help in man, he will go for help to God. + +Old words which he learnt at his mother's knee come back to him--old +words that he almost forgot, perhaps, in the strength and gaiety of +his youth and prosperity. And he prays. He prays clumsily enough, +perhaps. He is not accustomed to praying; and he hardly knows what +to ask for, or how to ask for it. Be it so. In that he is not so +very much worse off than others. What did St. Paul say, even of +himself? 'We know not how to ask for anything as we ought: but the +Spirit maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be +uttered'--too deep for words. Yes, in every honest heart there are +longings too deep for words. A man knows he wants something: but +knows not what he wants. He cannot find the right words to say to +God. Let him take comfort. What he does not know, the Holy Spirit +of Whitsuntide--the Spirit of Jesus Christ--does know. Christ knows +what we want, and offers our clumsy prayers up to our heavenly +Father, not in the shape in which we put them, but as they ought to +be, as we should like them to be; and our Father hears them. + +Yes. Our Father hears the man who cries to him, however clumsily, +for light and strength to do his duty. So it is; so it has been +always; so it will be to the end. And then as the man's day, so his +strength will be. He may be utterly puzzled, utterly down-hearted, +utterly hopeless: but the day comes to him in which he is baptized +with the Holy Ghost and with fire. He begins to have a right +judgment; to see clearly what he ought to do, and how to do it. He +grows more shrewd, more prompt, more steady than he ever has been +before. And there comes a fire into his heart, such as there never +was before; a spirit and a determination which nothing can daunt or +break, which makes him bold, cheerful, earnest, in the face of the +anxiety and danger which would have, at any other time, broken his +heart. The man is lifted up above himself, and carried on through +his work, he hardly knows how, till he succeeds nobly, or if he +fails, fails nobly; and be the end as it may, he gets the work done +which God has given him to do. + +And then when he looks back, he is astonished at himself. He wonders +how he could dare so much; wonders how he could endure so much; +wonders how the right thought came into his head at the right moment. +He hardly knows himself again. It seems to him, when he thinks over +it all, like a grand and awful dream. And the world is astonished at +him likewise. They cry, 'Who would have thought there was so much in +this man? who would have expected such things of him?' And they call +him a hero--and so he is. + +Yes, the world is right, more right than it thinks in both sayings. +Who would have expected there was so much in the man? For there was +not so much in him, till God put it there. + +And again they are right, too; more right than they think in calling +that man a hero, or that woman a heroine. + +For what is the old meaning, the true meaning of a hero or a heroine? + +It meant--and ought to mean--one who is a son or a daughter of God, +and whom God informs and strengthens, and sends out to do noble work, +teaching them the way wherein they should go. That was the right +meaning of a hero and of a heroine even among the old heathens. Let +it mean the same among us Christians, when we talk of a hero; and let +us give God the glory, and say--There is a man who has entered, even +if it be but for one day's danger and trial, into the blessings of +Whitsuntide and the power of God's Spirit; a man whom God has +informed and taught in the way wherein he should go. May that same +God give him grace to abide herein all the days of his life! + +Yes, my friends, may God give us all grace to under stand +Whitsuntide, and feed on the blessings of Whitsuntide; not merely +once in a way, in some great sorrow, great danger, great struggle, +great striving point of our lives; but every day and all day long, +and to rejoice in the power of his Spirit, till it becomes to us-- +would that it could to-day become to us;--like the air we breathe; +till having got our life's work done, if not done perfectly, yet +still done, we may go hence to receive the due reward of our deeds. + + + +SERMON XV. THE MEASURE OF THE CROSS + + + +EPHESIANS iii. 18, 19. + +That ye may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the +breadth and length and depth and height, and to know the love of +Christ, which passeth knowledge. + +These words are very deep, and difficult to understand; for St. Paul +does not tell us exactly of what he is speaking. He does not say +what it is, the breadth and length, and depth, and height of which we +are to comprehend and take in. Only he tells us afterwards what will +come of our taking it in; we shall know the love of Christ. + +And therefore many great fathers and divines, whose names there is no +need for me to tell you, but whose opinions we must always respect, +have said that what St. Paul is speaking of is, the Cross of Christ. + +Of course they do not mean the wood of which the actual cross was +made. They mean the thing of which the cross was a sign and token. + +Now of what is the cross a token? + +Of the love of Christ, which is the love of God. + +But of what kind of love? + +Not the love which is satisfied with sitting still and enjoying +itself, as long as nothing puts it out, and turns its love to anger-- +what we call mere good nature and good temper; not that, not that, my +friends: but love which will dare, and do, and yearn, and mourn; +love which cannot rest; love which sacrifices itself; love which will +suffer, love which will die, for what it loves;--such love as a +father has, who perishes himself to save his drowning child. + +Now the cross of Christ is a token to us, that God's love to us is +like that: a love which will dare anything, and suffer anything, for +the sake of saving sinful man. + +And therefore it is, that from the earliest times the cross has been +the special sign of Christians. We keep it up still, when we make +the sign of the cross on children's foreheads in baptism: but we +have given up using the sign of the cross commonly, because it was +perverted, in old times, into a superstitious charm. Men worshipped +the cross like an idol, or bits of wood which they fancied were +pieces of the actual cross, while they were forgetting what the cross +meant. So the use of the cross fell into disrepute, and was put down +in England. + +But that is no reason why we should forget what the cross meant, and +means now, and will mean for ever. Indeed, the better Christians, +the better men we are, the more will Christ's cross fill us with +thoughts which nothing else can give us; thoughts which we are glad +enough, often, to forget and put away; so bitterly do they remind us +of our own laziness, selfishness, and love of pleasure. + +But still, the cross is our sign. It is God's everlasting token to +us, that he has told us Christians something about himself which none +of the wisest among the heathen knew; which infidels now do not know; +which nothing but the cross can teach to men. + +There were men among the old heathens who believed in one God; and +some of them saw that he must be, on the whole, a good and a just +God. But they could not help thinking of God (with very rare +exceptions) as a respecter of persons, a God who had favourites; and +at least, that he was a God who loved his friends, and hated his +enemies. So the Mussulmans believe now. So do the Jews; indeed, so +they did all along, though they ought to have known better; for their +prophets in the Old Testament told them a very different tale about +God's love. + +But that was all they could believe--in a God who was not unjust or +wicked, but was at least hard, proud, unbending: while the notion +that God could love his enemies, and bless those who used him +despitefully and persecuted him--much less die for his enemies--that +would have seemed to them impossible and absurd. They stumbled at +the stumbling-block of the cross. God, they thought, would do to men +as they did to him. If they loved him, he would love them. If they +neglected him, he would hate and destroy them. + +But when the apostles preached the Gospel, the good news of Christ +crucified, they preached a very different tale; a tale quite new; +utterly different from any that mankind had ever heard before. + +St. Paul calls it a mystery--a secret--which had been hidden from the +foundation of the world till then, and was then revealed by God's +Spirit; namely, this boundless love of God, shown by Christ's dying +on the cross. + +And, he says, his great hope, his great business, the thing on which +his heart was set, and which God had sent him into the world to do, +was this--to make people know the love of Christ; to look at Christ's +cross, and take in its breadth, and length, and depth, and height. +It passes knowledge, he says. We shall never know the whole of it-- +never know all that God's love has done, and will do: but the more +we know of it, the more blessed and hopeful, the more strong and +earnest, the more good and righteous we shall become. + +And what is the breadth of Christ's cross? My friends, it is as +broad as the whole world; for he died for the whole world, as it is +written, 'He is a propitiation not for our sins only, but for the +sins of the whole world;' and again, 'God willeth that none should +perish;' and again, 'As by the offence judgment came on all men to +condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one, the gift came upon +all men to justification of life.' + +And that is the breadth of Christ's cross. + +And what is the length of Christ's cross? The length thereof, says +an old father, signifies the time during which its virtue will last. + +How long, then, is the cross of Christ? Long enough to last through +all time. As long as there is a sinner to be saved; as long as there +is ignorance, sorrow, pain, death, or anything else which is contrary +to God and hurtful to man, in the universe of God, so long will +Christ's cross last. For it is written, he must reign till he hath +put all enemies under his feet; and God is all in all. And that is +the length of the cross of Christ. + +And how high is Christ's cross? As high as the highest heaven, and +the throne of God, and the bosom of the Father--that bosom out of +which for ever proceed all created things. Ay, as high as the +highest heaven; for--if you will receive it--when Christ hung upon +the cross, heaven came down on earth, and earth ascended into heaven. +Christ never showed forth his Father's glory so perfectly as when, +hanging upon the cross, he cried in his death-agony, 'Father, forgive +them, for they know not what they do.' Those words showed the true +height of the cross; and caused St. John to know that his vision was +true, and no dream, when he saw afterwards in the midst of the throne +of God a lamb as it had been slain. + +And that is the height of the cross of Christ. + +And how deep is the cross of Christ? + +This is a great mystery, and one which people in these days are +afraid to look at; and darken it of their own will, because they will +neither believe their Bibles, nor the voice of their own hearts. + +But if the cross of Christ be as high as heaven, then, it seems to +me, it must also be as deep as hell, deep enough to reach the deepest +sinner in the deepest pit to which he may fall. We know that Christ +descended into hell. We know that he preached to the spirits in +prison. We know that it is written, 'As in Adam all die, even so in +Christ shall all be made alive.' We know that when the wicked man +turns from his wickedness, and does what is lawful and right, he will +save his soul alive. We know that in the very same chapter God tells +us that his ways are not unequal--that he has not one law for one +man, and another for another, or one law for one year, and another +for another. It is possible, therefore, that he has not one law for +this life, and another for the life to come. Let us hope, then, that +David's words may be true after all, when speaking by the Spirit of +God, he says, not only, 'if I ascend up to heaven, thou art there;' +but 'if I go down to hell, thou art there also;' and let us hope that +THAT is the depth of the cross of Christ. + +At all events, my friends, I believe that we shall find St. Paul's +words true, when he says, that Christ's love passes knowledge; and +therefore that we shall find this also;--that however broad we may +think Christ's cross, it is broader still. However long, it is +longer still. However high, it is higher still. However deep, it is +deeper still. Yes, we shall find that St. Paul spoke solemn truth +when he said, that Christ had ascended on high that he might fill all +things; that Christ filled all in all; and that he must reign till +the day when he shall give up the kingdom to God, even the Father, +that God may be all in all. + +And now do you take all this about the breadth and length of Christ's +cross to be only ingenious fancies, and a pretty play of words? + +Ah, my friends, the day will come when you will find that the measure +of Christ's cross is the most important question upon earth. + +In the hour of death, and in the day of judgment; then the one thing +which you will care to think of (if you can think at all then, as too +many poor souls cannot, and therefore had best think of it now before +their wits fail them)--the one thing which you will care to think of, +I say, will be--not, how clever you have been, how successful you +have been, how much admired you have been, how much money you have +made:- 'Of course not,' you answer; 'I shall be thinking of the state +of my soul; whether I am fit to die; whether I have faith enough to +meet God; whether I have good works enough to meet God.' + +Will you, my friend? Then you will soon grow tired of thinking of +that likewise, at least I hope and trust that you will. For, however +much faith you may have had, you will find that you have not had +enough. However so many good works you may have done, you will find +that you have not done enough. The better man you are, the more you +will be dissatisfied with yourself; the more you will be ashamed of +yourself; till with all saints, Romanist or Protestant, or other, who +have been worthy of the name of saints, you will be driven--if you +are in earnest about your own soul--to give up thinking of yourself, +and to think only of the cross of Christ, and of the love of Christ +which shines thereon; and ask--Is it great enough to cover my sins? +to save one as utterly unworthy to be saved as I. And so, after all, +you will be forced to throw yourself--where you ought to have thrown +yourself at the outset--at the foot of Christ's cross; and say in +spirit and in truth - + + +Nothing in my hand I bring, +Simply to the cross I cling - + + +In plain words, I throw myself, with all my sins, upon that absolute +and boundless love of God which made all things, and me among them, +and hateth nothing that he hath made; who redeemed all mankind, and +me among them, and hath said by the mouth of his only-begotten Son, +'Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.' + + + +SERMON XVI. THE PURE IN HEART + + + +TITUS i. 15. + +Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled +and unbelieving is nothing pure: but even their mind and conscience +is defiled. + +This seems at first a strange and startling saying: but it is a true +one; and the more we think over it, the more we shall find it true. + +All things are pure in themselves; good in themselves; because God +made them. Is it not written, 'God saw all that he had made, and +behold, it was very good?' Therefore St. Paul says, that all things +are ours; and that Christ gives us all things richly to enjoy. All +we need is, to use things in the right way; that is, in the way in +which God intended them to be used. + +For God is a God of truth; a true, a faithful, and--if I may so +speak--an honest and honourable, and fair God: not a deceiving or +unfair God, who lays snares for his creatures, or leads them into +temptation. That would be a bad God, a cruel God, very unlike the +Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has put us into a good world, +and not a wilderness, as some people call it. If any part of this +world be a wilderness, it is because men have made it so, or left it +so, by their own wilfulness, ignorance, cowardice, laziness, +violence. No: God, I say, has put us into a good world, and given +us pure and harmless appetites, feelings, relations. Therefore all +the relations of life are holy. To be a husband, a father, a +brother, a son, is pure and good. To have property and to use it: +to enjoy ourselves in this life as far as we can, without hurting +ourselves or our neighbours; all this is pure, and good, and holy. +God does not grudge or upbraid. He does not frown upon innocent +pleasure. For God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. +Therefore he rejoices in seeing his creatures healthy and happy. +Therefore, as I believe, Christ smiles out of heaven upon the little +children at their play; and the laugh of a babe is heavenly music in +his ears. + +All things are pure which God has given to man. And therefore, if a +man be pure in heart, all which God has given him will not only do +him no harm, but do him good. All the comforts and blessings of this +life will help to make him a better man. They will teach him about +his own character; about human nature, and the people with whom he +has to do; ay--about God himself, as it is written, 'Blessed are the +pure in heart, for they shall see God.' + +All the blessings and comforts of this life, my friends (as well as +the anxieties which must come to those who have a family, or +property, even if he do not meet with losses and afflictions), ought +to help to improve a man's temper, to call out in him right feelings, +to teach him more and more of the likeness of God. + +If he be a married man, marriage ought to teach him not to live for +himself only, but to sacrifice his own fancies, his own ease, his own +will, for the sake of the woman whom God has given him; as Christ +sacrificed himself, and his own life, for mankind. And so, by the +feelings of a husband, he may enter into the mystery of the love of +Christ, and of the cross of Christ; and so, if only he be pure in +heart, he will see God. + +If he have parents, he may learn by being a son how blessed it is to +obey, how useful to a man's character to submit: ay, he will find +out more still. He will find out that not by being self-willed and +independent does the finest and noblest parts of his character come +out, but by copying his Father in everything; that going where his +Father sends him; being jealous of his Father's honour; doing not his +own will, but his Father's; that all this, I say, is its own reward; +for instead of lowering a man, it raises him, and calls out in him +all that is purest, tenderest, soberest, bravest. I tell you this +day--Just as far as you are good sons to your parents, so far will +you be able to understand the mystery of the co-equal and co-eternal +Son of God; who though he were in the form of God, did not snatch +greedily at being on the same footing with his Father, but emptied +himself, and took on him the form of a slave, that he might do his +Father's will, and reveal his Father's glory. And so, if you be only +pure in heart, you will see God. + +If, again, a man have children--how they ought to teach him, to train +him;--teach him to restrain his own temper, lest he provoke them to +anger; to be calm and moderate with them, lest he frighten them into +lying; to avoid bad language, gluttony, drunkenness, and every coarse +sin, lest he tempt them to follow his example. I tell you, friends, +that you will find, if you choose, all the noblest, most generous, +most Godlike parts of your character called out to your children; and +by having the feelings of a father to your children, learn what +feelings our Father in heaven has toward us, his human offspring. +And so, if only you be pure in heart, you will see God. + +If again, a man has money, money can teach him (as it teaches +hundreds of pure-hearted men) that charity and generosity are not +only a duty, but an honour and a joy; that 'mercy is twice blest; it +blesses him that gives, and him that takes;' that giving is the +highest pleasure upon earth, because it is God's own pleasure; +because the blessedness of God, and the glory of God is this, that he +giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not. And so in his wealth-- +if only he be pure in heart, a man will see God. + +If, again, a man has health, and strength, and high spirits, they too +will teach him, if his heart be pure. He will learn from them to +look up to God as the Lord and Giver of life, health, strength; of +the power to work, and the power to delight in working: because God +himself is ever full of life, ever busy, ever rejoicing to put forth +his almighty power for the good of the whole universe, as it is +written, 'My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.' And so--in every +relation of life--if only a man's heart be pure, he will see God. + +How, then, can we get the pure heart which will make all things pure +to us? By asking for the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, the Pure +Spirit, in whom is no selfishness. + +For if our hearts be selfish, they cannot be pure. The pure in +heart, is the same as the man whose eye is single, and that is the +man who is not caring for himself, thinking of himself. If a man be +thinking of himself, he will never enjoy life. The pure blessings +which God has given him will be no blessings to him; as it is +written, 'He that saveth his life shall lose it.' + +Do you not know that that is true? Do not the miseries of life (I do +not mean the afflictions, like loss of friends or kin), but the +miseries of life which make a man dark, and fretful, and prevent his +enjoying God's gifts--do they not come, nineteen-twentieths of them, +from thinking about oneself; from lusting and longing after this and +that; from spite, vanity, bad temper, wounded pride, disappointed +covetousness? 'I cannot get this or that; that money, that place; +this or that fine thing or the other: and how can I be contented?' +There is a man whose heart is not pure. 'That man has used me ill, +and I cannot help thinking of it, brooding over it. I cannot forgive +him. How can I be expected to forgive him?' There is a man whose +heart is not pure; and more, there is a man who is making himself +miserable. + +See again, how a man may make marriage a curse to him instead of a +blessing, without being unfaithful to his wife (which we all know to +be simply abominable and unmanly, and far below anything of which I +am talking now). And how? Simply by bad temper, vanity, greediness, +and selfish love of his own dignity, his own pleasure, his own this, +that, and the other. So, too, he may make his children a torment to +him, instead of letting them be God's lesson-book to him, in which he +may see the likeness of the angels in heaven. + +He may make his wealth a continual anxiety to him: ay, he may make +it, by ambition, covetousness, and wild speculation, the cause of his +shame and ruin; if only his heart be not pure. + +Ay, there is not a blessing on earth which a man may not turn into a +curse. There is not a good gift of God out of which a man may not +get harm, if only his heart be not pure; as it is written, 'To those +who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure: but even their mind +and conscience are defiled.' + +But defiled with what? Fouled with what? There is the question. +Many answers have been invented by people who did not believe in that +faithful and true God of whom I told you just now; people who fancied +that this world was a bad world, and that God laid snares for his +creatures and tempted his creatures. But the true answer is only to +be got, like most true answers, by observing; by using our eyes and +ears, and seeing what really makes people turn blessings into curses, +and suck poison out of every flower. + +And that is, simply, self. + +If you want to spoil all that God gives you; if you want to be +miserable yourself, and a maker of misery to others, the way is easy +enough. Only be selfish, and it is done at once. Be defiled and +unbelieving. Defile and foul God's good gifts by self, and by loving +yourself more than what is right. Do not believe that the good God +knows your needs before you ask, and will give you whatsoever is good +for you. Think about yourself; about what YOU want, what YOU like, +what respect people ought to pay YOU, what people think of YOU: and +then to you nothing will be pure. You will spoil everything you +touch; you will make sin and misery for yourself out of everything +which God sends you; you will be as wretched as you choose on earth, +or in heaven either. + +In heaven either, I say. For that proud, greedy, selfish, self- +seeking spirit would turn heaven into hell. It did turn heaven into +hell, for the great devil himself. It was by pride, by seeking his +own glory--(so, at least, wise men say)--that he fell from heaven to +hell. He was not content to give up his own will and do God's will, +like the other angels. He was not content to serve God, and rejoice +in God's glory. He would be a master himself, and set up for +himself, and rejoice in his own glory; and so, when he wanted to make +a private heaven of his own, he found that he had made a hell. When +he wanted to be a little God for himself, he lost the life of the +true God, to lose which is eternal death. And why? Because his +heart was not pure, clean, honest, simple, unselfish. Therefore he +saw God no more, and learnt to hate him whose name is love. + +May God keep our hearts pure from that selfishness which is the root +of all sin; from selfishness, out of which alone spring adultery, +foul living, drunkenness, evil speaking, lying, slandering, +injustice, oppression, cruelty, and all which makes man worse than +the beasts. May God give us those pure hearts of which it is +written, that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long- +suffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, temperance. Against such, +St. Paul says, there is no law. And why? Because no law is needed. +For, as a wise father says--'Love, and do what thou wilt;' for then +thou wilt be sure to will what is right; and, as St. Paul says, If +your heart be pure, all things will be pure to you. + + + +SERMON XVII. MUSIC +(Christmas Day.) + + + +LUKE ii. 13, 14. + +And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly +host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on +earth peace, good will toward men. + +You have been just singing Christmas hymns; and my text speaks of the +first Christmas hymn. Now what the words of that hymn meant; what +Peace on earth and good-will towards man meant, I have often told +you. To-day I want you, for once, to think of this--that it was a +hymn; that these angels were singing, even as human beings sing. + +Music.--There is something very wonderful in music. Words are +wonderful enough: but music is even more wonderful. It speaks not +to our thoughts as words do: it speaks straight to our hearts and +spirits, to the very core and root of our souls. Music soothes us, +stirs us up; it puts noble feelings into us; it melts us to tears, we +know not how:- it is a language by itself, just as perfect, in its +way, as speech, as words; just as divine, just as blessed. + +Music has been called the speech of angels; I will go further, and +call it the speech of God himself--and I will, with God's help, show +you a little what I mean this Christmas day. + +Music, I say, without words, is wonderful and blessed; one of God's +best gifts to men. But in singing you have both the wonders +together, music and words. Singing speaks at once to the head and to +the heart, to our understanding and to our feelings; and therefore, +perhaps, the most beautiful way in which the reasonable soul of man +can show itself (except, of course, doing RIGHT, which always is, and +always will be, the most beautiful thing) is singing. + +Now, why do we all enjoy music? Because it sounds sweet. But WHY +does it sound sweet? + +That is a mystery known only to God. + +Two things I may make you understand--two things which help to make +music--melody and harmony. Now, as most of you know, there is melody +in music when the different sounds of the same tune follow each +other, so as to give us pleasure; there is harmony in music when +different sounds, instead of following each other, come at the same +time, so as to give us pleasure. + +But why do they please us? and what is more, why do they please +angels? and more still, why do they please God? Why is there music +in heaven? Consider St. John's visions in the Revelations. Why did +St. John hear therein harpers with their harps, and the mystic +beasts, and the elders, singing a new song to God and to the Lamb; +and the voices of many angels round about them, whose number was ten +thousand times ten thousand? + +In this is a great mystery. I will try to explain what little of it +I seem to see. + +First--There is music in heaven, because in music there is no self- +will. Music goes on certain laws and rules. Man did not make those +laws of music; he has only found them out: and if he be self-willed +and break them, there is an end of his music instantly; all he brings +out is discord and ugly sounds. The greatest musician in the world +is as much bound by those laws as the learner in the school; and the +greatest musician is the one who, instead of fancying that, because +he is clever, he may throw aside the laws of music, knows the laws of +music best, and observes them most reverently. And therefore it was +that the old Greeks, the wisest of all the heathens, made a point of +teaching their children MUSIC; because, they said, it taught them not +to be self-willed and fanciful, but to see the beauty of order, the +usefulness of rule, the divineness of law. + +And therefore music is fit for heaven; therefore music is a pattern +and type of heaven, and of the everlasting life of God, which perfect +spirits live in heaven; a life of melody and order in themselves; a +life of harmony with each other and with God. Music, I say, is a +pattern of the everlasting life of heaven; because in heaven, as in +music, is perfect freedom and perfect pleasure; and yet that freedom +comes not from throwing away law, but from obeying God's law +perfectly; and that pleasure comes, not from self-will, and doing +each what he likes, but from perfectly doing the will of the Father +who is in heaven. + +And that in itself would be sweet music, even if there were neither +voice nor sound in heaven. For wherever there is order and +obedience, there is sweet music for the ears of Christ. Whatsoever +does its duty, according to its kind which Christ has given it, makes +melody in the ears of Christ. Whatsoever is useful to the things +around it, makes harmony in the ears of Christ. Therefore those wise +old Greeks used to talk of the music of the spheres. They said that +sun, moon, and stars, going round each in its appointed path, made as +they rolled along across the heavens everlasting music before the +throne of God. And so, too, the old Psalms say. Do you not +recollect that noble verse, which speaks of the stars of heaven, and +says - + + +What though no human voice or sound +Amid their radiant orbs be found? +To Reason's ear they all rejoice, +And utter forth a glorious voice; +For ever singing as they shine, +The hand that made us is divine. + + +And therefore it is, that that noble Song of the Three Children calls +upon sun and moon, and stars of heaven, to bless the Lord, praise +him, and magnify him for ever: and not only upon them, but on the +smallest things on earth;--on mountains and hills, green herbs and +springs, cattle and feathered fowl; they too, he says, can bless the +Lord, and magnify him for ever. And how? By fulfilling the law +which God has given them; and by living each after their kind, +according to the wisdom wherewith Christ the Word of God created +them, when he beheld all that he had made, and behold, it was very +good. + +And so can we, my friends; so can we. Some of us may not be able to +make music with our voices: but we can make it with our hearts, and +join in the angels' song this day, if not with our lips, yet in our +lives. + +If thou fulfillest the law which God has given thee, the law of love +and liberty, then thou makest music before God, and thy life is a +hymn of praise to God. + +If thou art in love and charity with thy neighbours, thou art making +sweeter harmony in the ears of the Lord Jesus Christ, than psaltery, +dulcimer, and all kinds of music. + +If thou art living a righteous and a useful life, doing thy duty +orderly and cheerfully where God has put thee, then thou art making +sweeter melody in the ears of the Lord Jesus Christ, than if thou +hadst the throat of a nightingale; for then thou in thy humble place +art humbly copying the everlasting harmony and melody which is in +heaven; the everlasting harmony and melody by which God made the +world and all that therein is, and behold it was very good, in the +day when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God +shouted for joy over the new-created earth, which God had made to be +a pattern of his own perfection. + +For this is that mystery of which I spoke just now, when I said that +music was as it were the voice of God himself. Yes, I say it with +all reverence: but I do say it. There is music in God. Not the +music of voice or sound; a music which no ears can hear, but only the +spirit of a man, when awakened by the Holy Spirit, and taught to know +God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. + +There is one everlasting melody in heaven, which Christ, the Word of +God, makes for ever, when he does all things perfectly and wisely, +and righteously and gloriously, full of grace and truth: and from +that all melody comes, and is a dim pattern thereof here; and is +beautiful only because it is a dim pattern thereof. + +And there is an everlasting harmony in God; which is the harmony +between the Father and the Son; who though he be co-equal and co- +eternal with his Father, does nothing of himself, but only what he +seeth his Father do; saying for ever, 'Not my will, but thine be +done,' and hears his Father answer for ever, 'Thou art my Son, this +day have I begotten thee.' + +Therefore, all melody and all harmony upon earth, whether in the song +of birds, the whisper of the wind, the concourse of voices, or the +sounds of those cunning instruments which man has learnt to create, +because he is made in the image of Christ, the Word of God, who +creates all things; all music upon earth, I say, is beautiful in as +far as it is a pattern and type of the everlasting music which is in +heaven; which was before all worlds, and shall be after them; for by +its rules all worlds were made, and will be made for ever, even the +everlasting melody of the wise and loving will of God, and the +everlasting harmony of the Father toward the Son, and of the Son +toward the Father, in one Holy Spirit who proceeds from them both, to +give melody and harmony, order and beauty, life and light, to all +which God has made. + +Therefore music is a sacred, a divine, a Godlike thing, and was given +to man by Christ to lift our hearts up to God, and make us feel +something of the glory and beauty of God and of all which God has +made. + +Therefore, too, music is most fit for Christmas day, of all days in +the year. Christmas has always been a day of songs, of carols and of +hymns; and so let it be for ever. If we had no music all the rest of +the year in church or out of church, let us have it at least on +Christmas day. + +For on Christmas day most of all days (if I may talk of eternal +things according to the laws of time) was manifested on earth the +everlasting music which is in heaven. + +On Christmas day was fulfilled in time and space the everlasting +harmony of God, when the Father sent the Son into the world, that the +world through him might be saved; and the Son refused not, neither +shrank back, though he knew that sorrow, shame, and death awaited +him, but answered, 'A body hast thou prepared me I come to do thy +will, oh God!' and so emptied himself, and took on himself the form +of a slave, and was found in fashion as a man, that he might fulfil +not his own will, but the will of the Father who sent him. + +On this day began that perfect melody of the Son's life on earth; one +song and poem, as it were, of wise words, good deeds, spotless +purity, and untiring love, which he perfected when he died, and rose +again, and ascended on high for ever to make intercession for us with +music sweeter than the song of angels and archangels, and all the +heavenly host. + +Go home, then, remembering how divine and holy a thing music is, and +rejoice before the Lord this day with psalms and hymns, and spiritual +songs (by which last I think the apostle means not merely church +music--for that he calls psalms and hymns--but songs which have a +good and wholesome spirit in them); and remembering, too, that music, +like marriage, and all other beautiful things which God has given to +man, is not to be taken in hand unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly; +but, even when it is most cheerful and joyful (as marriage is), +reverently, discreetly, soberly, and in the fear of God. Amen. + + + +SERMON XVIII. THE CHRIST CHILD +(Christmas Day.) + + + +LUKE ii. 7. + +And she brought forth her first-born Son, and wrapt him in swaddling +clothes, and laid him in a manger. + +Mother and child.--Think of it, my friends, on Christmas day. What +more beautiful sight is there in the world? What more beautiful +sight, and what more wonderful sight? + +What more beautiful? That man must be very far from the kingdom of +God--he is not worthy to be called a man at all--whose heart has not +been touched by the sight of his first child in its mother's bosom. + +The greatest painters who have ever lived have tried to paint the +beauty of that simple thing--a mother with her babe: and have +failed. One of them, Rafaelle by name, to whom God gave the spirit +of beauty in a measure in which he never gave it, perhaps, to any +other man, tried again and again, for years, painting over and over +that simple subject--the mother and her babe--and could not satisfy +himself. Each of his pictures is most beautiful--each in a different +way; and yet none of them is perfect. There is more beauty in that +simple every-day sight than he or any man could express by his pencil +and his colours. And yet it is a sight which we see every day. + +And as for the wonder of that sight--the mystery of it--I tell you +this. That physicians, and the wise men who look into the laws of +nature, of flesh and blood, say that the mystery is past their +finding out; that if they could find out the whole meaning, and the +true meaning of those two words, mother and child, they could get the +key to the deepest wonders of the world: but they cannot. + +And philosophers, who look into the laws of soul and spirit, say the +same. The wiser men they are, the more they find in the soul of +every new-born babe, and its kindred to its mother, wonders and +puzzles past man's understanding. + +I will say boldly, my friends, that if one could find out the full +meaning of those two words, mother and child, one would be the wisest +philosopher on earth, and see deeper than all who have ever yet +lived, into the secrets of this world of time which we can see, and +of the eternal world, which no man can see, save with the eyes of his +reasonable soul. + +And yet it is the most common, every-day sight. That only shows once +more what I so often try to show you, that the most common, every-day +things are the most wonderful. It shows us how we are to despise +nothing which God has made; above all, to despise nothing which +belongs to human nature, which is the likeness and image of God. + +Above all, upon this Christmas day it is not merely ignorant and +foolish, but quite sinful and heretical, to despise anything which +belongs to human nature. For on this day God appeared in human +nature, and in the first and lowest shape of it--in the form of a +new-born babe, that by beginning at the beginning, he might end at +the end; and being made in all things like as his brethren, might +perfectly and utterly take the manhood into God. + +This, then, we are to think of, at least on Christmas day--God +revealed, and shown to men, as a babe upon his mother's bosom. + +Men had pictured God to themselves already in many shapes--some +foolish, foul, brutal--God forgive them;--some noble and majestic. +Sometimes they thought of him as a mighty Lawgiver, sitting upon his +throne in the heavens, with solemn face and awful eyes, looking down +upon all the earth. That fancy was not a false one. St. John saw +the Lord so. + +'And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of +man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps +with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, +as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet +like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice +as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven +stars; and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword; and his +countenance was as the sun shining in his strength.' + +Sometimes, again, they thought of him as the terrible warrior, going +forth to conquer and destroy all which opposed him; to kill wicked +tyrants, and devils, and all who rebelled against him, and who hurt +human beings. + +And that was not a false fancy either. St. John saw the Lord so. + +'And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat +upon him was called Faithful and True; and in righteousness he doth +judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his +head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew +but he himself: and he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood; +and his name is called, The Word of God. And the armies which were +in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, +white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with +it he should smite the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of +iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of +Almighty God.' + +But all these were only, as it were, fancies about one side of God's +character. It was only in the Babe of Bethlehem that the WHOLE of +God's character shone forth, that men might not merely fear him and +bow before him, but trust in him and love him, as one who could be +touched with the feeling of their infirmities. {151} + +It was on Christmas day that God appeared among men as a child upon a +mother's bosom. And why? Surely for this reason, among a thousand +more, that he might teach men to feel for him and with him, and to be +sure that he felt for them and with them. To teach them to feel for +him and with him, he took the shape of a little child, to draw out +all their love, all their tenderness, and, if I may so say, all their +pity. + +A God in need! A God weak! God fed by mortal woman! A God wrapt in +swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger!--If that sight will not +touch our hearts, what will? + +And by that same sight he has taught men that he feels with them and +for them. God has been through the pains of infancy. God has +hungered. God has wept. God has been ignorant. God has grown, and +increased in stature and in wisdom, and in favour both with God and +man. + +And why? That he might take on him our human nature. Not merely the +nature of a great man, of a wise man, of a grown up man only: but +ALL human nature, from the nature of the babe on its mother's bosom, +to the nature of the full-grown and full-souled man, fighting with +all his powers against the evil of the world. All this is his, and +he is all; that no human being, from the strongest to the weakest, +from the eldest to the youngest, but may be able to say, 'What I am, +Christ has been.' + +Take home with you, then, this thought, on this Christmas day, among +all the rest which Christmas ought to put into your minds. Respect +your own children. Look on them as the likeness of Christ, and the +image of God; and when you go home this day, believe that Christ is +in them, the hope of glory to them hereafter. Draw them round you, +and say to them-- each in your own fashion--'My children, God was +made like to you this day, that you might be made like God. +Children, this is your day, for on this day God became a child; that +God gives you leave to think of him as a child, that you may be sure +he loves children, sure he understands children, sure that a little +child is as near and as dear to God as kings, nobles, scholars, and +divines.' + +Yes, my dear children, you may think of God as a child, now and +always. For you Christ is always the Babe of Bethlehem. Do not say +to yourselves, 'Christ is grown up long ago; he is a full-grown man.' +He is, and yet he is not. His life is eternal in the heavens, above +all change of time and space; for time and space are but his +creatures and his tools. Therefore he can be all things to all men, +because he is the Son of man. + +Yes; all things to all men. Hearken to me, you children, and you +grown-up children also, if there be any in this church--for if you +will receive it, such is the sacred heart of Jesus--all things to +all; and wherever there is the true heart of a true human being, +there, beating in perfect answer to it, is the heart of Christ. + +To the strong he can be strongest; and to the weak, weakest of all. +With the mighty he can be the King of kings; and yet with the poor he +can wander, not having where to lay his head. With quiet Jacob he +goes round the farm, among the quiet sheep; and yet he ranges with +wild Esau over battle-field, and desert, and far unknown seas. With +the mourner he weeps for ever; and yet he will sit as of old--if he +be but invited--and bless the marriage-feast. For the penitent he +hangs for ever on the cross; and yet with the man who works for God +his Father he stands for ever in his glory, his eyes like a flame of +fire, and out of his mouth a two-edged sword, judging the nations of +the earth. With the aged and the dying he goes down for ever into +the grave; and yet with you, children, Christ lies for ever on his +mother's bosom, and looks up for ever into his mother's face, full of +young life, and happiness, and innocence, the everlasting Christ- +child in whom you must believe, whom you must love, to whom you must +offer up your childish prayers. + +The day will come when you can no longer think as a child, or pray as +a child, but put away childish things. I do not know whether you +will be the happier for that change. God grant that you may be the +better for it. Meanwhile, go home, and think of the baby Jesus, YOUR +Lord, YOUR pattern, YOUR Saviour; and ask him to make you such good +children to your mothers, as the little Jesus was to the Blessed +Virgin, when he increased in knowledge and in stature, and in favour +both with God and man. + + + +SERMON XIX. CHRIST'S BOYHOOD + + + +LUKE ii. 52. + +And Jesus increased in wisdom, and in stature, and in favour both +with God and man. + +I do not pretend to understand these words. I preach on them because +the Church has appointed them for this day. And most fitly. At +Christmas we think of our Lord's birth. What more reasonable, than +that we should go on to think of our Lord's boyhood? To think of +this aright, even if we do not altogether understand it, ought to +help us to understand rightly the incarnation of our Lord Jesus +Christ; the right faith about which is, that he was very man, of the +substance of his mother. Now, if he were very and real man, he must +have been also very and real babe, very and real boy, very and real +youth, and then very and real full-grown man. + +Now it is not so easy to believe that as it may seem. It is not so +easy to believe. + +I have heard many preachers preach (without knowing it), what used to +be called the Apollinarian Heresy, which held that our Lord had not a +real human soul, but only a human body; and that his Godhead served +him instead of a human soul, and a man's reason, man's feelings. + +About that the old fathers had great difficulty, before they could +make people understand that our Lord had been a real babe. It seemed +to people's unclean fancies something shocking that our Lord should +have been born, as other children are born. They stumbled at the +stumbling-block of the manger in Bethlehem, as they did at the +stumbling-block of the cross on Calvary; and they wanted to make out +that our Lord was born into the world in some strange way--I know not +how;--I do not choose to talk of it here:- but they would fancy and +invent anything, rather than believe that Jesus was really born of +the Virgin Mary, made of the substance of his mother. So that it was +hundreds of years before the fathers of the Church set people's minds +thoroughly at rest about that. + +In the same way, though not so much, people found it very hard to +believe that our Lord grew up as a real human child. They would not +believe that he went down to Nazareth, and was subject to his father +and mother. People believe generally now--the Roman Catholics as +well as we--that our Lord worked at his father's trade--that he +himself handled the carpenter's tools. We have no certain proof of +it: but it is so beautiful a thought, that one hopes it is true. At +least our believing it is a sign that we do believe the incarnation +of our Lord Jesus Christ more rightly than most people did fifteen +hundred years ago. For then, too many of them would have been +shocked at the notion. + +They stumbled at the carpenter's shop, even as they did at the manger +and at the cross. And they invented false gospels--one of which +especially, had strange and fanciful stories about our Lord's +childhood--which tried to make him out. + +Most of these stories are so childish I do not like to repeat them. +One of them may serve as a sample. Our Lord, it says, was playing +with other children of his own age, and making little birds out of +clay: but those which our Lord made became alive, and moved, and +sang like real birds.--Stories put together just to give our Lord +some magical power, different from other children, and pretending +that he worked signs and wonders: which were just what he refused to +work. + +But the old fathers rejected these false gospels and their childish +tales, and commanded Christian men only to believe what the Bible +tells us about our Lord's childhood; for that is enough for us, and +that will help us better than any magical stories and childish fairy +tales of man's invention, to believe rightly that God was made man, +and dwelt among us. + +And what does the Bible tell us? Very little indeed. And it tells +us very little, because we were meant to know very little. Trust +your Bibles always, my friends, and be sure, if you were meant to +know more, the Bible would tell you more. + +It tells us that Jesus grew just as a human child grows, in body, +soul, and spirit. + +Then it tells us of one case--only one--in which he seemed to act +without his parents' leave. And as the saying is, the exception +proves the rule. It is plain that his rule was to obey, except in +this case; that he was always subject to his parents, as other +children are, except on this one occasion. And even in this case, he +WENT back with them, it is expressly said, and was subject to them. + +Now, I do not pretend to explain WHY our Lord stayed behind in the +temple. + +I cannot explain (who can?) the why and wherefore of what I see +people do in common daily life. + +How much less can one explain why our Lord did this and that, who was +both man and God. + +But one reason, and one which seems to me to be plain, on the very +face of St. Luke's words--he stayed behind to learn; to learn all he +could from the Scribes and Pharisees, the doctors of the law. + +He told the people after, when grown up, 'The Scribes and Pharisees +sit in Moses' seat. All therefore which they command you, that +observe and do.' And he was a Jew himself, and came to fulfil all +righteousness; and therefore he fulfilled such righteousness as was +customary among Jews according to their law and religion. + +Therefore I do not like at all a great many pictures which I see in +children's Sunday books, which set the child Jesus in the midst, as +on a throne, holding up his hand as if HE were laying down the law, +and the Scribes and Pharisees looking angry and confounded. The +Bible says not that they heard him, but that he heard them; that they +were astonished at his understanding, not that they were confounded +and angry. No. I must believe that even those hard, proud +Pharisees, looked with wonder and admiration on the glorious Child; +that they perhaps felt for the moment that a prophet, another Samuel, +had risen up among them. And surely that is much more like the right +notion of the child Jesus, full of meekness and humility; of Jesus, +who, though 'he were a Son, learnt obedience by the things which he +suffered;' of Jesus, who, while he increased in stature, increased in +favour with MAN, as well as with God: and surely no child can +increase in favour either with God or man, if he sets down his +elders, and contradicts and despises the teachers whom God has set +over him. No let us believe that when he said, 'Know ye not that I +must be about my Father's business?' that a child's way of doing the +work of his Father in heaven is to learn all that he can understand +from his teachers, spiritual pastors, and masters, whom God the +Father has set over him. + +Therefore--and do listen to this, children and young people--if you +wish really to think what Christ has to do with YOU, you must +remember that he was once a real human child--not different outwardly +from other children, except in being a perfectly good child, in all +things like as you are, but without sin. + +Then, whatever happens to you, you will have the comfort of feeling-- +Christ understands this; Christ has been through this. Child though +I am, Christ can be touched with the feeling of my weakness, for he +was once a child like me. + +And then, if trouble, or sickness, or death come among you--and you +all know how sickness and death HAVE come among you of late--you may +be cheerful and joyful still, if you will only try to be such +children as Jesus was. Obey your parents, and be subject to them, as +he was; try to learn from your teachers, pastors, and masters, as he +did; try and pray to increase daily in favour both with God and man, +as he did: and then, even if death should come and take you before +your time, you need not be afraid, for Jesus Christ is with you. + +Your childish faults shall be forgiven you for Jesus' sake; your +childish good conduct shall be accepted for Jesus Christ's sake; and +if you be trying to be good children, doing your little work well +where God has put you, humble, obedient, and teachable, winning love +from the people round you, and from God your Father in heaven, then, +I say, you need not be afraid of sickness, not even afraid of death, +for whenever it takes you, it will find you about your Father's +business. + + + +SERMON XX. THE LOCUST-SWARMS + + + +JOEL ii. 12, 13. + +Therefore also now, saith the Lord, Turn ye even to me with all your +heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning; and +rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your +God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great +kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. + +This is one of the grandest chapters in the whole Old Testament, and +one which may teach us a great deal; and, above all, teach us to be +thankful to God for the blessings which we have. + +I think I can explain what it means best by going back to the chapter +before it. + +Joel begins his prophecy by bitter lamentation over the mischief +which the swarms of insects had done; such as had never been in his +days, nor in the days of his fathers. What the palmer worm had left, +the locust had eaten; what the locust had left, the cankerworm had +eaten; and what the cankerworm had left, the caterpillar had eaten. +Whether these names are rightly rendered, or whether they mean +different sorts of locusts, or the locusts in their different stages +of growth, crawling at first and flying at last, matters little. +What mischief they had done was plain enough. They had come up 'a +nation strong and without number, whose teeth were like the teeth of +a lion, and his cheek-teeth like those of a strong lion. They had +laid his vines waste, and barked his fig-tree, and made its branches +white; and all drunkards were howling and lamenting, for the wine +crop was utterly destroyed: and all other crops, it seems likewise; +the corn was wasted, the olives destroyed; the seed was rotten under +the clods, the granaries empty, the barns broken down, for the corn +was withered; the vine and fig, pomegranate, palm, and apple, were +all gone; the green grass was all gone; the beasts groaned, the herds +were perplexed, because they had no pasture; the flocks of sheep were +desolate.' There seems to have been a dry season also, to make +matters worse; for Joel says the rivers of waters were dried up-- +likely enough, if then, as now, it is the dry seasons which bring the +locust-swarms. Still the locusts had done the chief mischief. They +came just as they come now (only in smaller strength, thank God) in +many parts of the East and of Southern Russia, darkening the sky, and +shutting out the very light of the sun; the noise of their +innumerable jaws like the noise of flame devouring the stubble, as +they settled upon every green thing, and gnawed away leaf and bark; +and a fire devoured before them, and behind them a flame burned; the +land was as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a +desolate wilderness; {162} till there was not enough left to supply +the daily sacrifices, and the meat offering and the drink offering +were withheld from the house of God. + +But what has all this to do with us? There have never, as far as we +know, been any locusts in England. + +And what has this to do with God? Why does Joel tell these Jews that +God sent the locusts, and bid them cry to God to take them away? For +these locusts are natural things, and come by natural laws. And +there is no need that there should be locusts anywhere. For where +the wild grass plains are broken up and properly cultivated, there +the locusts, which lay their countless eggs in the old turf, +disappear, and must disappear. We know that now. We know that when +the East is tilled (as God grant it may be some day) as thoroughly as +England is, locusts will be as unknown there as here; and that is +another comfortable proof to us that there is no real curse upon +God's earth: but that just as far as man fulfils God's command to +replenish the earth and subdue it, so far he gets rid of all manner +of terrible scourges and curses, which seemed to him in the days of +his ignorance, necessary and supernatural. + +How, then, was Joel right in saying that God sent the locusts? + +In this way, my friends. + +Suppose you or I took cholera or fever. We know that cholera or +fever is preventible; that man has no right to have these pestilences +in a country, because they can be kept out and destroyed. But if you +or I caught cholera or fever by no fault or folly of our own, we are +bound to say, God sent me this sickness. It has some private lesson +for ME. It is part of my education, my schooling in God's school- +house. It is meant to make me a wiser and better man; and that he +can only do by teaching me more about himself. So with these +locusts, and still more so; for Joel did not know, could not know, +that these locusts could be prevented. But even if he had known +that, it was not his fault or folly, or his countrymen's which had +brought the locusts. Most probably they were tilling the ground to +the best of their knowledge. Most probably, too, these locusts were +not bred in Palestine at all; but came down upon the north-wind (as +they are said to do now), from some land hundreds of miles away; and +therefore Joel could say--Whatever I do not know about these locusts, +this I know; that God, whose providence orders all things in heaven +and earth, has sent them; that he means to teach you a lesson by +them; that they are part of his schooling to us Jews; that he intends +to make us wiser and better men by them: AND THAT HE CAN ONLY DO BY +TEACHING US MORE ABOUT HIMSELF. + +What, then, does Joel say about the locusts, which he might say to +you or me, if we were laid down by cholera or fever? He does not +say, these troubles have come upon you from devils, or evil spirits, +or by any blind chance of the world about you. He says, they have +come on you from THE LORD; from the same good, loving, merciful Lord +who brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made a great nation of +you, and has preserved you to this day. And do not fancy that he is +changed. Do not fancy that he has forgotten you, or hates you, or +has become cruel, or proud, or unlike himself. It is you who have +forgotten him, and have shown that by living bad lives; and all he +wishes is, to drive you back to him, that you may live good lives. +Turn to him; and you will find him unchanged; the same loving, +forgiving Lord as ever. He requires no sacrifices, no great +offerings on your part to win him round. All he asks is, that you +should confess yourselves in the wrong, and turn and repent. Turn +therefore to the Lord with all your heart, and with weeping, and with +fasting, and with mourning--(which was, and is still the Eastern +fashion); and rend your heart, and not your garments. And why? +Because the Lord is very dreadful, angry and dark, and has determined +to destroy you all? Not so: but because he is gracious and +merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of +the evil. + +Yes, my friends: and this, you will find, is at the bottom of all +true repentance and turning to God. If you believe that God is dark, +and hard, and cruel, you may be afraid of him: but you cannot +repent, cannot turn to him. The more you think of him the more you +will be terrified at him, and turn from him. But if you believe that +God is gracious and merciful, then you can turn to him; then you can +repent with a true repentance, and a godly sorrow which breeds joy +and peace of mind. + +So Joel thought, at least; for he tells them, that if they will but +turn to God, if they will but confess themselves in the wrong, all +shall be well again, and better than before. + +Now, if Joel had been a heathen, worshipping the false gods of the +Canaanites, he would have spoken very differently; he would have +said, perhaps--Baal, the true God, is angry with you, and he has sent +the drought. + +Or, Ashtoreth, the Queen of Heaven, by whose power all seeds grow and +all creatures breed, is angry with you, and she has destroyed the +seeds, and sent the locusts. + +Or, Ammon, the Lord of the sheep, is angry, and he has destroyed your +flocks and herds. + +But one thing we know he would have said--These angry gods want +BLOOD. You cannot pacify them without human blood. You must give +them the most dear and precious things you have--the most beautiful +and pure. You must sacrifice boys and girls to them; and then, +perhaps, they will be appeased. + +We KNOW this. We know that the heathen, whenever they were in +trouble, took to human sacrifices. + +The Canaanites--and the Jews when they fell into idolatry--used to +burn their children in the fire to Moloch. + +We know that the Carthaginians, who were of the same blood and +language as the Canaanites, used human sacrifices; and that once when +their city was in great danger, they sacrificed at one time two +hundred boys of their highest families. + +We know that the Greeks and Romans, who had much more humane and +rational notions about their gods, were tempted, in times of great +distress, to sacrifice human beings. It has always been so. The old +Mexicans in America used to sacrifice many thousands of men and women +every year to their idols; and when the Spaniards came and destroyed +them off the face of the earth in the name of the Lord--as Joshua did +the Canaanites of old--they found the walls of the idol temples +crusted inches thick with human blood. Even to this day, the wild +Khonds in the Indian mountains, and the Red men of America, sacrifice +human beings at times, and, I fear, very often indeed; and believe +that the gods will be the more pleased, and more certain to turn away +their anger, the more horrible and lingering tortures they inflict +upon their wretched victims. I say, these things were; and were it +not for the light of the Gospel, these things would be still; and +when we hear of them, we ought to bow our heads to our Father in +heaven in thankfulness, and say--what Joel the prophet taught the +Jews to say dimly and in part--what our Lord Jesus and his apostles +taught us to say fully and perfectly - + +It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, at all times and in all +places--whether in joy or sorrow, in wealth or in want, to give +thanks to thee, O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty, Everlasting God. + +Through Jesus Christ our Lord, according to whose most true promise +the Holy Ghost came down from heaven upon the apostles, to teach them +and to lead them into all truth, and give them fervent zeal, +constantly to preach the Gospel to all nations, by which we have been +brought out of darkness and error into the clear light and true +knowledge of thee and of thy Son Jesus Christ. + +Yes, my friends, this is the lesson which we have to learn from +Joel's prophecy, and from all prophecies. This lesson the old +prophets learnt for themselves, slowly and dimly, through many +temptations and sorrows. This lesson our Lord Jesus Christ revealed +fully, and left behind him to his apostles. This lesson men have +been learning slowly but surely in all the hundreds of years which +have past since; to know that there is one Father in heaven, of whom +are all things, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things; +that they may, in all the chances and changes of this mortal life, in +weal and in woe, in light and in darkness, in plenty and in want, +look up to that heavenly Father who so loved them that he spared not +his only begotten Son, but freely gave him for them, and say, +'Father, not our will but thine be done. All things come from thy +hand, and therefore all things come from thy love. We have received +good from thy hand, and shall we not receive evil? Though thou slay +us, yet will we trust in thee. For thou art gracious and merciful, +long-suffering and of great goodness. Thou art loving to every man, +and thy mercy is over all thy works. Thou art righteous in all thy +ways, and holy in all thy doings. Thou art nigh to all that call on +thee; thou wilt hear their cry, and wilt help them. For all thou +desirest, when thou sendest trouble on them, is to make them wiser +and better men. AND THAT THOU CANST ONLY MAKE THEM BY TEACHING THEM +MORE ABOUT THYSELF.' + + + +SERMON XXI. SALVATION + + + +ISAIAH lix. 15, 16. + +And the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no +judgment. And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there +was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him, +and his righteousness it sustained him. + +This text is often held to be a prophecy of the coming of our Lord +Jesus Christ. I certainly believe that it is a prophecy of his +coming, and of something better still; namely, his continual +presence; and a very noble and deep one, and one from which we may +learn a great deal. + +We may learn from it what 'salvation' really is. What Christ came to +save men from, and how he saves them. + +The common notion of salvation now-a-days is this. That salvation is +some arrangement or plan, by which people are to escape hell-fire by +having Christ's righteousness imputed to them without their being +righteous themselves. + +Now, I have nothing to say about that this morning. It may be so; +or, again, it may not; I read a good many things in books every week +the sense of which I cannot understand. At all events it is not the +salvation of which Isaiah speaks here. + +For Isaiah tells us very plainly, from WHAT God was going to save +these Jews. Not from hell-fire--nothing is said about it: but +simply from their SINS. As it is written, 'Thou shalt call his name +Jesus, for he shall save his people from THEIR SINS.' + +The case is very simple, if you will look at Isaiah's own words. +These Jews had become thoroughly bad men. They were not ungodly men. +They were very religious, orthodox, devout men. They 'sought God +daily, and delighted to know his ways, like a nation that did +righteousness, and forsook not the ordinances of their God: they +asked of him the ordinances of justice; they took delight in +approaching unto God.' + +But unfortunately for them, and for all with whom they had to do, +after they had asked of God the ordinances of justice, they never +thought of doing them; and in spite of all their religion, they were, +Isaiah tells them plainly, rogues and scoundrels, none of whom stood +up for justice, or pleaded for truth, but trusted in vanity, and +spoke lies. Their feet ran to evil, and they made haste to shed +innocent blood; the way of peace they knew not, and they had made +themselves crooked paths, speaking oppression and revolt, and +conceiving and uttering words of falsehood; so that judgment was +turned away backward, and justice stood afar off, for truth was +fallen in the street, and equity could not enter. Yea, truth failed; +and he that departed from evil made himself a prey (or as some render +it) was accounted mad. + +And this is in the face of all their religion and their church-going. +Verily, my friends, fallen human beings were much the same then as +now; and there are too many in England and elsewhere now who might +sit for that portrait. + +But how was the Lord going to save these hypocritical, false, unjust +men? Was he going to say to them, Believe certain doctrines about +me, and you shall escape all punishment for your sins, and my +righteousness shall be imputed to you? We do not read a word of +that. We read--not that the Lord's righteousness was imputed to +these bad men, but that it sustained the Lord himself.--Ah! there is +a depth, if you will receive it--a depth of hope and comfort--a well- +spring of salvation for us and all mankind. + +You may be false and dishonest, saith the Lord, but I am honest and +true. Unjust, but I am just; unrighteous, but I am righteous. If +men will not set the world right, then I will, saith the Lord. My +righteousness shall sustain me, and keep me up to my duty, though man +may forget his. To me all power is given in heaven and earth, and I +will use my power aright. + +If men are bringing themselves and their country, their religion, +their church to ruin by hypocrisy, falsehood, and injustice, as those +Jews were, then the Lord's arm will bring salvation. He will save +them from their sins by the only possible way--namely, by taking +their sins away, and making those of them who will take his lesson +good and righteous men instead. It may be a very terrible lesson of +vengeance and fury, as Isaiah says. It may unmask many a hypocrite, +confound many a politic, and frustrate many a knavish trick, till the +Lord's salvation may look at first sight much more like destruction +and misery; for his fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge +his floor, and gather the wheat into his garner: but the chaff he +will burn up with unquenchable fire. + +But his purpose is, to SAVE--to save his people from their sins, to +purge out of them all hypocrisy, falsehood, injustice, and make of +them honest men, true men, just men--men created anew after his +likeness. And this is the meaning of his salvation; and is the only +salvation worth having, for this life or the life to come. + +Oh my friends, let us pray to God, whatsoever else he does for us, to +make honest men of us. For if we be not honest men, we shall surely +come to ruin, and bring all we touch to ruin, past hope of salvation. +Whatsoever denomination or church we belong to, it will be all the +same: we may call ourselves children of Abraham, of the Holy +Catholic Church (which God preserve), or what we will: but when the +axe is laid to the root of the tree, every tree that brings not forth +good fruit is hewn down, and is cast into the fire; and woe to the +foolish fowl who have taken shelter under the branches of it. + +And we who are coming to the holy communion this day--let us ask +ourselves, What do we want there? Do we want to be made good men, +true, honest, just? Do we want to be saved from our sins? or merely +from the punishment of them after we die? Do we want to be made +sharers in that everlasting righteousness of Christ, which sustains +him, and sustains the whole world too, and prevents it from becoming +a cage of wild beasts, tearing each other to pieces by war and +oppression, falsehood and injustice? THEN we shall get what we want; +and more. But if not, then we shall not get what we want, not +discerning that the Lord's body is a righteous and just and good +body; and his blood a purifying blood, which purifies not merely from +the punishment of our sins, but from our sins themselves. + +And bear in mind, my friends, when times grow evil, and rogues and +hypocrites abound, and all the world seems going wrong, there is one +arm to fall back upon, and one righteousness to fall back upon, which +can never fail you, or the world. - + +The arm of the Lord, which brings salvation to him, that he may give +it to all who are faithful and true; which cannot weaken or grow +weary, till it has cast out of his kingdom all which offends, and +whosoever loveth or maketh a lie. - + +And the eternal righteousness of the Lord, which will do justice by +every living soul of man, and which will never fail or fade away, +because it is his own property, belonging to his own essence, which +if he gave up for a moment he would give up being God. Yes, God is +good, though every man were bad; God is just, though every man were a +rogue; God is true, though every man were a liar; and as long as that +is so, all is safe for you and me, and the whole world:- IF WE WILL. + + + +SERMON XXII. THE BEGINNING AND END OF WISDOM + + + +PROVERBS ii. 2, 3, 5. + +If thou incline thine ear to wisdom, and apply thine heart to +understanding; yea, if thou criest after wisdom, and liftest up thy +voice for understanding; then shalt thou understand the fear of the +Lord, and find the knowledge of God. + +We shall see something curious in the last of these verses, when we +compare it with one in the chapter before. The chapter before says, +that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. That if we +wish to be wise at all, we must BEGIN by fearing God. But this +chapter says, that the fear of the Lord is the END of wisdom too; for +it says, that if we seek earnestly after knowledge and understanding, +THEN we shall understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge +of God. + +So, according to Solomon, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of +wisdom, and the end likewise. It is the starting point from which we +are to set out, and the goal toward which we are to run. + +How can that be? + +If by wisdom Solomon meant high doctrines, what we call theology and +divinity, it would seem more easy to understand: but he does not +mean that, at least in our sense; for his rules and proverbs about +wisdom are not about divinity and high doctrines, but about plain +practical every-day life; shrewd maxims as to how to behave in this +life, so as to thrive and prosper in it. + +And yet again they must be about divinity and theology in some sense. +For what does he say about wisdom in the text? 'If thou search after +wisdom, thou shalt understand the fear of the Lord;' and is that all? +No. He says more than that. Thou shalt find, he says, the knowledge +of God. To know God.--What higher theology can there be than that? +It is the end of all divinity, of all religion. It is eternal life +itself, to know God. If a man knows God, he is in heaven there and +then, though he be walking in flesh and blood upon this mortal earth. + +How can all this be? + +Let us consider the words once again. + +Solomon does not say, To understand the fear of the Lord is the +beginning of wisdom, but simply the fear of the Lord is the beginning +of it. But the end of wisdom, he says, is not merely to fear the +Lord, but to understand the fear of the Lord. + +This then, I suppose, is his meaning: We are to begin life by +fearing God, without understanding it: as a child obeys his parents +without understanding the reason of their commands. + +Therefore, says Solomon to the young man, begin with that--with the +solemn, earnest, industrious, God-fearing frame of mind--without that +you will gain no wisdom. You may be as clever as you will, but if +you are reckless and wild, you will gain no wisdom. If you are +violent and impatient; if you are selfish and self-conceited; if you +are weak and self-indulgent, given up to your own pleasures, your +cleverness will be of no use to you. It will be only hurtful to you +and to others. A clever fool is common enough, and dangerous enough. +For he is one who never sees things as they really are, but as he +would like them to be. A bad man, let him be as clever as he may, is +like one in a fever, whose mind is wandering, who is continually +seeing figures and visions, and mistaking them for actual and real +things; and so with all his cleverness, he lives in a dream, and +makes mistake upon mistake, because he knows not things as they are, +and sees nothing by the light of Christ, who is the light of the +world, from whom alone all true understanding comes. + +Begin then with the fear of the Lord. Make up your mind to do what +you are told is right, whether you know the reason of it or not. +Take for granted that your elders know better than you, and have +faith in them, in your teachers, in your Bible, in the words of wise +men who have gone before you: and do right, whatever it costs you. + +If you do not always know the reason at first, you will know it in +due time, and get, so Solomon says, to UNDERSTAND the fear of the +Lord. In due time you will see from experience that you are in the +path of life. You will be able to say with St. Paul, I KNOW in whom +I have believed; and with Job, 'Before I heard of thee, O Lord, with +the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.' + +And why? Because, says Solomon, God himself will show you, and teach +you by his Holy Spirit. As our Lord says, 'The Holy Spirit shall +take of mine, and show it unto you, and lead you into all truth.' +And therefore Solomon talks of wisdom, who is the Holy Ghost the +Comforter, as a person who teaches men, whose delight is with the +sons of men. He speaks of wisdom as calling to men. He speaks of +her as a being who is seeking for those that seek her, who will teach +those who seek after her. + +Yes, this, my friends, is, I believe, the secret of life. At least +it is the secret both of Solomon's teaching, and our Lord's, and St. +Paul's, and St. John's, that true wisdom is not a thing which man +finds out for himself, but which God teaches him. This is the secret +of life--to believe that God is your Father, schooling and training +you from your cradle to your grave; and then to please him and obey +him in all things, lifting up daily your hands and thankful heart, +entreating him to purge the eyes of your soul, and give you the true +wisdom, which is to see all things as they really are, and as God +himself sees them. If you do that, you may believe that God will +teach you more and more how to do, in all the affairs of life, that +which is right in his sight, and therefore good for you. He will +teach you more and more to see in all which happens to you, all which +goes on around you, his fatherly love, his patient mercy, his +providential care for all his creatures. He will reward you by +making you more and more partaker of his Holy Spirit and of truth, by +which, seeing everything as it really is, you will at last--if not in +this life, still in the life to come--grow to see God himself, who +has made all things according to his own eternal mind, that they may +be a pattern of his unspeakable glory; and beyond that, who needs to +see? For to know God, and to see God, is eternal life itself. + +And this true wisdom, which lies in knowing God, and understanding +his laws, is within the reach of the simplest person here. As I told +you, cleverness without godliness will not give it you; but godliness +without cleverness may. + +Therefore let no one say, 'We are no scholars, nor philosophers, and +we never can be. Are we, then, shut out from this heavenly wisdom?' +God forbid, my friends. God is no respecter of persons. Only +remember one thing; and by it you, too, may attain to the heavenly +wisdom. I said that the fear of the Lord was the beginning of +wisdom. I said that the fear of the Lord was the end of wisdom. Now +let the fear of the Lord be the middle of wisdom also, and walk in it +from youth to old age, and all will be well. + +That is the short way, the royal road to wisdom. To be good and to +do good. To keep the single eye--the eye which does not look two +ways at once, and want to go two ways at once, as too many do who +want to serve God and mammon, and to be good people and bad people +too both at once. But the single eye of the man, who looks +straightforward at everything, and has made up his mind what it ought +to do, and will do, so help him God. As stout old Joshua said, +'Choose ye whom ye will serve: but as for me and my house, we will +serve the Lord.' That is the single eye, which wants simply to know +what is right, and do what is right. + +And if a man has that he may be a very wise man indeed, though he can +neither read nor write. + +It is good for a man, of course, to be able to read, that he may know +what wiser men than he have said: above all, that he may know what +his Bible says. But, even if he cannot read, let him fear God, and +set his heart earnestly to know and do his duty. Let him keep his +soul pure, and his body also (for nothing hinders that heavenly +wisdom like loose living), and he will be wise enough for this world, +and for the world to come likewise. + +I tell you, my friends, I have known women, who were neither clever +women, nor learned women, nor anything except good women, whose souls +were pure and full of the Holy Spirit, and who lived lives of prayer, +and sat all day long with Mary at the feet of Jesus.--I have known +such women to have at times a wisdom which all books and all sciences +on earth cannot give. I have known them give opinions on deep +matters which learned and experienced men were glad enough to take. +I have known them have, in a wonderful degree, that wisdom which the +Scripture calls discerning of spirits, being able to see into +people's hearts; knowing at a glance what they were thinking of, what +made them unhappy, how to manage and comfort them; knowing at a +glance whether they were honest or not, pure-minded or not--a +precious and heavenly wisdom, which comes, as I believe, from none +other than the inspiration of the Spirit of Christ, who is the +discerner of the secret thoughts of all hearts: and when I have seen +such people, altogether simple and humble, and yet most wise and +prudent, because they were full of the fear of the Lord, and of the +knowledge of God, I could not but ask--Why should we not be all like +them? + +My friends, I believe that we may all be more or less like them, if +we will make the fear of the Lord the beginning of our wisdom, and +the middle of our wisdom, and the end of our wisdom. + +Nine-tenths of the mistakes we make in life come from forgetting the +fear of God and the law of God, and saying not, I will do what is +right: but--I will do what will profit me; I will do what I like. +If we would say to ourselves manfully instead all our lives through, +I will learn the will of God, and do it, whatsoever it cost me; we +should find in our old age that God's Holy Spirit was indeed a guide +and a comforter, able and willing to lead us into all truth which was +needful for us. We should find St. Paul had spoken truth, when he +said that godliness has the promise of THIS life, as well as of that +which is to come. + + + +SERMON XXIII. HUMAN NATURE +(Septuagesima Sunday.) + + + +GENESIS i. 27. + +So God created man in his own image; in the image of God created he +him; male and female created he them. + +On this Sunday the Church bids us to begin to read the book of +Genesis, and hear how the world was made, and how man was made, and +what the world is, and who man is. + +And why? + +To prepare us, I think, for Lent, and Passion week, Good Friday, and +Easter day. + +For you must know what a thing ought to be, before you can know what +it ought not to be; you must know what health is, before you can know +what disease is; you must know how and why a good man is good, before +you can know how and why a bad man is bad. You must know what man +fell from, before you can know what man has fallen to; and so you +must hear of man's creation, before you can understand man's fall. + +Now in Lent we lament and humble ourselves for man's fall. In +Passion week we remember the death and suffering of our blessed Lord, +by which he redeemed us from the fall. On Easter day we give him +thanks and glory for having conquered death and sin, and rising up as +the new Adam, of whom St. Paul writes, 'As in Adam all died, even so +in Christ shall all be made alive.' + +And therefore to prepare us for Lent and Passion week, and Easter +day, we begin this Sunday to read who the first man was, and what he +was like when he came into the world. + +Now we all say that man was created good, righteous, innocent, holy. +But do you fancy that man had any goodness or righteousness of his +own, so that he could stand up and say, I am good; I can take care of +myself; I can do what is right in my own strength? + +If you fancy so, you fancy wrong. The book of Genesis, and the text, +tell us that it was not so. It tells us that man could not be good +by himself; that the Lord God had to tell him what to do, and what +not to do; that the Lord God visited him and spoke to him: so that +he could only do right by faith: by trusting the Lord, and believing +him, and believing that what the Lord told him was the right thing +for him; and it tells us that he fell for want of faith, by not +believing the Lord and not believing that what the Lord told him was +right for him. So he was holy, and stood safe, only as long as he +did not stand alone: but the moment that he tried to stand alone he +fell. So that it was with Adam as it is with you and me. The just +man can only live by faith. + +And St. John explains this more fully, when he tells us that the +voice of the Lord, the Word of God whom Adam heard walking among the +trees of the garden, was our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, who was the +life of Adam and all men, and the light of Adam and all men. All +death and misery, and all ignorance and darkness, come at first from +forgetting the Lord Jesus Christ, and forgetting that he is about our +path and about our bed, and spying out all our ways; as St. John +says, that Christ's light is always shining in the darkness of this +world, but the darkness comprehendeth it not; that he came to his +own, but his own received him not; but as many as received him, to +them gave he power to become the sons of God, as he gave to man at +first; for St. Luke says, that Adam was the Son of God. But a son +must depend on his father; and therefore man was sent into the world +to depend on God. So do not fancy that man before he fell could do +without God's grace, though he cannot now. If man had never fallen, +he would have been just as much in need of God's grace to keep him +from falling. To deny that is the root of what is called the +Pelagian heresy. Therefore the Church has generally said, and said +most truly, that 'Adam stood by grace in Paradise;' and had a +'supernatural gift;' and that as long as he used that gift, he was +safe, and only so long. + +Now what does supernatural mean? + +It means 'above nature.' + +Adam had a human nature: but he wanted something to keep him above +that nature, lest he should die, as all natural things on earth must. +Trees and flowers, birds and beasts, yea, the great earth itself must +die, and have an end in time, because it has had a beginning. + +Man had and has still a human nature; the most beautiful, noble, and +perfect nature in the world; high above the highest animals in rank, +beauty, understanding, and feelings. Human nature is made, so the +Bible tells us, in some mysterious way, after the likeness of God; of +Christ, the eternal Son of man, who is in heaven; for the Bible +speaks of the Word or Voice of God as appearing to man in something +of a human voice: reasoning with him as man reasons with man; and +feeling toward him human feelings. That is the doctrine of the +Bible; of David and the prophets, just as much as of Genesis or of +St. Paul. + +That is a great mystery and a great glory: but that alone could not +make man good, could not even keep him alive. + +For God made man for something more noble and blessed than to follow +even his own lofty human nature. God made the animals to follow +their natures each after its kind, and to do each what it liked, +without sin. But he made man to do more than that; to do more than +what he LIKES; namely, to do what he OUGHT. God made man to love +him, to obey him, to copy him, by doing God's will, and living God's +life, lovingly, joyfully, and of his own free will, as a son follows +the father whose will he delights to do. + +All animals God made to live and multiply, each after their kind: +and man likewise: but the animals he made to die again, and fresh +generations, ay, and fresh kinds of animals to take their place, and +do their work, as we know has happened again and again, both before +and since man came upon the earth. But of man the Bible says, that +he was not meant to die: that into him God breathed the breath, or +spirit, of life: of that life of men who is Jesus Christ the Lord; +that in Christ man might be the Son of God. To man he gave the life +of the soul, the moral and spiritual life, which is--to do justly, +and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with his God; the life which is +always tending upward to the source from which it came, and longing +to return to God who gave it, and to find rest in him. For in God +alone, in the assurance of God's love to us, and in the knowledge +that we are living the life of God, can a man's spirit find rest. So +St. Augustine found, through so many bitter experiences, when (as he +tells us) he tried to find rest and comfort in all God's creatures +one after another, and yet never found them till he found God, or +rather was found by God, and illuminated (so he says himself) with +that grace which by the fall he lost. + +What then does holy baptism mean? It means that God lifts us up +again to that honour from whence Adam fell. That as Adam lost the +honour of being God's son, so Jesus Christ restores to us that +honour. That as Adam lost the supernatural grace in which he stood, +so God for Christ's sake freely gives us back that grace, that we may +stand by faith in that Christ, the Word of God, whom Adam disbelieved +and fell away. + +Baptism says, You are not true and right men by nature; you are only +fallen men--men in your wrong place: but by grace you become men +indeed, true men; men living as man was meant to live, by faith, +which is the gift of God. For without grace man is like a stream +when the fountain head is stopped; it stops too--lies in foul +puddles, decays, and at last dries up: to keep the stream pure and +living and flowing, the fountain above must flow, and feed it for +ever. + +And so it is with man. Man is the stream, Christ is the fountain of +life. Parted from him mankind becomes foul and stagnant in sin and +ignorance, and at last dries up and perishes, because there is no +life in them. Joined to him in holy baptism, mankind lives, spreads, +grows, becomes stronger, better, wiser year by year, each generation +of his church teaching the one which comes after, as our Lord says, +not only, 'If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink;' but +also, 'He that believeth in me, out of him shall flow rivers of +living water.' + +Yes, my brethren, if you want to see what man is, you must not look +at the heathens, who are in a state of fallen and corrupt nature, but +at Christians, who are in a state of grace; for they only (those of +them, I mean, who are true to God and themselves), give us any true +notion of what man can be and should be. + +Heathendom is the foul and stagnant pool, parted from Christ, the +Fount of life. Christendom, in spite of all its sins and short- +comings, is the stream always fed from the heavenly Fountain. And +holy baptism is the river of the water of life, which St. John saw in +the Revelations, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of +God and of the Lamb, the trees of which are for the healing of the +nations. And when that river shall have spread over the world, there +shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall +be in the city of God; and the nations of them that are saved shall +grow to glory and blessedness, such as eye hath not seen, nor ear +heard, nor hath entered into the heart of man to conceive, but God +hath prepared for those who love him. + +Oh, may God hasten that day! May he accomplish the number of his +elect and hasten his kingdom, and the day when there shall not be a +heathen soul on earth, but all shall know him from the least to the +greatest, and the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth, as the +waters cover the sea! + +Then--when all men are brought into the fold of Christ's holy Church- +-then will they be men indeed; men not after nature, but after grace, +and the likeness of Christ, and the stature of perfect men: and then +what shall happen to this earth matters little; no, not if the earth +and all the works therein, beautiful though they be, be burned up; +for though this world perish, man would still have his portion sure +in the city of God which is eternal in the heavens, and before the +face of the Son of man who is in heaven. + +Oh, my friends, think of this. Think of what you say when you say, +'I am a man.' Remember that you are claiming for yourselves the very +highest honour--an honour too great to make you proud; an honour so +great that, if you understand it rightly, it must fill you with awe, +and trembling, and the spirit of godly fear, lest, when God has put +you up so high, you should fall shamefully again. For the higher the +place, the deeper the fall; and the greater the honour, the greater +the shame of losing it. But be sure that it was an honour before +Adam fell. That ever since Christ has taken the manhood into God, it +is an honour now to be a man. Do not let the devil or bad men ever +tempt you to say, I am only a man, and therefore you cannot expect me +to do right. I am but a man, and therefore I cannot help being mean, +and sinful, and covetous, and quarrelsome, and foul: for that is the +devil's doctrine, though it is common enough. I have heard a story +of a man in America--where very few, I am sorry to say, have heard +the true doctrine of the Catholic Church, and therefore do not know +really that God made man in his own image, and redeemed him again +into his own image by Jesus Christ--and this man was rebuked for +being a drunkard; and what do you fancy his excuse was? 'Ah,' he +said, 'you should remember that there is a great deal of human nature +in a man.' That was his excuse. He had been so ill-taught by his +Calvinist preachers, that he had learnt to look on human nature as +actually a bad thing; as if the devil, and not God, had made human +nature, and as if Christ had not redeemed human nature. Because he +was a man, he thought he was excused in being a bad man; because he +had a human nature in him, he was to be a drunkard and a brute. + +My friends, I trust that you have not so learned Christ. And if you +have, it is from no teaching of your Bible, of your Catechism, or +your Prayer-book; and, I say boldly, from no teaching of mine. The +Church bids you say, Yes; I have a human nature in me; and what +nature is that but the nature which the Son of God took on himself, +and redeemed, and justified it, and glorified it, sitting for ever +now in his human nature at the right hand of God, the Son of man who +is in heaven? Yes, I am a man; and what is it to be a man, but to be +the image and glory of God? What is it to be a man? To belong to +that race whose Head is the co-equal and co-eternal Son of God. +True, it is not enough to have only a human nature which may sin, +will sin, must sin, if left to itself a moment. But you have, unless +the Holy Spirit has left you, and your baptism is of none effect, +more than human nature in you: you have divine grace--that +supernatural grace and Spirit of God by which man stood in Paradise, +and by neglecting which he fell. + +Obey that Spirit; from him comes every right judgment of your minds, +every good desire of your hearts, every thought and feeling in you +which raises you up, instead of dragging you down; which bids you do +your duty, and live the life of God and Christ, instead of living the +mere death-in-life of selfish pleasure and covetousness. Obey that +Spirit, and be men: men indeed, that you may not come to shame in +the day when Christ the Son of Man shall take account of you, how you +have used your manhood, body, soul, and spirit. + + + +SERMON XXIV. THE CHARITY OF GOD + + + +(Quinquagesima Sunday.) + +LUKE xviii. 31, 32, 33. + +All things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man +shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, +and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: and +they shall scourge him and put him to death; and the third day he +shall rise again. + +This is a solemn text, a solemn Gospel; but it is not its solemnity +which I wish to speak of this morning, but this--What has it to do +with the Epistle, and with the Collect? The Epistle speaks of +Charity; the Collect bids us pray for the Holy Spirit of Charity. +What have they to do with the Gospel? + +Let me try to show you. + +The Epistle speaks of God's eternal charity. The Gospel tells us how +that eternal charity was revealed, and shown plainly in flesh and +blood on earth, in the life and death of Jesus Christ our Lord. + +But you may ask, How does the Epistle talk of God's charity? It bids +men be charitable; but the name of God is never mentioned in it. Not +so, my friends. Look again at the Epistle, and you will see one word +which shows us that this charity, which St. Paul says we must have, +is God's charity. + +For, he says, Charity never faileth; that though prophecies shall +fail, tongues cease, knowledge vanish away, charity shall never fail. +Now, if a thing never fail, it must be eternal. And if it be +eternal, it must be in God. For, as I have reminded you before about +other things, the Athanasian Creed tells us (and never was truer or +wiser word written) there is but one eternal. + +But if charity be not in God, there must be two eternals; God must be +one eternal, and charity another eternal; which cannot be. Therefore +charity must be in God, and of God, part of God's essence and being; +and not only God's saints, but God himself--suffereth long, and is +kind; envieth not, is not puffed up, seeketh not his own, is not +easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but in +the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all +things, endureth all things. + +So St. Augustine believed, and the greatest fathers of old time. +They believed, and they have taught us to believe, that before all +things, above all things, beneath all things, is the divine charity, +the love of God, infinite as God is infinite, everlasting as God is +everlasting; the charity by which God made all worlds, all men, and +all things, that they might be blest as he is blest, perfect as he is +perfect, useful as he is useful; the charity which is God's essence +and Holy Spirit, which might be content in itself, because it is +perfectly at peace in itself; and yet CANNOT be content in itself, +just because it is charity and love, and therefore must be going +forth and proceeding everlastingly from the Father and the Son, upon +errands of charity, love, and mercy, rewarding those whom it finds +doing their work in their proper place, and seeking and saving those +who are lost, and out of their proper place. + +But what has this to do with the Gospel? Surely, my friends, it is +not difficult to see. In Jesus Christ our Lord, the eternal charity +of God was fully revealed. The veil was taken off it once for all, +that men might see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, and +know that the glory of God is charity, and the Spirit of God is love. + +There was a veil over that in old times; and the veil comes over it +often enough now. It was difficult in old times to believe that God +was charity; it is difficult sometimes now. + +Sad and terrible things happen--Plague and famine, earthquake and +war. All these things have happened in our times. Not two months +ago, in Italy, an earthquake destroyed many thousands of people; and +in India, this summer, things have happened of which I dare not +speak, which have turned the hearts of women to water, and the hearts +of men to fire: and when such things happen, it is difficult for the +moment to believe that God is love, and that he is full of eternal, +boundless, untiring charity toward the creatures whom he has made, +and who yet perish so terribly, suddenly, strangely. + +Well, then, we must fall back on the Gospel. We must not be afraid +of the terror of such awful events, but sanctify the Lord God, in our +hearts, and say, Whatever may happen I know that God is love; I know +that his glory is charity; I know that his mercy is over all his +works; for I know that Jesus Christ, who was full of perfect charity, +is the express image of his Father's person, and the brightness of +his Father's glory. I know (for the Gospel tells me), that he dared +all things, endured all things, in the depth of his great love, for +the sake of sinful men. I know that when he knew what was going to +happen to him; when he knew that he should be mocked, scourged, +crucified, he deliberately, calmly, faced all that shame, horror, +agony, and went up willingly to Jerusalem to suffer and to die there; +because he was full of the Spirit of God, the spirit of charity and +love. I know that he was SO full of it, that as he went up on his +fatal journey, with a horrible death staring him in the face, still, +instead of thinking of himself, he was thinking of others, and could +find time to stop and heal the poor blind man by the way side, who +called 'Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.' And in him and +his love will I trust, when there seems nothing else left to trust on +earth. + +Oh, my friends, believe this with your whole heart. Whatever happens +to you or to your friends, happens out of the eternal charity of God, +who cannot change, who cannot hate, who can be nothing but what he is +and was, and ever will be--love. + +And when St. Paul tells you, as he told you in the Epistle to-day, to +have charity, to try for charity, because it is the most excellent +way to please God, and the eternal virtue, which will abide for ever +in heaven, when all wisdom and learning, even about spiritual things, +which men have had on earth, shall seem to us when we look back such +as a child's lessons do to a grown man;--when, I say, St. Paul tells +you to try after charity, he tells you to be like God himself; to be +perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect; to bear and forbear +because God does so: to give and forgive because God does so; to +love all because God loves all, and willeth that none should perish, +but that all should come to the knowledge of the truth. + +How he will fulfil that; how he fulfilled it last summer with those +poor souls in India, we know not, and never shall know in this life. +Let it be enough for us that known unto God are all his works from +the foundation of the world, and that his charity embraces the whole +universe. + + + +SERMON XXV. THE DAYS OF THE WEEK + + + +JAMES i. 17. + +Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh +down from the Father of lights, with whom is neither variableness, +nor shadow of turning. + +It seems an easy thing for us here to say, 'I believe in God.' We +have learnt from our childhood that there is but one God. It seems +to us strange and ridiculous that people anywhere should believe in +more gods than one. We never heard of any other doctrine, except in +books about the heathen; and there are perhaps not three people in +this church who ever saw a heathen man, or talked to him. + +Yet it is not so easy to learn that there is but one God. Were it +not for the church, and the missionaries who were sent into this part +of the world by the church, now 1200 years ago, we should not know it +now. Our forefathers once worshipped many gods, and not one only +God. I do not mean when they were savages; for I do not believe that +they ever were savages at all: but after they were settled here in +England, living in a simple way, very much as country people live +now, and dressing very much as country people do now, they worshipped +many gods. + +Now what put that mistake into their minds? It seems so ridiculous +to us now, that we cannot understand at first how it ever arose. + +But if we will consider the names of their old gods, we shall +understand it a little better. Now the names of the old English gods +you all know. They are in your mouths every day. The days of the +week are named after them. The old English kept time by weeks, as +the old Jews did, and they named their days after their gods. Why, +would take me too much time to tell: but so it is. + +Why, then, did they worship these gods? + +First, because man must worship something. Before man fell, he was +created in Christ the image and likeness of God the Father; and +therefore he was created that he might hear his Father's voice, and +do his Father's will, as Christ does everlastingly; and after man +fell, and lost Christ and Christ's likeness, still there was left in +his heart some remembrance of the child's feeling which the first man +had; he felt that he ought to look up to some one greater than +himself, obey some one greater than himself; that some one greater +than himself was watching over him, doing him good, and perhaps, too, +doing him harm and punishing him. + +Then these simple men looked up to the heaven above, and round on the +earth beneath, and asked, Who is it who is calling for us? Who is it +we ought to obey and please; who gives us good things? Who may hurt +us if we make him angry? + +Then the first thing they saw was the sun. What more beautiful than +the sun? What more beneficent? From the sun came light and heat, +the growth of all living things, ay, the growth of life itself. + +The sun, they thought, must surely be a god; so they worshipped the +sun, and called the first day of the week after him--Sunday. + +Next the moon. Nothing, except the sun, seemed so grand and +beautiful to them as the moon, and she was their next god, and Monday +was named after her. + +Then the wind--what a mysterious, awful, miraculous thing the wind +seemed, always moving, yet no one knew how; with immense power and +force, and yet not to be seen; as our blessed Lord himself said, 'The +wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, +but canst not tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth.' Then--and +this is very curious--they fancied that the wind was a sort of +pattern, or type of the spirit of man. With them, as with the old +Jews and Greeks, the same word which meant wind, meant also a man's +soul, his spirit; and so they grew to think that the wind was +inhabited by some great spirit, who gave men spirit, and inspired +them to be brave, and to prophesy, and say and do noble things; and +they called him Wodin the Mover, the Inspirer; and named Wednesday +after him. + +Next the thunder--what more awful and terrible, and yet so full of +good, than the summer heat and the thunder cloud? So they fancied +that the thunder was a god, and called him Thor--and the dark thunder +cloud was Thor's frowning eyebrow; and the lightning flash Thor's +hammer, with which he split the rocks, and melted the winter-ice and +drove away the cold of winter, and made the land ready for tillage. +So they worshipped Thor, and loved him; for they fancied him a brave, +kindly, useful god, who loved to see men working in their fields, and +tilling the land honestly. + +Then the spring. That was a wonder to them again--and is it not a +wonder to see all things grow fresh and fair, after the dreary winter +cold? So the spring was a goddess, and they called her Freya, the +Free One, the Cheerful One, and named Friday after her; and she it +was, they thought, who gave them the pleasant spring time, and youth, +and love, and cheerfulness, and rejoiced to see the flowers blossom, +and the birds build their nests, and all young creatures enjoy the +life which God had given them in the pleasant days of spring. And +after her Friday is named. + +Then the harvest. The ripening of the grain, that too was a wonder +to them--and should it not be to us?--how the corn and wheat which is +put into the ground and dies should rise again, and then ripen into +golden corn? That too must be the work of some kindly spirit, who +loved men; and they called him Seator, the Setter, the Planter, the +God of the seed field and the harvest, and after him Saturday is +named. + +And so, instead of worshipping him who made all heaven and earth, +they turned to worship the heaven and the earth itself, like the +foolish Canaanites. + +But some may say, 'This was all very mistaken and foolish: but what +harm was there in it? How did it make them worse men?' + +My friends, among these very woodlands here, some thirteen hundred +years ago, you might have come upon one of the places where your +forefathers worshipped Thor and Odin, the thunder and the wind, +beneath the shade of ancient oaks, in the darkest heart of the +forest. And there you would have seen an ugly sight enough. + +There was an altar there, with an everlasting fire burning on it; but +why should that altar, and all the ground around be crusted and black +with blood; why should that dark place be like a charnel house or a +butcher's shambles; why, from all the trees around, should there be +hanging the rotting carcases, not of goats and horses merely, but of +MEN, sacrificed to Thor and Odin, the thunder and the wind? Why that +butchery, why those works of darkness in the dark places of the +world? + +Because that was the way of pleasing Thor and Odin. To that our +forefathers came. To that all heathens have come, sooner or later. +They fancy gods in their own likeness; and then they make out those +gods no better than, and at last as bad as themselves. + +The old English and Danes were fond of Thor and Odin; they fancied +them, as I told you, brave gods, very like themselves: but they +themselves were not always what they ought to be; they had fierce +passions, were proud, revengeful, blood-thirsty; and they thought +Thor and Odin must be so too. + +And when they looked round them, that seemed too true. The thunder +storm did not merely melt the snow, cool the air, bring refreshing +rain; it sometimes blasted trees, houses, men; that they thought was +Thor's anger. + +So of the wind. Sometimes it blew down trees and buildings, sank +ships in the sea. That was Odin's anger. Sometimes, too, they were +not brave enough; or they were defeated in battle. That was because +Thor and Odin were angry with them, and would not give them courage. +How were they to appease Thor and Odin, and put them into good humour +again? By giving them their revenge, by letting them taste blood; by +offering them sheep, goats, horses in sacrifice: and if that would +not do, by offering them something more precious still, living men. + +And so, too often, when the weather was unfavourable, and crops were +blasted by tempest or they were defeated in battle by their enemies, +Thor's and Odin's altars were turned into slaughter-places for +wretched human beings--captives taken in war, and sometimes, if the +need was very great, their own children. That was what came of +worshipping the heaven above and the earth around, instead of the +true God. Human sacrifices, butchery, and murder. + +English and Danes alike. It went on among them both; across the seas +in their old country, and here in England, till they were made +Christians. There is no doubt about it. I could give you tale on +tale which would make your blood run cold. Then they learnt to throw +away those false gods who quarrelled among themselves, and quarrelled +with mankind; gods who were proud, revengeful, changeable, spiteful; +who had variableness in them, and turned round as their passions led +them. Then they learnt to believe in the one true God, the Father of +lights, in whom is neither variableness nor shadow of turning. Then +they learnt that from one God came every good and perfect gift; that +God filled the sun with light; that God guided the changes of the +moon; that God, and not Thor, gave to men industry and courage; God, +and not Wodin, inspired them with the spirit which bloweth where it +listeth, and raised them up above themselves to speak noble words and +do noble deeds; that God, and not Friga, sent spring time and +cheerfulness, and youth and love, and all that makes earth pleasant; +that God, and not Satur, sent the yearly wonder of the harvest crops, +sent rain and fruitful seasons, filling the earth with food and +gladness. + +But what was there about this new God, even the true God, which the +old missionaries preached, which won the hearts of our forefathers? + +This, my friends, not merely that he was one God and not many, but +that he was a Father of lights, from whom came good gifts, in whom +was neither variableness nor shadow of turning. + +Not merely a master, but a Father, who gave good gifts, because he +was good himself; a God whom they could love, because he loved them; +a God whom they could trust and depend on, because there was no +variableness in him, and he could not lose his temper as Thor and +Odin did. That was the God whom their wild, passionate hearts +wanted, and they believed in him. + +And when they doubted, and asked, 'How can we be sure that God is +altogether good?--how can we be sure that he is always trustworthy, +always the same?'--Then the missionaries used to point them to the +crucifix, the image of Christ upon his cross, and say, 'There is the +token; there is what God is to you, what God suffered for you; there +is the everlasting sign that he gives good gifts, even to the best of +all gifts, even to his own self, when it was needed; there is the +everlasting sign that in him is neither darkness, passion, nor +change, but that he wills all men to be saved from their own darkness +and passions, and from the ruin which they bring, and to come to the +knowledge of the truth, that they have a Father in heaven.' + + + +SERMON XXVI. THE HEAVENLY FATHER + + + +ACTS xvi. 24-28. + +God that made the world, and all that therein is, seeing that he is +Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands . . +. For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also +of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. + +I told you last Sunday of the meaning of the days of the week; but +one day I left out--namely, Tuesday. I did so on purpose. I wish to +speak of that day by itself in this sermon. + +I told you how our forefathers worshipped many gods, by fancying that +various things in the world round them were gods--sun and moon, wind +and thunder, spring and harvest. + +But if that seems to you at times wrong and absurd, it seemed so to +them also. They, like all heathens, had at times dreams of one God. + +They thought to themselves--All heaven and earth must have had a +beginning, and they cannot have grown out of nothing, for out of +nothing nothing comes. They must have been made in some way. +Perhaps they were made by some ONE. + +The more they saw of this wonderful world, and all the order and +contrivance in it, the more sure they were that one mind must have +planned it, one will created it. + +But men--they thought--persons, living souls--are not merely made; +they are begotten; they must have a Father, whose sons they are. +Perhaps, they thought, there is somewhere a great Father; a Father of +all persons, from whom all souls come, who was before all things, and +all persons, however great, however ancient they may be. And so, +like the Greeks and Romans, and many other heathen nations, they had +dim thoughts of an All-Father, as they called him; Father of gods and +men; the Father of spirits. + +They looked round them too, in this world, and saw that everything in +it must die. The tree, though it stood for a thousand years, must +decay at last; the very rocks and mountains crumbled to dust at last: +and so they thought--truly and wisely enough--Everything which we see +near us, perishes at last: why should not everything which we can +see, however far off, however great, perish? Why should not this +earth come to an end? Why should not sun and moon, wind and thunder, +spring and harvest, end at last? And then will not these gods, who +are mixed up with the world, and live in it, and govern it, die too? +If the sun perishes, the sun-god will perish too. If the thunder +ceases for ever, then there will be no more thunder-god. Yes, they +thought--and wisely and truly too--everything which has a beginning +must have an end. Everything which is born, must die. The sun and +the earth, wind and thunder, will perish some day; the gods of sun +and earth, wind and thunder, will die some day. And then what will +be left? Will there be nothing and nowhere? That thought was too +horrible. God's voice in their hearts, the word of the Lord Jesus +Christ, who lights every man who comes into the world, made them feel +that it was horrible, unreasonable; that it could not be. + +But it was all dim to them, and uncertain. Of one thing only they +were certain, that death reigned, and that death had passed upon all +men, and things, and even gods. Evil beasts, evil gods, evil +passions, were gnawing at the root of all things. A time would come +of nothing but rage and wickedness, fury and destruction; the gods +would fight and be slain, and earth and heaven would be sent back +again into shapeless ruin: and after that they knew no more, though +they longed to know. They dreamed, I say, at moments of a new and a +better world, new men, new gods: but how were they to come? Who +would live when all things died? Was there not somewhere an All- +Father, who had eternal life? + +Then they looked round upon the earth, those simple-hearted +forefathers of ours, and said within themselves, Where is the All- +Father, if All-Father there be? Not in this earth; for it will +perish. Not in the sun, moon, or stars, for they will perish too. +Where is He who abideth for ever? + +Then they lifted up their eyes and saw, as they thought, beyond sun, +and moon, and stars and all which changes and will change, the clear +blue sky, the boundless firmament of heaven. + +That never changed; that was always the same. The clouds and storms +rolled far below it, and all the bustle of this noisy world; but +there the sky was still, as bright and calm as ever. The All-Father +must be there, unchangeable in the unchanging heaven; bright, and +pure, and boundless like the heavens; and like the heavens too, +silent, and afar off. + +So they named him after the heaven, Tuith, Tuisco, Divisco--The God +who lives in the clear heaven; and after him Tuesday is called: the +day of Tuisco, the heavenly Father. He was the Father of gods and +men; and man was the son of Tuisco and Hertha--heaven and earth. + +That was all they knew; and even that they did not know; they +contradicted themselves and each other about it. After a time they +began to think that Odin, and not Tuisco, was the All-Father; all was +dim and far off to them. They were feeling after him, as St. Paul +says he had intended them to do: but they did not find him. They +did not know the Father, because they did not know Jesus Christ the +Son; as it is written, 'No man cometh to the Father, but through me;' +and, 'No man hath seen God at any time; only the only-begotten Son, +who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.' + +Many other heathens had the same thought and the same word; the old +Greeks and Romans, for instance, who many thousand years ago spoke +the same tongue as we did then, called him Zeus or Deus Pater; +Jupiter; the heavenly Father, Father of gods and men; using the same +word as our Tuisco, a little altered. And that same word, changed +slightly, means God now, in Welsh, French, and Italian, and many +languages in Europe and in Asia; and will do so till the end of time. + +That, I say, was all they knew of their Father in heaven, till +missionaries came and preached the Gospel to them, and told them what +St. Paul told the Greeks in my text. + +Now, what did St. Paul tell the Greeks? He came, we read, to Athens +in Greece, and found the city wholly given to idolatry, worshipping +all manner of false gods, and images of them. And yet they were not +content with their false gods. They felt, as our forefathers felt, +that there must be a greater, better, more mighty, more faithful God +than all: and they thought, 'We will worship him too: for we are +sure that he is, though we know nothing about him.' So they set up, +beside all the altars and temples of the false gods 'To the Unknown +God.' And St. Paul passed by and saw it; and his heart was stirred +within him with pity and compassion; and he rose up and preached them +a sermon--the first and the best missionary sermon which ever was +preached on earth, the model of all missionary sermons; and said, +'That God whom you ignorantly worship, Him I will declare unto you.' + +Now, here was a Gospel; here was good news. St. Paul told them--as +the missionaries afterwards told our forefathers--that one, at least, +of their heathen fancies was not wrong. There was a heavenly Father. +Mankind was not an orphan, come into the world he knew not whence, +and going, when he died, he knew not whither. No, man was not an +orphan. From God he came; to God, if he chose, he might return. The +heathen poet had spoken truth when he said, 'For we are the offspring +of God.' + +But where was the heavenly Father? Far away in the clear sky, in the +highest heaven beyond all suns and stars? Silent and idle, caring +for no one on earth, content in himself, and leaving sinful man to +himself to go to ruin as he chose? + +'No,' says St. Paul, 'He is not far off from any one of us; for in +him we live, and move, and have our being.' + +Wonderful words! Eighteen hundred years have past since then, and we +have not spelt out half the meaning of them. It is such good news, +such blessed news, and yet such awful news, that we are afraid to +believe it fully. That the Almighty God should be so near us, sinful +men; that we, in spite of all our sins, should live, and move, and +have our being in God. How can it be true? + +My friends, it would not be true, if something more was not true. We +should have no right to say, 'I believe in God the Father Almighty,' +unless we said also, 'I believe in Jesus Christ,. his only Son, our +Lord.' St. Paul, after he had told them of a Father in heaven, went +on to tell them of A MAN whom that Father had sent to judge the +world, having raised him from the dead.--And there his sermon +stopped. Those foolish Greeks laughed at him; they would not receive +the news of Jesus Christ the Son; and therefore they lost the good +news of their Father in heaven. We can guess from St. Paul's Epistle +what he was going on to tell them. How, by believing in Jesus Christ +the Son, and claiming their share in him, and being baptized into his +name, they might become once more God's children, and take their +place again as new men and true men in Jesus Christ. But they would +not hear his message. + +Our forefathers did hear that message, and believed it; they had been +feeling after the heavenly Father, and at last they found him, and +claimed their share in Christ as sons of the heavenly Father; and +therefore we are Christian men this day, baptized into God's family, +and thriving as God's family must thrive, as long as it remembers +that God dwelleth not in temples made with hands, and needs nothing +from man, seeing that he gives to all life and breath and all things; +and is not far from any one of us, seeing that in him we live, and +move, and have our being, and are the offspring, the children of God. + +Bear that in mind. Bear it in mind, I say, that in God you live, and +move, and have your being. Day and night, going out and coming in, +say to yourselves, 'I am with God my Father, and God my Father is +with me. There is not a good feeling in my heart, but my heavenly +Father has put it there: ay, I have not a power which he has not +given, a thought which he does not know; even the very hairs of my +head are all numbered. Whither shall I go then from his presence? +Whither shall I flee from his Spirit? For he filleth all things. If +my eyes were opened, I should see at every moment God's love, God's +power, God's wisdom, working alike in sun and moon, in every growing +blade and ripening grain, and in the training and schooling of every +human being, and every nation, to whom he has appointed their times, +and the bounds of their habitation, if haply they may seek after the +Lord, and find him in whom they live, and move, and have their being. +Everywhere I should see life going forth to all created things from +God the Father, of whom are all things, and God the Son, by whom are +all things, and God the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of that +life.' + +A little of that glorious sight we may see in this life, if our +hearts and reasons are purified by the Spirit of God, to see God in +all things, and all things in God: and more in that life whereof it +is written, 'Beloved, we are now the sons of God; and it doth not yet +appear what we shall be: but this we know, that when he appears, we +shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.' To that life may +he in his mercy bring us all. Amen. + + + +SERMON XXVII. THE GOOD SHEPHERD + + + +JOHN x. 11. + +I am the good shepherd. + +Here are blessed words. They are not new words. You find words like +these often in the Bible, and even in ancient heathen books. Kings, +priests, prophets, judges, are called shepherds of the people. David +is called the shepherd of Israel. A prophet complains of the +shepherds of Israel who feed themselves, and will not feed the flock. + +But the old Hebrew prophets had a vision of a greater and better +shepherd than David, or any earthly king or priest--of a heavenly and +almighty shepherd. 'The Lord is my shepherd,' says one; 'therefore I +shall not want.' And another says, 'He shall feed his flock like a +shepherd. He shall gather his lambs in his arms, and carry them in +his bosom, and shall gently lead those who are with young.' + +This was blessed news; good news for all mankind, if there had been +no more than this. But there is more blessed news still in the text. +In the text, the Lord of whom those old prophets spoke, spoke for +himself, with human voice, upon this earth of ours; and declared that +all they had said was true; and that more still was true. + +I am the good shepherd, he says. And then he adds, The good shepherd +giveth his life for the sheep. + +Oh, my friends, consider these words. Think what endless depths of +wonder there are in them. Is it not wonderful enough that God should +care for men; should lead them, guide them, feed them, condescend to +call himself their shepherd? Wonderful, indeed; so wonderful, that +the old prophets would never have found it out but by the inspiration +of Almighty God. But what a wider, deeper, nobler, more wonderful +blessing, and more blessed wonder, that the shepherd should give his +life for the sheep;--that the master should give his life for the +servant, the good for the bad, the wise one for the fools, the pure +one for the foul, the loving one for the spiteful, the king for those +who had rebelled against him, the Creator for his creatures. That +God should give his life for man! Truly, says St. John, 'Herein is +love. Not that we loved him: but that he loved us.' Herein, +indeed, is love. Herein is the beauty of God, and the glory of God; +that he spared nothing, shrank from nothing, that he might save man. +Because the sheep were lost, the good shepherd would go forth into +the rough and dark places of the earth to seek and to save that which +was lost. That was enough. That was a thousand times more than we +had a right to expect. Had he done only that he would have been for +ever glorious, for ever adorable, for ever worthy of the praises and +thanks of heaven and earth, and all that therein is. But that seemed +little in the eyes of Jesus, little to the greatness of his divine +love. He would understand the weakness of his sheep by being weak +himself; understand the sorrows of his sheep, by sorrowing himself; +understand the sins of his sheep, by bearing all their sins; the +temptations of his sheep, by conquering them himself; and lastly, he +would understand and conquer the death of his sheep, by dying +himself. Because the sheep must die, he would die too, that in all +things, and to the uttermost, he might show himself the good +shepherd, who shared all sorrow, danger and misery with his sheep, as +if they had been his children, bone of his bone and flesh of his +flesh. In all things he would show himself the good shepherd, and no +hireling, who cared for himself and his own wages. If the wolf came, +he would face the wolf, and though the wolf killed him, yet would he +kill the wolf, that by his death he might destroy death, and him who +had the power of death, that is, the devil. He would go where the +sheep went. He would enter into the sheepfold by the same gate as +they did, and not climb over into the fold some other way, like a +thief and a robber. He would lead them into the fold by the same +gate. They had to go into God's fold through the gate of death; and +therefore he would go in through it also, and die with his sheep; +that he might claim the gate of death for his own, and declare that +it did not belong to the devil, but to him and his heavenly Father; +and then having led his sheep in through the gate of death, he would +lead them out again by the gate of resurrection, that they might find +pasture in the redeemed land of everlasting life, where can enter +neither devil, nor wolf, nor robber, evil spirit, evil man, or evil +thing. This, and more than this, he would do in the greatness of his +love. He would become in all things like his sheep, that he might +show himself the good shepherd. Because they died, he would die; +that so, because he rose, they might rise also. + +Oh, my friends, who is sufficient for these things? Not men, not +saints, not angels or archangels can comprehend the love of Christ. +How can they? For Christ is God, and God is love; the root and +fountain of all love which is in you and me, and angels, and all +created beings. And therefore his love is as much greater than ours, +or than the love of angels and archangels, as the whole sun is +greater than one ray of sun-light. Say rather, as much greater and +more glorious as the sun is greater and more glorious than the light +which sparkles in the dew-drop on the grass. The love and goodness +and holiness of a saint or an angel is the light in that dew-drop, +borrowed from the sun. The love of God is the sun himself, which +shineth from one part of heaven to the other, and there is nothing +hid from the life-giving heat and light thereof. When the dew-drop +can take in the sun, then can we take in the love of God, which fills +all heaven and earth. + +But there is, if possible, better news still behind--'I am the good +shepherd; and know my sheep, and am known of mine.' + +'I know my sheep.' Surely some of the words which I have just spoken +may help to explain that to you. 'I know my sheep.' Not merely, I +know who are my sheep, and who are not. Of course, the Lord does +that. We might have guessed that for ourselves. What comfort is +there in that? No, he does not say merely, 'I know WHO my sheep are; +but I know WHAT my sheep are. I know them; their inmost hearts. I +know their sins and their follies: but I know, too, their longing +after good. I know their temptations, their excuses, their natural +weaknesses, their infirmities, which they brought into the world with +them. I know their inmost hearts for good and for evil. True, I +think some of them often miserable, and poor, and blind, when they +fancy themselves strong, and wise, and rich in grace, and having need +of nothing. But I know some of them, too, to be longing after what +is good, to be hungering and thirsting after righteousness, when they +can see nothing but their own sin and weakness, and are utterly +ashamed and tired of themselves, and are ready to lie down in +despair, and give up all struggling after God. I know their +weakness--and of me it is written, 'I will carry the lambs in mine +arms.' Those who are innocent and inexperienced in the ways of this +world, I will see that they are not led into temptation; and I will +gently lead those that are with young: those who are weary with the +burden of their own thoughts, those who are yearning and labouring +after some higher, better, more free, more orderly, more useful life; +those who long to find out the truth, and to speak it, and give birth +to the noble thoughts and the good plans which they have conceived: +I have inspired their good desires, and I will bring them to good +effect; I will gently lead them,' says the Lord, 'for I know them +better than they know themselves.' + +Yes. Christ knows us better than we know ourselves: and better, +too, than we know him. Thanks be to God that it is so. Or the last +words of the text would crush us into despair--'I know my sheep, and +am known of mine.' + +Is it so? We trust that we are Christ's sheep. We trust that he +knows us: but do we know him? What answer shall we make to that +question, Do you know Christ? I do not mean, Do you know ABOUT +Christ? You may know ABOUT a person without knowing the person +himself when you see him. I do not mean, Do you know doctrines about +Christ? though that is good and necessary. Nor, Do you know what +Christ has done for your soul? though that is good and necessary +also. But, Do you know Christ himself? You have never seen him. +True: but have you never seen any one like him--even in part? Do +you know his likeness when you see it in any of your neighbours? +That is a question worth thinking over. Again--Do you know what +Christ is like? What his character is--what his way of dealing with +your soul, and all souls, is? Are you accustomed to speak to him in +your prayers as to one who can and will hear you; and do you know his +voice when he speaks to you, and puts into your heart good desires, +and longings after what is right and true, and fair and noble, and +loving and patient, as he himself is? Do you know Christ? + +Alas! my friends, what a poor answer we can make to that question? +How little do we know Christ? + +What would become of us, if he were like us?--If he were one who +bargained with us, and said--'Unless you know me, I will not take the +trouble to know you. Unless you care for me, you cannot expect me to +care for you.' What would become of us, if God said, 'As you do to +me, so will I do to you?' + +But our only hope lies in this, that in Christ the Lord is no spirit +of bargaining, no pride, no spite, no rendering evil for evil. In +this is our hope; that he is the likeness of his Father's glory, and +the express image of his person; perfect as his Father is perfect; +that like his Father, he causeth his rain to fall on the evil and the +good; and his sun to shine on the just and on the unjust; and is good +to the unthankful and the evil--to you and me--and knows us, though +we know him not; and cares for us, though we care not for him; and +leads us his way, like a good shepherd, when we fancy in our conceit +that we are going in our own way. This is our hope, that his love is +greater than our stupidity; that he will not tire of us, and our +fancies, and our self-will, and our laziness, in spite of all our +peevish tempers, and our mean and fruitless suspicions of his +goodness. No! He will not tire of us, but will seek us, and save us +when we go astray. And some day, somewhere, somehow, he will open +our eyes, and let us see him as he is, and thank him as he deserves. +Some day, when the veil is taken off our eyes, we shall see like +those disciples at Emmaus, that Jesus has been walking with us, and +breaking our bread for us, and blessing us, all our lives long; and +that when our hearts burned within us at noble thoughts, and stories +of noble and righteous men and women, and at the hope that some day +good would conquer evil, and heaven come down on earth, then--so we +shall find--God had been dwelling among men all along--even Jesus, +who was dead, and is alive for evermore, and has the keys of death +and hell, and knows his sheep in this world, and in all worlds, past, +present, and to come, and leads them, and will lead them for ever, +and none can pluck them out of his hand. Amen. + + + +SERMON XXVIII. DARK TIMES + + + +1 JOHN iv. 16-18. + +We have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is +love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. +Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day +of judgment; because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no +fear in love but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath +torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. + +Have we learnt this lesson? Our reading, and thinking, and praying, +have been in vain, unless they have helped us to believe and know the +love which God has to us. But, indeed, no reading, or thinking, or +praying will teach us that perfectly. God must teach it us himself. +It is easy to say that God is love; easy to say that Christ died for +us; easy to say that God's Spirit is with us; easy to say all manner +of true doctrines, and run them off our tongues at second-hand; easy +for me to stand up here and preach them to you, just as I find them +written in a book. But do I believe what I say? Do you believe what +you say? There is an awful question. We believe it all now, or +think we believe it, while we are easy and comfortable: but should +we have boldness in the day of judgment?--Should we believe it all, +if God visited us, to judge us, and try us, and pierce asunder the +very joints and marrow of our heart with fearful sorrow and +temptation? O Lord, who shall stand in that day? + +Suppose, for instance, God were to take away the desire of our eyes, +with a stroke. Suppose we were to lose a wife, a darling child; +suppose we were struck blind, or paralytic; suppose some unspeakable, +unbearable shame fell on us to-morrow: could we say then, God is +love, and this horrible misery is a sign of it? He loves me, for he +chastens me? Or should we say, like Job's wife, and one of the +foolish women, 'Curse God and die?' God knows. + +Ah, when that dark day seems coming on us, and bringing some misery +which looks to us beforehand quite unbearable--then how our lip- +belief and book-faith is tried, and burnt up in the fire of God, and +in the fire of our own proud, angry hearts, too! How we struggle and +rage at first at the very thought of the coming misery; and are ready +to say, God will not do this! He cannot--cannot be so unjust, so +cruel, as to bring this misery on me. What have I done to deserve +it? Or, if I have deserved it, what have these innocents done? Why +should they be punished for my sins? After all my prayers, too, and +my church-goings, and my tryings to be good. Is this God's reward +for all my trouble to please him? Then how vain all our old prayers +seem; how empty and dry all ordinances. We cry, I have cleansed my +hands in vain, and in vain washed my heart in innocency. We have no +heart to pray to God. If he has not heard our past prayers, why +should we pray anymore? Let us lie down and die; let us bear his +heavy hand, if we must bear it, sullenly, desperately: but, as for +saying that God is love, or to say that we know the love which God +has for us, we say in our hearts, Let the clergyman talk of that; it +is his business to speak about it; or comfortable, easy people, who +are not watering their pillow with bitter tears all night long. But +if they were in my place (says the unhappy man), they would know a +little more of what poor souls have to go through: they would talk +somewhat less freely about its being a sin to doubt God's love. He +has sent this great misery on me. How can I tell what more he may +not send? How can I help being afraid of God, and looking up to him +with tormenting fear? + +Yes, my friends. These are very terrible thoughts--very wrong +thoughts some of them, very foolish thoughts some of them, though +pardonable enough; for God pardons them, as we shall see. But they +are real thoughts. They are what really come into people's minds +every day; and I am here to talk to you about what is really going on +in your soul, and mine; not to repeat to you doctrines at second-hand +out of a book, and say, There, that is what you have to believe and +do; and, if you do not, you will go to hell: but to speak to you as +men of like passions with myself; as sinning, sorrowing, doubting, +struggling human beings; and to talk to you of what is in my own +heart, and will be in your hearts too, some day, if it has not been +already. This is the experience of all REAL men, all honest men, who +ever struggled to know and to do what is right. David felt it all. +You find it all through those glorious Psalms of his. He was no +comfortable, book-read, second-hand Christian, who had an answer +ready for every trouble, because he had never had any real trouble at +all. David was not one of them. He had to go through a very rough +training--very terrible and fiery trials, year after year; and had to +say, again and again, 'I am weary of crying; my heart is dry; my +heart faileth me for waiting so long upon my God. All thy billows +and storms are gone over me. Thou hast laid me in a place of +darkness, and in the lowest deep.' - + +Not by sitting comfortably reading his book, but by such terrible +trials as that, was David taught to trust God to the uttermost; and +to learn that God's love was so perfect that he need never dread him, +or torment himself with anxiety lest God should leave him to perish. + +Hezekiah felt it, too, good man as he was, when he was sick, and like +to die. And it was not for many a day that he found out the truth +about these dark hours of misery, that by all these things men live, +and in all these things is the life of the Spirit. + +And this was Jacob's experience, too, on that most fearful night of +all his life, when he waited by the ford of Jabbok, expecting that +with the morning light the punishment of his past sins would come on +him; and not only on him, but on all his family, and his innocent +children; when he stood there alone by the dark river, not knowing +whether Esau and his wild Arabs would not sweep off the earth all he +had and all he loved; and knowing, too, that it was his own fault, +that he had brought it all upon them by his own deceit and treachery. +Then, when his sins stared him in the face, and God rose up to +judgment against him, he learnt to pray as he had never prayed +before--a prayer too deep for words. + +'And Jacob was left alone: and there wrestled a man with him till +the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not +against him, he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh; and the hollow +of his thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with him. And he said, +Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee +go, till thou bless me. And he blessed him there. And Jacob called +the name of that place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and +my life is preserved.' + +So it may be with us. So it must be with us, in the dark day when +our faith is really tried by terrible affliction. + +We must begin as Jacob did. Plead God's promises, confess the +mercies we have received already. 'I am not worthy of the least of +all the mercies which thou hast showed to thy servant.' + +Ask for God's help, as Jacob did: 'Deliver me, I pray thee, out of +the hand of Esau my brother.' Plead his written promises, and the +covenant of our baptism, which tell us that we are God's children, +and God our Father, as Jacob did according to his light--'And thou +saidst, I will surely do thee good.' + +So the proud angry heart will perhaps pass out of us, and we shall +set ourselves more calmly to face the worst, and to try if God's +promises be indeed true, and God be indeed as he has said, 'Love.' + +But do not be astonished, do not be disheartened, if, when the +trouble comes, there comes with it, as to Jacob, a more terrible +struggle far, a struggle too deep for words; if you find out that +fine words and set prayers are nothing in the hour of need, and that +you will not be heard for your much speaking. Ah! the darkness of +that time, which perhaps goes on for days, for months, all alone +between you and God himself. Clergymen and good people may come in +with kind words and true words: but they give no comfort; your heart +is still dark, still full of doubt; you want God himself to speak to +your heart, and tell you that he is love. And you have no words to +pray with at last; you have used them all up; and you can only cling +humbly to God, and hold fast. One moment you feel like a poor slave +clinging to his stern master's arm, and entreating him not to kill +him outright. The next you feel like a child clinging to its father, +and entreating him to save him from some horrible monster which is +going to devour it: but you have no words to pray with, only sighs, +and tears, and groans; you feel that you know not what to pray for as +you ought, know not what is good for you; dare ask for nothing, lest +it should be the wrong thing. And the longer you struggle, the +weaker you become, as Jacob did, till your very bones seem out of +joint, your very heart broken within you, and life seems not worth +having, or death either. + +Only hold fast by God. Only do not despair. Only be sure that God +cannot lie; be sure that he who cared for you from your birth hour +cares for you still; that he who loved you enough to give his own Son +for you hundreds of years before you were born, cannot but love you +still; do not despair, I say; and at last, when you are fallen so low +that you can fall no lower, and so weak that you are past struggling, +you may hear through the darkness of your heart the still small voice +of God. Only hold fast, and let him not go until he bless you, and +you shall find with Jacob of old, that as a prince you have power +with God and with man, and have prevailed. And so God will answer +you, as he answered Elijah, at first out of the whirlwind and the +blinding storm: but at last, doubt it not, with the still small +voice which cannot be mistaken, which no earthly ear can hear, but +which is more precious to the broken heart than all which this world +gives, the peace which passes understanding, and yet is the surest +and the only lasting peace. + +But what is the secret of this strange awful struggle? Can you or I +change God's will by any prayers of ours? God forbid that we should, +my friends, even if we could; for his will is a good will to us, and +his name is Love. + +Do not be afraid of him. If you do, you are not made perfect in +love; you have not yet learnt perfect the lesson of his great love to +you. But what is the secret of this struggle? Why has any poor soul +to wrestle thus with God who made him, before he can get peace and +hope? Why is the trouble sent him at all? It looks at first sight a +strange sort of token of God's love, to bring the creatures whom he +has made into utter misery. + +My friends, these are deep questions. There are plenty of answers +for them ready written: but no answers like the Bible ones, which +tell us that 'whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth; that these sorrows +come on us, and heaviness, and manifold temptations, in order that +the trial of our faith, being much more precious than that of gold, +which perishes though it be tried with fire, may be found to praise, +and honour, and glory at the appearance of Jesus Christ.' This is +the only answer but it does not explain the reason. It only gives us +hope under it. We do not know that these dreadful troubles come from +God. The Bible tells us 'that God tempts no man; that he does not +afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.' The Bible speaks +at times as if these dark troubles came from the devil himself; and +as if God turned them into good for us by making them part of our +training, part of our education; and so making some devil's attempt +to ruin us only a great means of our improvement. I do not know: +but this I do know, the troubles are here, and God is love. At least +this is comfortable, that God will let no man be tempted beyond what +he is able: but will with the temptation make a way for us to +escape, that we may be able to bear it. At least this is +comfortable, that our prayers are not needed to change God's will, +because his will is already that we should be saved; because we are +on his side in the battle against the devil, or the flesh, or the +world, or whatever it is which makes poor souls and bodies miserable, +and he on ours: and all we have to do in our prayers, is to ask +advice and orders and strength and courage from the great Captain of +our salvation; that we may fight his battle and ours aright and to +the end. And, my friends, if you be in trouble, if your heart be +brought low within you, remember, only remember, who the Captain of +our salvation is. Who but Jesus who died on the cross--Jesus who was +made perfect by sufferings, Jesus who cried out, 'My God! my God! why +hast thou forsaken me?' + +If Christ had to be made perfect by sufferings, much more must we. +If he needed to learn obedience by sorrow, much more must we. If he +needed in the days of his flesh, to make supplication to God his +Father with strong crying and tears, so do we. And if he was heard +in that he feared, so, I trust, we shall be heard likewise. If he +needed to taste even the most horrible misery of all; to feel for a +moment that God had forsaken him; surely we must expect, if we are to +be made like him, to have to drink at least one drop out of his +bitter cup. It is very wonderful: but yet it is full of hope and +comfort. Full of hope and comfort to be able, in our darkest and +bitterest sorrow, to look up to heaven, and say, At least there is +one who has been through all this. As Christ was, so are we in this +world; and the disciple cannot be above his master. Yes, we are in +this world as he was, and he was once in this world as we are, he has +been through all this, and more. He knows all this and more. 'We +have a High Priest above us who can be touched with the feeling of +our infirmities, because he has been tempted in all things like as we +are. yet without sin.' + +Yes, my friends. Nothing like one honest look, one honest thought, +of Christ upon his cross. That tells us how much he has been +through, how much he endured, how much he conquered, how much God +loved us, who spared not his only-begotten Son, but freely gave him +for us. Dare we doubt such a God? Dare we murmur against such a +God? Dare we lay the blame of our sorrows on such a God--our Father? +No; let us believe the blessed message of our confirmation, which +tells us that it is his Fatherly hand which is ever over us, and that +even though that hand may seem heavy for awhile, it is the hand of +him whose very being and substance is love, who made the world by +love, by love redeemed man, by love sustains him still. Though we +went down into hell, says David, he is there; though we took the +wings of the morning, and fled into the uttermost part of the sea, +yet there his hand would hold us, and his right hand guide us still. +It is holding and guiding every one of us now, through storm as well +as through sunshine, through grief as well as through joy; let us +humble ourselves under that mighty hand, and it will exalt us in due +time. He knows, and must know, when that due time is, and, till +then, he is still love, and his mercy is over all his works. + + + +SERMON XXIX. GOD'S CREATION + + + +GENESIS i. 31. + +And God saw everything that he had made, and behold it was very good. + +This is good news, and a gospel. The Bible was written to bring good +news, and therefore with good news it begins, and with good news it +ends. + +But it is not so easy to believe. We want faith to believe; and that +faith will be sometimes sorely tried. + +Yes; we want faith. As St. Paul says: 'Through faith we understand +that the worlds were framed by the word of God; so that things which +are seen were not made of things which appear.' + +No one can prove to us that God made the world; yet we must believe +it; and what is more, we DO believe it, and are certain of it. But +all the proving and arguments in the world will not make us CERTAIN +that God made the world; they will only make us feel that it is +probable, that it is reasonable to think so. What, then, does make +us CERTAIN that God made the world?--as certain as if we had seen him +make it? FAITH, which is stronger than all arguments. Faith, which +comes down from heaven to our hearts, and is the gift of God. Faith, +which is the light with which Jesus Christ lights us. Faith, which +comes by the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit. + +So, again, when we have to believe not only that God made the world, +but that all things which he has made are very good. + +So it is, and you must believe it. God is good, the absolute and +perfect good; and from good nothing can come but good: and therefore +all which God has made is good, as he is; and therefore if anything +in the world seems to be bad, one of two things must be true of it. + +1. Either it is NOT bad, though it seems so to us; and God will +bring good out of it in his good time, and justify himself to men, +and show us that he is holy in all his works, and righteous in all +his ways. + +Or else--If the thing be really bad, then God did not make it. It +must be a disease, a mistake, a failure, of man's making, or some +person's making, but not of God's making. For all that he has made +he sees eternally; and behold, it is very good. + +Now, I can say that; and I believe it; and God grant I may never say +anything else. And yet I cannot prove it to you by any argument. +But I believe it; and I dare say many of you believe it (you all must +believe it, before all is over), by something better than any +argument. By faith--faith, which speaks to the very core and root of +a man's heart and reason, and teaches him things surer and deeper +than all sermons and books, all proofs and arguments. + +May God, our Heavenly Father, fill our hearts with his Holy Spirit of +faith, that we may believe utterly in his goodness, and therefore +believe in the goodness of all that he has made. + +For at times we shall need that faith very much indeed, not only +about our neighbours, but about ourselves. We shall find it hard to +believe that there is goodness in some of our neighbours; and the +better we know ourselves, we shall find it very difficult to believe +that there is goodness in us. + +For surely this is a great puzzle. + +'God saw everything that he had made, and behold it was very good.' +And God made you and me. Are we therefore very good? Or were we +ever very good? Here is a great mystery. It would seem as if we +must have been very good if God made us. For God can make nothing +bad. Surely not. For he who makes bad things is a bad maker; he who +makes bad houses is a bad builder; and he who makes bad men is a bad +maker of men. But God cannot be a bad maker; for he is perfect and +without fault in all his works. Yet men are bad. + +Yet, on the other hand, if God made us, and the Bible be true, there +must be good in us. When God said, Let that man be; when God first +thought of us, if I may so speak, before the foundation of the world- +-he thought of us as good. He created each of us good in his own +mind, else he would not have created us at all. But why were we not +good when we came on earth? Why do we come into this world sinful? +Why does God's thought of us, God's purpose about us, seem to have +failed? We do not know, and we need not know. St. Paul tells us +that it came by Adam's fall; that by Adam's fall sin entered into the +world, and each man, as he came into it, became sinful. How that was +we cannot understand--we need not understand. Let us believe, and be +silent; but let us believe this also, that St. Paul speaks truth not +in this only but in that blessed and glorious news with which he +follows up his sad and bad news. 'As by the offence of one, judgment +came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of +one, the free gift came upon all men to justification of life.' + +Yes; we may say boldly now, Whatever has been; whatever sin I +inherited from Adam; however sinful I came into this world, God looks +on me now, not as I am in Adam, but as I am in Christ. I am in +Christ now, baptized into Christ, a new creature in Christ; to Christ +I belong, and not to Adam at all; and God looks now, not on the old +corrupt nature which I inherited from Adam, but on the new and good +grace which God meant for me from all eternity, which Christ has +given me now. It is that good and new grace in me which God cares +for; it is that good and new grace which God is working on, to +strengthen and perfect it, that I may grow in grace, and in the +likeness of Christ, and become at last what God intended me to be, +when he thought of me first before the foundation of all worlds, and +said, 'Let us make man [not one man, but all men, male and female] in +our image, after our likeness.' + +This, again, is a great mystery. Yet our own hearts will tell us, if +we will look at them, that it is true. Are there not, as it were, +two different persons in us, fighting for the mastery? Are we not so +different at different times, that we seem to ourselves, and to our +neighbours, perhaps, to be two different people, according as we give +way to the better nature or to the worse? Even as David--one year +living a heroic and noble life by faith in God, writing Psalms which +will live to the world's end, and the next committing adultery and +murder. Were those two Davids the same David? Yes; and yet No. The +good and noble David was David when he obeyed the grace of God. The +base and foul David was David when he gave way to his fallen and +corrupt nature. + +Even so might we be. Even so, in a less degree, are we sometimes so +unlike ourselves, so ashamed of ourselves, so torn asunder with +passions and lusts, delighting in God's law and all that is good in +our hearts, and yet finding another law in us which makes us slaves +at moments to our basest passions--to anger, fear, spite, +covetousness--that when we think of it we are ready to cry with St. +Paul, 'Oh, wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body +of this death?' + +Who? Who but he of whom St. Paul tells us, gives the answer in the +very next verse, 'I thank God, that God himself will, through Jesus +Christ our Lord.' + +Oh, my friends, whosoever of you have ever felt angry with +yourselves, discontented with yourselves, ashamed of yourselves (and +he that has not felt so knows no more about himself than a dumb +animal does)--you that have felt so, listen to St. Paul's glorious +news and take comfort. Do you wish to be right? Do you wish to be +what God intended you to be before all worlds? Do you wish that of +you the glorious words may come true, 'And God saw all that he had +made, and behold it was very good?' + +Then believe this. That all which is good in you God has made; and +that he will take care of what he has made, for he loves it; that all +which is bad in you, God has NOT made, and therefore he will destroy +it; for he hates all that he has not made, and will not suffer it in +his world; and that if you, your heart, your will, are enlisted on +the good side, if you are wishing and trying that the good nature in +you should conquer the bad, then you are on the side of God himself, +and God himself is on your side; and 'if God be for you, who shall be +against you?' Before all worlds, from eternity itself, God said, +'Let us make man in our own likeness;' and nothing can hinder God's +word but the man himself. The word of God comes down, says the +prophet, as the rain and the dew from heaven, and, like the rain and +dew, returns not to him void, but prospers in the thing whereto he +sends it; only if the ground be hard and barren, and determined to +bring forth thorns and briars, rather than corn and fruit, is it +cursed, and near to burning; and only if a man loves his fallen +nature better than the noble, just, loving, generous grace of God, +and gives himself willingly up to the likeness of the beasts which +perish, can God's purpose towards him become of none effect. + +Take courage, then. If thou dislikest thy sins, so does God. If +thou art fighting against thy worse feelings, so is God. On thy side +is God who made all, and Christ who died for all, and the Holy Spirit +who alone gives wisdom, purity, nobleness. How canst thou fail when +he is on thy side? On thy side are all spirits of just men made +perfect, all wise and good souls and persons in earth and heaven, all +good and wholesome influences, whether of nature or of grace, of +matter or of mind. How canst thou fail if they are on thy side? +God, I say, and all that God has made, are working together to bring +true of thee the word of God--'And God saw all that he had made, and +behold it was very good.' Believe, and endure to the end, and thou +shalt be found in Christ at the last day; and, being in Christ, have +thy share at last in the blessing which the Father pronounces +everlastingly on Christ, and on the members of Christ, 'This is my +beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.' Amen. + + + +SERMON XXX. TRUE PRUDENCE + + + +MATTHEW vi. 34. + +Take, therefore, no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall +take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is +the evil thereof. + +Let me say a few words to you on this text. Be not anxious, it tells +you. And why? Because you have to be prudent. In practice, +fretting and anxiety help no man towards prudence. We must all be as +prudent and industrious as we can; agreed. But does fretting make us +the least more prudent? Does anxiety make us the least more +industrious? On the contrary, I know nothing which cripples a man +more, and hinders him working manfully, than anxiety. Look at the +worst case of all--at a man who is melancholy, and fancies that all +is going wrong with him, and that he must be ruined, and has a mind +full of all sorts of dark, hopeless, fancies. Does he work any the +more, or try to escape one of these dangers which he fancies are +hanging over him? So far from it, he gives himself up to them +without a struggle; he sits moping, helpless, and useless, and says, +'There is no use in struggling. If it will come, it must come.' He +has lost spirit for work, and lost the mind for work, too. His mind +is so full of these dark fears that he cannot turn it to laying any +prudent plan to escape from the very things which he dreads. + +And so, in a less degree, with people who fret and are anxious. They +may be in a great bustle, but they do not get their work done. They +run hither and thither, trying this and that, but leaving everything +half done, to fly off to something else. Or else they spend time +unprofitably in dreaming, and expecting, and complaining, which might +be spent profitably in working. And they are always apt to lose +their heads, and their tempers, just when they need them most; to do +in their hurry the very last things which they ought to have done; to +try so many roads that they choose the wrong road after all, from +mere confusion, and run with open eyes into the very pit which they +have been afraid of falling into. As we say here, they will go all +through the wood to cut a straight stick, and bring out a crooked one +at last. My friends, even in a mere worldly way, the men whom I have +seen succeed best in life have always been cheerful and hopeful men, +who went about their business with a smile on their faces, and took +the changes and chances of this mortal life like men, facing rough +and smooth alike as it came, and so found the truth of the old +proverb, that 'Good times, and bad times, and all times pass over.' +Of all men, perhaps, who have lived in our days, the most truly +successful was the great Duke of Wellington; and one thing, I +believe, which helped him most to become great, was that he was so +wonderfully free from vain fretting and complaining, free from +useless regrets about the past, from useless anxieties for the +future. Though he had for years on his shoulders a responsibility +which might have well broken down the spirit of any man; though the +lives of thousands of brave men, and the welfare of great kingdoms-- +ay, humanly speaking, the fate of all Europe--depended on his using +his wisdom in the right place, and one mistake might have brought +ruin and shame on him and on tens of thousands; yet no one ever saw +him anxious, confused, terrified. Though for many years he was much +tried and hampered, and unjustly and foolishly kept from doing his +work as he knew it ought to be down, yet when the time came for work, +his head was always clear, his spirit was always ready; and therefore +he succeeded in the most marvellous way. Solomon says, 'Better is he +that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city.' Now the Great +Duke had learnt in most things to rule his spirit, and therefore he +was able not only to take cities, but to do better still, to deliver +cities,--ay, and whole countries--out of the hand of armies often far +stronger, humanly speaking, than his own. + +And for an example of what I mean I will tell you a story of him +which I know to be true. Some one once asked him what his secret was +for winning battles. And he said that he had no secret; that he did +not know how to win battles, and that no man knew. For all, he said, +that man could do, was to look beforehand steadily at all the +chances, and lay all possible plans beforehand: but from the moment +the battle began, he said, no mortal prudence was of use, and no +mortal man could know what the end would be. A thousand new +accidents might spring up every hour, and scatter all his plaits to +the winds; and all that man could do was to comfort himself with the +thought that he had done his best, and to trust in God. + +Now, my friends, learn a lesson from this, a lesson for the battle of +life, which every one of us has to fight from our cradle to our +grave--the battle against misery, poverty, misfortune, sickness; the +battle against worse enemies even than they--the battle against our +own weak hearts, and the sins which so easily beset us against +laziness, dishonesty, profligacy, bad tempers, hard-heartedness, +deserved disgrace, the contempt of our neighbours, and just +punishment from Almighty God. Take a lesson, I say, from the Great +Duke for the battle of life. Be not fretful and anxious about the +morrow. Face things like men; count the chances like men; lay your +plans like men: but remember, like men, that a fresh chance may any +moment spoil all your plans; remember that there are thousand dangers +round you from which your prudence cannot save you. Do your best; +and then like the Great Duke, comfort yourselves with the thought +that you have done your best; and like him, trust in God. Remember +that God is really and in very truth your Father, and that without +him not a sparrow falls to the ground; and are ye not of more value +than many sparrows, O ye of little faith? Remember that he knows +what you have need of before you ask him; that he gives you all day +long of his own free generosity a thousand things for which you never +dream of asking him; and believe that in all the chances and changes +of this life, in bad luck as well as in good, in failure as well as +success, in poverty as well as wealth, in sickness as well as health, +he is giving you and me, and all mankind good gifts, which we in our +ignorance, and our natural dread of what is unpleasant, should never +dream of asking him for: but which are good for us nevertheless; +like him from whom they come, the Father of lights, from whom comes +every good and perfect gift; who is neither neglectful, capricious, +or spiteful, for in him is neither variableness, nor shadow of +turning, but who is always loving unto every man, and his mercy is +over all his works. + +Bear this in mind, my friends, in all the troubles of life--that you +have a Father in heaven who knows what you have need of before you +ask him, and your infirmity in asking, and who is wont--is regularly +accustomed all day long--to give you more than either you desire or +deserve. And bear it in mind even more carefully, if you ever become +anxious and troubled about your own soul, and the life to come. + +Many people are troubled with such anxieties, and are continually +asking, 'Shall I be saved or not?' In some this anxiety comes from +bad teaching, and the hearing of false, cruel, and superstitious +doctrine. In others it seems to be mere bodily disease, +constitutional weakness and fearfulness, which prevents their +fighting against dark and sad thoughts when they arise; but in both +cases I think that it is the devil himself who tempts them, the devil +himself who takes advantage of their bodily weakness, or of the false +doctrines which they have heard, and begins whispering in their ears, +'You have no Father in heaven. God does not love you. His promises +are not meant for you. He does not will your salvation, but your +damnation, and there is no hope for you;' till the poor soul falls +into what is called religious melancholy, and moping madness, and +despair, and dread of the devil; and often believes that the devil +has got complete power over him, and that he is the slave of Satan +for ever, till, in some cases, the man is even driven to kill himself +in the agony of his despair. + +Now, my friends, the true answer to all such dark thoughts is, 'Your +Heavenly Father knows what you have need of before you ask him; +therefore be not anxious about the morrow, for the morrow shall take +care for the things of itself; sufficient for the day is the evil +thereof.' + +For in the first place, my friends, the devil was a liar from the +beginning, and therefore the chances are a million to one against his +speaking the truth in any case; and if he tells you that you are +going to be damned, I should take that for a fair sign that you were +NOT going to be damned, simply because the devil says it, and +therefore it CANNOT be true. No, my friends, the people who have +real reason to be afraid are just those who are not afraid--the self- +conceited, self-satisfied souls; for the devil attacks them too, as +he does every one, by their weakest point, and has his lie ready for +them, and whispers, 'You are all right; you are safe; you cannot +fall; your salvation is sure.' Or else, 'You hold the right +doctrine; you are orthodox, and perfectly right, and whoever differs +from you must be wrong;' and so tempts them to vain confidence and +unclean living, or else into pride, hardness of heart, self-willed +and self-conceited quarrelling and slandering and lying for the sake +of their own party in the Church. It is the self-confident ones who +have reason to fear and tremble; for after pride comes a fall. They +have reason to fear, lest while they are crying peace and safety, and +thanking God that they are not as other men are, sudden destruction +come on them; but you anxious, trembling souls, who are terrified at +the sight of your own sins you who feel how weak you are, and +ignorant, and confused, and unworthy to do aught but cry, 'God be +merciful to me a sinner!' you are the very ones who have least reason +to be afraid, just because you are most afraid: you are the true +penitents over whom your Father in heaven rejoices; you are those of +whom he has said, 'I am the High and Holy One who inhabiteth +eternity; yet I dwell with him that is of an humble and contrite +heart, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to comfort the soul of +the contrite ones;' as he will revive and comfort you, if you will +only have faith in God, and take your stand on your baptism, and from +that safe ground defy the devil and all his dark imaginations, +saying, 'I am God's child, and God is my father, and Christ's blood +was shed for me, and the Holy Spirit of God is with me; and in the +strength of my baptism, I will hope against hope; I trust in the Lord +my God, who has called me into this state of salvation, that he will +keep to the end the soul which I have committed to him through Jesus +Christ my Lord.' + +Yes. Be not anxious for the morrow, and much more, be not anxious +for the life to come. Your Heavenly Father knew that you had need of +salvation long before you asked him. Eighteen hundred years before +you were born, he sent his Son into the world to die for you; when +you were but an infant he called you to be baptized into his Church, +and receive your share of his Spirit. Long before you thought of +him, he thought of you; long before you loved him, he loved you; and +if he so loved you, that he spared not his only begotten Son, but +freely gave him for you, will he not with that Son freely give you +all things? Therefore, fear not, little flock; it is your Father's +good pleasure to give you the kingdom. + +And be not anxious about the morrow; for the morrow shall be anxious +about the things of itself. Be anxious about to-day, if you will; +and 'work out your salvation with fear and trembling;' for it is God +who works in you to will and to do of his good pleasure; and +therefore you can do right; and therefore, again, it is your own +fault if you do not do right. And yet, for that very reason, be not +over anxious; for 'if God be with you, who can be against you?' If +God, who is so mighty that he made all heaven and earth, be on our +side, surely stronger is he that is with you than he that is against +you. If God, who so loved you that he gave his only begotten Son for +you, be on your side, surely you have a friend whom you can trust. +'What can part you from his love?' St. Paul asks you; from God's +love, which is as boundless and eternal as God himself; nothing can +part you from it, but your own sin. + +'But I do sin,' you say, 'again and again, and that is what makes me +fearful. I try to do better, but I fall and I fail all day long. I +try not to be covetous and worldly, but poverty tempts me, and I +fall; I try to keep my temper, but people upset me, and I say things +of which I am bitterly ashamed the next minute. Can God love such a +one as me?' My answer is, If God loved the whole world when it was +dead in trespasses and sins, and NOT trying to be better, much more +will he love you who are not dead in trespasses and sins, and are +trying to be better. If he were not still helping you; if his Spirit +were not with you, you would care no more to become better than a dog +or an ox cares. And if you fall--why, arise again. Get up, and go +on. You may be sorely bruised, and soiled with your fall, but is +that any reason for lying still, and giving up the struggle cowardly? +In the name of Jesus Christ, arise and walk. He will wash you, and +you shall be clean. He will heal you, and you shall be strong again. +What else can a traveller expect who is going over rough ground in +the dark, but to fall and bruise himself, and to miss his way too +many a time: but is that any reason for his sitting down in the +middle of the moor, and saying, 'I shall never get to my journey's +end?' What else can a soldier expect, but wounds, and defeat, too, +often; but is that any reason for his running away, and crying, 'We +shall never take the place?' If our brave men at Sebastopol had done +so, and lost heart each time they were beaten back, not only would +they have never taken the place, but the Russians would have driven +them long ago into the sea, and perhaps not a man of them would have +escaped. And, be sure of it, your battle is like theirs. Every one +of us has to fight for the everlasting life of his soul against all +the devils of hell, and there is no use in running away from them; +they will come after us stronger than ever, unless we go to face +them. As with our men at Sebastopol, unless we beat the enemy, the +enemy will destroy us; and our only hope is to fight to-day's battle +like men, in the strength which God gives us, and trust him to give +us strength to fight to-morrow's battle too, when it comes. For here +again, as it was at Sebastopol, so it is with our souls. Let our men +be as prudent as they might, they never knew what to-morrow's battle +would be like, or where the enemy might come upon them; and no more +do we. They in general could not see the very enemy who was close on +them; and no more can we see our enemy, near to us though he is. To- +morrow's temptations may be quite different from to-day's. To-day we +may be tempted to be dishonest, to-morrow to lose our tempers, the +day afterwards to be vain and conceited, and a hundred other things. +Let the morrow be anxious about the things of itself, then; and face +to-day's enemy, and do the duty which lies nearest you. Our brave +men did so. They kept themselves watchful, and took all the +precautions they could in a general way, just as we ought to do each +in his own habits and temper; but the great business was, to go +steadily on at their work, and do each day what they could do, +instead of giving way to vain fears and fancies about what they might +have to do some day, which would have only put them out of heart, and +confused and distracted them. And so it came to pass, that as their +day so their strength was; that each day they got forward somewhat, +and had strength and courage left besides to drive back each new +assault as it came; and so at last, after many mistakes and many +failures, through sickness and weakness, thirst and hunger, and every +misery except fear which can fall on man, they conquered suddenly, +and beyond their highest hopes:- as every one will conquer suddenly, +and beyond his highest hope, who fights on manfully under Christ's +banner against sin; against the sin in himself, and in his +neighbours, and in his parish, and faces the devil and his works +wheresoever he may meet them, sure that the devil and his works must +be conquered at the last, because God's wrath is gone out against +them, and Christ, who executes God's wrath, will never sheath his +sword till he has put all enemies under his feet, and death be +swallowed up in victory. + +Therefore be not anxious about the morrow. Do to-day's duty, fight +to-day's temptation; and do not weaken and distract yourself by +looking forward to things which you cannot see, and could not +understand if you saw them. Enough for you that your Saviour for +whom you fight is just and merciful; for he rewardeth every man +according to his work. Enough for you that he has said, 'He that is +faithful unto death, I will give him a crown of life.' Enough for +you that if you be faithful over a few things, he will make you ruler +over many things, and bring you into his joy for evermore. + +But as for vain fears, leave them to those who will not believe God's +message concerning himself--that he is love, and his mercy over all +his works. Leave them for those who deny God's righteousness, by +denying that he has had pity on this poor fallen world, but has left +it to itself and its sins, without sending any one to save it. And +for real fears, leave them for those who have no fears; for those who +think they see, and yet are blind; who think themselves orthodox and +infallible, and beyond making a mistake, every man his own Pope; who +say that they see, and therefore their sin remaineth; for those who +thank God that they are not as other men are, and who will find the +publicans and harlots entering into the kingdom of heaven before +them; and for those who continue in sin that grace may abound, and +call themselves Christians, while they bring shame on the name of +Christ by their own evil lives, by their worldliness and profligacy, +or by their bitterness and quarrelsomeness; who make religious +profession a by-word and a mockery in the mouths of the ungodly, and +cause Christ's little ones to stumble. Let them be afraid, if they +will; for it were better for them that a millstone were hanged about +their neck, and they were drowned in the midst of the sea. But those +who hate their sins, and long to leave their sins behind; those who +distrust themselves--let them not be anxious about the morrow; for +to-morrow, and to-day, and for ever, the Almighty Father is watching +over them, the Lord Jesus guiding them wisely and tenderly, and the +Holy Spirit inspiring them more and more to do all those good works +which God has prepared for them to walk in, and to conquer in the +life-long battle against sin, the world, and the devil. + + + +SERMON XXXI. THE PENITENT THIEF + + + +LUKE xxiii. 42, 43. + +And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy +kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day +shalt thou be with me in paradise. + +The story of the penitent thief is a most beautiful and affecting +one. Christians' hearts, in all times, have clung to it for comfort, +not only for themselves, but for those whom they loved. Indeed, some +people think that we are likely to be too fond of the story. They +have been afraid lest people should build too much on it; lest they +should fancy that it gives them licence to sin, and lead bad lives, +all their days, provided only they repent at last; lest it should +countenance too much what is called a death-bed repentance. + +Now, God forbid that I should try to narrow Christ's Gospel. Who am +I, to settle who shall be saved, and who shall not? When the +disciples asked the Lord Jesus, 'Are there few that be saved?' he +would not tell them. And what Christ did not choose to tell, I am +not likely to know. + +But I must say openly, that I cannot see what the story of the +penitent thief has to do with a death-bed repentance; and for this +plain reason, that the penitent thief did not die in his bed. + +On the contrary, he received the due reward of his deeds. He was +crucified; publicly executed, by the most shameful, painful, and +lingering torture; and confessed that it was no more than he +deserved. + +Therefore, if any man say to himself--and I am afraid that some do +say to themselves--'I know I am leading a bad life; and I have no +mind to mend it yet; the penitent thief repented at the last, and was +forgiven; so I dare say that I shall be;' one has a right to answer +him--'Very well; but you must first put yourself in the penitent +thief's place. Are you willing to be hanged, or worse than hanged, +as a punishment for your sins in this world? For, till then, the +penitent thief would certainly not be on the same footing as you.' + +If a man says to himself, I will go on sinning now, on the chance of +repenting at last, and 'making my peace with God,' he is not like the +penitent thief, he is much more like a famous Emperor of Rome, who, +though a Christian in name, put off his baptism till his death-bed, +fancying that by it his sins would be washed away, once and for all, +and made use of the meantime in murdering his eldest son and his +nephew, and committing a thousand follies and cruelties. Whether his +death-bed repentance, purposely put off in order to give him time to +sin, was of any use to him, let your own consciences judge. + +Has, then, this story of the penitent thief no comfort for us? God +forbid! Why else was it put into Christ's Gospel of good news? +Surely, there is comfort in it. + +Only let us take the story honestly, and word for word as it stands. +So we may hope to be taught by it what it was meant to teach us. + +He was a robber. The word means, not a petty thief, but a robber; +and his being put to such a terrible death shows the same thing. +Most probably he had belonged to one of the bands of robbers which +haunted the mountains of Judea in those days, as they used in old +times to haunt the forests in England, and as they do now in Italy +and Spain, and other waste and wild countries. Some of these robbers +would, of course, be shameless and hardened ruffians; as that robber +seems to have been who insulted our Lord upon the very cross. Others +among them would not be lost to all sense of good. Young men who got +into trouble ran away from home, and joined these robber-bands, and +found pleasure in the wild and dangerous life. + +There is a beautiful story told of such a young robber in the life of +the blessed Apostle St. John. A young man at Ephesus who had become +a Christian, and of whom St. John was very fond, got into trouble +while St. John was away, and had to flee for his life into the +mountains. There he joined a band of robbers, and was so daring and +desperate that they soon chose him as their captain. St. John came +back, and found the poor lad gone. St. John had stood at the foot of +the cross years before, and heard his Lord pardon the penitent thief; +and he knew how to deal with such wild souls. And what did he do? +Give him up for lost? No! He set off, old as he was, by himself, +straight for the mountains, in spite of the warnings of his friends +that he would be murdered, and that this young man was the most +desperate and bloodthirsty of all the robbers. At last he found the +young robber. And what did the robber do? As soon as he saw St. +John coming--before St. John could speak a word to him, he turned, +and ran away for shame; and old St. John followed him, never saying a +harsh word to him, but only crying after him, 'My son, my son, come +back to your father!' and at last he found him, where he was hidden, +and held him by his clothes, and embraced him, and pleaded with him +so, that the poor fellow burst into tears, and let St. John lead him +away; and so that blessed St. John went down again to Ephesus in joy +and triumph, bringing his lost lamb with him. + +Now, such a man one can well believe this penitent thief to have +been. A man who, however bad he had been, had never lost the feeling +that he was meant for better things; whose conscience had never died +out in him. He may have been such a man. He MUST have been such a +man. For such faith as he showed on the cross does not grow up in an +hour or a day. I do not mean the feeling that he deserved his +punishment (that might come to a man very suddenly) but the feeling +that Christ was the Lord, and the King of the Jews. He must have +bought that by terrible struggles of mind, by bitter shame and self- +reproach. He had heard, I suppose, of Christ's miracles and mercy, +of his teaching, of his being the friend of publicans and sinners, +had admired the Lord Jesus, and thought him excellent and noble. But +he could not have done that without the Holy Spirit of God. It was +the Holy Spirit striving with his sinful heart, which convinced him +of Christ's righteousness. But the Holy Spirit would have convinced +him, too, of his own sin. The more he admired our Lord, the more he +must have despised himself for being unlike our Lord; and, doubt it +not, he had passed many bitter hours, perhaps bitter years, seeing +what was right, and yet doing what was wrong from bad habits or bad +company, before he came to his end upon the gallows-tree. And there +while he hung in torture on the cross, the whole truth came to him at +last. God's Spirit shone truly on him at last, and divided the light +from the darkness in his poor wretched heart. All the good which had +been in him came out once and for all. Christ's light had been +shining in the darkness of his heart, and the darkness had been +trying to take it in, and close over it, but it could not; and now +the light had conquered the darkness, and all was clear to him at +last. He never despised himself so much, he never admired Christ so +much, as when they hung side by side in the same condemnation. Side +by side they hung, scorned alike, crucified alike, seemingly come +alike to open shame and ruin. And yet he could see that though he +deserved all his misery, that the man who hung by him not only did +not deserve it, but was his Lord, the Lord, the King of the Jews, and +that--of course he knew not how--the cross would not destroy him; +that he would come in his kingdom. How he found out that, no man can +tell; the Spirit of God taught him, the Spirit of God alone, to see +in that crucified man the Lord of glory, and to cast himself humbly +before his love and power, in hope that there might be mercy even for +him--'Lord, remember me when thou comest to thy kingdom.' There was +faith indeed, and humility indeed; royal faith and royal humility +coming out in that dying robber. And so, if you ask--How was that +robber justified by his works? How could his going into Paradise be +the receiving of the due reward of the deeds done in his body whether +they be good or evil. I say he WAS justified by his works. He DID +receive the due reward of his deeds. One great and noble deed, even +that saying of his in his dying agony,--that showed that whatever his +heart had been, it was now right with God. He could not only confess +God's justice against sin in his own punishment, but he could see +God's beauty, God's glory, yea, God himself in that man who hung by +him, helpless like himself, scourged like himself, crucified like +himself, like himself a scorn to men. He could know that Christ was +Christ, even on the cross, and know that Christ would conquer yet, +and come to his kingdom. That was indeed a faith in the merits of +Christ enough to justify him or any man alive. + +Now what has all this to do with you or me living an easy, +comfortable life in sin here, and hoping to die an easy, comfortable +death after all, and get to heaven by having in a clergyman to read +and pray a little with us; and saying a few words of formal +repentance, when perhaps our body and our mind are so worn out and +dulled by illness that we hardly know what we say? No, my friends, +if our hearts be right, we shall not think of the penitent thief to +give us comfort about our own souls; but we shall think of it and +love it, to give us comfort about the souls of many a man or woman +for whom we care. + +How many men there are who are going wrong, very wrong; and yet whom +we cannot help liking, even loving! In the midst of all their sins, +there is something in them which will not let us give them up. +Perhaps, kind-heartedness. Perhaps, an honest respect for good men, +and for good and right conduct; loving the better, while they choose +the worse. Perhaps, a real shame and sorrow when they have broken +out and done wrong; and even though we know that they will go and do +wrong again, we cannot help liking them, cannot give them up. Then +let us believe that God will not give them up, any more than he gave +up the penitent thief. If there be something in them that we love, +let us believe that God loves it also; and what is more, that God put +it into them, as he did into the penitent thief; and let us hope (we +cannot of course be certain, but we may hope) that God will take care +of it, and make it conquer, as he did in the penitent thief. Let us +hope that God's light will conquer their darkness; God's strength +conquer their weakness; God's peace, their violence; God's heavenly +grace their earthly passions. Let us hope for them, I say. + +When we hear, as we often hear, people say, 'What a noble-hearted man +that is after all, and yet he is going to the devil!' let us remember +the penitent thief and have hope. Who would have seemed to have gone +to the devil more hopelessly than that poor thief when he hung upon +the cross? And yet the devil did not have him. There was in him a +seed of good, and of eternal life, which the devil had not trampled +out; and that seed flowered and bore fruit upon the very cross in +noble thoughts and words and deeds. Why may it not be so with +others? True, they may receive the due reward of their deeds. They +may end in shame and misery, like the penitent thief. Perhaps it may +be good for them to do so. If a man will sow the wind, it may be +good for him to reap the whirlwind, and so find out that sowing the +wind will not prosper. The penitent thief did so. As the proverb +is, he sowed the gallows-acorn, poor wretch, and he reaped the +gallows-tree; but that gallows-tree taught him to confess God's +justice, and his own sin, and so it may teach others. + +Yes, let us hope; and when we see some one whom we love, and cannot +help loving, bringing misery on himself by his own folly, let us hope +and pray that the day may come to him when, in the midst of his +misery, all that better nature in him shall come out once and for +all, and he shall cry out of the deep to Christ, 'I only receive the +due reward of my deeds; I have earned my shame; I have earned my +sorrow. Lord, I have deserved it all. I look back on wasted time +and wasted powers. I look round on ruined health, ruined fortune, +ruined hopes, and confess that I deserve it all. But thou hast +endured more than this for me, though thou hast deserved nothing, and +hast done nothing amiss. Thou hast done nothing amiss by me. Thou +hast been fair to me, and given me a fair chance; and more than that, +thou hast endured all for me. For me thou didst suffer; for me thou +hast been crucified; and me thou hast been trying to seek and to save +all through the years of my vanity. Perhaps I have not wearied out +thy love; perhaps I have not conquered thy patience. I will take the +blessed chance. I will still cast myself upon thy love. Lord, I +have deserved all my misery; yet, Lord, remember me when thou comest +into thy kingdom. + +Oh, my friends, let us hope that that prayer will go up, even out of +the wildest heart, in God's good time; and that it will not go up in +vain. + + + +SERMON XXXII. THE TEMPER OF CHRIST + + + +PHILIPPIANS ii. 4. + +Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. + +What mind? What sort of mind and temper ought to be in us? St. Paul +tells us in this chapter, very plainly and at length, what sort of +temper he means; and how it showed itself in Christ; and how it ought +to show itself in us. + +'All of you,' he tells us, 'be like-minded, having the same love; +being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife +or vain-glory: but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others +better than himself. Look not every man on his own things, but every +man also on the things of others.' + +First, be like-minded, having the same love. Men cannot all be of +exactly the same opinion on every point, simply because their +characters are different; and the old proverb, 'Many men, many +minds,' will stand true in one sense to the end of the world. But in +another sense it need not. People may differ in little matters of +opinion, without hating and despising, and speaking ill of each other +on these points; they may agree to differ, and yet keep the same love +toward God and toward each other; they may keep up a kindly feeling +toward each other; and they will do so, if they have in their hearts +the same love of God. If we really love God, and long to do good, +and to work for God; if we really love our neighbours, and wish to +help them, then we shall have no heart to quarrel--indeed, we shall +have no time to quarrel--about HOW the good is to be done, provided +IT IS done; and we shall remember our Lord's own words to St. John, +when St. John said, 'Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy +name, and he followeth not us: wilt thou therefore that we forbid +him?' + +And Jesus said, 'Forbid him NOT.' + +'Forbid him not,' said Jesus himself. He that hath ears to hear his +Saviour's words, let him hear. + +'Therefore,' St. Paul says, 'let nothing be done through strife or +vain-glory.' It is a very sad thing to think that the human heart is +so corrupt, that we should be tempted to do good, and to show our +piety, through strife or vain-glory. But so it is. Party spirit, +pride, the wish to show the world how pious we are, the wish to make +ourselves out better and more reverent than our neighbours, too often +creep into our prayers and our worship, and turn our feasts of +charity into feasts of uncharitableness, vanity, ambition. + +So it was in St. Paul's time. Some, he says, preached Christ out of +contention, hoping to add affliction to his bonds. Not that he hated +them for it, or tried to stop them. Any way, he said, Christ was +preached, whether out of party-spirit against him, or out of love to +Christ; any way Christ was preached: and he would and did rejoice in +that thought. Again I say, 'He that hath ears to hear, let him +hear.' + +'Esteem others better than ourselves?' God forgive us! which of us +does that? Is not one's first feeling not 'Others are better than +me,' but 'I am as good as my neighbour, and perhaps better too?' +People say it, and act up to it also, every day. If we would but +take St. Paul's advice, and be humble; if we would take more for +granted that our neighbours have common sense as well as we, +experience as well as we, the wish to do right as well as we--and +perhaps more than we have; and therefore listen HUMBLY (that is St. +Paul's word, bitter though it may be to our carnal pride), listen +humbly to every one who is in earnest, or speaks of what he knows and +feels! People are better than we fancy, and have more in them than +we fancy; and if they do not show that they have, it is three times +out of four our own fault. Instead of esteeming them better than +ourselves, and asking their advice, and calling out their experience, +we are too in such a hurry to show them that we are better than they, +and to thrust our advice upon them, that we give them no +encouragement to speak, often no time to speak; and so they are +silent and think the more, and remain shut up in themselves, and +often pass for stupider people and worse people than they really are. +Because we will not begin by doing justice to our neighbours, we +prevent them doing justice to themselves. + +Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the +things of others. Ah, my friends, if we could but do that heartily +and always, what a different world it would be, and what different +people we should be! If, instead of saying to ourselves, as one is +so apt to do, 'Will this suit my interest? will this help me?' we +would recollect to say too, 'Will this suit my neighbours' interest? +Will this harm my neighbours, though it may help me? For if it hurts +them, I will have nothing to do with it.' + +If, again, instead of saying to ourselves, as we are too apt to do, +'This is what I like, and done it shall be,' we would generously and +courteously think more of what other people like; what will please +them, instruct them, comfort them, soften for them the cares of life, +and lighten the burden of mortality--how much happier would not only +they be, but we also! + +For this, my friends, is the very likeness of Christ, who pleased not +himself; the very likeness of Christ, who sacrificed himself. + +And for this very reason St. Paul puts it the last of all his +advices, because it is the greatest; the summing up of all; the +fulfilment of the whole law, which says, 'Thou shalt love thy +neighbour as thyself;' and therefore after it he can give no more +advice, for there is none better left to give: but he goes on at +once to speak of Christ, who fulfilled that whole law of love, and +more than fulfilled it; for instead of merely loving his neighbours +AS he loved himself (which is all God asks of us), Christ loved his +enemies better than himself, and died for them. + +So says St. Paul.--'Look not every man on his own things, but on +other people's interest and comfort also. Let this mind be in you, +which was also in Christ Jesus.' What mind? The mind which looks +not merely on its own things, its own interest, its own reputation, +its own opinions, likes, and dislikes, but on those of others, and +has learnt to live and let live. + +Yes, this, he says, is the mind of Christ. And this mind, and +spirit, and temper, he showed before all heaven and earth, when, +though he was in the form of God, and therefore, (as some interpret +the text) would have done no robbery, no injustice, by remaining for +ever equal with God (that is, in the co-equal and co-eternal glory +which he had with the Father), yet made himself of no reputation, and +took on him the form of a slave, and was obedient to death, even the +death of the cross. + +My friends, I beseech you, young and old, rich and poor, remember the +full meaning of these glorious words, and of those which follow them. + +'Wherefore God hath highly exalted him.' Why? What was it in Christ +which was so precious, so glorious, in the eyes of the Almighty +Father, that no reward seemed too great for him? What but this very +spirit of fellow-feeling and tenderness, charity, self-sacrifice-- +even the Holy Spirit of God himself, with which Christ was filled +without measure? + +Because Christ utterly and perfectly looked not on his own things, +but on the things of others: because he was pity itself, patience +itself, love itself, in the soul and body of a human being; therefore +his Father declared of him, 'This, this is my well-beloved Son, in +whom I am well pleased.' Therefore it was that he highly exalted +him; therefore it was that he proclaimed him to be worthy of all +honour and worship, the most perfect, lovely, admirable, and adorable +of all beings in heaven and earth; not merely because he showed +himself to be light of light, or wisdom of wisdom, or power of power; +but because he showed himself to be love of love, and therefore very +God of very God begotten, whom men and angels could not reverence, +admire, adore, imitate too much, but were to see in him the +perfection of all beauty, all virtue, all greatness, the likeness of +his Father's glory, and the express image of his person. + +And therefore it is a very good and beautiful old custom to bow when +the name of Jesus is mentioned; at least, when it is mentioned for +the first time, or under any very solemn circumstances. It helps to +remind us that he is really our King and Lord. It helps, too, to +remind us that he is actually and really near us, standing by us, +looking at us face to face, though we see him not; and I am willing +to say for myself that whenever I recollect that he is looking at me +(alas! that is not a hundredth part often enough), I cannot help +bowing almost without any will of my own. But, remember, there is no +commandment for it. It is just one of those things on which a +Christian is free to do what he likes, and for which every Christian +is forbidden to judge or blame another, according to St. Paul's rule, +He that observeth the day, to the Lord he observeth it; and he that +observeth it not, to the Lord he observeth it not. Who art thou that +judgest another? To his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, and +he shall stand, for God is able to make him stand. Beside, the text +says, if we are to take it literally, as we always ought with +Scripture, not that every HEAD shall bow at the name of Jesus, but +every knee. And to kneel down every time we repeat that holy name +would be impossible. While, on the other hand, we DO bow our knees, +literally and in earnest, at the name of Jesus every time we kneel +down in church, every time we kneel down to say our prayers. And if +any man is content with that, no one has the least right to blame +him. + +Besides, my friends, there is, I know too well, a great danger in +making too much of these little outward ceremonies, especially with +children and young people. For the heart of man is just as fond as +it ever was of idolatry, and superstition, and will-worship, and +voluntary humility, and paying tithe of mint, anise, and cummin, +while it neglects the weightier matters of the law, justice, mercy, +and judgment: and, therefore, there is very great danger, if we make +too much of these ceremonies, harmless and even good as many of them +may be, of getting to rest in them, and thinking that God is pleased +with them themselves. Whereas, what God looks at is the heart, the +spirit, the soul; and whether it is right or wrong, proud or humble, +hard or loving: and if we think so much of the outward and visible +form, that we forget the inward and spiritual grace, for which it +ought to stand, then we lay a snare for our own souls to turn them +away from the worship of the living God, and break the second +commandment. Much more, if we pride ourselves on being more reverent +than our neighbours in these outward forms, and look down on, and +grudge at, those who do not practise them; for then we turn our +humility into pride, and our reverence to Christ into an insult to +him; for the true way to honour Christ is to copy Christ. No one +really honours and admires Christ's character who does not copy him; +and to esteem ourselves better than others, to say in our hearts, +'Stand by, for I am holier than thou,' to offend and drive away +Christ's little ones, and wound the consciences of weak brethren by +insisting on things against which they have a prejudice, is to run +exactly counter to Christ and the mind of Christ, and to be more like +the Pharisees than the Lord Jesus. That is not surely esteeming +others better than ourselves: that is not surely looking not merely +on our own things, but also on the things of others; that is not +fulfilling the law of love; that is not following St. Paul's example, +who gave up, he says, doing many things which he thought right, +because they offended weaker spirits than his own. 'All things,' he +says, 'are lawful to me, but all things are not expedient.' 'Ay,' +says he, 'I would eat no meat while the world standeth, if it cause +my brother to offend.' + +No, my dear friends, let us rather, in this coming Passion week, take +the lesson which the services of the Church give us in this Epistle. +Let us keep Passion week really and in spirit, by remembering that it +means the week of suffering, in which Christ, instead of pleasing +himself, conquered himself, and gave up himself, and let wicked men +do with him whatsoever they would. Let us honour the holy name of +Jesus in spirit and in truth, and bend not merely our necks or our +knees, when we hear his name, but bend those stiff necks of our +souls, and those stubborn knees of our hearts; let us conquer our +self-will, self-opinion, self-conceit, self-interest, and take his +yoke upon us, for he is meek and lowly of heart. This is the Passion +week which he has chosen;--to distrust ourselves, and our own +opinions, likings and fancies. This is the repentance, and this is +the humiliation which he has chosen;--to entreat him (now and at +once, lest by pride we give place to the devil, and fall while we +think we stand) to forgive us every hard, and proud, and conceited, +and self-willed thought, and word, and deed, to which we have given +way since we were born; to pray to him for really new hearts, really +tender hearts, really humble hearts, really broken and contrite +hearts; to look at his beautiful tenderness, patience, sympathy, +understanding, generosity, self-sacrifice; and then to look at +ourselves, and be shocked, and ashamed, and confounded, at the +difference between ourselves and him; and so really to honour the +name of Jesus, who humbled himself, even to the death upon the cross. + +I am not judging you, my friends; I am judging myself lest God judge +me; and telling you how to judge yourselves, lest God judge you. +Believe me, if you will but take his yoke on you, you will find it an +easy yoke and a light burden; you will find yourselves happier, your +duty simpler, your prospects clearer, your path through life +smoother, your character higher and more amiable in the eyes of all, +and you yourselves holy and fit to share on Easter day in the +precious body and blood of him who gave himself up to death that he +might draw all men to himself; and so draw them all to each other, as +children of one common Father, and brothers of Jesus Christ your +Lord. + + + +SERMON XXXIII. THE FRIEND OF SINNERS + + + +(Preached in London.) + +MARK ii. 15, 16. + +And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many +publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: +for there were many, and they followed him. And when the scribes and +Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners they said onto his +disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and +sinners? + +We cannot wonder at the scribes and Pharisees asking this question. +I think that we should most of us ask the same question now, if we +saw the Lord Jesus, or even if we saw any very good or venerable man, +going out of his way to eat and drink with publicans and sinners. We +should be inclined to say, as the scribes and Pharisees no doubt +said, Why go out of his way to make fellowship with them? to eat and +drink with them? He might have taught them, preached to them, warned +them of God's wrath against their sins when he could find them out in +the street. Or, even if he could not do that, if he could not find +them all together without going into their house, why sit down and +eat and drink? Why not say, No--I am not going to join with you in +that? I am come on a much more solemn and important errand than +eating. I have no time to eat. I must preach to you, ere it be too +late. And you would have no appetite to eat, if you knew the +terrible danger in which your souls are. Besides, however anxious +for your souls I am, you cannot expect me to treat you as friends, to +make companions of you, and accept your hospitality, while you are +living these bad lives. I shall always feel pity and sorrow for you: +but I cannot be a table companion with you, till you begin to lead +very different lives. + +Now if the scribes and Pharisees had said that, should we have +thought them very unreasonable? For whatsoever kinds of sinners the +sinners were, these publicans were the very worst and lowest of +company. They were not innkeepers, as the word means now; they were +a kind of tax-gatherers: but not like ours in England. For first, +these taxes were not taken by the Jewish government, but by the +Romans--heathen foreigners who had conquered them, and kept them down +by soldiery quartered in their country. So that these publicans, who +gathered taxes and tribute for the heathen Caesar of Rome from their +own countrymen, were traitors to their country, in league with their +foreign tyrants, as it were devouring their own flesh and blood; and +all the Jews looked on them (and really no wonder) with hatred and +contempt. Beside, these publicans did not merely gather the taxes, +as they do in free England; they farmed them, compounded for them +with the Roman emperor; that is, they had each to bring in to the +Romans a stated sum of money, each out of his own district, and to +make their own profit out of the bargain by grinding out of the poor +Jews all they could over and above; and most probably calling in the +soldiery to help them if people would not pay. So this was a trade, +as you may easily see, which could only prosper by all kinds of petty +extortion, cruelty, and meanness; and, no doubt, these publicans were +devourers of the poor, and as unjust and hard-hearted men as one +could be. As for those 'sinners' who are so often mentioned with +them, I suppose this is what the word means. These publicans making +their money ill, spent it ill also, in a low profligate way, with the +worst of women and of men. Moreover, all the other Jews shunned +them, and would not eat or keep company with them; so they hung all +together, and made company for themselves with bad people, who were +fallen too low to be ashamed of them. The publicans and harlots are +often mentioned together; and, I doubt not, they were often eating +and drinking together, God help them! + +And God did help them. The Son of God came and ate and drank with +them. No doubt, he heard many words among them which pained his +ears, saw many faces which shocked his eyes; faces of women who had +lost all shame; faces of men hardened by cruelty, and greediness, and +cunning, till God's image had been changed into the likeness of the +fox and the serpent; and, worst of all, the greatest pain to him of +all, he could see into their hearts, their immortal souls, and see +all the foulness within them, all the meanness, all the hardness, all +the unbelief in anything good or true. And yet he ate and drank with +them. Make merry with them he could not: who could be merry in such +company? but he certainly so behaved to them that they were glad to +have him among them, though he was so unlike them in thought, and +word, and look, and action. + +And why? Because, though he was so unlike them in many things, he +was like them at least in one thing. If he could do nothing else in +common with them, he could at least eat and drink as they did, and +eat and drink with them too. Yes. He was the Son of man, the man of +all men, and what he wanted to make them understand was, that, fallen +as low as they were, they were men and women still, who were made at +first in God's likeness, and who could be redeemed back into God's +likeness again. + +The only way to do that was to begin with them in the very simplest +way; to meet them on common human ground; to make them feel that, +simply because they were men and women, he felt for them; that, +simply because they were men and women, he loved them; that, simply +because they were men and women, he could not turn his back upon +them, for the sake of his Father and their Father in heaven. If he +had left those poor wretches to themselves; if he had even merely +kept apart from their common every-day life, and preached to them, +they would never have felt that there was still hope for them, simply +because they were men and women. They would have said in their +hearts, 'See; he will talk to us: but he looks down on us all the +time. We are fallen so low, we cannot rise; we cannot mend. What is +there in us that can mend? We are nothing but brutes, perhaps; then +brutes we must remain. Heaven is for people like him, perhaps; but +not for such as us. We are cut off from men. We have no brothers +upon earth, no Father in heaven.' 'Let us eat and drink, for to- +morrow we die.' + +Yes; they would have said this; for people like them will say it too +often now, here in Christian England. + +But when our Lord came to them, ate and drank with them, talked with +them in a homely and simple way (for our Lord's words are always +simple and homely, grand and deep and wonderful as they are), then do +you not see how SELF-RESPECT would begin to rise in those poor +sinners' hearts? Not that they would say, 'We are better men than we +thought we were.' No; perhaps his kindness would make them all the +more ashamed of themselves, and convince them of sin all the more +deeply; for nothing, nothing melts the sinner's hard, proud heart, +like a few unexpected words of kindness--ay, even a cordial shake of +the hand from any one who he fancies looks down on him. To find a +loving brother, where he expected only a threatening schoolmaster-- +that breaks the sinner's heart; and most of all when he finds that +brother in Jesus his Saviour. That--the sight of God's boundless +love to sinners, as it is revealed in the loving face of Jesus Christ +our Lord--that, and that alone, breeds in the sinner the broken and +the contrite heart which is in the sight of God of great price. And +so, those publicans and sinners would not have begun to say, We are +better than we thought: but, We can become better than we thought. +He must see something in us which makes him care for us. Perhaps God +may see something in us to care for. He does not turn his back on +us. Perhaps God may not. He must have some hope of us. May we not +have hope of ourselves? Surely there is a chance for us yet. Oh! if +there were! We are miserable now in the midst of our drunkenness, +and our covetousness, and our riotous pleasures. We are ashamed of +ourselves: and our countrymen are ashamed of us: and though we try +to brazen it off by impudence, we carry heavy hearts under bold +foreheads. Oh, that we could be different! Oh, that we could be +even like what we were when we were little children! Perhaps we may +be yet. For he treats us as if we were men and women still, his +brothers and sisters still. He thinks that we are not quite brute +animals yet, it seems. Perhaps we are not; perhaps there is life in +us yet, which may grow up to a new and better way of living. What +shall we do to be saved? + +O blessed charity, bond of peace and of all virtues; of brotherhood +and fellow-feeling between man and man, as children of one common +Father. Ay, bond of all virtues--of generosity and of justice, of +counsel and of understanding. Charity, unknown on earth before the +coming of the Son of man, who was content to be called gluttonous and +a wine-bibber, because he was the friend of publicans and sinners! + +My friends, let us try to follow his steps; let us remember all day +long what it is to be MEN; that it is to have every one whom we meet +for our brother in the sight of God; that it is this, never to meet +any one, however bad he may be, for whom we cannot say, 'Christ died +for that man, and Christ cares for him still. He is precious in +God's eyes; he shall be precious in mine also.' Let us take the +counsel of the Gospel for this day, and love one another, not in word +merely--in doctrine, but in deed and in truth, really and actually; +in our every-day lives and behaviour, words, looks--in all of them +let us be cordial, feeling, pitiful, patient, courteous. Masters +with your workmen, teachers with your pupils, parents with your +children, be cordial, and kind, and patient; respect every one, +whether below you or not in the world's eyes. Never do a thing to +any human being which may lessen his self-respect; which may make him +think that you look down upon him, and so make him look down upon +himself in awkwardness and shyness; or else may make him start off +from you, angry and proud, saying, 'I am as good as you; and if you +keep apart from me, I will from you; if you can do without me, I can +do without you. I want none of your condescension.' It is NOT so. +You cannot do without each other. We can none of us do without the +other; do not let us make any one fancy that he can, and tempt him to +wrap himself up in pride and surliness, cutting himself off from the +communion of saints, and the blessing of being a man among men. + +And if any of you have a neighbour, or a relation fallen into sin, +even into utter shame;--oh, for the sake of Him who ate and drank +with publicans and sinners, never cast them off, never trample on +them, never turn your back upon them. They are miserable enough +already, doubt it not. Do not add one drop to their cup of +bitterness. They are ashamed of themselves already, doubt it not. +Do not you destroy in them what small grain of self-respect still +remains. You fancy they are not so. They seem to you brazen-faced, +proud, impenitent. So did the publicans and harlots seem to those +proud, blind Pharisees. Those pompous, self-righteous fools did not +know what terrible struggles were going on in those poor sin- +tormented hearts. Their pride had blinded them, while they were +saying all along, 'It is we alone who see. This people, which +knoweth not the law, is accursed.' Then came the Lord Jesus, the Son +of man, who knew what was in man; and he spoke to them gently, +cordially, humanly; and they heard him, and justified God, and were +baptized, confessing their sins; and so, as he said himself, the +publicans and harlots went into the kingdom of God before those +proud, self-conceited Pharisees. + +Therefore, I say, never hurt any one's self-respect. Never trample +on any soul, though it may be lying in the veriest mire; for that +last spark of self-respect is as its only hope, its only chance; the +last seed of a new and better life; the voice of God which still +whispers to it, 'You are not what you ought to be, and you are not +what you can be. You are still God's child, still an immortal soul: +you may rise yet, and fight a good fight yet, and conquer yet, and be +a man once more, after the likeness of God who made you, and Christ +who died for you!' Oh, why crush that voice in any heart? If you +do, the poor creature is lost, and lies where he or she falls, and +never tries to rise again. Rather bear and forbear; hope all things, +believe all things, endure all things; so you will, as St. John tells +you in the Epistle, know that you are of the truth, in the true and +right road, and will assure your hearts before God. For this is his +commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus +Christ, and believe really that he is now what he always was, the +friend of publicans and sinners, and love one another as he gave us +commandment. That was Christ's spirit; the fairest, the noblest +spirit upon earth; the spirit of God whose mercy is over all his +works; and hereby shall we know that Christ abideth in us, by his +having given us the same spirit of pity, charity, fellow-feeling and +love for every human being round us. + +And now, I will also give you one lesson to carry home with you--a +lesson which if we all could really believe and obey, the world would +begin to mend from to-morrow, and every other good work on earth +would prosper and multiply tenfold, a hundredfold--ay, beyond all our +fairest dreams. And my lesson is this. When you go out from this +church into those crowded streets, remember that there is not a soul +in them who is not as precious in God's eyes as you are; not a little +dirty ragged child whom Jesus, were he again on earth, would not take +up in his arms and bless; not a publican or a harlot with whom, if +they but asked him, he would not eat and drink--now, here, in London +on this Sunday, the 8th of June, 1856, as certainly as he did in +Jewry beyond the seas, eighteen hundred years ago. Therefore do to +all who are in want of your help as Jesus would do to them if he were +here; as Jesus is doing to them already: for he is here among us +now, and for ever seeking and saving that which was lost; and all we +have to do is to believe that, and work on, sure that he is working +at our head, and that though we cannot see him, he sees us; and then +all will prosper at last, for this brave old earth whereon we are +living now, and for that far braver new heaven and new earth whereon +we shall live hereafter. + + + +SERMON XXXIV. THE SEA OF GLASS + + + +(Trinity Sunday.) + +REVELATION iv. 9, 10, 11. + +And when those beasts give glory, and honour, and thanks to him that +sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, the four and twenty +elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him +that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the +throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and +honour, and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy +pleasure they are and were created. + +The Church bids us read this morning the first chapter of Genesis, +which tells us of the creation of the world. Not merely on account +of that most important text, which, according to some divines, seems +to speak of the ever-blessed Trinity, and brings in God as saying, +'Let US make man in OUR image;' not, Let me make man in my image; +but, Let US, in OUR image.--Not merely for this reason is Gen. i. a +fit lesson for Trinity Sunday: but because it tells us of the whole +world, and all that is therein, and who made it, and how. It does +not tell us why God made the world; but the Revelations do, and the +text does. And therefore perhaps it is a good thing for us that +Trinity Sunday comes always in the sweet spring time, when all nature +is breaking out into new life, when leaves are budding, flowers +blossoming, birds building, and countless insects springing up to +their short and happy life. This wonderful world in which we live +has awakened again from its winter's sleep. How are we to think of +it, and of all the strange and beautiful things in it? Trinity +Sunday tells us; for Trinity Sunday bids us think of and believe a +matter which we cannot understand--a glorious and unspeakable God, +who is at the same time One and Three. We cannot understand that. +No more can we understand anything else. We cannot understand how +the grass grows beneath our feet. We cannot understand how the egg +becomes a bird. We cannot understand how the butterfly is the very +same creature which last autumn was a crawling caterpillar. We +cannot understand how an atom of our food is changed within our +bodies into a drop of living blood. We cannot understand how this +mortal life of ours depends on that same blood. We do not know even +what life is. We do not know what our own souls are. We do not know +what our own bodies are. We know nothing. We know no more about +ourselves and this wonderful world than we do of the mystery of the +ever-blessed Trinity. That, of course, is the greatest wonder of +all. For, as I shall try to show you presently, God himself must be +more wonderful than all things which he has made. But all that he +has made is wonderful; and all that we can say of it is, to take up +the heavenly hymn which this chapter in the Revelations puts into our +mouths, and join with the elders of heaven, and all the powers of +nature, in saying, 'Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and +honour, and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy +pleasure they are and were created.' + +Let us do this. Let us open our eyes, and see honestly what a +wonderful world we live in; and go about all our days in wonder and +humbleness of heart, confessing that we know nothing, and that we +cannot know; confessing that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, +and that our soul knows right well; but that beyond we know nothing; +though God knows all; for in his book were all our members written, +which day by day were fashioned, while as yet there were none of +them. 'How great are thy counsels, O God! they are more than I am +able to express,' said David of old, who knew not a tenth part of the +natural wonders which we know; 'more in number than the hairs of my +head, if I were to speak of them.' + +This will keep us from that proud and yet shallow temper of mind +which people are apt to fall into, especially young men who are +clever and self-educated, and those who live in great towns, and so +lose the sight of the wonderful works of God in the fields and woods, +and see hardly anything but what man has made; and therefore forget +how weak and ignorant even the wisest man is, and how little he +understands of this great and glorious world. + +Such people are apt to fancy men are clever enough to understand +anything. Then they say, 'Why am I to believe anything I cannot +understand?' And then they laugh at the mysteries of faith, and say, +'Three Persons in one God! I cannot understand that! Why am I +expected to believe it?' + +Now, here is the plain answer to such unwise speech (for unwise it +is, let it be dressed up in all fine long words, and show of wisdom), +whether the doctrine be true or not, your not understanding the +matter is no reason against it. Here is the answer: 'You DO believe +all day long a hundred things which you do not understand; which +quite surpass your reason. You believe that you are alive: but you +do not understand how you live. You believe that, though you are +made up of so many different faculties and powers, you are one +person: but you cannot understand how. You believe that though your +body and your mind too have gone through so many changes since you +were born, yet you are still one and the same person, and nobody else +but yourself; but you cannot understand that either. You know it is +so; but how and why it is so, you cannot explain; and the greatest +philosopher would not be foolish enough to try to explain; because, +if he is a really great scholar, he knows that it cannot be +explained. You lift your hand to your head: but how you do it, +neither you nor any mortal man knows; and true philosophers tell you +that we shall probably never know. True philosophers tell you that +in the simplest movement of your body, in the growth of the meanest +blade of grass, let them examine it with the microscope, let them +think over it till their brains are weary, there is always some +mystery, some wonder over and above, which neither their glasses nor +their brains can explain, or even find and see, much less give a name +to. They know that there is more in the matter, in the simplest +matter, than man can find out; and they are content to leave the +wonder in the hands of God who made it; and when they have found out +all they can, confess, that the more they know, the less they find +they know. + +I tell you frankly, my friends, if you were to see through the +microscope a few of the wonderful things which are going on round you +now in every leaf, and every gnat which dances in the sunbeam; if you +were to learn even the very little which is known about them, you +would see wonders which would surpass your powers of reasoning, just +as much as that far greater wonder of the ever-blessed Trinity; +things which you would not believe, if your own eyes did not show +them you. + +And what if it be strange? What is there to surprise us in that? If +the world be so wonderful, how much more wonderful must that great +God be who made the world, and keeps it always living? If the +smallest blade of grass be past our understanding, how much more past +our understanding must be the Absolute, Eternal, Almighty God? Do +you not see that common sense and reason lead us to expect that God +should be the most wonderful of all beings and things; that there +must be some mystery and wonder in him which is greater than all +mysteries and wonders upon earth, just as much as HE is greater than +all heaven and earth? Which must be most wonderful, the maker or the +thing made? Thou art man, made in the likeness of God. Thou canst +not understand thyself. How much less canst thou understand God, in +whose likeness thou art made! + +For my part, instead of keeping people from learning, lest they +should grow proud, and despise the mysteries of faith, I would make +them learn, and entreat them to learn, and look seriously and +patiently at all the wonderful things which are going on round them +all day long; for I am sure that they would be so much astonished +with what they saw on earth, that they would not be astonished, much +less staggered, at anything they heard of in heaven; and least of all +astonished at being told that the name of Almighty God was too deep +for the little brain of mortal man; and that they would learn more +and more to take humbly, like little children, every hint which the +experience of wise and good men of old time gives us of the +everlasting mystery of mysteries, the glory of the Triune God, which +St. John saw in the spirit. + +And what did St. John see? Something beyond even an apostle's +understanding. Something which he could only see himself dimly, and +describe to us in figures and pictures, as it were, to help us to +imagine that great wonder. + +He was in the spirit, he says, when he saw it. That is, he did not +see it with his bodily eyes, but with his soul, his heart and mind. +Not with his bodily eyes (for no man hath seen God at any time), but +with his mind's eye, which God had enlightened by his Holy Spirit. + +He sees a throne in heaven, and one sitting on it, bright and pure as +richest precious stone; and round his throne a rainbow like an +emerald, the sign to us of hope, and faithfulness, mercy and truth, +which he himself appointed after the flood, to comfort the fearful +hearts of men. Around him are elders crowned; men like ourselves, +but men who have fought the good fight, and conquered, and are now at +rest; pure, as their white garments tell us; and victorious, as their +golden crowns tell us. And from the throne come thunderings, and +lightnings, and voices, as they did when he spoke to the Jews of old- +-signs of his terrible power, as judge, and lawgiver, and avenger of +all the wrong which is done on earth. And there are there, too, +seven burning lamps, the seven spirits of God, which give light and +life to all created things, and most of all to righteous hearts. And +before the throne is a sea of glass; the same sea which St. John saw +in another vision, with us human beings standing on it, and behold it +was mingled with fire;--the sea of time, and space, and mortal life, +on which we all have our little day; the brittle and dangerous sea of +earthly life; for it may crack any moment beneath our feet, and drop +us into eternity, and the nether fire, unless we have his hand +holding us, who conquered time, and life, and death, and hell itself. + +It seems to us to be a great thing now, time, and space, and the +world; and yet it looked small enough to St. John, as it lies in +heaven, before the throne of Christ; and he passes it by in a few +words. For what are all suns and stars, and what are all ages and +generations, and millions and millions of years, compared with +eternity; with God's eternal heaven, and God whom not even heaven can +contain?--One drop of water in comparison with all the rain clouds of +the western sea. + +But there is one comfort for us in St. John's vision; that brittle, +and uncertain, and dangerous as life may be, yet it is before the +throne of God, and before the feet of Christ. St. John saw it lying +there in heaven, for a sign that in God we live, and move, and have +our being. Let us be content, and hope on, and trust on; for God is +with us, and we with God. + +But St. John saw another wonder. Four beasts--one like a man, one +like a calf, one like an eagle, one like a lion, with six wings each. + +What those living creatures mean, I can hardly tell you. Some wise +and learned men say they mean the four Evangelists: but, though +there is much to be said for it, I hardly think that; for St. John, +who saw them, was one of the four Evangelists himself. Others think +they mean great and glorious archangels; and that may be so. But +certainly the Bible always speaks of angels as shaped like men, like +human beings, only more beautiful and glorious. The two angels, for +instance, who appeared to the three men at our Lord's tomb, are +plainly called in one place, young men. I think, rather, that these +four living creatures mean the powers and talents which God has given +to men, that they may replenish the earth, and subdue it. For we +read of these same living creatures in the book of the prophet +Ezekiel; and we see them also on those ancient Assyrian sculptures +which are now in the British Museum; and we have good reason to think +that is what they mean there. The creature with the man's head means +reason; the beast with the lion's head, kingly power and government; +with the eagle's head, and his piercing eye, prudence and foresight; +with the ox's head, labour, and cultivation of the earth, and +successful industry. But whatsoever those living creatures mean, it +is more important to see what they do. They give glory, and honour, +and thanks to him who sits upon the throne. They confess that all +power, all wisdom, all prudence, all success in men or angels, in +earth or heaven, comes from God, and is God's gift, of which he will +require a strict account; for he is Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God +Almighty; and all things are of him, and by him, and for him, for +ever and ever. + +But who is he who sits upon the throne? Who but the Lord Jesus +Christ? Who but the Babe of Bethlehem? Who but the Friend of +publicans and sinners? Who but he who went about doing good to +suffering mortal man? Who but he who died on the cross? Who but he +on whose bosom St. John leaned at supper, and now saw him highly +exalted, having a name above every name? + +Oh, blest St. John, to see that sight! To see his dear Master in his +glory, after having seen him in his humiliation! God grant us so to +follow in St. John's steps, that we may see the same sight, unworthy +though we are, in God's good time. + +And where is God the Father? Yes, where? The heaven, and the heaven +of heavens, cannot contain him, whom no man hath seen, or can see; +who dwells in the light, whom no man can approach unto. Only the +only begotten Son, who dwells in the bosom of the Father, he hath +declared him, and shown to men in his own perfect loveliness and +goodness, what their heavenly Father is. That was enough for St. +John; let it be enough for us. He who has seen Christ has seen the +Father, as far as any created being can see him. The Son Christ is +merciful: therefore the Father is merciful. The Son is just: +therefore the Father is just. The Son is faithful and true: +therefore the Father is faithful and true. The Son is almighty to +save: therefore the Father is almighty to save. Let that be enough +for you and me. + +But where is the Holy Spirit? There is no WHERE for spirits. All +that we can say is, that the Holy Spirit is proceeding for ever from +the Father and the Son; going forth for ever, to bring light and +life, righteousness and love, to all worlds, and to all hearts who +will receive him. The lamps of fire which St. John saw, the dove +which came down at Christ's baptism, the cloven tongues of fire which +sat on the Apostles--these were signs and tokens of the Spirit; but +they were not the Spirit itself. Of him it is written, 'He bloweth +where he listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not +tell whence he cometh or whither he goeth.' + +It is enough for us that he is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the +Holy Father, and of the Holy Son; like them eternal, like them +incomprehensible, like them almighty, like them all-wise, all-just, +all-loving, merciful, faithful, and true for ever. + +This is what St. John saw--Christ the crucified, Christ the Babe of +Bethlehem, in the glory which he had before all worlds, and shall +have for ever; with all the powers of this wondrous world crying to +him for ever, 'Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and +is, and is to come; and the souls of just men made perfect answering +those mystic animals, and joining their hymns of praise to the hymn +which goes up for ever from sun and stars, from earth and sea,--when +they find out the deepest of all wisdom--the lesson which all the +wonders of this earth, and all which ever has happened, or will +happen, in space and time, is meant to teach us + +'Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power; +for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and +were created.' + +This is all that I can tell you. It may be a very little: but is it +not enough? What says Solomon the wise? 'Knowest thou how the bones +grow in the womb?' Not thou. How, then, wilt thou know God, who +made all things? Thou art fearfully and wonderfully made, though +thou art but a poor mortal man. And is not God more fearfully and +wonderfully made than thou art? It is a strange thing, and a +mystery, how we ever got into this world: a stranger thing still to +me, how we shall ever get out of this world again. Yet they are +common things enough--birth and death. 'Every moment dies a man, +every moment one is born:' and yet you do not know what is the +meaning of birth or death either: and I do not know; and no man +knows. How, then, can we know the mystery of God, in whose hand are +the issues of life and death?--God to whom all live for ever, living +and dead, born and unborn, in heaven and in hell? + +So it is in small things as well as great, in great as well as small; +and so it ever will be. 'All things begin in some wonder, and in +some wonder all things end,' said Saint Augustine, wisest in his day +of all mortal men; and all that great scholars have discovered since +prove more and more that Saint Augustine's words were true, and that +the wisest are only, as a great philosopher once said, and one, too, +who discovered more of God's works than any man for many a hundred +years, even Sir Isaac Newton himself: 'The wisest of us is but like +a child picking up a few shells and pebbles on the shore of a +boundless sea.' + +The shells and pebbles are the little scraps of knowledge which God +vouchsafes to us, his sinful children; knowledge, of which at best +St. Paul says, that we know only in part, and prophesy in part, and +think as children; and that knowledge shall vanish away, and tongues +shall cease, and prophecies shall fail. + +And the boundless sea is the great ocean of time--of God's created +universe, above which his Spirit broods over, perfect in love, and +wisdom, and almighty power, as at the beginning, moving above the +face of the waters of time, giving life to all things, for ever +blessing, and for ever blest. + +God grant us all to see the day when we shall have passed safely +across that sea of time, up to the sure land of eternity; and shall +no more think as children, or know in part; but shall see God face to +face, and know him even as we are known; and find him, the nearer we +draw to him, more wonderful, and more glorious, and more good than +ever;--'Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and +is to come.' And meanwhile, take comfort, and recollect however +little you and I may know, God knows: he knows himself, and you, and +me, and all things; and his mercy is over all his works. + + + +SERMON XXXV. A GOD IN PAIN + + + +(Good Friday.) + +HEBREWS ii. 9, 50. + +But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the +suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the +grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, +for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many +sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect +through sufferings. + +What are we met together to think of this day? God in pain: God +sorrowing; God dying for man, as far as God could die. Now it is +this;--the blessed news that God suffered pain, God sorrowed, God +died, as far as God could die--which makes the Gospel different from +all other religions in the world; and it is this, too, which makes +the Gospel so strong to conquer men's hearts, and soften them, and +bring them back to God and righteousness in a way no other religion +ever has done. It is the good news of this good day, well called +Good Friday, which wins souls to Christ, and will win them as long as +men are men. + +The heathen, you will find, always thought of their gods as happy. +The gods, they thought, always abide in bliss, far above all the +chances and changes of mortal life; always young, strong, beautiful, +needing no help, needing no pity; and therefore, my friends, never +calling out our love. The heathens never LOVED their gods: they +admired them, thanked them when they thought they helped them; or +they were afraid of them when they thought they were offended. + +But as far as I can find, they never really loved their gods. Love +to God was a new feeling, which first came into the world with the +good news that God had suffered and that God had died upon the cross. +That was a God to be loved, indeed; and all good hearts loved him, +and will love him still. + +For you cannot really love any one who is quite different from you; +who has never been through what you have. You do not think that he +can understand you; you expect him to despise you, laugh at you. You +say, as I have heard a poor woman say of a rich one, 'How can she +feel for me? She does not know what poor people go through.' + +Now it is just that feeling which mankind had about God till Christ +died. + +God, or the gods, were beautiful, strong, happy, self-sufficient, up +in the skies; and men on earth were full of sorrow and trouble, +disease, accidents, death; and sin, too; quarrelling and killing, +hateful and hating each other. How could the gods love men? And +then men had a sense of sin; they felt they were doing wrong. Surely +the gods hated them for doing wrong. Surely all the sorrows and +troubles which came on them were punishments for doing wrong. How +miserable they were! But the gods sat happy up in heaven, and cared +not for them. Or, if the gods did care, they cared only for special +favourites. If any man was very good, or strong, or handsome, or +clever, or rich, or prosperous, the gods cared for him--he was a +favourite. But what did they care for poor, ugly, deformed, +unfortunate, foolish wretches? Surely the gods despised them, and +had sent them into the world to be miserable. There was no sympathy, +no fellow-feeling between gods and men. The gods did not love men as +men. Why should men love them? And so men did not love them. + +And as there was no love to God before Good Friday, so there was no +love to men. + +If God despised the poor, the deformed, the helpless, the ignorant, +the crazy, why should not man? If God was hard on them, why should +not man oppress and ill-use them? And so you will find that there +was no charity in the world. + +Among some of the Eastern nations--the Hindoos, for instance--when +they were much better men than now, charity did spring up for a while +here and there, in a very beautiful shape; but among Greeks and +Romans there was simply no charity; and you will find little or none +among the Jews themselves. + +The Pharisees gave alms to save their own souls, and feed their own +pride of being good; but had no charity--'This people, who knoweth +not the law, is accursed.' As for poor, diseased people, they were +born in sin: either they or their parents had sinned. We may see +that the poor of Judea, as well as Galilee, were in a miserable, +neglected, despised state; and the worst thing that the Pharisees +could say of our Lord Jesus was, that he ate and drank with publicans +and sinners. Because there was no love to God, there was no love to +man. There was a great gulf fixed between every man and his +neighbour. + +But Christ came; God came; and became man. And with the blood of his +cross was bridged over for ever the gulf between God and man, and the +gulf between man and man. + +Good Friday showed that there was sympathy, there was fellow-feeling +between God and man; that God would do all for man, endure all for +man; that God so desired to make man like God, that he would stoop to +be made like man. There was nothing God would not do to justify +himself to man, to show men that he did care for them, that he did +love the creatures whom he had made. Yes; God had not forgotten man; +God had not made man in vain. God had not sent man into the world to +be wicked and miserable here, and to perish for ever hereafter. +Wickedness and misery were here; but God had not put them here, and +he would not leave them here. He would conquer them by enduring +them. Sin and misery tormented men; then they should torment the Son +of God too. Sin and misery killed men; then they should kill the Son +of God, too: he would taste death for every man, that men might live +by him. He would be made perfect by sufferings: not made perfectly +good (for that he was already), but perfectly able to feel for men, +to understand them, to help them; because he had been tempted in all +things like as they. + +And so on Good Friday did God bridge over the gulf between God and +men. No man can say now, Why has God sent man into the world to be +miserable, while he is happy? For God in Christ was miserable once. +No man can say, God makes me go through pain, and torture, and death, +while he goes through none of such things: for God in Christ endured +pain, torture, death, to the uttermost. And so God is a being which +man can love, admire, have fellow-feeling for; cling to God with all +the noble feelings of his heart, with admiration, gratitude, and +tenderness, even on this day with pity.--As Christ himself said, +'When I am lifted up, I will draw all men to me.' + +And no man can say now, What has God to do with sufferers--sick, +weak, deformed wretches? If he had cared for them, would he have +made them thus? For we can answer, However sick, or weak they may +be, God in Christ has been as weak as they. God has shared their +sufferings, and has been made perfect by sufferings, that they might +be made perfect also. God has sanctified suffering, pain, and sorrow +upon his cross, and made them holy; as holy as health, and strength, +and happiness are. And so on Good Friday God bridged over the gulf +between man and man. He has shown that God is charity and love; and +that the way to live for ever in God is to live for ever in that +charity and love to all mankind which God showed this day upon the +cross. + +And, therefore, all CHARITY is rightly called CHRISTIAN charity; for +it is Christ, and the news of Good Friday, which first taught men to +have charity; to look on the poor, the afflicted, the weak, the +orphan, with love, pity, respect. By the sight of a suffering and +dying God, God has touched the hearts of men, that they might learn +to love and respect suffering and dying men; and in the face of every +mourner, see the face of Christ, who died for them. Because Christ +the sufferer is their elder brother, all sufferers are their brothers +likewise. Because Christ tasted pain, shame, misery, death for all +men, therefore we are bound this day to pray for all men, that they +may have their share in the blessings of Christ's death; not to look +on them any longer as aliens, strangers, enemies, parted from us and +each other and God; but whether wise or foolish, sick or well, happy +or unhappy, alive or dead, as brothers. We are bound to pray for his +Holy Church as one family of brothers; for all ranks of men in it, +that each of them may learn to give up their own will and pleasure +for the sake of doing their duty in their calling, as Christ did; to +pray for Jews, Turks, Heathens, and Infidels; as for God's lost +children, and our lost brothers, that God would bring them home to +his flock, and touch their hearts by the news of his sufferings for +them; that they may taste the inestimable comfort of knowing that God +so loved them as to suffer, to groan, to die for them and all +mankind. + + + +SERMON XXXVI. ON THE FALL + + + +(Sexagesima Sunday.) + +GENESIS iii. 12. + +And the man said, The woman, whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave +me of the tree, and I did eat. + +This morning we read the history of Adam's fall in the first Lesson. +Now does this story seem strange to you, my friends? Do you say to +yourselves, If I had been in Adam's place, I should never have been +so foolish as Adam was? If you do say so, you cannot have looked at +the story carefully enough. For if you do look at it carefully, I +believe you will find enough in it to show you that it is a very +NATURAL story, that we have the same nature in us that Adam had; that +we are indeed Adam's children; and that the Bible speaks truth when +it says, 'Adam begat a son after his own likeness.' + +Now, let us see how Adam fell, and what he did when he fell. + +Adam, we find, was not content to be in the image of God. He wanted, +he and his wife, to be as gods, knowing good and evil. Now do, I +beseech you, think a moment carefully, and see what that means. + +Adam was not content to be in the likeness of God; to copy God by +obeying God. He wanted to be a little god himself; to know what was +good for him, and what was evil for him; whereas God had told him, as +it were, You do NOT know what is good for you, and what is evil for +you. I know; and I tell you to obey me; not to eat of a certain tree +in the garden. + +But pride and self-will rose up in Adam's heart. He wanted to show +that he DID know what was good for him. He wanted to be independent, +and show that he could do what he liked, and take care of himself; +and so he ate the fruit which he was forbidden to eat, partly because +it was fair and well-tasted, but still more to show his own +independence. + +Now, surely this is natural enough. Have we not all done the very +same thing in our time, nay, over and over again? When we were +children, were we never forbidden to do something which we wished to +do? Were we never forbidden, just as Adam was, to take an apple-- +something pleasant to the eye, and good for food? And did we not +long for it, and determine to have it all the more, because it was +forbidden, just as Adam and Eve did; so that we wished for it much +more than we should if our parents had given it to us? Did we not in +our hearts accuse our parents of grudging it to us, and listen to the +voice of the tempter, as Eve did, when the serpent tried to make out +that God was niggardly to her, and envious of her, and did not want +her to be wise, lest she should be too like God? + +Have we not said in our heart, Why should my father grudge me that +nice thing when he takes it himself? + +He wants to keep it all to himself. Why should not I have a share of +it? He says it will hurt me. How does he know that? It does not +hurt him. I must be the best judge of whether it will hurt me. I do +not believe that it will: but at least it is but fair that I should +try. I will try for myself. I will run the chance. Why should I be +kept like a baby, as if I had no sense or will of my own? I will +know the right and the wrong of it for myself. I will know the good +and evil of it myself. + +Have we not said that, every one of us, in our hearts, when we were +young?--And is not that just what the Bible says Adam and Eve said? + +And then, because we were Adam's children, with his fallen nature in +us, and original sin, which we inherited from him, we could not help +longing more and more after what our parents had forbidden; we could +think, perhaps, of nothing else; cared for no pleasure, no pay, +because we could not get that one thing which our parents had told us +not to touch. And at last we fell, and sinned, and took the thing on +the sly. + +And then? + +Did it not happen to us, as it did to Adam, that a feeling of shame +and guiltiness came over us at once? Yes; of shame. We intended to +feed our own pride: but instead of pride came shame and fear too; so +instead of rising, we had fallen and felt that we had fallen. Just +so it was with Adam. Instead of feeling all the prouder and grander +when he had sinned, he became ashamed of himself at once, he hardly +knew why. We had intended to set ourselves up against our parents; +but instead, we became afraid of them. We were always fancying that +they would find us out. We were afraid of looking them in the face. +Just so it was with Adam. He heard the word of the Lord God, Jesus +Christ, walking in the garden. Did he go to meet him; thank him for +that pleasant life, pleasant earth, for the mere blessing of +existence? No. He hid himself among the trees of the garden. But +why hide himself? Even if he had given up being thankful to God; +even if he had learned from the devil to believe that God grudged +him, envied him, had deceived him, about that fruit, why run away and +hide? He wanted to be as God, wise, knowing good and evil for +himself. Why did he not stand out boldly when he heard the voice of +the Lord God and say, I am wise now; I am as a God now, knowing good +and evil; I am no longer to be led like a child, and kept strictly by +rules which I do not understand; I have a right to judge for myself, +and choose for myself; and I have done it, and you have no right to +complain of me? + +Perhaps Adam had intended, when he ate the fruit, to stand up for +himself, with some such fine words; as children intend when they +disobey. + +But when it came to the point, away went all Adam's self-confidence, +all Adam's pride, all Adam's fine notions of what he had a right to +do; and he hides himself miserably, like a naughty and disobedient +child. And then, like a mean and cowardly one, when he is called out +and forced to answer for himself, he begins to make pitiful excuses. +He has not a word to say for himself. He throws the blame on his +wife; it was all the woman's fault now--indeed, God's fault. 'The +woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I +did eat.' + +My dear friends, if we want a proof that the Bible is a true, divine, +inspired book, we need go no further than this one story. For, my +friends, have we never said the same? When we felt that we had done +wrong; when the voice of God and of Christ in our hearts was rebuking +us and convincing us of sin, have we never tried to shift the blame +off our own shoulders, and lay it on God himself, and the blessings +which he has given us? on one's wife--on one's family--on money--on +one's youth, and health, and high spirits?--in a word, on the good +things which God has given us? + +Ah, my friends, we are indeed Adam's children; and have learned his +lesson, and inherited his nature only too fearfully well. For what +Adam did but once, we have done a hundred times; and the mean excuse +which Adam made but once, we make again and again. + +But the loving Lord has patience with us, as he had with Adam, and +does not take us at our word. He did not say to Adam, You lay the +blame upon your wife; then I will take her from you, and you shall +see then where the blame lies. Ungrateful to me! you shall live +henceforth alone. And he does not say to us, You make all the +blessings which I have given you an excuse for sinning! Then I will +take them from you, and leave you miserable, and pour out my wrath +upon you to the uttermost! + +Not so. Our God is not such a God as that. He is full of compassion +and long-suffering, and of tender mercy. He knows our frame, and +remembers that we are but dust. He sends us out into the world, as +he sent Adam, to learn experience by hard lessons; to eat our bread +in the sweat of our brow, till we have found out our own weakness and +ignorance, and have learned that we cannot stand alone, that pride +and self-dependence will only lead us to guilt, and misery, and +shame, and meanness; and that there is no other name under heaven by +which we can be saved from them, but only the name of our Lord Jesus +Christ. + +He is the woman's seed, who, so God promised, was to bruise the head +of the serpent. And he has bruised it. He is the woman's seed--a +man, as we are men, with a human nature, but one without spot of sin, +to make us free from sin. + +Let us look up to him as often as we find our nature dragging us +down, making us proud and self-willed, greedy and discontented, +longing after this and that. Let us trust in him, ask him, for his +grace day by day; ask him to shape and change us into his likeness, +that we may become daily more and more free; free from sin; free from +this miserable longing after one thing and another; free from our bad +habits, and the sin which does so easily beset us; free from guilty +fear, and coward dread of God. Let us ask him, I say, to change, and +purify, and renew us day by day, till we come to his likeness; to the +stature of perfect men, free men, men who are not slaves to their own +nature, slaves to their own pride, slaves to their own vanity, slaves +of their own bad tempers, slaves to their own greediness and foul +lusts: but free, as the Lord Christ was free; able to keep their +bodies in subjection, and rise above nature by the eternal grace of +God; able to use this world without abusing it; able to thank God for +all the BLESSINGS of this life, and learn from them precious lessons; +able to thank God for all the SORROWS of this life, and learn from +them wholesome discipline: but yet able to rise above them all, and +say, 'As long as I hold fast to Christ the King of men, this world +cannot harm me. My life, my real human life, does not depend on my +being comfortable or uncomfortable here below for a few short years. +My real life is hid in God with Jesus Christ, who, after he had +redeemed human nature by his perfect obedience, and washed it pure +again in the blood of his cross, for ever sat down on the right hand +of the Majesty on high; that so, being lifted up, he might draw all +men unto himself--even as many as will come to him, that they may +have eternal life. + + + +SERMON XXXVII. THE WORTHY COMMUNICANT + + + +LUKE xviii. 14. + +I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the +other. + +Which of these two men was the more fit to come to the Communion? +Most of you will answer, The publican: for he was more justified, +our Lord himself says, than the Pharisee. True: but would you have +said so of your own accord, if the Lord had not said so? Which of +the two men do you really think was the better man, the Pharisee or +the publican? Which of the two do you think had his soul in the +safer state? Which of the two would you rather be, if you were going +to die? Which of the two would you rather be, if you were going to +the Communion? For mind, one could not have REFUSED the Pharisee, if +he had come to the Communion. He was in no open sin: I may say, no +outward sin at all. You must not fancy that he was a hypocrite, in +the sense in which we usually employ that word. I mean, he was not a +man who was leading a wicked life secretly, while he kept up a show +of religion. He was really a religious man in his own way, +scrupulous, and over-scrupulous to perform every duty to the letter. +He went to his church to worship; and he was no lip-worshipper, +repeating a form of words by rote, but prayed there honestly, +concerning the things which were in his heart. He did not say, +either, that he had made himself good. If he was wrong on some +points, he was not on that. He knew where his goodness, such as it +was, came from. 'God, I thank thee,' he says, 'that I am what I am.' +What have we in this man? one would ask at first sight. What reason +for him to stay away from the Sacrament? He would not have thought +himself that there was any reason. He would, probably, have thought- +-'If I am not fit, who is? Repent me truly of my former sins? +Certainly. If I have done the least harm to any one, I shall be +happy to restore it fourfold. If I have neglected one, the least of +God's services, I shall be only too glad to keep it all the more +strictly for the future. + +'Intend to lead a new life? I am leading one, and trying to lead one +more and more every day. I shall be thankful to any one who will +show me any new service which I can offer to God, any new act of +reverence, any new duty. + +'I must go in love and charity with all men? I do so. I have not a +grudge against any human being. Of course, I know the world too well +to be satisfied with it. I cannot shut my eyes to the fact that +millions are living very sinful, shocking lives--extortioners, +unjust, adulterers; and that three people out of four are going +straight to hell. I pity them, and forgive them any wrong which they +have done to me. What more can I do?' + +This is what the Pharisee would have said. Is this man fit to come +to the Communion? At least he himself thinks so. + +On the other hand, was the publican fit? That is a serious question; +one which we cannot answer, without knowing more about him than our +Lord has chosen to tell us. Many a person is ready enough, in these +days, to cry 'God be merciful to me a sinner!' who is fit, I fear, +neither to come to the Communion, nor to stay away either. + +It was not so, I suppose, with the old Jews in our Lord's time. The +Pharisees then were hard legalists, who stood all on works; and, +therefore, if a man broke off from them, and threw himself on God's +grace and mercy, he did it in a simple, honest, effectual way, like +this publican. + +But now, I am sorry to say, our Pharisees have contrived to make +themselves as proud and self-righteous about their own faith and +repentance, as the Jewish Pharisees did about their own works and +observances; and there has risen up in England and elsewhere a very +ugly new hypocrisy. People now-a-days are too apt to pride +themselves on their own convictions of sin, and their own repentance, +till they trust in their repentance to save them, and not in Christ, +just as the Pharisee trusted in his works to save him, and not in +Christ; and when they pray, I cannot help fearing (for I am sure many +of their religious books teach them it) that they pray very much like +that Pharisee, 'God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, +carnal, unconverted, unconvinced of sin, nor even as that plain, +moral, respectable man. I am convinced of sin; I am converted; I +have the right frames, and the right feelings, and the right +experiences.' Oh, of all the cunning snares of the devil, that I +think is the cunningest. Well says the old proverb--'The devil is +old, and therefore he knows many things.' + +In old times he made men trust in their own righteousness: and that +was snare enough; now he has learnt how to make men actually trust in +their own sinfulness, and so turn the grace of God into a cloak of +pride, and contempt of their fellow-creatures + +My friends, do you think that if the publican, after he had said, +'God be merciful to me a sinner!' had said to himself, 'There--how +beautifully I have repented--how honest I have been to God--I am all +right now'--he would have gone down to his house justified at all? +Not he. No more will you and I, my friends. If we have sinned, what +should we be but ashamed of it? Ay, utterly ashamed. And if we +really know what sin is--if we really see the sinfulness of sin--if +we really see ourselves as God sees us--we shall be too much shocked +at the sight of our own hearts to have time to boast of our being +able to see our own hearts. We shall be too full of loathing and +hatred for our sins, too full of longing to get rid of our sins, and +to become righteous and holy, even as God is righteous and holy, to +give way to any pride in our own frames and feelings; and, instead of +thinking ourselves better men than our neighbours because we see our +sins, and fancy they do not see theirs, we shall be almost ready to +think ourselves worse than our neighbours, to think that they cannot +have so much to repent of as we; and as we grow in grace, we shall +see more and more sin in ourselves, till we actually fancy at times +that no one can be as bad as we are, and in lowliness of mind esteem +others better than ourselves. We may carry that too far, too. +Certainly there is no use in accusing ourselves of sins which we have +not committed; we have all quite enough real sins to answer for +without inventing more. But still that is a better frame of mind +than the other; for no man can be too humble, while any man can be +too proud. + +But let us all ask God to open our eyes, that we may see ourselves +just as we are, let our sins be many or few. Let us ask God to +convince us really of sin by his Holy Spirit, and show us what sin +is, and its exceeding sinfulness; how ugly and foul sin is, how +foolish and absurd, how mean and ungrateful toward that good God who +wishes us nothing but good, and wishes us, therefore, to be good, +because goodness is the only path to life and happiness; and then we +shall be so ashamed of ourselves, so afraid of our own weakness, so +shocked at the difference between ourselves and the spotless Lord +Jesus, that we shall have no time to despise others, no time to +admire our own frames, and feelings, and repentances. All we shall +think of is our own sinfulness, and God's mercy; and we shall come +eagerly, if not boldly, to the throne of grace, to find grace and +mercy to help us in the time of need; crying, 'Purge thou me, O Lord, +or I shall never be pure; wash thou me, and then alone shall I be +clean. For thou requirest, not frames or feelings, not pride and +self-conceit, but truth in the inward parts; and wilt make me to +understand wisdom secretly.' + +Then, indeed, we shall be fit to come to the Holy Communion; for then +we shall be so ashamed of ourselves that we shall truly repent of our +sins--so ashamed of ourselves that we shall long and determine to +lead a new life--so ashamed of ourselves that we shall have no heart +to look down on any of our neighbours, or pass hard judgments on +them, but be in love and charity with all men; and so, in spite of +all our past sins, come to partake worthily of the body and blood of +Him who died for our sins, whose blood will wash them out of our +hearts, whose body will strengthen and refresh us, body and soul, to +a new and everlasting life of humbleness and thankfulness, honesty +and justice, usefulness and love. + + + +SERMON XXXVIII. OUR DESERTS + + + +LUKE vi. 36-38. + +Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge +not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be +condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. Give, and it shall be +given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and +running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same +measure that ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you again. + +One often hears complaints against this world, and against mankind; +one hears it said that people are unjust, unfair, cruel; that in this +world no man can expect to get what he deserves. And, of course, +there are great excuses for saying so. There are bad men in the +world in plenty, who do villanous and cruel things enough; and +besides, there is a great deal of dreadful misery in the world, which +does not seem to come through any fault of the poor creatures who +suffer it; misery of which we can only say, 'Neither did this man +sin, nor his parents: but that the glory of God may be made manifest +in him.' + +But still our Lord tells us in the text, that, on the whole, there is +order lying under all the disorder, justice under all the injustice, +right under all the wrong; and that on the whole we get what we +deserve. 'Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. +Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not +be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. Give, and it shall +be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, +and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same +measure that ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you again.' + +Of course, as I said just now, it is not always so. None knew that +better than the blessed Lord: else why did he come to seek and save +that which was lost? But still the more we look into our own lives, +the more we shall find our Lord's words true; the more we shall find +that on the whole, in the long run, men will be just and fair to us, +and give us, sooner or later, what we deserve. + +Now, to deserve a thing, properly means to serve for it, to work for +it and earn it, as a natural consequence. If a man puts his hand +into the fire, he DESERVES to burn it, because it is the nature of +fire to burn, and therefore it burns him, and so he gets his deserts; +and if a man does wrong, he deserves to be unhappy, because it is the +nature of sin to make the sinner unhappy, and so he gets his deserts. +God has not to go out of his way to punish sin; sin punishes itself; +and so if a man does right, he becomes in the long run happy. God +has not to go out of his way to reward him and make him happy; his +own good deeds make him happy; he earns happiness in the comfort of a +good conscience, and the love and respect of those about him; and so +he gets his deserts. For our Lord says, 'People in the long run will +treat you as you treat them. If they feel and see by experience that +you are loving and kind to them, they will be loving and kind to you; +as you do to them, they will, in the long run, do to you.' They may +mistake you at first, even dislike you at first. Did they not +mistake, hate, crucify the Lord himself? and yet his own rule came +true of him. A few crucified him; but now all civilized nations +worship him as God. Be sure, then, that his rule will come true of +you, though not at first, yet in God's good time. Therefore hold +still in the Lord, and abide patiently; and he shall make thy +righteousness as clear as the light, and thy just dealing as the +noon-day. + +Now this is a very blessed and comfortable thought. Would to God +that all of us, young people especially, would lay it to heart. How +are we to get comfortably through this life? Or, if we are to have +sorrows (as we all must), how can we make those sorrows as light as +possible? How can we make friends who will comfort us in those +sorrows, instead of leaving us to bear our burden alone, and turning +their backs on us just when our poor hearts are longing for a kind +look and a kind word from our neighbours? Our Lord tells us now. +The same measure that you mete withal, it shall be measured to you +again. + +There is his plan. It is a very simple one. It goes on the same +principle as 'He that saveth his life shall lose it, and he that +loseth his life shall save it.' If we are selfish, and take care +only of ourselves, the day will come when our neighbours will leave +us alone in our selfishness to shift for ourselves. If we set out +determining through life to care about other people rather than +ourselves, then they will care for themselves more than for us, and +measure their love to us by our measure of love to them. But if we +care for others, they will learn to care for us; if we befriend +others, they will befriend us. If we show forth the Spirit of God to +them, in kindliness, generosity, patience, self-sacrifice, the day +will surely come when we shall find that the Spirit of God is in our +neighbours as well as in ourselves; that on the whole they will be +just to us, and pay us what we have deserved and earned. Blessed and +comfortable thought, that no kind word, kind action, not even the cup +of cold water given in Christ's name, can lose its reward. Blessed +thought, that after all our neighbours are our brothers, and that if +we remember that steadily, and treat them as brothers now, they will +recollect it too some day, and treat us as brothers in return. +Blessed thought, that there is in the heart of every man a spark of +God's light, a grain of God's justice, which may grow up in him +hereafter, and bear good fruit to eternal life. + +Yes; it is a pleasant thing to find men better than we fancied them. +A pleasant thing; for first, it makes us love them the more, and +there is nothing so pleasant as loving. And more; it does this--it +makes us more inclined to trust God's justice. We say to ourselves, +Men are, we find, really more just and fair than they seem to us at +times; surely God must be more just and fair than he seems to us at +times. For there are times when it does seem a hard thing to believe +that God is just; times when the devil tempts poor suffering +creatures sorely, and tries to make them doubt their heavenly Father, +and say with David, What am I the better for having done right? +Surely in vain have I cleansed my heart; in vain have I washed my +hands in innocency. All the day long have I been punished, and +chastened every morning. Yes; when some poor woman, working in the +field, with all the cares of a family on her, looks up at great +people in their carriages, she is tempted, she must be tempted to say +at times, 'Why am I to be so much worse off than they? Is God just +in making me so poor and them so rich?' It is a foolish thought. I +do believe it is a temptation of the devil, a deceit of the devil; +for rich people are not really one whit happier or lighter-hearted +than poor ones, and all the devil wishes is to make poor people envy +their neighbours, and mistrust God. But still one cannot wonder at +their faith failing them at times. I do not judge them, still less +condemn them; for the text forbids me. Or again, when some poor +creature, crippled from his youth, looks upon others strong and +active, cheerful and happy. Think of a deformed child watching +healthy children at play; and then think, must it not be hard at +times for that child not to repine, and cry to God, 'Why hast thou +made me thus?' + +Yes. I will not go on giving fresh instances. The world is but too +full of them. + +But when such thoughts trouble us, here is one comfort--ay, here is +our only comfort--God must be more just than man. Whatsoever +appearances may seem to make against it, he must be. For where did +all the justice in the world come from, but from God? Who put the +feeling of justice into every man's heart, but God himself? He is +the glorious sun, perfectly bright, perfectly pure; and all the other +goodness in the world is but rays and beams of light sent forth from +his great light. So we may be certain that God is not only as just +as man, but millions of times MORE just; more just, and righteous, +and good than all the just men on earth put together. We can believe +that. We must believe it. Thousands have believed it already. +Thousands of holy sufferers, in prisons and on scaffolds, in poverty +and destitution, on sick-beds of lingering torture, have believed +still that God was just and righteous in all his dealings with them; +and have cried in the hour of their bitterest agony, 'Though thou +slay me, O Lord, yet will I trust in thee!' + +Yes. God is just. He has revealed that in the person of his Son +Jesus Christ. There is God's likeness. There is proof enough that +God is not one who afflicts willingly, or grieves the children of men +out of any neglect or spite, or respecteth one person more than +another. It may seem hard to be sure of that: unless we believe +that Jesus is the Christ, the co-equal and co-eternal Son of the +Father, we never shall be sure of it. Believing in the message of +the ever-blessed Trinity, we shall be sure; for we shall be sure +that, 'Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy +Ghost'--perfect love, perfect justice, perfect mercy; and therefore +we can be sure that in the world beyond the grave the balance will be +made even, again, and for ever; and every mourner be comforted, and +every sufferer be refreshed, and every one receive his due reward--if +they will only now in this life take the lesson of the text, 'Judge +not, and you shall not be judged: condemn not, and you shall not be +condemned: forgive, and you shall be forgiven; for if you forgive +every one his brother their trespasses, in like wise will your +heavenly Father forgive you.' Do that; and then you will get your +DESERTS in the life to come, and by forgiving, and helping, and +blessing others, DESERVE to be forgiven, and comforted, and blessed +yourselves, for the sake of that Saviour who is day and night +presenting all your good works to his Father and your Father, as a +precious and fragrant offering--a sacrifice with which the God of +love is well pleased, because it is, like himself, made up of love. + + + +SERMON XXXIX. THE LOFTINESS OF GOD + + + +ISAIAH lvii. 15. + +For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose +name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place; with him also that +is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the +humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. + +This is a grand text; one of the grandest in the whole Old Testament; +one of those the nearest to the spirit of the New. It is full of +Gospel--of good news: but it is not the whole Gospel. It does not +tell us the whole character of God. We can only get that in the New. +We can get it there; we can get it in that most awful and glorious +chapter which we read for the second lesson--the twenty-seventh +chapter of St. Matthew. Seen in the light of that--seen in the light +of Christ's cross and what it tells us, all is clear, and all is +bright, and all is full of good news--at least to those who are +humble and contrite, crushed down by sorrow, and by the feeling of +their own infirmities. + +But what does the text tell us? + +Of a high and lofty One, who inhabits eternity. + +Of a lofty God, Almighty, incomprehensible; so far above us, so +different from us, that we cannot picture him to ourselves; of a +glory and majesty utterly beyond all human fancy or imagination. + +Of a holy God, in whom is no sin, nor taint of sin; who is of purer +eyes than to behold iniquity; who is so perfect, that he cannot be +content with anything which is not as perfect as himself; who looks +with horror and disgust on evil of every shape; who cannot endure it, +will at last destroy it. + +Of a God who abides in eternity--who cannot change--cannot alter his +own decrees and laws, because his decrees and laws are right and +necessary, and proceed out of his own character. If he has said a +thing, that thing must be; because it is the thing which ought to be. + +How, then, shall we think of this lofty, holy, unchangeable God--we +who are low, unholy, changing with every wind that blows? + +Shall we say, 'He is so far above us, that he cannot feel for us? He +is so holy that he must hate us, and will our punishment, and our +damnation for all our sins?' + +'He is eternal, and cannot change his will; and, therefore, if he +wills us to perish, perish we must.' + +We may think so of God, and dread God, and cry 'Whither shall I flee +from thy Spirit, and whither shall I go from thy presence?' We may +call to the mountains to fall on us, and to the hills to cover us, +till we try to forget at all risks the thought of God: and if we do +not, there are plenty who will do it for us. The devil, who slanders +and curses God to men, and men to God, and to each other--he will +talk to us of God in this way. + +And men who preach the devil's doctrine, will talk to us likewise, +and say, 'Yes, God is very dreadful, and very angry with you. God +certainly intends to damn you. But _I_ have a plan for delivering +you out of God's hands; _I_ know what you must do to be saved from +God--join MY sect or party, and believe and work with me, and then +you will escape God.' + +But, after all, would it not be wiser, my friends, to hold your own +tongues, and let God himself speak? + +If he had not spoken in the first place, what should we have known of +him? Can man by searching find out God? We should not have known +that there was a high and lofty One, who inhabits eternity, if he had +not told us. Had we not better hear the rest of his message, and let +God finish his own character of himself? + +And what does he say? + +'I dwell--I, the high and lofty One, who inhabit eternity--with him +also, who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of +the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.' + +Oh, my friends, is not this news? good news and unexpected news, +perhaps, but still as true as what went before it? God hath said the +one, and we believe it: and now he says the other; and shall we not +believe it too? + +Come, then, thou humble soul; thou crushed and contrite soul; thou +who fearest that thou art not worthy of God's care; thou from whom +God has taken so much, that thou fearest that he will take all--come +and hear the Lord's message to thee--God's own message; no devil's +message, or man's message, but God's own. + +'I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth; for +then the spirit would fail before me, and the souls which I have +made. I have seen thy ways, and will heal thee. I will lead thee, +also, and restore comforts to thee and to thy mourners. I create the +fruit of the lips. I give men cause to thank me, and delight in +giving. Peace, peace to him that is near, and to him that is far +off, saith the Lord. If thou art near me, thou art safe; for if I +were to take all else from thee, I should not take myself from thee. +Though thou walkest through the valley of the shadow of death, I will +be with thee. And if thou art far off from me, wandering in folly +and sin, I cry peace to thee still. Why should I wish to be at war +with any of my creatures? saith the Lord. My will is, that thou +shouldst be at peace. I am at peace myself, and I wish to make all +my creatures at peace also, and thee among the rest. I am whole and +perfect myself, and I wish to heal all my creatures, and make them +whole and perfect also, and thee among the rest. + +'But the wicked? Ay, this is their very misery, that there is no +peace to them. I want them to enter into my peace, and they will +not. I am at peace with them, saith the Lord. I owe them no grudge, +poor wretches. But they will not be at peace with themselves. They +are like the troubled sea, which casts up mire and dirt, and fouls +itself. I cast up no mire nor dirt. I foul nothing. I tempt no +man. I, the good God, create no evil. If the troubled sea fouls +itself, so do the wicked make themselves miserable, and punish +themselves by their own lusts, which war in their members. But they +cannot alter ME, saith the Lord; they cannot change my temper, my +character, my everlasting name. I am that I am, who inhabit +eternity; and no creature, and no creature's sin, can make me other +than I am. + +And what is that? What is the name, what is the character, what is +the temper of him who inhabits eternity? Look on the cross, and see. + +The cross, at least, will tell you what kind of a God your God is. A +good God; a God of love; a God of boundless forbearance and long- +suffering. Good God! The folly and madness of men's hearts, who +look on God dying on the cross for them, and begin forthwith puzzling +their brains as to HOW he died for them; how Christ's blood washes +away their sins; how it is applied, and to whom; puzzling their +brains with theories of the atonement, and with predestination, and +satisfaction, and forensic justification, and particular redemption, +and long words which (four out of five of them) are not in the Bible, +but are spun out of men's own minds, as spiders' webs are from +spiders--and, like them, mostly fit to hamper poor harmless flies. + +How Christ's death takes away thy sins, thou wilt never know on +earth--perhaps not in heaven. It is a mystery which thou must +believe and adore. But why he died, thou canst see at the first +glance--if thou hast a human heart, and wilt look at what God means +thee to look at--Christ upon his cross. He died because he was LOVE- +-love itself--love boundless, unconquerable, unchangeable--love which +inhabits eternity, and therefore could not be hardened or foiled by +any sin or rebellion of man, but must love men still; must go out to +seek and save them; must dare, suffer any misery, shame, death +itself, for their sake; just because it is absolute and perfect love, +which inhabits eternity. + +Look at that--look at the sight of God's character, which the cross +gives thee; and then, instead of being terrified at God's will and +decree being unchangeable and eternal, it will be the greatest +possible comfort to thee that God's will is unchangeable and eternal, +because thou wilt see from the cross that it is a GOOD will--a will +of mercy, forbearance, long-suffering towards thee and all mankind, +eternal in the heavens as God himself. + +Then let those be afraid who are not afraid; and let those who are +afraid, take heart. Let those who think they stand, take heed lest +they fall. Let those who think they see, take care that they be not +blind. Let those be afraid who fancy themselves right and above all +mistakes, lest they should be full of ugly sins when they fancy +themselves most religious and devout. Let those be afraid who are +fond of advising others, lest they should be in more need of their +own medicine than their patients are. Let those fear who pride +themselves on their cunning, lest with all their cunning they only +lead themselves into their own trap. + +But those who are afraid, let them take heart. For what says the +high and holy One, who inhabits eternity? 'I dwell with him that is +of a humble and contrite heart, to revive the spirit of the humble, +and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.' + +Let them take heart. Do you feel that you have lost your way in +life? Then God himself will show you your way. Are you utterly +helpless, worn out, body and soul? Then God's eternal love is ready +and willing to help you up, and revive you. Are you wearied with +doubts and terrors? Then God's eternal light is ready to show you +your way; God's eternal peace ready to give you peace. Do you feel +yourself full of sins and faults? Then take heart; for God's +unchangeable will is, to take away those sins and purge you from +those faults. + +Are you tormented as Job was, over and above all your sorrows, by +mistaken kindness, and comforters in whom is no comfort; who break +the bruised reed and quench the smoking flax; who tell you that you +must be wicked, and God must be angry with you, or all this would not +have come upon you? Job's comforters did so, and spoke very +righteous-sounding words, and took great pains to justify God and to +break poor Job's heart, and made him say many wild and foolish words +in answer, for which he was sorry afterwards; but after all, the +Lord's answer was, 'My wrath is kindled against you three, for you +have not spoken of me the thing which was right, as my servant Job +hath. Therefore my servant Job shall pray for you, for him will I +accept;' as he will accept every humble and contrite soul who clings, +amid all its doubts, and fears, and sorrows, to the faith that God is +just and not unjust, merciful and not cruel, condescending and not +proud--that his will is a good will, and not a bad will--that he +hateth nothing that he hath made, and willeth the death of no man; +and in that faith casts itself down like Job, in dust and ashes +before the majesty of God, content not to understand his ways and its +own sorrows; but simply submitting itself and resigning itself to the +good will of that God who so loved the world that he spared not his +only begotten Son, but freely gave him for us. + + + +Footnotes: + +{75} Compare Rom. iii. 23 with I Cor. xi. 7. Let me entreat all +young students to consider carefully and honestly the radical meaning +of the words [Greek text] and [Greek text]. It will explain to them +many seemingly dark passages of St. Paul, and perhaps deliver them +from more than one really dark superstition. + +{151} I do not quote the Crishna Legends, because they seem to be of +post-Christian date; and also worthless from the notion of a real +human babe being utterly lost in the ascription to Crishna of +unlimited magical powers. + +{162} See, as a counterpart to every detail of Joel's, the admirable +description of locust-swarms in Kohl's RUSSIA. + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD *** + +This file should be named gdng10.txt or gdng10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, gdng11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, gdng10a.txt + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS*Ver.02/11/02*END* + diff --git a/old/gdng10.zip b/old/gdng10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b707f25 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/gdng10.zip diff --git a/old/gdng10h.htm b/old/gdng10h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3421a7f --- /dev/null +++ b/old/gdng10h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7802 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII" /> +<title>The Good News of God</title> +</head> +<body> +<h2> +<a href="#startoftext">The Good News of God, by Charles Kingsley</a> +</h2> +<pre> +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Good News of God, by Charles Kingsley + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. 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You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The Good News of God + +Author: Charles Kingsley + +Release Date: December, 2004 [EBook #7051] +[This file was first posted on March 2, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII +</pre> +<p><a name="startoftext"></a></p> +<p>Transcribed from the 1887 Macmillan and Co. edition by David Price, +email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines3"><br /><br /><br /></div> +<h1>THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD</h1> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines3"><br /><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON I. THE BEATIFIC VISION</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>MATTHEW xxii. 27.</p> +<p>Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all +thy soul, and with all thy mind.</p> +<p>These words often puzzle and pain really good people, because they +seem to put the hardest duty first. It seems, at times, so much +more easy to love one’s neighbour than to love God. And +strange as it may seem, that is partly true. St. John tells us +so - ‘He that loves not his brother whom he hath seen, how can +he love God whom he hath not seen?’ Therefore many good +people, who really do love God, are unhappy at times because they feel +that they do not love him enough. They say in their hearts - ‘I +wish to do right, and I try to do it: but I am afraid I do not do it +from love to God.’</p> +<p>I think that they are often too hard upon themselves. I believe +that they are very often loving God with their whole hearts, when they +think that they are not doing so. But still, it is well to be +afraid of oneself, and dissatisfied with oneself.</p> +<p>I think, too - nay, I am certain - that many good people do not love +God as they ought, and as they would wish to do, because they have not +been rightly taught who God is, and what He is like. They have +not been taught that God is loveable; they have been taught that God +feels feelings, and does deeds, which if a man felt, or did, we should +call him arbitrary, proud, revengeful, cruel: and yet they are told +to love him; and they do not know how to love such a being as that. +Nor do I either, my friends.</p> +<p>Let us therefore think over to-day for ourselves why we ought to +love God; and why both Bible and Catechism bid child as well as man +to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, and minds, before +they bid us love our neighbours. And keep this in mind all through, +that the reason why we are to love God must depend upon what God’s +character is. For you cannot love any one because you are told +to love them. You can only love them because they are loveable +and worthy of your love. And that they will not be, unless they +are loving themselves; as it is written, we love God because he first +loved us.</p> +<p>Now, friends, look at this one thing first. When we see any +man do a just action, or a kind action, do we not like to see it? +Do we not like the man the better for doing it? A man must be +sunk very low in stupidity and ill-feeling - dead in tresspasses and +sins, as the Bible calls it - if he does not. Indeed, I never +saw the man yet, however bad he was himself, who did not, in his better +moments, admire what was right and good; and say, ‘Bad as I may +be, that man is a good man, and I wish I could do as he does.’</p> +<p>One sees the same, but far more strongly, in little children. +From their earliest years, as far as I have ever seen, children like +and admire what is good, even though they be naughty themselves; and +if you tell them of any very loving, generous, or brave action, their +hearts leap up in answer to it. They feel at once how beautiful +goodness is.</p> +<p>But why?</p> +<p>St. John tells us. That feeling comes, he tells us, from Christ, +the light who is the life of men, and lights every man who comes into +the world; and that light in our hearts, which makes us see, and admire, +and love what is good, is none other than Christ himself shining in +our hearts, and showing to us his own likeness, and the beauty thereof.</p> +<p>But if we stop there; if we only admire what is good, without trying +to copy it, we shall lose that light. Our corrupt and diseased +nature (and corrupt and diseased it is, as we shall surely find, as +soon as we begin to try to do right) will quench that heavenly spark +in us more and more, till it dies out - as God forbid that it should +die out in any of us. For if it did die out, we should care no +more for what is good. We should see nothing beautiful, and noble, +and glorious, in being just, and loving, and merciful. And then, +indeed, we should see nothing worth loving in God himself:- and it were +better for us that we had never been born.</p> +<p>But none of us, I trust, are fallen as low as that. We all, +surely, admire a good action, and love a good man. Surely we do. +Then I will go on, to ask you one question more.</p> +<p>Did it ever strike you, that goodness is not merely <i>a</i> beautiful +thing, but THE beautiful thing - by far the most beautiful thing in +the world; and that badness is not merely <i>an</i> ugly thing, but +the ugliest thing in the world? - So that nothing is to be compared +for value with goodness; that riches, honour, power, pleasure, learning, +the whole world and all in it, are not worth having, in comparison with +being good; and the utterly best thing for a man is to be good, even +though he were never to be rewarded for it: and the utterly worst thing +for a man is to be bad, even though he were never to be punished for +it; and, in a word, goodness is the only thing worth loving, and badness +the only thing worth hating.</p> +<p>Did you ever feel this, my friends? Happy are those among you +who have felt it; for of you the Lord says, Blessed are they that hunger +and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled. Ay, +happy are you who have felt it; for it is the sign, the very and true +sign, that the Holy Spirit of God, who is the Spirit of goodness, is +working in your hearts with power, revealing to you the exceeding beauty +of holiness, and the exceeding sinfulness of sin.</p> +<p>But did it never strike you besides, that goodness was one, and everlasting? +Let me explain what I mean.</p> +<p>Did you never see, that all good men show their goodness in the same +way, by doing the same kind of good actions? Let them be English +or French, black or white, if they be good, there is the same honesty, +the same truthfulness, the same love, the same mercy in all; and what +is right and good for you and me, now and here, is right and good for +every man, everywhere, and at all times for ever. Surely, surely, +what is noble, and loveable, and admirable now, was so five thousand +years ago, and will be five thousand years hence. What is honourable +for us here, would be equally honourable for us in America or Australia +- ay, or in the farthest star in the skies.</p> +<p>But, some of you may say, men at different times and in different +countries have had very different notions - indeed quite opposite notions, +of what men ought to be.</p> +<p>I know that some people say so. I can only answer that I differ +from them. True, some men have had less light than others, and, +God knows, have made fearful mistakes enough, and fancied that they +could please God by behaving like devils: but on the first principles +of goodness, all the world has been pretty well agreed all along; for +wherever men have been taught what is really right, there have been +plenty of hearts to answer, ‘Yes, this is good! this is what we +have wanted all along, though we knew it not.’ And all the +wisest men among the heathen - the men who have been honoured, and even +worshipped as blessings to their fellow men, have agreed, one and all, +in the great and golden rule, ‘Thou shalt love God, with all thy +heart and soul, and thy neighbour as thyself.’</p> +<p>Believe about this as you may, my friends, still I believe, and will +believe; I preach, and will preach, this, and nought else but this:- +That there is but one everlasting goodness, which is good in men, good +in all rational beings - yea, good in God himself.</p> +<p>These last are solemn words, but they are true; and the more you +think over them, the more, I tell you, will you find them true. +And to them I have been trying to lead you; and will try once more.</p> +<p>For, did it never strike you, again - as it has me - and all the +world has looked different to me since I found it out - that there must +be ONE, in whom all goodness is gathered together; ONE, who must be +perfectly and absolutely good? And did it never strike you, that +all the goodness in the world must, in some way or other, come from +HIM? I believe that our hearts and reasons, if we will listen +fairly to them, tell us that it must be so; and I am certain that the +Bible tells us so, from beginning to end. When we see the million +rain-drops of the shower, we say, with reason, there must be one great +sea from which all these drops have come. When we see the countless +rays of light, we say, with reason, there must be one great central +sun from which all these are shed forth. And when we see, as it +were, countless drops, and countless rays of goodness scattered about +in the world, a little good in this man, and a little good in that, +shall we not say, there must be one great sea, one central sun of goodness, +from whence all human goodness comes? And where can that centre +of goodness be, but in the very character of God himself?</p> +<p>Yes, my friends; if you would know what God is, think of all the +noble, beautiful, loveable actions, tempers, feelings, which you ever +saw or heard of. Think of all the good, and admirable, and loveable +people whom you ever met; and fancy to yourselves all that goodness, +nobleness, admirableness, loveableness, and millions of times more, +gathered together in one, to make one perfectly good character - and +then you have some faint notion of God, some dim sight of God, who is +the eternal and perfect Goodness.</p> +<p>It is but a faint notion, no doubt, that the best man can have of +God’s goodness, so dull has sin made our hearts and brains: but +let us comfort ourselves with this thought - That the more we learn +to love what is good, the more we accustom ourselves to think of good +people and good things, and to ask ourselves why and how this action +and that is good, the more shall we be able to see the goodness of God. +And to see that, even for a moment, is worth all sights in earth or +heaven.</p> +<p>Worth all sights, indeed. No wonder that the saints of old +called it the ‘Beatific Vision,’ that is, the sight which +makes a man utterly blessed; namely, to see, if but for a moment, with +his mind’s eye what God is like, and behold he is utterly good!</p> +<p>No wonder that they said (and I doubt not that they spoke honestly +and simply what they felt) that while that thought was before them, +this world was utterly nothing to them; that they were as men in a dream, +or dead, not caring to eat or to move, for fear of losing that glorious +thought; but felt as if they were (as they were most really and truly) +caught up into heaven, and taken utterly out of themselves by the beauty +and glory of God’s perfect goodness. No wonder that they +cried out with David, ‘Whom have I in heaven, O Lord, but Thee? +and there is none on earth whom I desire in comparison of Thee.’ +No wonder that they said with St. Peter when he saw our Lord’s +glory, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here,’ and felt like +men gazing upon some glorious picture or magnificent show, off which +they cannot take their eyes; and which makes them forget for the time +all beside in heaven and earth.</p> +<p>And it was good for them to be there: but not too long. Man +was sent into this world not merely to see, but to do; and the more +he sees, the more he is bound to go and do accordingly. St. Peter +had to come down from the mount, and preach the Gospel wearily for many +a year, and die at last upon the cross. St. Augustine, in like +wise, though he would gladly have lived and died doing nothing but fixing +his soul’s eye steadily on the glory of God’s goodness, +had to come down from the mount likewise, and work, and preach, and +teach, and wear himself out in daily drudgery for that God whom he learnt +to serve, even when he could not adore Him in the press of business, +and the bustle of a rotten and dying world.</p> +<p>But see, my dear friends, and consider it well - Before a man can +come to that state of mind, or anything like it, he must have begun +by loving goodness wherever he saw it; and have settled in his heart +that to be good, and therefore to do good, is the most beautiful thing +in the world. So he will begin by loving his brother whom he has +seen, and by taking delight in good people, and in all honest, true, +loving, merciful, generous words and actions, and in those who say and +do them. And so he will be fit to love God, whom he has not seen, +when he finds out (as God grant that you may all find out) that all +goodness of which we can conceive, and far, far more, is gathered together +in God, and flows out from him eternally over his whole creation, by +that Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father and the Son, and is the +Lord and Giver of life, and therefore of goodness. For goodness +is nothing else, if you will receive it, but the eternal life of God, +which he has lived, and lives now, and will live for evermore, God blessed +for ever. Amen.</p> +<p>So, my dear friends, it will not be so difficult for you to love +God, if you will only begin by loving goodness, which is God’s +likeness, and the inspiration of God’s Holy Spirit. For +you will be like a man who has long admired a beautiful picture of some +one whom he does not know, and at last meets the person for whom the +picture was meant - and behold the living face is a thousand times more +fair and noble than the painted one. You will be like a child +which has been brought up from its birth in a room into which the sun +never shone; and then goes out for the first time, and sees the sun +in all his splendour bathing the earth with glory. If that child +had loved to watch the dim narrow rays of light which shone into his +dark room, what will he not feel at the sight of that sun from which +all those rays had come Just so will they feel who, having loved goodness +for its own sake, and loved their neighbours for the sake of what little +goodness is in them, have their eyes opened at last to see all goodness, +without flaw or failing, bound or end, in the character of God, which +he has shown forth in Jesus Christ our Lord, who is the likeness of +his Father’s glory, and the express image of his person; to whom +be glory and honour for ever. Amen.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON II. THE GLORY OF THE CROSS</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>JOHN xvii. 1.</p> +<p>Father, the hour is come. Glorify thy Son, that thy Son also +may glorify thee. I spoke to you lately of the beatific vision +of God. I will speak of it again to-day; and say this.</p> +<p>If any man wishes to see God, truly and fully, with the eyes of his +soul: if any man wishes for that beatific vision of God; that perfect +sight of God’s perfect goodness; then must that man go, and sit +down at the foot of Christ’s cross, and look steadfastly upon +him who hangs thereon. And there he will see, what the wisest +and best among the heathen, among the Mussulmans, among all who are +not Christian men, never have seen, and cannot see unto this day, however +much they may feel (and some of them, thank God, do feel) that God is +the Eternal Goodness, and must be loved accordingly.</p> +<p>And what shall we see upon the cross?</p> +<p>Many things, friends, and more than I, or all the preachers in the +world, will be able to explain to you, though we preached till the end +of the world. But one thing we shall see, if we will, which we +have forgotten sadly, Christians though we be, in these very days; forgotten +it, most of us, so utterly, that in order to bring you back to it, I +must take a seemingly roundabout road.</p> +<p>Does it seem, or does it not seem, to you, that the finest thing +in a man is magnanimity - what we call in plain English, greatness of +soul? And if it does seem to you to be so, what do you mean by +greatness of soul? When you speak of a great soul, and of a great +man, what manner of man do you mean?</p> +<p>Do you mean a very clever man, a very far-sighted man, a very determined +man, a very powerful man, and therefore a very successful man? +A man who can manage everything, and every person whom he comes across, +and turn and use them for his own ends, till he rises to be great and +glorious - a ruler, king, or what you will?</p> +<p>Well - he is a great man: but I know a greater, and nobler, and more +glorious stamp of man; and you do also. Let us try again, and +think if we can find his likeness, and draw it for ourselves. +Would he not be somewhat like this pattern? - A man who was aware that +he had vast power, and yet used that power not for himself but for others; +not for ambition, but for doing good? Surely the man who used +his power for other people would be the greater-souled man, would he +not? Let us go on, then, to find out more of his likeness. +Would he be stern, or would he be tender? Would he be patient, +or would he be fretful? Would he be a man who stands fiercely +on his own rights, or would he be very careful of other men’s +rights, and very ready to waive his own rights gracefully and generously? +Would he be extreme to mark what was done amiss against him, or would +he be very patient when he was wronged himself, though indignant enough +if he saw others wronged? Would he be one who easily lost his +temper, and lost his head, and could be thrown off his balance by one +foolish man? Surely not. He would be a man whom no fool, +nor all fools together could throw off his balance; a man who could +not lose his temper, could not lose his self-respect; a man who could +bear with those who are peevish, make allowances for those who are weak +and ignorant, forgive those who are insolent, and conquer those who +are ungrateful, not by punishment, but by fresh kindness, overcoming +their evil by his good. - A man, in short, whom no ill-usage without, +and no ill-temper within, could shake out of his even path of generosity +and benevolence. Is not that the truly magnanimous man; the great +and royal soul? Is not that the stamp of man whom we should admire, +if we met him on earth? Should we not reverence that man; esteem +it an honour and a pleasure to work under that man, to take him for +our teacher, our leader, in hopes that, by copying his example, our +souls might become great like his?</p> +<p>Is it so, my friends? Then know this, that in admiring that +man, you admire the likeness of God. In wishing to be like that +man, you wish to be like God.</p> +<p>For this is God’s true greatness; this is God’s true +glory; this is God’s true royalty; the greatness, glory, and royalty +of loving, forgiving, generous power, which pours itself out, untiring +and undisgusted, in help and mercy to all which he has made; the glory +of a Father who is perfect in this, that he causeth his rain to fall +on the evil and on the good, and his sun to shine upon the just and +on the unjust, and is good to the unthankful and the evil; a Father +who has not dealt with us after our sins, or rewarded us after our iniquities: +a Father who is not extreme to mark what is done amiss, but whom it +is worth while to fear, for with him is mercy and plenteous redemption; +- all this, and more - a Father who so loved a world which had forgotten +him, a world whose sins must have been disgusting to him, that he spared +not his only begotten Son, but freely gave him for us, and will with +him freely give us all things; a Father, in one word, whose name and +essence is love, even as it is the name and essence of the Son and of +the Holy Ghost.</p> +<p>This, my friends, is the glory of God: but this glory never shone +out in its full splendour till it shone upon the cross.</p> +<p>For - that we may go back again, to that great-souled man, of whom +I spoke just now - did we not leave out one thing in his character? +or at least, one thing by which his character might be proved and tried? +We said that he should be generous and forgiving; we said that he should +bear patiently folly, peevishness, ingratitude: but what if we asked +of him, that he should sacrifice himself utterly for the peevish, ungrateful +men for whose good he was toiling? What if we asked him to give +up, for them, not only all which made life worth having, but to give +up life itself? To die for them; and, what is bitterest of all, +to die by their hands - to receive as their reward for all his goodness +to them a shameful death? If he dare submit to that, then we should +call his greatness of soul perfect. Magnanimity, we should say, +could rise no higher; in that would be the perfection of goodness.</p> +<p>Surely your hearts answer, that this is true. When you hear +of a father sacrificing his own life for his children; when you hear +of a soldier dying for his country; when you hear of a clergyman or +a physician killing himself by his work, while he is labouring to save +the souls or the bodies of his fellow-creatures; then you feel - There +is goodness in its highest shape. To give up our lives for others +is one of the most beautiful, and noble, and glorious things on earth. +But to give up our lives, willingly, joyfully for men who misunderstand +us, hate us, despise us, is, if possible, a more glorious action still, +and the very perfection of perfect virtue. Then, looking at Christ’s +cross, we see that, and even more - ay, far more than that. The +cross was the perfect token of the perfect greatness of God, and of +the perfect glory of God.</p> +<p>So on the cross, the Father justified himself to man; yea, glorified +himself in the glory of his crucified Son. On the cross God proved +himself to be perfectly just, perfectly good, perfectly generous, perfectly +glorious, beyond all that man could ever have dared to conceive or dream. +That God must be good, the wise heathens knew; but that God was so utterly +good that he could stoop to suffer, to die, for men, and by men - that +they never dreamed. That was the mystery of God’s love, +which was hid in Christ from the foundation of the world, and which +was revealed at last upon the cross of Calvary by him who prayed for +his murderers - ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what +they do.’ That truly blessed sight of a Saviour-God, who +did not disdain to die the meanest and the most fearful of deaths - +that, that came home at once, and has come home ever since, to all hearts +which had left in them any love and respect for goodness, and melted +them with the fire of divine love; as God grant it may melt yours, this +day, and henceforth for ever.</p> +<p>I can say no more, my friends. If this good news does not come +home to your hearts by its own power, it will never be brought home +to you by any words of mine.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON III. THE LIFE OF GOD</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>1 JOHN i. 2.</p> +<p>For the Life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, +and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father and was +manifested unto us!</p> +<p>What do we mean, when we speak of the Life everlasting?</p> +<p>Do we mean that men’s souls are immortal, and will live for +ever after death, either in happiness or misery?</p> +<p>We must mean more than that. At least we ought to mean more +than that, if we be Christian men. For the Bible tells us, that +Christ brought life and immortality to light. Therefore they must +have been in darkness before Christ’s coming; and men did not +know as much about life and immortality before Christ’s coming +as they know - or ought to know - now.</p> +<p>But if we need only believe that we shall live for ever after death +in happiness or misery, then Christ has not brought life and immortality +to light. He has thrown no fresh light upon the matter.</p> +<p>And why? For this simple reason, that the old heathen knew +as much as that before Christ came.</p> +<p>The old Greeks and Romans, and Persians, and our own forefathers +before they became Christians, believed that men’s souls would +live for ever happy or miserable. The Mussulmans, Mahommedans, +Turks as they are called in the Prayer-book, believe as much as that +now. They believe that men’s souls live for ever after death, +and go to ‘heaven’ or ‘hell.’</p> +<p>So those words ‘everlasting Life’ must needs mean something +more than that. What do they mean?</p> +<p>First. What does everlasting mean?</p> +<p>It means exactly the same as eternal. The two words are the +same: only everlasting is English, and eternal Latin. But they +have the same sense.</p> +<p>Now everlasting and eternal mean something which has neither beginning +nor end. That is certain. The wisest of the heathen knew +that: but we are apt to forget it. We are apt to think a thing +may be everlasting, because it has no end, though it has a beginning. +We are careless thinkers, if we fancy that. God is eternal because +he has neither beginning nor end.</p> +<p>But here come two puzzles.</p> +<p>First. The Athanasian Creed says that there is but one Eternal, +that is, God; and never were truer words written.</p> +<p>But do we not make out two Eternals? For God is one Eternal; +and eternal life is another Eternal. Now which is right; we, or +the Athanasian Creed? I shall hold by the Athanasian Creed, my +friends, and ask you to think again over the matter: thus - If there +be but one Eternal, there is but one way of escaping out of our puzzle, +which makes two Eternals; and that is, to go back to the old doctrine +of St. Paul, and St. John, and the wisest of the Fathers, and say - +There is but one Eternal; and therefore eternal life is in the Eternal +God. And it is eternal Life because it is God’s life; the +life which God lives; and it is eternal just because, and only because, +it is the life of God; and eternal death is nothing but the want of +God’s eternal life.</p> +<p>Certainly, whether you think this true or not, St. John thought it +true; for he says so most positively in the text. He says that +the Life was manifested - showed plainly upon earth, and that he had +seen it. And he says that he saw it in a man, whom his eyes had +seen, and his hands had handled. How could that be?</p> +<p>My friends, how else could it be? How can you see life, but +by seeing some one live it? You cannot see a man’s life, +unless you see him live such and such a life, or hear of his living +such and such a life, and so knowing what his life, manners, character, +are. And so no one could have seen God’s life, or known +what life God lived, and what character God’s was, had it not +been for the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was made flesh, +and dwelt among us, that by seeing him, the Son, we might see the Father, +whose likeness he was, and is, and ever will be.</p> +<p>But now, says St. John, we know what God’s eternal life is; +for we know what Christ’s life was on earth. And more, we +know that it is a life which men may live; for Christ lived it perfectly +and utterly, though He was a man.</p> +<p>What sort of life, then, is everlasting life?</p> +<p>Who can tell altogether and completely? And yet who cannot +tell in part? Use the common sense, my friends, which God has +given to you, and think; - If eternal life be the life of God, it must +be a good life; for God is good. That is the first, and the most +certain thing which we can say of it. It must be a righteous and +just life; a loving and merciful life; for God is righteous, just, loving, +merciful; and more, it must be an useful life, a life of good works; +for God is eternally useful, doing good to all his creatures, working +for ever for the benefit of all which he has made.</p> +<p>Yes - a life of good works. There is no good life without good +works. When you talk of a man’s life, you mean not only +what he feels and thinks, but what he does. What is in his heart +goes for nothing, unless he brings it out in his actions, as far as +he can.</p> +<p>Therefore St. James says, ‘Thou hast faith, and I have works. +Shew me thy faith <i>without</i> thy works,’ (and who can do that?) +‘and I will shew thee my faith by my works.’</p> +<p>And St. John says, there is no use <i>saying</i> you love. +‘Let us love not in word and in tongue, but in deed and in truth;’ +and again - and would to God that most people who talk so glibly about +heaven and hell, and the ways of getting thither, would recollect this +one plain text - ‘Little children, let no man deceive you. +He that <i>doeth</i> righteousness is righteous, even as God is righteous.’ +And therefore it is that St. Paul bids rich men ‘be rich also +in noble deeds,’ generous and liberal of their money to all who +want, that they may ‘lay hold of that which is really life,’ +namely, the eternal life of goodness.</p> +<p>And therefore also, my friends, we may be sure that God loves in +deed and in truth: because it is written that God is love.</p> +<p>For if a man loves, he longs to help those whom he loves. It +is the very essence of love, that it cannot be still, cannot be idle, +cannot be satisfied with itself, cannot contain itself, but must go +out to do good to those whom it loves, to seek and to save that which +is lost. And therefore God is perfect love, and his eternal life +a life of eternal love, because he sends his Son eternally to seek and +to save that which is lost.</p> +<p>This, then, is eternal life; a life of everlasting love showing itself +in everlasting good works; and whosoever lives that life, he lives the +life of God, and hath eternal life.</p> +<p>What I have just said will help you, I think, to understand another +royal text about eternal life.</p> +<p>For now’ we may understand why it is written, that this is +life eternal, to know the true and only God, and Jesus Christ whom he +has sent. For if eternal life be God’s life, we must know +God, and God’s character, to know what eternal life is like: and +if no man has seen God at any time, and God’s life can only be +seen in the life of Christ, then we must know Christ, and Christ’s +life, to know God and God’s life; that the saying may be fulfilled +in us, God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.</p> +<p>One other royal text, did I say? We may understand many, perhaps +all, the texts which speak of life, and eternal life, if we will look +at them in this way. We may see why St. Paul says that to be spiritually +minded is life; and that the life of Jesus may be manifested in men: +and how the sin of the old heathen lay in this, that they were alienated +from the life of God. We may understand how Christ’s commandment +is everlasting life; how the water which he gives, can spring up within +a man’s heart to everlasting life - all such texts we may, and +shall, understand more and more, if we will bear in mind that everlasting +life is the life of God and of Christ, a life of love; a life of perfect, +active, self-sacrificing goodness, which is the one only true life for +all rational beings, whether on earth or in heaven.</p> +<p>In heaven, my friends, as well as on earth. Form your own notions, +as you will, about angels, and saints in heaven, for every one must +have some notions about them, and try to picture to himself what the +souls of those whom he has loved and lost are doing in the other world: +but bear this in mind: that if the saints in heaven live the everlasting +life, they must be living a life of usefulness, of love and of good +works.</p> +<p>And here I must say, friends, that however much the Roman Catholics +may be wrong on many points, they have remembered one thing about the +life everlasting, which we are too apt to forget; and that is, that +everlasting life cannot be a selfish, idle life, spent only in being +happy oneself. They believe that the saints in heaven are <i>not</i> +idle; that they are eternally helping mankind; doing all sorts of good +offices for those souls who need them; that, as St. Paul says of the +angels, they are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to those +who are heirs of salvation. And I cannot see why they should not +be right. For if the saints’ delight was to do good on earth, +much more will it be to do good in heaven. If they helped poor +sufferers, if they taught the ignorant, if they comforted the afflicted, +here on earth, much more will they be able, much more will they be willing, +to help, comfort, teach them, now that they are in the full power, the +full freedom, the full love and zeal of the everlasting life. +If their hearts were warmed and softened by the fire of God’s +love here, how much more there! If they lived God’s life +of love here, how much more there, before the throne of God, and the +face of Christ!</p> +<p>But if any one shall say, that the souls of good men in heaven cannot +help us who are here on earth, I answer, When did they ascend into heaven, +to find out that? If they had ever been there, friends, be sure +they would have had better news to bring home than this - that those +whom we have honoured and loved on earth have lost the power which they +used to have, of comforting us who are struggling here below. +That notion springs altogether out of a superstitious fancy that heaven +is a great many millions of miles away from this earth - which fancy, +wherever men get it from, they certainly do not get it from the Bible. +Moreover it seems to me, that if the saints in heaven cannot help men, +then they cannot be happy in heaven. Cannot be happy? Ay, +must be miserable. For what greater misery for really good men, +than to see things going wrong, and not to be able to mend them; to +see poor creatures suffering, and not to be able to comfort them? +No, my friends, we will believe - what every one who loves a beloved +friend comes sooner or later to believe - that those whom we have honoured +and loved, though taken from our eyes, are near to our spirits; that +they still fight for us, under the banner of their Master Christ, and +still work for us, by virtue of his life of love, which they live in +him and by him for ever.</p> +<p>Pray to them, indeed, we need not, as if they would help us out of +any self-will of their own. There, I think, the Roman Catholics +are wrong. They pray to the saints as if the saints had wills +of their own, and fancies of their own, and were respecters of persons; +and could have favourites, and grant private favours to those who especially +admired and (I fear I must say it) flattered them. But why should +we do that? That is to lower God’s saints in our own eyes. +For if we believe that they are made perfect, and like perfectly the +everlasting life, then we must believe that there is no self-will in +them: but that they do God’s will, and not their own, and go on +God’s errands, and not their own; that he, and not their own liking, +sends them whithersoever he wills; and that if we ask of <i>him</i> +- of God our Father himself, that is enough for us.</p> +<p>And what shall we ask?</p> +<p>Ask - ‘Father, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.’</p> +<p>For in asking that, we ask for the best of all things. We ask +for the happiness, the power, the glory of saints and angels. +We ask to be put into tune with God’s whole universe, from the +meanest flower beneath our feet, to the most glorious spirit whom God +ever created. We ask for the one everlasting life which can never +die, fail, change, or disappoint: yea, for the everlasting life which +Christ the only begotten Son lives from eternity to eternity, for ever +saying to his Father, ‘Thy will be done.’</p> +<p>Yes - when we ask God to make us do his will, then indeed we ask +for everlasting life.</p> +<p>Does that seem little? Would you rather ask for all manner +of pleasant things, if not in this life, at least in the life to come?</p> +<p>Oh, my friends, consider this. We were not put into this world +to get pleasant things; and we shall not be put into the next world, +as it seems to me, to get pleasant things. We were put into this +world to do God’s will. And we shall be put (I believe) +into the next world for the very same purpose - to do God’s will; +and if we do that, we shall find pleasure enough in doing it. +I do not doubt that in the next world all manner of harmless pleasure +will come to us likewise; because that will be, we hope, a perfect and +a just world, not a piecemeal, confused, often unjust world, like this: +but pleasant things will come to us in the next life, only in proportion +as we shall be doing God’s will in the next life; and we shall +be happy and blessed, only because we shall be living that eternal life +of which I have been preaching to you all along, the life which Christ +lives and has lived and will live for ever, saying to the Eternal Father +- I come to do thy will - not my will but thine be done.</p> +<p>Oh! may God give to us all his Spirit; the Spirit by which Christ +did his Father’s will, and lived his Father’s life in the +soul and body of a mortal man, that we may live here a life of obedience +and of good works, which is the only true and living life of faith; +and that when we die it may be said of us - ‘Blessed are the dead +who die in the Lord; for they rest from their labours, and their works +do follow them.’</p> +<p>They rest from their labours. All their struggles, disappointments, +failures, backslidings, which made them unhappy here, because they could +not perfectly do the will of God, are past and over for ever. +But their works follow them. The good which they did on earth +- that is not past and over. It cannot die. It lives and +grows for ever, following on in their path long after they are dead, +and bearing fruit unto everlasting life, not only in them, but in men +whom they never saw, and in generations yet unborn.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON IV. THE SONG OF THE THREE CHILDREN</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>DANIEL iii. 16, 17, 18.</p> +<p>O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. +If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning +fiery furnace; and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. +But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy +gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.</p> +<p>We read this morning, instead of the Te Deum, the Song of the Three +Children, beginning, ‘Oh all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the +Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.’ It was proper +to do so: because the Ananias, Azarias, and Misael mentioned in it, +are the same as the Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego, whose story we +heard in the first lesson; and because some of the old Jews held that +this noble hymn was composed by them, and sung by them in the burning +fiery furnace, wherefore it has been called ‘The Song of the Three +Children;’ for child, in old English, meant a young man.</p> +<p>Be that as it may, it is a glorious hymn, worthy of the Church of +God, worthy of those three young men, worthy of all the noble army of +martyrs; and if the three young men did not actually use the very words +of it, still it was what they believed; and, because they believed it, +they had courage to tell Nebuchadnezzar that they were not careful to +answer him - had no manner of doubt or anxiety whatsoever as to what +they were to say, when he called on them to worship his gods. +For his gods, we know, were the sun, moon, and planets, and the angels +who (as the Chaldeans believed) ruled over the heavenly bodies; and +that image of gold is supposed, by some learned men, to have been probably +a sign or picture of the wondrous power of life and growth which there +is in all earthly things - and that a sign of which I need not speak, +or you hear. So that the meaning of this Song of the Three Children +is simply this:</p> +<p>‘You bid us worship the things about us, which we see with +our bodily eyes. We answer, that we know the one true God, who +made all these things; and that, therefore, instead of worshipping <i>them</i>, +we will bid them to worship <i>him</i>.’</p> +<p>Now let us spend a few minutes in looking into this hymn, and seeing +what it teaches us.</p> +<p>You see at once, that it says that the one God, and not many gods, +made all things: much more, that things did not make themselves, or +grow up of their own accord, by any virtue or life of their own.</p> +<p>But it says more. It calls upon all things which God has made, +to bless him, praise him, and magnify him for ever. This is much +more than merely saying, ‘One God made the world.’ +For this is saying something about God’s character; declaring +what this one God is like.</p> +<p>For when you bless a person - (I do not mean when you pray God to +bless him - that is a different thing) - when you bless any one, I say, +you bless him because he is blessed, and has done blessed things: because +he has shown himself good, generous, merciful, useful. You praise +a person because he is praiseworthy, noble, and admirable. You +magnify a person - that is, speak of him to every one, and everywhere, +in the highest terms - because you think that every one ought to know +how good and great he is. And, therefore, when the hymn says, +‘Bless God, praise him, and magnify him for ever,’ it does +not merely confess God’s power. No. It confesses, +too, God’s wisdom, goodness, beauty, love, and calls on all heaven +and earth to admire him, the alone admirable, and adore him, the alone +adorable.</p> +<p>For this is really to believe in God. Not merely to believe +that there is a God, but to know what God is like, and to know that +He is worthy to be believed in; worthy to be trusted, honoured, loved +with heart and mind and soul, because we know that He is worthy of our +love.</p> +<p>And this, we have a right to say, these three young men did, or whosoever +wrote this hymn; and that as a reward for their faith in God, there +was granted to them that deep insight into the meaning of the world +about them, which shines out through every verse of this hymn.</p> +<p>Deep? I tell you, my friends, that this hymn is so deep, that +it is too deep for the shallow brains of which the world is full now-a-days, +who fancy that they know all about heaven and earth, just because they +happen to have been born now, and not two hundred years ago. To +such this old hymn means nothing; it is in their eyes merely an old-fashioned +figure of speech to call on sun and stars, green herb and creeping thing, +to praise and bless God. Nevertheless, the old hymn stands in +our prayer-books, as a precious heir-loom to our children; and long +may it stand. Though we may forget its meaning, yet perhaps our +children after us will recollect it once more, and say with their hearts, +what we now, I fear, only say with our lips and should not say at all, +if it was not put into our months by the Prayer-book.</p> +<p>Do you not understand what I mean? Then think of this:-</p> +<p>If we were writing a hymn about God, should we dare to say to the +things about us - to the cattle feeding in the fields - much less to +the clouds over our heads, and to the wells of which we drink, ‘Bless +ye the Lord, praise him, and magnify him for ever?’</p> +<p>We should not dare; and for two reasons.</p> +<p>First - There is a notion abroad, borrowed from the old monks, that +this earth is in some way bad, and cursed; that a curse is on it still +for man’s sake: but a notion which is contrary to plain fact; +for if we till the ground, it does <i>not</i> bring forth thorns and +thistles to us, as the Scripture says it was to do for Adam, but wholesome +food, and rich returns for our labour: and which in the next place is +flatly contrary to Scripture: for we read in Genesis viii. 21, how the +Lord said, ‘I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s +sake;’ and the Psalms always speak of this earth, and of all created +things, as if there was no curse at all on them; saying that ‘all +things serve God, and continue as they were at the beginning,’ +and that ‘He has given them a law which cannot be broken;’ +and in the face of those words, let who will talk of the earth being +cursed, I will not; and you shall not, if I can help it.</p> +<p>Another reason why we dare not talk of this earth as this hymn does +is, that we have got into the habit of saying, ‘Cattle and creeping +things - they are not rational beings. How can they praise God? +Clouds and wells - they are not even living things. How can they +praise God? Why speak of them in a hymn; much less speak to them?’</p> +<p>Yet this hymn does speak to them; and so do the Psalms and the Prophets +again and again. And so will men do hereafter, when the fashions +and the fancies of these days are past, and men have their eyes opened +once more to see the glory which is around them from their cradle to +their grave, and hear once more ‘The Word of the Lord walking +among the trees of the garden.’</p> +<p>But how can this be? How can not only dumb things, but even +dead things, praise God?</p> +<p>My friends, this is a great mystery, of which the wisest men as yet +know but little, and confess freely how little they know. But +this at least we know already, and can say boldly - all things praise +God, by fulfilling the law which our Lord himself declared, when he +said ‘Not every one who saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into +the kingdom of heaven: but he that doeth the will of my Father who is +in heaven.’</p> +<p>By doing the will of the heavenly Father. By obeying the laws +which God has given them. By taking the shape which he has appointed +for them. By being of the use for which he intended them. +By multiplying each after their kind, by laws and means a thousand times +more strange than any signs and wonders of which man can fancy for himself; +and by thus showing forth God’s boundless wisdom, goodness, love, +and tender care of all which he has made.</p> +<p>Yes, my friends, in this sense (and this is the true sense) all things +can serve and praise God, and all things do serve and praise Him. +Not a cloud which fleets across the sky, not a clod of earth which crumbles +under the frost, not a blade of grass which breaks through the snow +in spring, not a dead leaf which falls to the earth in autumn, but is +doing God’s work, and showing forth God’s glory. Not +a tiny insect, too small to be seen by human eyes without the help of +a microscope, but is as fearfully and wonderfully made as you and me, +and has its proper food, habitation, work, appointed for it, and not +in vain. Nothing is idle, nothing is wasted, nothing goes wrong, +in this wondrous world of God. The very scum upon the standing +pool, which seems mere dirt and dust, is all alive, peopled by millions +of creatures, each full of beauty, full of use, obeying laws of God +too deep for us to do aught but dimly guess at them; and as men see +deeper and deeper into the mystery of God’s creation, they find +in the commonest things about them wonder and glory, such as eye hath +not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to +conceive; and can only say with the Psalmist, ‘Oh Lord, thy ways +are infinite, thy thoughts are very deep;’ and confess that the +grass beneath their feet, the clouds above their heads - ay, every worm +beneath the sod and bird upon the bough, do, in very deed and truth, +bless the Lord who made them, praise him, and magnify him for ever, +not with words indeed, but with works; and say to man all day long, +‘Go thou, and do likewise.’</p> +<p>Yes, my friends, let us go and do likewise. If we wish really +to obey the lesson of the Hymn of the Three Children, let us do the +will of God: and so worship him in spirit and in truth. Do not +fancy, as too many do, that thou canst praise God by singing hymns to +him in church once a week, and disobeying him all the week long, crying +to him ‘Lord, Lord,’ and then living as if he were not thy +Lord, but thou wast thine own Lord, and hadst a right to do thine own +will, and not his. If thou wilt really bless God, then try to +live his blessed life of Goodness. If thou wilt truly praise God, +then behave as if God was praiseworthy, good, and right in what he bids +thee do. If thou wouldest really magnify God, and declare his +greatness, then behave as if he were indeed the Great God, who ought +to be obeyed - ay, who <i>must</i> be obeyed; for his commandment is +life, and it alone, to thee, as well as to all which He has made. +Dost thou fancy as the heathen do, that God needs to be flattered with +fine words? or that thou wilt be heard for thy much speaking, and thy +vain repetitions? He asks of thee works, as well as words; and +more, He asks of thee works first, and words after. And better +it is to praise him truly by works without words, than falsely by words +without works.</p> +<p>Cry, if thou wilt, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts;’ +but show that thou believest him to be holy, by being holy thyself. +Sing, if Thou wilt, of ‘The Father of an Infinite Majesty:’ +but show that thou believest his majesty to be infinite, by obeying +his commandments, like those Three Children, let them cost thee what +they may. Join, and join freely, in the songs of the heavenly +host; for God has given thee reason and speech, after the likeness of +his only begotten Son, and thou mayest use them, as well as every other +gift, in the service of thy Father. But take care lest, while +thou art trying to copy the angels, thou art not even as righteous as +the beasts of the field. For they bless and praise God by obeying +his laws; and till thou dost that, and obeyest God’s laws likewise, +thou art not as good as the grass beneath thy feet.</p> +<p>For after all has been said and sung, my friends, the sum and substance +of true religion remains what it was, and what it will be for ever; +and lies in this one word, ‘If ye love me, keep my commandments.’</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON V. THE ETERNAL GOODNESS</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>MATTHEW xxii. 39.</p> +<p>Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.</p> +<p>Why are wrong things wrong? Why, for instance, is it wrong +to steal?</p> +<p>Because God has forbidden it, you may answer. But is it so? +Whatsoever God forbids must be wrong. But, is it wrong because +God forbids it, or does God forbid it because it is wrong?</p> +<p>For instance, suppose that God had not forbidden us to steal, would +it be right then to steal, or at least, not wrong?</p> +<p>We must really think of this. It is no mere question of words, +it is a solemn practical question, which has to do with our every-day +conduct, and yet which goes down to the deepest of all matters, even +to the depths of God himself.</p> +<p>The question is simply this. Did God, who made all things, +make right and wrong? Many people think so. They think that +God made goodness. But how can that be? For if God made +goodness, there could have been no goodness before God made it. +That is clear. But God was always good, good from all eternity. +But how could that be? How could God be good, before there was +any goodness made? That notion will not do then. And all +we can say is that goodness is eternal and everlasting, just as God +is: because God was and is and ever will be eternally and always good.</p> +<p>But is eternal goodness one thing, and the eternal God, another? +That cannot be, again; for as the Athanasian Creed tells us so wisely +and well, there are not many Eternals, but one Eternal. Therefore +goodness must be the Spirit of God; and God must be the Spirit of goodness; +and right is nothing else but the character of the everlasting God, +and of those who are inspired by God.</p> +<p>What is wrong, then? Whatever is unlike right; whatever is +unlike goodness; whatever is unlike God; that is wrong. And why +does God forbid us to do wrong? Simply because wrong is unlike +himself. He is perfectly beautiful, perfectly blest and happy, +because he is perfectly good; and he wishes to see all his creatures +beautiful, blest, and happy: but they can only be so by being perfectly +good; and they can only be perfectly good by being perfectly like God +their Father; and they can only be perfectly like God the Father by +being full of love, loving their neighbour as themselves.</p> +<p>For what do we mean when we talk of right, righteousness, goodness?</p> +<p>Many answers have been given to that question.</p> +<p>The old Romans, who were a stern, legal-minded people, used to say +that righteousness meant to hurt no man, and to give every man his own. +The Eastern people had a better answer still, which our blessed Lord +used in one place, when he told them that righteousness was to do to +other people as we would they should do to us: but the best answer, +the perfect answer, is our Lord’s in the text, ‘Thou shalt +love thy neighbour as thyself.’ This is the true, eternal +righteousness. Not a legal righteousness, not a righteousness +made up of forms and ceremonies, of keeping days holy, and abstaining +from meats, or any other arbitrary commands, whether of God or of man. +This is God’s goodness, God’s righteousness, Christ’s +own goodness and righteousness. Do you not see what I mean? +Remember only one word of St. John’s. God is love. +Love is the goodness of God. God is perfectly good, because he +is perfect love. Then if you are full of love, you are good with +the same goodness with which God is good, and righteous with Christ’s +righteousness. That as what St. Paul wished to be, when he wished +to be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness, but the righteousness +which is by faith in Christ. His own righteousness was the selfish +and self-conceited righteousness which he had before his conversion, +made up of forms, and ceremonies, and doctrines, which made him narrow-hearted, +bigoted, self-conceited, fierce, cruel, a persecutor; the righteousness +which made him stand by in cold blood to see St. Stephen stoned. +But the righteousness which is by faith in Christ is a loving heart, +and a loving life, which every man will long to lead who believes really +in Jesus Christ. For when he looks at Christ, Christ’s humiliation, +Christ’s work, Christ’s agony, Christ’s death, and +sees in it nothing but utter and perfect <i>Love</i> to poor sinful, +undeserving man, then his heart makes answer, Yes, I believe in that! +I believe and am sure that that is the most beautiful character in the +world; that that is the utterly noble and right sort of person to be +- full of love as Christ was. I ought to be like that. My +conscience tells me that I ought. And I can be like that. +Christ, who was so good himself, must wish to make me good like himself, +and I can trust him to do it. I can have faith in him, that he +will make me like himself, full of the Spirit of love, without which +I shall be only useless and miserable. And I trust him enough +to be sure that, good as he is, he cannot mean to leave me useless or +miserable. So, by true faith in Christ, the man comes to have +Christ’s righteousness - that is, to be loving as Christ was. +He believes that Christ’s loving character is perfect beauty; +that he must be the Son of God, if his character be like that. +He believes that Christ can and will fill him with the same spirit of +love; and as he believes, so is it with him, and in him those words +are fulfilled, ‘Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son +of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God;’ and that ‘If +a man love me,’ says the Lord, ‘I and my Father will come +to him, and take up our abode with him.’ Those are wonderful +words: but if you will recollect what I have just said, you may understand +a little of them. St. John puts the same thing very simply, but +very boldly. ‘God is Love,’ he says, ‘and he +that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him.’ +Strange as it may seem, it must be so if God be love. Let us thank +God that it is true, and keep in mind what awful and wonderful creatures +we are, that God should dwell in us; what blessed and glorious creatures +we may become in time, if we will only listen to the voice of God who +speaks within our hearts.</p> +<p>And what does that voice say? The old commandment, my friends, +which was from the beginning, ‘Love one another.’ +Whatever thoughts or feeling in your hearts contradict that; whatever +tempts you to despise your neighbour, to be angry with him, to suspect +him, to fancy him shut out from God’s love, that is not of God. +No voice in our hearts is God’s voice, but what says in some shape +or other, ‘Love thy neighbour as thyself. Care for him, +bear with him long, and try to do him good.’</p> +<p>For love is of God, and every one that loveth is born of God, and +knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love. +Still less can he who is not loving fulfil the law; for the law of God +is the very pattern and picture of God’s character; and if a man +does not know what God is like, he will never know what God’s +law is like; and though he may read his Bible all day long, he will +learn no more from it than a dumb animal will, unless his heart is full +of love. For love is the light by which we see God, by which we +understand his Bible; by which we understand our duty, and God’s +dealings, in the world. Love is the light by which we understand +our own hearts; by which we understand our neighbours’ hearts. +So it is. If you hate any man, or have a spite against him, you +will never know what is in that man’s heart, never be able to +form a just opinion of his character. If you want to understand +human beings, or to do justice to their feelings, you must begin by +loving them heartily and freely, and the more you like them the better +you will understand them, and in general the better you will find them +to be at heart, the more worthy of your trust, at least the more worthy +of your compassion.</p> +<p>At least, so St. John says, ‘He that saith he is in the light, +and hates his brother, is in darkness even till now, and knoweth not +whither he goeth. But he that loveth his brother abideth in the +light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him.’</p> +<p>No occasion of stumbling. That is of making mistakes in our +behaviour to our neighbours, which cause scandal, drive them from us, +and make them suspect us, dislike us - and perhaps with too good reason. +Just think for yourselves. What does half the misery, and all +the quarrelling in the world come from, but from people’s loving +themselves better than their neighbours? Would children be disobedient +and neglectful to their parents, if they did not love themselves better +than their parents? Why does a man kill, commit adultery, steal, +bear false witness, covet his neighbour’s goods, his neighbour’s +custom, his neighbour’s rights, but because he loves his own pleasure +or interest better than his neighbour’s, loves himself better +than the man whom he wrongs? Would a man take advantage of his +neighbour if he loved him as well as himself? Would he be hard +on his neighbour, and say, Pay me the uttermost farthing, if he loved +him as he loves himself? Would he speak evil of his neighbour +behind his back, if he loved him as himself? Would he cross his +neighbour’s temper, just because he <i>will</i> have his own way, +right or wrong, if he loved him as himself? Judge for yourselves. +What would the world become like this moment if every man loved his +neighbour as himself, thought of his neighbour as much as he thinks +of himself? Would it not become heaven on earth at once? +There would be no need then for soldiers and policemen, lawyers, rates +and taxes, my friends, and all the expensive and heavy machinery which +is now needed to force people into keeping something of God’s +law. Ay, there would be no need of sermons, preachers and prophets +to tell men of God’s law, and warn them of the misery of breaking +it. They would keep the law of their own free-will, by love. +For love is the fulfilling of the law; and as St. Augustine says, ‘Love +you neighbour, and then do what you will - because you will be sure +to will what is right.’ So truly did our Lord say, that +on this one commandment hung all the law and the prophets.</p> +<p>But though that blessed state of things will not come to the whole +world till the day when Christ shall reign in that new heaven and new +earth, in which Righteousness shall dwell, still it may come here, now, +on earth, to each and every one of us, if we will but ask from God the +blessed gift; to love our neighbour as we love ourselves.</p> +<p>And then, my friends, whether we be rich or poor, fortunate or unfortunate, +still that spirit of Love which is the Spirit of God, will be its exceeding +great reward.</p> +<p>I say, its own reward.</p> +<p>For what is to be our reward, if we do our duty earnestly, however +imperfectly? ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant, +enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.’</p> +<p>And what is the joy of our Lord? What is the joy of Christ? +The joy and delight which springs for ever in his great heart, from +feeling that he is for ever doing good; from loving all, and living +for all; from knowing that if not all, yet millions on millions are +grateful to him, and will be for ever.</p> +<p>My friends, if you have ever done a kind action; if you have ever +helped any one in distress, or given up a pleasure for the sake of others +- do you not know that that deed gave you a peace, a self-content, a +joy for the moment at least, which nothing in this world could give, +or take away? And if the person whom you helped thanked you; if +you felt that you had made that man your friend; that he trusted you +now, looked on you now as a brother - did not that double the pleasure? +I ask you, is there any pleasure in the world like that of doing good, +and being thanked for it? Then that is the joy of your Lord. +That is the joy of Christ rising up in you, as often as you do good; +the love which is in you rejoicing in itself, because it has found a +loving thing to do, and has called out the love of a human being in +return.</p> +<p>Yes, if you will receive it, that is the joy of Christ - the glorious +knowledge that he is doing endless good, and calling out endless love +to himself and to the Father, till the day when he shall give up to +his Father the kingdom which he has won back from sin and death, and +God shall be all in all.</p> +<p>That is the joy of your Lord. If you wish for any different +sort of joy after you die, you must not ask me to tell you of it; for +I know nothing about the matter save what I find written in the Holy +Scripture.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON VI. WORSHIP</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>ISAIAH i. 12, 13.</p> +<p>When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your +hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense +is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of +assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.</p> +<p>This is a very awful text; one of those which terrify us - or at +least ought to terrify us - and set us on asking ourselves seriously +and honestly - ‘What do I believe after all? What manner +of man am I after all? What sort of show should I make after all, +if the people round me knew my heart and all my secret thoughts? +What sort of show, then, do I already make, in the sight of Almighty +God, who sees every man exactly as he is?’</p> +<p>I say, such texts as this ought to terrify us. It is good to +be terrified now and then; to be startled, and called to account, and +set thinking, and sobered, as it were, now and then, that we may look +at ourselves honestly anti bravely, and see, if we can, what sort of +men we are.</p> +<p>And therefore, perhaps, it is that this chapter is chosen for the +first Advent Lesson; to prepare us for Christmas; to frighten us somewhat; +at least to set us thinking seriously, and to make us fit to keep Christmas +in spirit and in truth.</p> +<p>For whom does this text speak of?</p> +<p>It speaks of religious people, and of a religious nation; and of +a fearful mistake which they were making, and a fearful danger into +which they had fallen. Now we are religious people, and England +is a religious nation; and therefore we may possibly make the same mistake, +and fall into the same danger, as these old Jews.</p> +<p>I do not say that we have done so; but we may; for human nature is +just the same now as it was then; and therefore it is as well for us +to look round - at least once now and then, and see whether we too are +in danger of falling, while we think that we are standing safe.</p> +<p>What does Isaiah, then, tell the religious Jews of his day?</p> +<p>That their worship of God, their church-going, their sabbaths, and +their appointed feasts were a weariness and an abomination to him. +That God loathed them, and would not listen to the prayers which were +made in them. That the whole matter was a mockery and a lie in +his sight.</p> +<p>These are awful words enough - that God should hate and loathe what +he himself had appointed; that what would be, one would think, one of +the most natural and most pleasant sights to a loving Father in heaven +- namely, his own children worshipping, blessing, and praising him - +should be horrible in his sight. There is something very shocking +in that; at least to Church people like us. If we were Dissenters, +who go to chapel chiefly to hear sermons, it would be easy for us to +say - ‘Of course, forms and ceremonies and appointed feasts are +nothing to begin with; they are man’s invention at best, and may +therefore be easily enough an abomination to God.’ But we +know that they are not so; that forms and ceremonies and appointed feasts +are good things as long as they have spirit and truth in them; that +whether or not they be of man’s invention, they spring out of +the most simple, wholesome wants of our human nature, which is a good +thing and not a bad one, for God made it in his own likeness, and bestowed +it on us. We know, or ought to know, that appointed feast days, +like Christmas, are good and comfortable ordinances, which cheer our +hearts on our way through this world, and give us something noble and +lovely to look forward to month after month; that they are like landmarks +along the road of life, reminding us of what God has done, and is doing, +for us and all mankind. And if you do not know, I know, that people +who throw away ordinances and festivals end, at least in a generation +or two, in throwing away the Gospel truth which that ordinance or festival +reminds us of; just as too many who have thrown away Good Friday have +thrown away the Good Friday good news, that Christ died for all mankind; +and too many who have thrown away Christmas are throwing away - often +without meaning to do so - the Christmas good news, that Christ really +took on himself the whole of our human nature, and took the manhood +into God.</p> +<p>So it is, my friends, and so it will be. For these forms and +festivals are the old landmarks and beacons of the Gospel; and if a +man will not look at the landmarks, then he will lose his way.</p> +<p>Therefore, to Church people like us, it ought to be a shocking thing +even to suspect that God may be saying to us, ‘Your appointed +feasts my soul hateth;’ and it ought to set them seriously thinking +how such a thing may happen, that they may guard against it. For +if God be not pleased with our coming to his house, what right have +we in his house at all?</p> +<p>But recollect this, my dear friends, that we are not to use this +text to search and judge others’ faults, but to search and judge +our own.</p> +<p>For if a man, hearing this sermon, looks at his neighbour across +the church, and says in his heart, ‘Ay, such a bad one as he is +- what right has he in church?’ - then God answers that man, ‘Who +art thou who judgest another? To his own master he standeth or +falleth.’ Yes, my friends, recollect what the old tomb-stone +outside says - (and right good doctrine it is) - and fit it to this +sermon.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>When this you see, pray judge not me<br /> For sin +enough I own.<br />Judge yourselves; mend your lives;<br /> Leave +other folks alone.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>But if a man, hearing this sermon, begins to say to himself, Such +a man as I am - so full of faults as I am - what right have I in church? +So selfish - so uncharitable - so worldly - so useless - so unfair (or +whatever other faults the man may feel guilty of) - in one word, so +unlike what I ought to be - so unlike Christ - so unlike God whom I +come to worship. How little I act up to what I believe! how little +I really believe what I have learnt! what right have I in church? +What if God were saying the same of me as he said of those old Jews, +‘Thy church-going, thy coming to communion, thy Christmas-day, +my soul hateth; I am weary to bear it. Who hath required this +at thy hands, to tread my courts?’ People round me may think +me good enough as men go now; but I know myself too well; and I know +that instead of saying with the Pharisee to any man here, ‘I thank +God that I am not as this man or that,’ I ought rather to stand +afar off like the publican, and not lift up so much as my eyes toward +heaven, crying only ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner.’</p> +<p>If a man should think thus, my friends, his thoughts may make him +very serious for awhile; nay, very sad. But they need not make +him miserable: need still less make him despair.</p> +<p>They ought to set him on thinking - Why do I come to church?</p> +<p>Because it is the fashion?</p> +<p>Because I want to hear the preacher?</p> +<p>No - to worship God.</p> +<p>But what is worshipping God?</p> +<p>That must depend entirely my friends, upon who God is.</p> +<p>As I often tell you, most questions - ay, if you will receive it, +all questions - depend upon this one root question, who is God?</p> +<p>But certainly this question of worshipping God must depend upon who +God is. For how he ought to be worshipped depends on what will +please him. And what will please him, depends on what his character +is.</p> +<p>If God be, as some fancy, hard and arbitrary, then you must worship +him in a way in which a hard arbitrary person would like to be addressed; +with all crouching, and cringing, and slavish terror.</p> +<p>If God be again, as some fancy, cold, and hard of hearing, then you +must worship him accordingly. You must cry aloud as Baal’s +priests did to catch his notice, and put yourselves to torment (as they +did, and as many a Christian has done since) to move his pity; and you +must use repetitions as the heathen do, and believe that you will be +heard for your much speaking. The Lord Jesus called all such repetitions +vain, and much speaking a fancy: but then, the Lord Jesus spoke to men +of a Father in heaven, a very different God from such as I speak of +- and, alas! some Christian people believe in.</p> +<p>But, my friends, if you believe in your heavenly Father, the good +God whom your Lord Jesus Christ has revealed to you; and if you will +consider that he is good, and consider what that word good means, then +you will not have far to seek before you find what worship means, and +how you can worship him in spirit and in truth.</p> +<p>For if God be good, worshipping him must mean praising and admiring +him - adoring him, as we call it - for being good.</p> +<p>And nothing more?</p> +<p>Certainly much more. Also to ask him to make us good. +That, too, must be a part of worshipping a good God. For the very +property of goodness is, that it wishes to make others good. And +if God be good, he must wish to make us good also.</p> +<p>To adore God, then, for his goodness, and to pray to him to make +us good, is the sum and substance of all wholesome worship.</p> +<p>And for that purpose a man may come to church, and worship God in +spirit and in truth, though he be dissatisfied with himself, and ashamed +of himself; and knows that he is wrong in many things:- provided always +that he wishes to be set right, and made good.</p> +<p>For he may come saying, ‘O God, thou art good, and I am bad; +and for that very reason I come. I come to be made good. +I admire thy goodness, and I long to copy it; but I cannot unless thou +help me. Purge me; make me clean. Cleanse thou me from my +secret faults, and give me truth in the inward parts. Do what +thou wilt with me. Train me as thou wilt. Punish me if it +be necessary. Only make me good.’</p> +<p>Then is the man fit indeed to come to church, sins and all:- if he +carry his sins into church not to carry them out again safely and carefully, +as we are all too apt to do, but to cast them down at the foot of Christ’s +cross, in the hope (and no man ever hoped that hope in vain) - that +he will be lightened of that burden, and leave some of them at least +behind him. Ay, no man, I say, ever hoped that in vain. +No man ever yet felt the burden of his sins really intolerable and unbearable, +but what the burden of his sins was taken off him before all was over, +and Christ’s righteousness given to him instead.</p> +<p>Then a man is fit, not only to come to church, but to come to Holy +Communion on Christmas-day, and all days. For then and there he +will find put into words for him the very deepest sorrows and longings +of his heart. There he may say as heartily as he can (and the +more heartily the better), ‘I acknowledge and bewail my manifold +sins and wickedness. The remembrance of them is grievous unto +me; the burden of them is intolerable:’ but there he will hear +Christ promising in return to pardon and deliver him from all his sins, +to confirm and strengthen him in all goodness. That last is what +he ought to want; and if he wants it, he will surely find it.</p> +<p>He may join there with the whole universe of God in crying, ‘Holy, +holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts, heaven and earth are full of Thy glory:’ +and still in the same breath he may confess again his unworthiness so +much as to gather up the crumbs under God’s table, and cast himself +simply and utterly upon the eternal property of God’s eternal +essence, which is - always to have mercy. But he will hear forthwith +Christ’s own answer - ‘If thou art bad, I can and will make +thee good. My blood shall wash away thy sin: my body shall preserve +thee, body, soul, and spirit, to the everlasting life of goodness.’</p> +<p>And so God will bless that man’s communion to him; and bless +to him his keeping of Christmas-day; because out of a true penitent +heart and lively faith he will be offering to the good God the sacrifice +of his own bad self, that God may take it, and make it good; and so +will be worshipping the everlasting and infinite Goodness, in spirit +and in truth.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON VII. GOD’S INHERITANCE</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>GAL. iv. 6, 7.</p> +<p>Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into +your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more +a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.</p> +<p>This is the second good news of Christmas-day.</p> +<p>The first is, that the Son of God became man.</p> +<p>The second is, why he became man. That men might become the +sons of God through him.</p> +<p>Therefore St. Paul says, You are the sons of God. Not - you +may be, if you are very good: but you are, in order that you may become +very good. Your being good does not tell you that you are the +sons of God: your baptism tells you so. Your baptism gives you +a right to say, I am the child of God. How shall I behave then? +What ought a child of God to be like? Now St. Paul, you see, knew +well that we could not make ourselves God’s children by any feelings, +fancies, or experiences of our own. But he knew just as well that +we cannot make ourselves behave as God’s children should, by any +thoughts and trying of our own.</p> +<p>God alone made us His children; God alone can make us behave like +his children.</p> +<p>And therefore St. Paul says, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into +our hearts: by which we cry to God, Our Father.</p> +<p>But some will say, Have we that Spirit?</p> +<p>St. Paul says that you have: and surely he speaks truth.</p> +<p>Let us search, then, and see where that Spirit is in us. It +is a great and awful honour for sinful men: but I do believe that if +we seek, we shall find that He is not far from any one of us, for in +Him we live and move, and have our being; and all in us which is not +ignorance, falsehood, folly, and filth, comes from Him.</p> +<p>Now the Bible says that this Spirit is the Spirit of God’s +Son, the Spirit of Christ:- and what sort of Spirit is that?</p> +<p>We may see by remembering what sort of a Spirit Christ had when on +earth; for He certainly has the same Spirit now - the Spirit which proceedeth +everlastingly from the Father and from the Son.</p> +<p>And what was that Like? What was Christ Like? What was +his Spirit Like? It was a Spirit of Love, mercy, pity, generosity, +usefulness, unselfishness. A spirit of truth, honour, fearless +love of what was right: a spirit of duty and willing obedience, which +made Him rejoice in doing His Father’s will. In all things +the spirit of a perfect <i>Son</i>, in all things a lovely, noble, holy +spirit.</p> +<p>And now, my dear friends, is there nothing in you like that? +You may forget it at times, you may disobey it very often: but is there +not something in all your hearts more or less, which makes you love +and admire what is right?</p> +<p>When you hear of a noble action, is there nothing in you which makes +you approve and admire it? Is there nothing in your hearts which +makes you pity those who are in sorrow and long to help them? +Nothing which stirs your heart up when you hear of a man’s nobly +doing his duty, and dying rather than desert his post, or do a wrong +or mean thing? Surely there is - surely there is.</p> +<p>Then, O my dear friends, when those feelings come into your hearts, +rejoice with trembling, as men to whom God has given a great and precious +gift. For they are none other than the Spirit of the Son of God, +striving with your hearts that He may form Christ in you, and raise +up your hearts to cry with full faith to God, ‘My Father which +art in heaven!’</p> +<p>‘Ah but,’ you will say, ‘we like what is right, +but we do not always do it. We like to see pity and mercy: but +we are very often proud and selfish and tyrannical. We like to +see justice and honour: but we are too apt to be mean and unjust ourselves. +We like to see other people doing their duty: but we very often do not +do ours.’</p> +<p>Well, my dear friends, perhaps that is true. If it be, confess +your sins like honest men, and they shall be forgiven you. If +you can so complain of yourselves, I am sure I can of myself, ten times +more.</p> +<p>But do you not see that this very thing is a sign to you that the +good and noble thoughts in you are not your own but God’s? +If they came out of your own spirits, then you would have no difficulty +in obeying them. But they came out of God’s Spirit; and +our sinful and self-willed spirits are striving against his, and trying +to turn away from God’s light. What can we do then? +We can cherish those noble thoughts, those pure and higher feelings, +when they arise. We can welcome them as heavenly medicine from +our heavenly Father. We can resolve not to turn away from them, +even though they make us ashamed. Not to grieve the Spirit of +the Son of God, even though he grieves us (as he ought to do and will +do more and more), by showing us our own weakness and meanness, and +how unlike we are to Christ, the only begotten Son.</p> +<p>If we shut our hearts to those good feelings, they will go away and +leave us. And if they do, we shall neither respect our neighbours, +nor respect ourselves. We shall see no good in our neighbours, +but become scornful and suspicious to them; and if we do that, we shall +soon see no good in ourselves. We shall become discontented with +ourselves, more and more given up to angry thoughts and mean ways, which +we hate and despise, all the while that we go on in them.</p> +<p>And then - mark my words - we shall lose all real feeling of God +being our Father, and we his sons. We shall begin to fancy ourselves +his slaves, and not his children; and God our taskmaster, and not our +Father. We shall dislike the thought of God. We shall long +to hide from God. We shall fall back into slavish terror, and +a fearful looking forward to of judgment and fiery indignation, because +we have trampled under foot the grace of God, the noble, pure, tender, +and truly graceful feelings which God’s Spirit bestowed on us, +to fill us with the grace of Christ.</p> +<p>Therefore, my dear friends, never check any good or right feelings +in yourselves, or in your children; for they come from the spirit of +the Son of God himself. But, as St. Paul says, Phil. iv. 3, ‘Finally, +brethren, whatsoever things are honourable, whatsoever things are just, +what soever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever +things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any +praise, think on these things’, . . . ‘and the God of peace +shall be with you.’ Avoid all which can make you mean, low, +selfish, cruel. Cling to all which can fill your mind with lofty, +kindly, generous, loyal thoughts; and so, in God’s good time, +you will enter into the meaning of those great words - Abba, Father. +The more you give up your hearts to such good feelings, the more you +will understand of God; the more nobleness there is in you, the more +you will see God’s nobleness, God’s justice, God’s +love, God’s true glory. The more you become like God’s +Son, the more you will understand how God can stoop to call himself +your Father; and the more you will understand what a Father, what a +perfect Father God is. And in the world to come, I trust, you +will enter into the glorious liberty of the sons of God - that liberty +which comes, as I told you last Sunday, not from doing your own will, +but the will of God; that glory which comes, not from having anything +of your own to pride yourselves upon, but from being filled with the +Spirit of God, the Spirit of Jesus Christ, by which you shall for ever +look up freely, and yet reverently, to the Almighty God of heaven and +earth, and say, ‘Impossible as the honour seems for man, yet thou, +O God, hast said it, and it is true. Thou, even thou art my Father, +and I thy son in Jesus Christ, who became awhile the Son of man on earth, +that I might become for ever the son of God in heaven.’</p> +<p>And so will come true to us St. Paul’s great words: - If we +be sons, then heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ.</p> +<p>Heirs of God: but what is our inheritance? The same as Christ’s.</p> +<p>And what is Christ’s inheritance? What but God himself? +- The knowledge of our Father in heaven, of his love to us, and of his +eternal beauty and glory, which fills all heavens and all worlds with +light and life.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON VIII. ‘DE PROFUNDIS’</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>PSALM cxxx. 1.</p> +<p>Out of the deep have I cried unto thee, O Lord. Lord, hear +my voice.</p> +<p>What is this deep of which David speaks so often? He knew it +well, for he had been in it often and long. He was just the sort +of man to be in it often. A man with great good in him, and great +evil; with very strong passions and feelings, dragging him down into +the deep, and great light and understanding to show him the dark secrets +of that horrible pit when he was in it; and with great love of God too, +and of order, and justice, and of all good and beautiful things, to +make him feel the horribleness of that pit where he ought not to be, +all the more from its difference, its contrast, with the beautiful world +of light, and order, and righteousness where he ought to be. Therefore +he knew that deep well, and abhorred it, and he heaps together every +ugly name, to try and express what no man can express, the horror of +that place. It is a horrible pit, mire and clay, where he can +find no footing, but sinks all the deeper for his struggling. +It is a place of darkness and of storms, a shoreless and bottomless +sea, where he is drowning, and drowning, while all God’s waves +and billows go over him. It is a place of utter loneliness, where +he sits like a sparrow on the housetop, or a doleful bird in the desert, +while God has put his lovers and friends away from him, and hid his +acquaintance out of his sight, and no man cares for his soul, and all +men seem to him liars, and God himself seems to have forgotten him and +forgotten all the world. It is a dreadful net which has entangled +his feet, a dark prison in which he is set so fast that he cannot get +forth. It is a torturing disgusting disease, which gives his flesh +no health, and his bones no rest, and his wounds are putrid and corrupt. +It is a battle-field after the fight, where he seems to lie stript among +the dead, like those who are wounded and cut away from God’s hand, +and lies groaning in the dust of death, seeing nothing round him but +doleful shapes of destruction and misery, alone in the outer darkness, +while a horrible dread overwhelms him. Yea, it is hell itself, +the pit of hell, the nethermost hell, he says, where God’s wrath +burns like fire, till his tongue cleaves to his gums, and his bones +are burnt up like a firebrand, till he is weary of crying; his throat +is dry, his heart fails him for waiting so long upon his God.</p> +<p>Yes. A dark and strange place is that same deep pit of God +- if, indeed, it be God’s and God made it. Perhaps God did +not make it. For God saw everything that he had made, and behold +it was very good: and that pit cannot be very good; for all good things +are orderly, and in shape; and in that pit is no shape, no order, nothing +but contradiction and confusion. When a man is in that pit, it +will seem to him as if he were alone in the world, and longing above +all things for company; and yet he will hate to have any one to speak +to him, and wrap himself up in himself to brood over his own misery. +When he is in that pit he shall be so blind that he can see nothing, +though his eyes be open in broad noon-day. When he is in that +pit he will hate the thing which he loves most, and love the thing which +he hates most. When he is in that pit he will long to die, and +yet cling to life desperately, and be horribly afraid of dying. +When he is in that pit it will seem to him that God is awfully, horribly +near him, and he will try to hide from God, try to escape from under +God’s hand: and yet all the while that God seems so dreadfully +near him, God will seem further off from him than ever, millions and +millions of miles away, parted from him by walls of iron, and a great +gulf which he can never pass. There is nothing but contradiction +in that pit: the man who is in it is of two minds about himself, and +his kin and neighbours, and all heaven and earth; and knows not where +to turn, or what to think, or even where he is at all.</p> +<p>For the food which he gets in that deep pit is very hunger of soul, +and rage, and vain desires. And the ground which he stands on +in that deep is a bottomless quagmire, and doubt, and change, and shapeless +dread. And the air which he breathes in that deep is the very +fire of God, which burns up everlastingly all the chalk and dross of +the world.</p> +<p>I said that that deep was not merely the deep of affliction. +No: for you may see men with every comfort which wealth and home can +give, who are tormented day and night in that deep pit in the midst +of all their prosperity, calling for a drop of water to cool their tongue, +and finding none. And you may see poor creatures dying in agony +on lonely sick beds, who are not in that pit at all, but in that better +place whereof it is written, ‘Blessed are they who, going through +the vale of misery, use it for a well, and the pools are filled with +water;’ and again, ‘If any man thirst, let him come to me, +and drink;’ and ‘the water that I shall give him shall be +in him a well of water, springing up to everlasting life.’</p> +<p>No - that deep pit is a far worse place; an utterly bad place; and +yet it may be good for a man to have fallen into it; and, strangely +enough, if he do fall in, the lower he sinks in it, the better for him +at last. That is another strange contradiction in that pit, which +David found, that though it was a bottomless pit, the deeper he sank +in it, the more likely he was to find his feet set on a rock; the further +down in the nethermost hell he was, the nearer he was to being delivered +from the nethermost hell.</p> +<p>Of course, if he had staid in that pit, he must have died, body and +soul. No mortal man, or immortal soul could endure it long. +No immortal soul could; for he would lose all hope, all faith in God, +all feeling of there being anything like justice and order in the world, +all hope for himself, or for mankind, lying so in that living grave +where no man can see God’s righteousness, or his faithfulness +in that land where all things are forgotten.</p> +<p>And his mere mortal body could not stand it. The misery and +terror and confusion of his soul would soon wear out his body, and he +would die, as I have seen men actually die, when their souls have been +left in that deep somewhat too long; shrink together into dark melancholy, +and pine away, and die. And I have seen sweet young creatures +too, whom God for some purpose of his own (which must be good and loving, +for <i>He</i> did it) has let fall awhile into that deep of darkness; +and then in compassion to their youth, and tenderness, and innocence, +has lifted them gently out again, and set their weary feet upon the +everlasting Rock, which is Christ; and has filled them with the light +of his countenance, and joy and peace in believing; and has led them +by green pastures and made them rest by the waters of comfort; and yet, +though their souls were healed, their bodies were not. That fearful +struggle has been too much for frail humanity, and they have drooped, +and faded, and gone peacefully after a while home to their God, as a +fair flower withers if the fire has but once past over it.</p> +<p>But some I have seen, men and women, who have arisen, like David, +out of that strange deep, all the stronger for their fall; and have +found out another strange contradiction about that deep, and the fire +of God which burns below in it. For that fire hardens a man and +softens him at the same time; and he comes out of it hardened to that +hardness of which it is written, ‘Do thou endure hardness like +a good soldier of Jesus Christ;’ and again, ‘I have fought +a good fight, I have kept the faith, I have finished my course:’ +yet softened to that softness of which it is written, ‘Be ye tenderhearted, +compassionate, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s +sake has forgiven you;’ - and again, ‘We have a High Priest +who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, seeing that +he has been tempted in all things like as we are, yet without sin.’</p> +<p>Happy, thrice happy are they who have thus walked through the valley +of the shadow of death, and found it the path which leads to everlasting +life. Happy are they who have thus writhed awhile in the fierce +fire of God, and have had burnt out of them the chaff and dross, and +all which offends, and makes them vain, light, and yet makes them dull, +drags them down at the same time; till only the pure gold of God’s +righteousness is left, seven times tried in the fire, incorruptible, +and precious in the sight of God and man. Such people need not +regret - they will not regret - all that they have gone through. +It has made them brave, made them sober, made them patient. It +has given them</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>The reason firm, the temperate will,<br />Endurance, foresight, strength +and skill;</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>and so has shaped them into the likeness of Christ, who was made +perfect by suffering; and though he were a Son, yet in the days of his +flesh, made strong supplication and crying with tears to his Father, +and was heard in that he feared; and so, though he died on the cross +and descended into hell, yet triumphed over death and hell, by dying +and by descending; and conquered them by submitting to them. And +yet they have been softened in that fierce furnace of God’s wrath, +into another likeness of Christ - which after all is still the same; +the character which he showed when he wept by the grave of Lazarus, +and over the sinful city of Jerusalem; which he showed when his heart +yearned over the perishing multitude, and over the leper, and the palsied +man, and the maniac possessed with devils; the character which he showed +when he said to the woman taken in adultery, ‘Neither do I condemn +thee; go and sin no more;’ which he showed when he said to the +sinful Magdalene, who washed his feet with tears, and wiped them with +her hair, ‘her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved +much;’ the likeness which he showed in his very death agony upon +the torturing cross, when he prayed for his murderers, ‘Father, +forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ This is the +character which man may get in that dark deep. - To feel for all, and +feel with all; to rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those +who weep; to understand people’s trials, and make allowances for +their temptations; to put oneself in their place, till we see with their +eyes, and feel with their hearts, till we judge no man, and have hope +for all; to be fair, and patient, and tender with every one we meet; +to despise no one, despair of no one, because Christ despises none, +and despairs of none; to look upon every one we meet with love, almost +with pity, as people who either have been down into the deep of horror, +or may go down into it any day; to see our own sins in other people’s +sins, and know that we might do what they do, and feel as they feel, +any moment, did God desert us; to give and forgive, to live and let +live, even as Christ gives to us, and forgives us, and lives for us, +and lets us live, in spite of all our sins.</p> +<p>And how shall we learn this? How shall the bottomless pit, +if we fall into it, be but a pathway to the everlasting rock?</p> +<p>David tells us:</p> +<p>‘Out of the deep have I cried unto thee, O Lord.’</p> +<p>He cried to God.</p> +<p>Not to himself, his own learning, talents, wealth, prudence, to pull +him out of that pit. Not to princes, nobles, and great men. +Not to doctrines, books, church-goings. Not to the dearest friend +he had on earth; for they had forsaken him, could not understand him, +thought him perhaps beside himself. Not to his own good works, +almsgivings, church-goings, church-buildings. Not to his own experiences, +faith’s assurances, frames or feelings. The matter was too +terrible to be plastered over in that way, or in any way. He was +face to face with God alone, in utter weakness, in utter nakedness of +soul, He cried to God himself. There was the lesson.</p> +<p>God took away from him all things, that he might have no one to cry +to but God.</p> +<p>God took him up, and cast him down: and there he sat all alone, astonished +and confounded, like Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah, when she sat alone +upon the parching rock. Like Rizpah, he watched the dead corpses +of all his hopes and plans, all for which he had lived, and which made +life worth having, withering away there by his side. But it was +told David what Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah, had done. And it +is told to one greater than David, even to Jesus Christ, the Son of +David, what the poor soul does when it sits alone in its despair. +Or rather it need not be told him; for he sees all, weeps over all, +will comfort all: and it shall be to that poor soul as it was to poor +deserted Hagar in the sandy desert, when the water was spent in the +bottle, and she cast her child - the only thing she had left - under +one of the shrubs and hurried away; for she said, ‘Let me not +see the child die.’ And the angel of the Lord called to +her out of heaven, saying, ‘The Lord hath heard the voice of the +lad where he is;’ and God opened her eyes, and she saw a well +of water.</p> +<p>It shall be with that poor soul as it was with Moses, when he went +up alone into the mount of God, and fasted forty days and forty nights +amid the earthquake and the thunderstorm, and the rocks which melted +before the Lord. And behold, when it was past, he talked face +to face with God, as a man talketh with his friend, and his countenance +shone with heavenly light, when he came down triumphant out of the mount +of God.</p> +<p>So shall it be with every soul of man who, being in the deep, cries +out of that deep to God, whether in bloody India or in peaceful England. +For He with whom we have to do is not a tyrant, but a Father; not a +taskmaster, but a Giver and a Redeemer. We may ask him freely, +as David does, to consider our complaint, because he will consider it +well, and understand it, and do it justice. He is not extreme +to mark what is done amiss, and therefore we can abide his judgments. +There is mercy with him, and therefore it is worth while to fear him. +He waits for us year after year, with patience which cannot tire; therefore +it is but fair that we should wait a while for him. With him is +plenteous redemption, and therefore redemption enough for us, and for +those likewise whom we love. He will redeem us from all our sins: +and what do we need more? He will make us perfect, even as our +Father in heaven is perfect. Let him then, if he must, make us +perfect by sufferings. By sufferings Christ was made perfect; +and what was the best path for Jesus Christ is surely good enough for +us, even though it be a rough and a thorny one. Let us lie still +beneath God’s hand; for though his hand be heavy upon us, it is +strong and safe beneath us too; and none can pluck us out of his hand, +for in him we live and move and have our being; and though we go down +into hell with David, with David we shall find God there, and find, +with David, that he will not leave our souls in hell, or suffer his +holy ones to see corruption. Yes; have faith in God. Nothing +in thee which he has made shall see corruption; for it is a thought +of God’s, and no thought of his can perish. Nothing shall +be purged out of thee but thy disease; nothing shall be burnt out of +thee but thy dross; and that in thee shall be saved, and live to all +eternity, of which God said at the beginning, Let us make man in our +own image. Yes. Have faith in God; and say to him once for +all, ‘Though thou slay me, yet will I love thee; for thou lovedst +me in Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world.’</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON IX. THE LOVE OF GOD ITS OWN REWARD</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>DEUT. xxx. 19, 20.</p> +<p>I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have +set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose +life that both thou and thy seed may live; that thou mayest love the +Lord thy God, and that thou mayest cleave unto him, for he is thy life +and the length of thy days, that thou mayest dwell in the land which +the Lord God sware unto thy fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to give +them.</p> +<p>I spoke to you last Sunday on this text. But there is something +more in it, which I had not time to speak of then.</p> +<p>Moses here tells the Israelites what will happen to them if they +keep God’s law.</p> +<p>They will love God. That was to be their reward. They +were to have other rewards beside. Beside loving God, it would +be well with them and their children, and they would live long in the +land which God had given them. But their first reward, their great +reward, would be that they would love God.</p> +<p>If they obeyed God, they would have reason to love him.</p> +<p>Now we commonly put this differently.</p> +<p>We say, If you love God, you will obey him; which is quite true. +But what Moses says is truer still, and deeper still. Moses says, +If you obey God, you will love him.</p> +<p>Again we say, If you love God, God will reward you; which is true; +though not always true in this life. But Moses says a truer and +deeper thing. Moses says that loving God is our reward; that the +greatest reward, the greatest blessing which a man can have, is this +- that the man should love God. Now does this seem strange? +It is not strange, nevertheless.</p> +<p>For there are two sorts of faith; and one must always, I sometimes +think, come before the other.</p> +<p>The first is implicit faith - blind faith - the sort of faith a child +has in what its parents tell it. A child, we know, believes its +parents blindly, even though it does not understand what they tell it. +It takes for granted that they are right.</p> +<p>The second is experimental faith - the faith which comes from experience +and reason, when a man looks back upon his life, and on God’s +dealings with him; and then sees from experience what reason he has +for trusting and loving God, who has helped him onward through so many +chances and changes for so many years.</p> +<p>Now some people cry out against blind implicit faith, as if it was +childish and unreasonable. But I cannot. I think every one +learns to love his neighbour, very much as Moses told the Jews they +would learn to love God; namely, by trusting them somewhat blindly at +first.</p> +<p>Is it not so? Is it not so always with young people, when they +begin to be fond of each other? They trust each other, they do +not know why, or how. Before they are married, they have little +or no experience of each other; of each other’s tempers and characters: +and yet they trust each other, and say in their hearts, ‘He can +never be false to me;’ and are ready to put their honour and fortunes +into each other’s hands, to live together for better for worse, +till death them part. It is a blind faith in each other, that, +and those who will may laugh at it, and call it the folly and rashness +of youth. I do not believe that God laughs at it: that God calls +it folly and rashness. It surely comes from God.</p> +<p>For there is something in each of them worth trusting, worth loving. +True, they may be disappointed in each other; but they need not be. +If they are true to themselves; if they will listen to the better voice +within, and be true to their own better feelings, all will be well, +and they will find after marriage that they did not do a rash and a +foolish thing, when they gave up themselves to each other, and cast +in their lot together blindly to live and die.</p> +<p>And then, after that first blind faith and love in each other which +they had before marriage, will come, as the years roll by, a deeper, +sounder faith and love from experience. - An experience of which I shall +not talk here; for those who have not felt it for themselves would not +know what I mean; and those who have felt it need no clumsy words of +mine to describe it to them.</p> +<p>Now, my dear friends, this is one of the things by which marriage +is consecrated to an excellent mystery, as the Prayer-book says. +This is one of the things in which marriage is a pattern and picture +of the spiritual union which is between Christ and his Church.</p> +<p>First, as I said, comes blind faith. A young person, setting +out in life, has little experience of God’s love; he has little +to make him sure that the way of life, and honour, and peace, is to +obey God’s laws. But he is told so. His Bible tells +him so. Wiser and older people than he tell him so, and God himself +tells him so. God himself makes up in the young person’s +heart a desire after goodness.</p> +<p>Then he takes it for granted blindly. He says to himself, I +can but try. They tell me to taste and see whether the Lord is +gracious. I will taste. They tell me that the way of his +commandments is the way to make life worth loving, and to see good days. +I will try. And so the years go by. The young person has +grown middle-aged, old. He or she has been through many trials, +many disappointments; perhaps more than one bitter loss. But if +they have held fast by God; if they have tried, however clumsily, to +keep God’s law, and walk in God’s way, then there will have +grown up in them a trust in God, and a love for God, deeper and broader +far than any which they had in youth; a love grounded on experience. +They can point back to so many blessings which the Lord gave them unexpectedly; +to so many sorrows which the Lord gave them strength to bear, though +they seemed at first sight past bearing; to so many disappointments +which seemed ill luck at the time, and yet which turned out good for +them in the end. And so comes a deep, reasonable love to their +Heavenly Father. Now they have <i>tasted</i> that the Lord is +gracious. Now they can say, with the Samaritans, ‘Now we +believe, not because of thy saying, but because we have heard him ourselves, +and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.’ +And when sadness and affliction come on them, as it must come, they +can look back, and so get strength to look forward. They can say +with David, ‘I will go on in the strength of the Lord God. +I will make mention only of his righteousness. Oh my God, thou +hast taught me from my youth up until now; hitherto have I declared +thy wondrous works. Now also, when I am old and grey-headed, oh +Lord, forsake me not, till I have showed thy strength unto this generation, +and thy power to those whom I leave behind me.’</p> +<p>And so, by remembering what God <i>has</i> been to them, they can +face what is coming. ‘They will not be afraid of evil tidings,’ +as David says; ‘for their heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.’</p> +<p>And when old age comes, and brings weakness and sickness, and low +spirits, still they have comfort. They can say with David again, +‘I have been young, and now am old, but never saw I the righteous +forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread.’</p> +<p>Oh my dear friends, young people especially - there are many things +which you may long for which you cannot have: much happiness which is +<i>not</i> within your reach. But <i>this</i> you can have, if +you will but long for it: this happiness <i>is</i> within your reach, +if you will but put out your hand and take it. - The everlasting unfailing +comfort of loving God, and of knowing that God loves you. Oh choose +that now at once. Choose God’s ways which are pleasantness, +and God’s paths which are peace; and then in your old age, whether +you become rich or poor, whether you are left alone, or go down to your +grave in peace with children and grandchildren to close your eyes, you +will still have the one great reward, the true reward, the everlasting +reward which Moses promised the old Israelites. You will have +reason to love God, who has carried you safe through life, and will +carry you safe through death, and to say with all his saints and martyrs, +‘Many things I know not; and many things I have lost: but this +I know. - I know in whom I have believed; and this I cannot lose; even +God himself, whose name is faithful and true.’</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON X. THE RACE OF LIFE</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>JOHN i. 26.</p> +<p>There standeth one among you whom ye know not.</p> +<p>This is a solemn text. It warns us, and yet it comforts us. +It tells us that there is a person standing among us so great, that +John the Baptist, the greatest of the prophets, was not worthy to unloose +his shoes’ latchet.</p> +<p>Some of you know who he is. Some of you, perhaps, do not. +If you know him, you will be glad to be reminded of him to-day. +If you do not know him, I will tell you who he is.</p> +<p>Only bear this in mind, that whether you know him or not, he is standing +among us. We have not driven him away, and cannot drive him away. +Our not seeing him will not prevent his seeing us. He is always +near us; ready, if we ask him, as the Collect bids us, to ‘come +among us, and with great might succour us.’</p> +<p>For, my friends, this is the meaning of the text, as far as it has +to do with us. The noble Collect for to-day tells this, and explains +to us what we are to think of the Epistle and the Gospel.</p> +<p>The Epistle tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ is at hand, and that +therefore we are to fret about nothing, but make our requests known +to him. The Gospel tells us that he stands among us. The +Collect tells us what we are to do, because he is at hand, because he +stands among us.</p> +<p>And what are we to do?</p> +<p>Recollect my friends, what John the Baptist said, according to St. +Matthew, after the words in the text - ‘He shall baptize you with +the Holy Ghost, and with fire.’</p> +<p>The Collect asks him to do that - the first half of it at least. +To baptize us with the Holy Ghost, lest he should need to baptize us +with fire.</p> +<p>For the Collect says, we have all a race to run. We have all +a journey to make through life. We have all so to get through +this world, that we shall inherit the world to come; so to pass through +the things of time (as one of the Collects says) that we finally lose +not the things eternal. God has given each of us our powers and +character, marked out for each of us our path in life, set each of us +our duty to do.</p> +<p>But how shall we make the proper use of our powers?</p> +<p>How shall we keep to our path in life?</p> +<p>How shall we do our duty faithfully?</p> +<p>In short, so as St. Paul puts it - How shall we run our race, so +as not to lose, but to win it?</p> +<p>For the Collect says - and we ought to have found it out for ourselves +before now - Our sins and wickedness hinder us sorely in running the +race which is set before us.</p> +<p>Our sins and wickedness. The Collect speaks of these as two +different things; and I believe rightly, for the New Testament speaks +of them as two different things. Sin, in the New Testament, means +strictly what we call “failings,” “defects” +a missing the mark, a falling short; as it is written - All have sinned, +and come short of the glory of God, that is, of the likeness of a perfect +man. <a name="citation75"></a><a href="#footnote75">{75}</a></p> +<p>Thus, stupidity, laziness, cowardice, bad temper, greediness after +pleasure - these are strictly speaking what the New Testament calls +sins. Wickedness - iniquity - seem to be harder words, and to +mean worse offences. They mean the evil things which a man does, +not out of the weakness of his mortal nature, but out of his own wicked +will, and what the Bible calls the naughtiness of his heart. So +wickedness means, not merely open crimes which are punishable by the +law, but all which comes out of a man’s own wilfulness and perverseness +- injustice (which is the first meaning of iniquity), cunning, falsehood, +covetousness, pride, self-conceit, tyranny, cruelty - these seem to +be what the Scripture calls wickedness. Of course one cannot draw +the line exactly, in any matters so puzzling as questions about our +own souls must always be: but on the whole. I think you will find +this rule not far wrong -</p> +<p>That all which comes from the weakness of a man’s soul, is +sin: all which comes from abusing its strength, is wickedness. +All which drags a man down, and makes him more like a brute animal, +is sin: all which puffs him up, and makes him more like a devil, is +wickedness. It is as well to bear this in mind, because a man +may have a great horror of sin, and be hard enough, and too hard upon +poor sinners; and yet all the time he may be thoroughly, and to his +heart’s core, a wicked man. The Pharisees of old were so. +So they are now. Take you care that you be not like to them. +Keep clear of sin: but keep clear of wickedness likewise.</p> +<p>For, says the Collect, both will hinder you in your race: perhaps +cause you to break down in it, and never reach the goal at all.</p> +<p>Sin will hinder you, by dragging you back.</p> +<p>Wickedness will hinder you, by putting you altogether out of the +right road.</p> +<p>If a man be laden with sins; stupid, lazy, careless, over fond of +pleasure; - much more, if he be given up to enjoying himself in bad +ways, about which we all know too well - then he is like a man who starts +in a race, weak, crippled, over-weighted, or not caring whether he wins +or loses; and who therefore lags behind, or grows tired, or looks round, +and wants to stop and amuse himself, instead of pushing on stoutly and +bravely. And therefore St. Paul bids us lay aside every weight +(that is every bad habit which makes us lazy and careless), and the +sin which does so easily beset us, and run with patience our appointed +race, looking to Jesus, the author of our faith - who stands by to give +us faith, confidence, courage to go on - Jesus, who has compassion on +those who are ignorant, and out of the way by no wilfulness of their +own; who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; who can +help us, can deliver us, and who will do what he can, and do all he +can.</p> +<p>He can and will strengthen us, freshen us, encourage us, inspirit +us, by giving us his Holy Spirit, that we may have spirit and power +to run our race, day by day, and tide by tide. And so, if he sees +us weak and fainting over our work, he will baptize us with the Holy +Ghost.</p> +<p>And yet there are times when he will baptize a sinner not only with +the Holy Ghost, but with fire - I am still speaking, mind, of a sinner, +not of a wicked man.</p> +<p>And when? When he sees the man sitting down by the roadside +to play, with no intention of moving on. I do not say - if he +sees the man sitting down to play at all. God forbid! How +can a man run his life-long race - how can he even keep up for a week, +a day, at doing his best at the full stretch of his power, without stopping +to take breath? I cannot, God knows. If any man can - be +it so. Some are stronger than others: but be sure of this; that +God counts it no sin in a man to stop and take breath. ‘Press +forward toward the mark of your high calling,’ St. Paul says: +but he does not forbid a man to refresh and amuse himself harmlessly +and rationally, from time to time, with all the pleasant things which +God has put into this world. They do refresh us, and they do amuse +us, these pleasant things. And God made them, and put them here. +Surely he put them here to refresh and amuse us. He did not surely +put them here to trap us, and snare us, and tempt us not to run the +very race which he himself has set before us? No, no, my friends. +He made pleasant things to please us, amusing things to amuse us. +Every good gift comes from him.</p> +<p>But if a man thinks of nothing but amusing himself, he is like a +horse who stands still in the middle of a journey, and begins feeding. +Let him do his day’s journey, and feed afterwards; and so get +strength for his next day’s work. But if he will stand still, +and feed; if he will forget that he has any work at all to do; then +we shall punish him, to make him go on. And so will God do with +us. He will strike us then; and sharply too. Much more, +if a man gives himself up to sinful pleasure; if he gives himself up +to a loose and profligate life, and, like many a young man, wastes his +substance in riotous living, and devours his heavenly Father’s +gifts with harlots - then God will strike that man; and all the more +sharply the more worth and power there is in the man. The more +God has given the man, the sharper will be God’s stroke, if he +deserves it.</p> +<p>And why?</p> +<p>Ask yourselves. Suppose that your horse had plunged into a +deep ditch, and was lying there in mire and thorns; would you not strike +him, and sharply too, to make him put out his whole strength, and rise, +and by one great struggle clear himself?</p> +<p>Of course you would: and the more spirited, the more powerful the +animal was, the sharper you would be with him, because the more sure +you would be that he could answer to your call if he chose.</p> +<p>Even so does God with us. If he sees us lying down; forgetting +utterly that we have any work or duty to do; and wallowing in the mire +of fleshly lusts, and thorns of worldly cares, then he will strike; +and all the more sharply, the more real worth or power there is in us; +that he may rouse us, and force us to exert ourselves and by one great +struggle, like the mired horse, clear ourselves out of the sin which +besets us, and holds us down, and leap, as it were, once and for all, +out of the death of sin, into the life of righteousness.</p> +<p>But much more if there be not merely sin in us, but wickedness; self-will, +self-conceit, and rebellion.</p> +<p>For see, my friends. If we were training a young animal, how +should we treat it? If it were merely weak, we should strengthen +and exercise it. If it were merely ignorant, we should teach it. +If it were lazy, we should begin to punish it; but gently, that it might +still have confidence, faith in us, and pleasure in its work.</p> +<p>But if we found wickedness in it - vice, as we rightly call it - +if it became restive, that is, rebellious and self-willed, then we should +punish it indeed. Seldom, perhaps, but very sharply; that it might +see clearly that we were the stronger, and that rebellion was of no +use at all.</p> +<p>And so does the Lord with us, my friends. If we will not go +his way by kindness, he will make us go by severity.</p> +<p>First, when we are christened, and after that day by day, if we ask +him - and often when we ask him not - he gives us the gentle baptism +of his Holy Spirit, freshening, strengthening, encouraging, inspiriting. +But if we will not go on well for that; if we will rebel, and try our +own way, and rush out of God’s road after this and that, in pride +and self-will, as if we were our own masters; then, my friends - then +will God baptize us with fire, and strike with a blow which goes nigh +to cut a man in two. Very seldom he strikes; for he is pitiful, +and of tender mercy: but with a rod as of fire, of which it is written, +that it is sharper than a two-edged sword, and pierces through the joints +and marrow. Very seldom: but very sharply, that there may be no +mistake about what the blow means, and that the man may know, however +cunning, or proud, or self-righteous he may be, that God is the Lord, +God is his Master, and will be obeyed; and woe to him, if he obey him +not. And what can a man do then, but writhe in the bitterness +of his soul, and get back into God’s highway as fast as he can, +in fear and trembling lest the next blow cut him in asunder? And +so, by the bitterness of disappointment, or bereavement, or sickness, +or poverty, or worst of all, of shame, will the Lord baptize the man +with fire.</p> +<p>But all in love, my friends; and all for the man’s good. +Does God <i>like</i> to punish his creatures? <i>like</i> to torment +them? Some think that he does, and say that he finds what they +call ‘satisfaction’ in punishing. I think that they +mistake the devil for God. No, my friends; what does he say himself? +‘Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked; and not rather +that he should turn from his ways, and live?’ Surely he +has not. If he had, do you think that he would have sent us into +this world at all? I do not. And I trust and hope that you +will not. Believe that even when he cuts us to the heart’s +core, and baptizes us with fire, he does it only out of his eternal +love, that he may help and deliver us all the more speedily.</p> +<p>For God’s sake - for Christ’s sake - for your own sake +- keep that in mind, that Christ’s will, and therefore God’s +will, is to help and deliver us; that he stands by us, and comes among +us, for that very purpose. Consider St. Paul’s parable, +in which he talks of us as men running a race, and of Christ as the +judge who looks on to see how we run. But for what purpose does +Christ look on? To catch us out, as we say? To mark down +every fault of ours, and punish wherever he has an opportunity or a +reason? Does he stand there spying, frowning, fault-finding, accusing +every man in his turn, extreme to watch what is done amiss? If +an earthly judge did that, we should call him - what he would be - an +ill-conditioned man. But dare we fancy anything ill-conditioned +in God? God forbid! His conditions are altogether good, +and his will a good will to men; and therefore, say the Epistle and +the Collect, we ought not to be terrified, but to rejoice, at the thought +that the Lord is looking on. However badly we are running our +race, yet if we are trying to move forward at all, we ought to rejoice +that God in Christ is looking on.</p> +<p>And why?</p> +<p>Why? Because he is looking on, not to torment, but to help. +Because he loves us better than we love ourselves. Because he +is more anxious for us to get safely through this world than we are +ourselves.</p> +<p>Will you understand that, and believe that, once for all, my friends? +- That God is not <i>against</i> you, but <i>for</i> you, in the struggles +of life; that he <i>wants</i> you to get through safe; <i>wants</i> +you to succeed; <i>wants</i> you to win; and that therefore he will +help you, and hear your cry.</p> +<p>And therefore when you find yourselves wrong, utterly wrong, do not +cry to this man or that man, ‘Do <i>you</i> help me; do you set +me a little more right, before God comes and finds me in the wrong, +and punishes me.’ Cry to God himself, to Christ himself; +ask <i>him</i> to lift you up, ask him to set you right. Do not +be like St. Peter before his conversion, and cry, ‘Depart from +me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord; wait a little, till I have risen +up, and washed off my stains, and made myself somewhat fit to be seen.’ +- No. Cry, ‘Come quickly, O Lord - at once, just because +I am a sinful man; just because I am sore let and hindered in running +my race by my own sins and wickedness; because I am lazy and stupid; +because I am perverse and vicious, <i>therefore</i> raise up thy power, +and come to me, thy miserable creature, thy lost child, and with thy +great might succour me. Lift me up for I have fallen very low; +deliver me, for I have plunged out of thy sound and safe highway into +deep mire, where no ground is. Help myself I cannot, and if thou +help me not, I am undone.’</p> +<p>Do so. Pray so. Let your sins and wickedness be to you +not a reason for hiding from Christ who stands by; but a reason, the +reason of all reasons, for crying to Christ who stands by.</p> +<p>And then, whether he deliver you by kind means or by sharp ones, +deliver you he will; and set your feet on firm ground, and order your +goings, that you may run with patience the race which is set before +you along the road of life, and the pathway of God’s commandments, +wherein there is no death.</p> +<p>This, my friends, is one of the meanings of Advent. This is +the meaning of the Collect, the Epistle, and the Gospel. - That God +in Christ stands by us, ready to help and deliver us; and that if we +cry to him even out of the lowest depth, he will hear our voice. +And that then, when he has once put us into the right road again, and +sees us going bravely along it to the best of the power which he has +given us, he will fulfil to us his eternal promise, ‘Thy sins +- and not only thy sins, but thine iniquities - I will remember no more.’</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XI. SELF-RESPECT AND SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>PSALM vii. 8.</p> +<p>Give sentence for me, O Lord, according to my righteousness; and +according to the innocency that is in me.</p> +<p>Is this speech self-righteous? If so, it is a bad speech; for +self-righteousness is a bad temper of mind; there are few worse. +If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is +not in us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to +forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. +If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar.</p> +<p>This is plain enough; and true as God is true. But there is +another temper of mind which is right in its way; and which is not self-righteousness, +though it may look like it at first sight. I mean the temper of +Job, when his friends were trying to prove to him that he must be a +bad man, and to make him accuse himself of all sorts of sins which he +had not committed; and he answered that he would utter no deceit, and +tell no lies about himself. ‘Till I die I will not remove +mine integrity from me; my righteousness I will hold fast, and will +not let it go; my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live.’ +I have, on the whole, tried to be a good man, and I will not make myself +out a bad one.</p> +<p>For, my friends, with the Bible as with everything else, we must +hear both sides of the question, lest we understand neither side.</p> +<p>We may misuse St. John’s doctrine, that if we say we have no +sin, we deceive ourselves. We may deceive ourselves in the very +opposite way.</p> +<p>In the first place, some people, having learnt that it is right to +confess their sins, try to have as many sins as possible to confess. +I do not mean that they commit the sins, but that they try to fancy +they have committed them. This is very common now, and has been +for many hundred years, especially among young women and lads who are +of a weakly melancholy temper, or who have suffered some great disappointment. +They are fond of accusing themselves; of making little faults into great +ones; of racking their memories to find themselves out in the wrong; +of taking the darkest possible view of themselves, and of what is going +to happen to them. They forget that Solomon, the wise, when he +says, ‘Be not over-much wicked; neither be thou foolish - why +shouldst thou die before thy time?’ - says also, ‘Be not +righteous over-much; neither make thyself over-wise. Why shouldst +thou destroy thyself?’</p> +<p>For such people do destroy themselves. I have seen them kill +their own bodies, and die early, by this folly. And I have seen +them kill their own souls, too, and enter into strong delusions, till +they believe a lie, and many lies, from which one had hoped that the +Bible would have delivered any and every man.</p> +<p>One cannot be angry with such people. One can only pity them, +and pity them all the more, when one finds them generally the most innocent, +the very persons who have least to confess. One can but pity them, +when one sees them applying to themselves God’s warnings against +sins of which they never even heard the names, and fancying that God +speaks to them, as St. Paul says that he did to the old heathen Romans, +when they were steeped up to the lips in every crime.</p> +<p>No - one can do more than pity them. One can pray for them +that they may learn to know God, and who he is: and by knowing him, +may be delivered out of the hands of cunning and cruel teachers, who +make a market of their melancholy, and hide from them the truth about +God, lest the truth should make them free, while their teachers wish +to keep them slaves.</p> +<p>This is one misuse of St. John’s doctrine. There is another +and a far worse misuse of it.</p> +<p>A man may be proud of confessing his sins; may become self-righteous +and conceited, according to the number of the sins which he confesses.</p> +<p>So deceitful is this same human heart of ours, that so it is I have +seen people quite proud of calling themselves miserable sinners. +I say, proud of it. For if they had really felt themselves miserable +sinners, they would have said less about their own feelings. If +a man really feels what sin is - if he feels what a miserable, pitiful, +mean thing it is to be doing wrong when one knows better, to be the +slave of one’s own tempers, passions, appetites - oh, if man or +woman ever knew the exceeding sinfulness of sin, he would hide his own +shame in the depths of his heart, and tell it to God alone, or at most +to none on earth save the holiest, the wisest, the trustiest, the nearest +and the dearest.</p> +<p>But when one hears a man always talking about his own sinfulness, +one suspects - and from experience one has only too much reason to suspect +- that he is simply saying in a civil way, ‘I am a better man +than you; for I talk about my sinfulness, and you do not.’</p> +<p>For if you answer such a man, as old Job or David would have done, +‘I will not confess what I have not felt. I have tried and +am trying to be an upright, respectable, sober, right-living man. +Let God judge me according to the innocency that is in me. I know +that I am not perfect: no man is that: but I will not cant; I will not +be a hypocrite; and if I accuse myself of sins which I have not committed, +it seems to me that I shall be mocking God, and deceiving myself. +I will trust to God to judge me fairly, to balance between the good +and the evil which is in me, and deal with me accordingly.’</p> +<p>If you speak in that way, the other man will answer you plainly enough, +‘Ah! you are utterly benighted. You are building on legality +and morality. You have not yet learnt the first principles of +the Gospel.’ And with these, and other words, will give +you to understand this - That he thinks he is going to heaven, and you +are going to hell.</p> +<p>Now, my dear friends, you are partly right, and he is partly right. +St. Paul will show you where you are right and where he is right. +He does so, I think, in a certain noble text of his in which he says, +‘I judge not mine own self; for I know nothing against myself, +yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.’</p> +<p>Now remember that no man was less self-righteous than St. Paul. +No man ever saw more clearly the sinfulness of sin. No man ever +put into words so strongly the struggle between good and evil which +goes on in the human heart. In one place, even, when speaking +of his former life, he calls himself the chief of sinners. Yet +St. Paul, when he had done his duty, knew that he had done it, and was +not afraid to say - as no honest and upright man need be afraid to say +- ‘I know nothing against myself.’ For if you have +done right, my friend, it is God who has helped you to do it; and it +is difficult to see how you can honour God, by pretending instead that +he has left you to do wrong.</p> +<p>This, then, seems to be the rule. If you have done wrong, be +not afraid to confess it. If you have done right, be not afraid +to confess that either. And meanwhile keep up your self-respect. +Try to do your duty. Try to keep your honour bright. Let +no man be able to say that he is the worse for you. Still more +let no woman be able to say that she is the worse for you; for if you +treat another man’s daughter as you would not let him treat yours, +where is your honour then, or your clear conscience? What cares +man, what cares God, for your professions of uprightness and respectability, +if you take good care to behave well to men, who can defend themselves, +and take no care to behave well to a poor girl, who cannot defend herself? +Recollect that when Job stood up for his own integrity, and would not +give up his belief that he was a righteous man, he took care to justify +himself in this matter, as well as on others. ‘I made a +covenant with mine eyes,’ he says; ‘why then should I think +upon a maid? If mine heart have been deceived by a woman; or if +I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door;’ ‘Then,’ +he says in words too strong for me to repeat, ‘let others do to +my wife as I have done to theirs.’</p> +<p>Avoid this sin, and all sins. Let no man be able to say that +you have defrauded him, that you have tyrannized over him; that you +have neglected to do your duty by him. Let no man be able to say +that you have rewarded him evil for evil. If possible, let him +not be able to say that you have even lost your temper with him. +Be generous; be forgiving. If you have an opportunity, be like +David, and help him who without a cause is your enemy; and then you +will have a right to say, like David, ‘Give sentence with me, +O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to the cleanness +of my hands in thy sight.’</p> +<p>True - that will not justify you. In God’s sight shall +no man living be justified, if justification is to come by having no +faults. What man is there who lives, and sins not? Who is +there among us, but knows that he is not the man he might be? +Who does not know, that even if he seldom does what he ought not, he +too often leaves undone what he ought? And more than that - none +of us but does many a really wrong thing of which he never knows, at +least in this life. None of us but are blind, more or less, to +our own faults; and often blind - God forgive us! - to our very worst +faults.</p> +<p>Then let us remember, that he who judges us <i>is the Lord.</i></p> +<p>Now is that a thought to be afraid of?</p> +<p>David did not think so, when he had done right. For he says, +in this Psalm, ‘Judge me, O Lord!’</p> +<p>And when he has done wrong, he thinks so still less; for then he +asks God all the more earnestly, not only to judge him, but to correct +him likewise. ‘Purge me,’ he says, ‘and I shall +be clean. Cleanse thou me from my secret faults, and make me to +understand wisdom secretly. For thou requirest truth in the inward +parts.’</p> +<p>That is bravely spoken, and worthy of an honest man, who wishes above +all things to be right, whatsoever it may cost him.</p> +<p>But how did David get courage to ask that?</p> +<p>By knowing God, and who God was.</p> +<p>For this, my friends, is the key to the whole matter - as it is to +all matters - Who is God?</p> +<p>If you believe God to be a hard task-master, and a cruel being, extreme +to mark what is done amiss, an accuser like the devil, instead of a +forgiver and a Saviour, as he really is; - then you will begin judging +yourself wrongly and clumsily, instead of asking God to judge you wisely +and well.</p> +<p>You will break both of the golden rules which St. Anthony, the famous +hermit, used to give to his scholars. - ‘Regret not that which +is past; and trust not in thine own righteousness.’ For +you will lose time, and lose heart, in fretting over old sins and follies, +instead of confessing them once and for all to God, and going boldly +to his throne of grace to find mercy and grace to help you in the time +of need; that you may try again and do better for the future. +And so it will be true of you - I am sure I have seen it come true of +many a poor soul - what David found, before he found out the goodness +of God’s free pardon:- ‘While I held my tongue, my bones +waxed old through my daily complaining. For thy hand was heavy +upon me night and day; my moisture was like the drought in summer.’</p> +<p>And all that while (such contradictory creatures are we all), you +may be breaking St. Anthony’s other golden rule, and trusting +in your own righteousness.</p> +<p>You will begin trying to cleanse yourself from little outside faults, +and fancying that that is all you have to do, instead of asking God +to cleanse you from your secret faults, from the deep inward faults +which he alone can see; forgetting that they are the root, and the outside +faults only the fruit. And so you will be like a foolish sick +man, who is afraid of the doctor, and therefore tries to physic himself. +But what does he do? Only tamper and peddle with the outside symptoms +of his complaint, instead of going to the physician, that he may find +out and cure the complaint itself. Many a man has killed his own +body in that way; and many a man more, I fear, has killed his own soul, +because he was afraid of going to the Great Physician.</p> +<p>But if you will believe that God is good, and not evil; if you will +believe that the heavenly Father is indeed <i>your</i> Father; if you +will believe that the Lord Jesus Christ really loves you, really died +to save you, really wishes to deliver you from your sins, and make you +what you ought to be, and what you can be: then you will have heart +to do your duty; because you will be sure that God helps you to do your +duty. You will have heart to fight bravely against your bad habits, +instead of fretting cowardly over them; because you know that God is +fighting against them for you. You will not, on the other hand, +trust in your own righteousness; because you will soon learn that you +have no righteousness of your own: but that all the good in you comes +from God, who works in you to will and to do of his good pleasure.</p> +<p>And when you examine yourself, and think over your own life and character, +as every man ought to do, especially in Advent and Lent, you will have +heart to say, ‘O God, thou knowest how far I am right, and how +far wrong. I leave myself in thy hand, certain that thou wilt +deal fairly, justly, lovingly with me, as a Father with his son. +I do not pretend to be better than I am: neither will I pretend to be +worse than I am. Truly, I know nothing about it. I, ignorant +human being that I am, can never fully know how far I am right, and +how far wrong. I find light and darkness fighting together in +my heart, and I cannot divide between them. But thou canst. +Thou knowest. Thou hast made me; thou lovest me; thou hast sent +thy Son into the world to make me what I ought to be; and therefore +I believe that he will make me what I ought to be. Thou willest +not that I should perish, but come to the knowledge of the truth: and +therefore I believe that I shall not perish, but come to the knowledge +of the truth about thee, about my own character, my own duty, about +everything which it is needful for me to know. And therefore I +will go boldly on, doing my duty as well as I can, though not perfectly, +day by day; and asking thee day by day to feed my soul with its daily +bread. Thou feedest my soul with <i>its</i> daily bread. +How much more then wilt thou feed my mind and my heart, more precious +by far than my body? Yes, I will trust thee for soul and for body +alike; and if I need correcting for my sins, I am sure at least of this, +that the worst thing that can happen to me or any man, is to do wrong +and <i>not</i> to be corrected; and the best thing is to be set right, +even by hard blows, as often as I stray out of the way. And therefore +I will take my punishment quietly and manfully, and try to thank thee +for it, as I ought; for I know that thou wilt not punish me beyond what +I deserve, but far below what I deserve; and that thou wilt punish me +only to bring me to myself, and to correct me, and purge me, and strengthen +me. For this I believe - on the warrant of thine own word I believe +it - undeserved as the honour is, that thou art my Father, and lovest +me; and dost not afflict any man willingly, or grieve the children of +men out of passion or out of spite; and that thou willest not that I +should be damned, nor any man; but willest have all men saved, and come +to the knowledge of the truth.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XII. TRUE REPENTANCE</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>EZEKIEL xviii. 27.</p> +<p>When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness which he hath +committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his +soul alive.</p> +<p>We hear a great deal about repentance, and how necessary it is for +a man to repent of his sins; for unless a man repent, he cannot be forgiven. +But do we all of us really know what repentance means?</p> +<p>I sometimes fear not. I sometimes fear, that though this text +stands at the opening of the Church service, and though people hear +it as often as any text in the whole Bible, yet they have not really +learnt the lesson which God sends them by it.</p> +<p>What, then, does repentance mean?</p> +<p>‘Being sorry for what we have done wrong,’ say some.</p> +<p>But is that all? I suppose there are few wicked things done +upon earth, for which the doers of them are not sorry, sooner or later. +A man does a wrong thing, and his conscience pricks him, and makes him +uneasy, and he says in his heart, ‘I wish after all I had left +that alone.’ But the next time he is tempted to do the same +thing, he does it, and is ashamed of himself afterwards again: but that +is not repentance. I suppose that there have been few murders +committed in the world, after which sooner or later the murderer did +not say in his heart - ‘Ah, that that man were alive and well +again!’ But that is not repentance.</p> +<p>For aught I can tell, the very devil is sorry for his sin; - discontented, +angry with himself, ashamed of himself for being a devil. He may +be so to all eternity, and yet never repent. For the dark uneasy +feeling which comes over every man sooner or later, after doing wrong, +is not repentance; it is remorse; the most horrible and miserable of +all feelings, when it comes upon a man in its full strength; the feeling +of hating oneself, being at war with oneself, and with all the world, +and with God who made it.</p> +<p>But that will save no man’s soul alive. Repentance will +save any and every soul alive, then and there: but remorse will not. +Remorse may only kill him. Kill his body, by making him, as many +a poor creature has done, put an end to himself in sheer despair: and +kill his soul at least, by making him say in his heart, ‘Well, +if bad I am, bad I must be. I hate myself, and God hates me also. +All I can do is, to forget my unhappiness if I can, in business, in +pleasure, in drink, and drive remorse out of my head;’ and often +a man succeeds in so doing. The first time he does a wrong thing, +he feels sorry and ashamed after it. Then he takes courage after +awhile, and does it again; and feels less sorrow and shame; and so again +and again, till the sin becomes easier and easier to him, and his conscience +grows more and more dull; till at last perhaps, the feeling of its being +wrong quite dies within - and that is the death of his soul.</p> +<p>But of true repentance, it is written, that he who repents shall +save his soul <i>alive</i>. And how?</p> +<p>The word for repentance in Scripture means simply a change of mind. +To change one’s mind is, in Scripture words, to repent.</p> +<p>Now if a man changes his mind, he changes his conduct also. +If you set out to go to a place and change your mind, then you do not +go there. If as you go on, you begin to have doubts about its +being right to go, or to be sorry that you are going, and still walk +on in the same road, however slowly or unwillingly, that is not changing +your mind about going. If you do change your mind, you will change +your steps. You will turn back, or turn off, and go some other +road.</p> +<p>This may seem too simple to talk of. But if it be, why do not +people act upon it? If a man finds that in his way through life +be is on the wrong road, the road which leads to shame, and sorrow, +and death and hell, why will he confess that he is on the wrong road, +and say that he is very sorry (as perhaps he really may be) that he +is going wrong, and yet go on, and persevere on the wrong path? +At least, as long as he keeps on the road which leads to ruin, he has +not changed his mind, or repented at all. He may find the road +unpleasant, full of thorns, and briars, and pit-falls; for believe me, +however broad the road is which leads to destruction, it is only the +<i>gate</i> of it which is easy and comfortable; it soon gets darker +and rougher, that road of sin; and the further you walk along it, the +uglier and more wretched a road it is: but all the misery which it gives +to a man is only useless remorse, unless he fairly repents, and turns +out of that road into the path which leads to life.</p> +<p>Now the one great business of foolish man in all times has been to +save his soul (as he calls it) without doing right; to go to heaven +(as he calls it) without walking the road which leads to heaven. +It is a folly and a dream. For no man can get to heaven, unless +he be heavenly; and being heavenly is simply being good, and neither +more or less. And sin is death, and no man can save his soul alive, +while it is dead in sin. Still men have been trying to do it in +all ages and countries; and as soon as one plan has failed, they have +tried some new one; and have invented some false repentance which was +to serve instead of the true one. The old Jews seem to have thought +that the repentance which God required was burnt-offerings and sacrifices: +that if they could only offer bullocks and goats enough on God’s +altar, he would forgive them their sins. But David, and Isaiah +after him, and Ezekiel after him, found out that <i>that</i> was but +a dream; that that sort of repentance would save no man’s soul; +that God did not require burnt-offerings and sacrifice for sin: but +simply that a man should do right and not wrong. ‘When ye +come before me,’ saith the Lord, ‘who has required this +at your hand, to tread my courts?’ They were to bring no +more vain offerings: but to put away the evil of their doings; to cease +to do evil, to learn to do well; to seek justice, relieve the oppressed, +judge the fatherless, plead for the widow; and then, and then only, +though their sins were as scarlet, they should be white as snow. +For God would take them for what they were - as good, if they were good; +as bad, if they were bad. And this agrees exactly with the text. +‘When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness which he +hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save +his soul alive.’</p> +<p>The Papists again, thought that the repentance which God required, +was for a man to punish himself bitterly for his sins; to starve and +torture himself, to give up all that makes life pleasant, and so to +atone. And good and pious men and women, with a real hatred and +horror of sin, tried this: but they found that making themselves miserable +took away their sins no more than burnt-offerings and sacrifices would +do it. Their consciences were not relieved; they gained no feeling +of comfort, no assurance of God’s love. Then they said, +‘I have not punished myself enough. I have not made myself +miserable enough. I will try whether more torture and misery will +not wipe out my sins.’ And so they tried again, and failed +again, and then tried harder still, till many a noble man and woman +in old times killed themselves piecemeal by slow torments, in trying +to atone for their sins, and wash out in their own blood what was already +washed out in the blood of Jesus Christ. But on the whole, that +was found to be a failure. And now the great mass of the Papists +have fallen back on the wretched notion that repentance merely means +confessing their sins to a priest, and receiving absolution from him, +and doing some little penance too childish to speak of here.</p> +<p>But is there no false repentance among us English, too, my friends? +No paltry substitute for the only true repentance which God will accept, +which is, turning round and doing right? How many there are, who +feel - ‘I am very wrong. I am very sinful. I am on +the road to hell. I am quarrelling and losing my temper, and using +bad language. - Or - I am cheating my neighbour. Or - I am living +in adultery and drunkenness: I must repent before it is too late.’ +But what do they mean by repenting? Coming as often as they can +to church or chapel, and reading all the religious books which they +can get hold of: till they come, from often reading and hearing about +the Gospel promises, to some confused notion that their sins are washed +away in Christ’s blood; or perhaps, on the strength of some violent +feelings, believe that they are converted all on a sudden, and clothed +with the robe of Christ’s righteousness, and renewed by God’s +Spirit, and that now they belong to the number of believers, and are +among God’s elect.</p> +<p>Now, my dear friends, I complain of no one going to hear all the +good they can; I complain of no one reading all the religious books +they can: but I think - and more, I know - that hearing sermons and +reading tracts may be, and is often, turned into a complete snare of +the devil by people who do not wish to give up their sins and do right, +but only want to be comfortable in their sins.</p> +<p>Hear sermons if you will; read good books if you will: but bear in +mind, that you know already quite enough to lead you to <i>repentance</i>. +You need neither book nor sermon to teach you those ten commandments +which hang here over the communion table: all that books and tracts +and sermons can do is to teach you how to <i>keep</i> those commandments +in spirit and in truth: but I am sure I have seen people read books, +and run about to sermons, in order to enable them to forget those ten +commandments; in order to find excuses for not keeping them; and to +find doctrines which tell them, that because Christ has done all, they +need do nothing; - only <i>feel</i> a little thankfulness, and a little +sorrow for sin, and a little liking to hear about religion: and call +that repentance, and conversion, and the renewal of the Holy Spirit.</p> +<p>Now, my dear friends, let me ask you as reasonable beings, Do you +think that hearing me or any man preach, can save your souls alive? +Do you think that sitting over a book for an hour a day, or all day +long, will save your souls alive? Do you think that your sins +are washed away in Christ’s blood, when they are there still, +and you are committing them? Would they be here, and you doing +them, if they were put away? Do you think that your sins can be +put away out of God’s sight, if they are not even put out of your +own sight? If you are doing wrong, do you think that God will +treat you as if you were doing right? Cannot God see in you what +you see in yourselves? Do you think a man can be clothed in Christ’s +righteousness at the very same time that he is clothed in his own unrighteousness? +Can he be good and bad at once? Do you think a man can be converted +- that is turned round - when he is going on his old road the whole +week? Do you think that a man has repented - that is, changed +his mind - when he is in just the same mind as ever as to how he shall +behave to his family, his customers, and everybody with whom he has +to do? Do you think that a man is renewed by God’s Spirit, +when except for a few religious phrases, and a little more outside respectability, +he is just the old man, the same character at heart he ever was? +Do you think that there is any use in a man’s belonging to the +number of believers, if he does not do what he believes; or any use +in thinking that God has elected and chosen him, when he chooses not +to do what God has chosen that every man must do, or die?</p> +<p>Be not deceived. God is not mocked. What a man sows, +that shall he reap. Let no man deceive you. He that doeth +righteousness is righteous, even as Christ is righteous, and no one +else.</p> +<p>He who tries to do as Christ did, and he only, has Christ’s +righteousness imputed to him, because he is trying to do what Christ +did, that which is lawful and right. He who does righteousness, +and he only, has truly repented, changed his mind about what he should +do, and turned away from his wickedness which he has committed, and +is now doing that which is lawful and right. He who does righteousness, +and he only, shall save his soul alive: not by feeling this thing, or +believing about that thing, but by doing that which is lawful and right.</p> +<p>We must face it, my dear friends. We cannot deceive God: and +God will certainly not deceive himself. He sees us as we are, +and takes us for what we are. What is right in us, he accepts +for the salvation of Jesus Christ, in whom we are created unto good +works. What is wrong in us, he will assuredly punish, and give +us the exact reward of the deeds done in the body, whether they be good +or evil. Every work of ours shall come into judgment, unless it +be repented of, and put away by the only true repentance - not doing +the thing any more.</p> +<p>God, I say, will judge righteous judgment, and take us as we are.</p> +<p>For the sake of Jesus the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, +there is full, free, and perfect forgiveness for every sin, when we +give it up. As soon as a man turns round, and, instead of doing +wrong, tries to do right, he need be under no manner of fear or terror +any more. He is taken back into his Father’s house as freely +and graciously as the prodigal son in the parable was. Whatsoever +dark score there was against him in God’s books is wiped out there +and then, and he starts clear, a new man, with a fresh chance of life. +And whosoever tells him that the score is not wiped out, lies, and contradicts +flatly God’s holy word. But as long as a man does <i>not</i> +give up his sins, the dark score <i>does</i> stand against him in God’s +books; and no praying, reading, devoutness of any kind will wipe it +out; and as long as he sins, he is still in his sins, and his sins will +be his ruin. Whosoever tells him that they are wiped out, he too +lies, and contradicts flatly God’s holy word.</p> +<p>For God is just, and true; and therefore God takes us for what we +are, and will do so to all eternity; and you will find it so, my dearest +friends. In spite of all doctrines which men have invented, and +then pretended to find in the Bible, to drug men’s consciences, +and confuse God’s clear light in their hearts, you will find, +now and for ever, that if you do right you will be happy even in the +midst of sorrow; if you do wrong, you will be miserable even in the +midst of pleasure. Oh believe this, my dear friends, and do not +rashly count on some sudden magical change happening to you as soon +as you die to make you fit for heaven. There is not one word in +the Bible which gives us reason to suppose that we shall not be in the +next world the same persons which we have made ourselves in this world. +If we are unjust here, we shall, for aught we know, or can know, try +to be unjust there; if we be filthy here, we shall be so there; if we +be proud here, we shall be so there; if we be selfish here, we shall +be so there. What we sow here, we shall reap there. And +it is good for us to know this, and face this. Anything is good +for us, however unpleasant it may be, which drives us from the only +real misery, which is sin and selfishness, to the only true happiness, +which is the everlasting life of Christ; a pure, loving, just, generous, +useful life of goodness, which is the righteousness of Christ, and the +glory of Christ, and which will be our righteousness and our glory also +for ever: but only if we live it; only if we be useful as Christ was, +generous as Christ was, just as Christ was, gentle as Christ was, pure +as Christ was, loving as Christ was, and so put on Christ, not in name +and in word, but in spirit and in truth, that having worn Christ’s +likeness in this world, we may share his victory over all evil in the +life to come.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XIII. THE LETTER AND THE SPIRIT</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>(<i>Twelfth Sunday after Trinity</i>.)</p> +<p>II COR. iii. 6.</p> +<p>God, who hath made us able ministers of the New Testament; not of +the letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter killeth, but the Spirit +giveth life.</p> +<p>When we look at the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel for to-day one after +the other, we do not see, perhaps, what they have to do with each other. +But they have to do with each other. They agree with each other. +They explain each other. They all three tell us what God is like, +and what we are to believe about God, and why we are to have faith in +God.</p> +<p>The Collect tells of a God who is more ready to hear than we are +to pray; and is ‘wont to give’ - that is, usually, and as +a matter of course, every day and all day long, gives us - ‘more +than either we desire or deserve,’ of a God who gives and forgives, +abundant in mercy. It bids us, when we pray to God, remember that +we are praying to a perfectly bountiful, perfectly generous God.</p> +<p>Some people worship quite a different God to that. They fancy +that God is hard; that he sits judging each man by the letter of the +law; watching and marking down every little fault which they commit; +extreme to mark what is done amiss; and that in the very face of Scripture, +which says that God is <i>not</i> extreme to mark what is done amiss; +for if he were, who could abide it?</p> +<p>Their notion of God is, that he is very like themselves; proud, grudging, +hard to be entreated, expecting everything from men, but not willing +to give without a great deal of continued asking and begging, and outward +reverence, and scrupulous fear lest he should be offended unexpectedly +at the least mistake; and they fancy, like the heathen, that they shall +be heard for their much speaking. They forget altogether that +God is their Father, and knows what they need before they ask, and their +ignorance in asking, and has (as any father fit to be called a father +would have) compassion on their infirmities.</p> +<p>There is a great deal of this lip-service, and superstitious devoutness, +creeping in now-a-days; a spirit of bondage unto fear. St. Paul +warns us against it, and calls it will-worship, and voluntary humility. +And I tell you of it, that it is not Christian at all, but heathen; +and I say to you, as St. Paul bids me say, God, who made the world, +and all therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth +not in temples made with hands; neither is worshipped with men’s +hands, as though he needed anything, seeing that he giveth to all life +and breath, and all things. For in him we live and move, and have +our being, and are the offspring - the children - of God.</p> +<p>Away, then, with this miserable spirit of bondage and fear, which +insults that good God which it pretends to honour; and in spirit and +in truth, not with slavish crouchings and cringings, copied from the +old heathen, let us worship <i>The Father.</i></p> +<p>But this leads us to the Epistle.</p> +<p>St. Paul tells us how it is that God is wont to give us more than +we either desire or deserve: because he is the Lord and Giver of life, +in whom all created things live and move and have their being. +Therefore in the Epistle he tells us of a Spirit which gives life.</p> +<p>But some may ask, ‘What life?’</p> +<p>The Gospel answers that, and says, ‘All life.’</p> +<p>It tells us that our Lord Christ cared not merely for the life of +men’s souls, but for the life of their bodies. That wherever +he went he brought with him, not merely health for men’s souls +by his teaching, but health for their bodies by his miracles. +That when he saw a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, +he sighed over him in compassion; and did not think it beneath him to +cure that poor man of his infirmity, though it was no such very great +one.</p> +<p>For he wished to show men that his heavenly Father cared for them +altogether, body as well as soul; that all health and strength whatsoever +came from him.</p> +<p>When we hear, therefore, of the Spirit giving life, we are not to +fancy that means only some high devout spiritual life, or that God’s +Spirit has to do only with a few elect saints. That may be a very +pleasant fancy for those who believe themselves to be the elect saints; +but the message of the Gospel is far wider and deeper than that, or +any other of vain man’s narrow notions. It tells us that +life - all life which we can see; all health, strength, beauty, order, +use, power of doing good work in God’s earthly world, come from +the Spirit of God, just as much as the spiritual life which we cannot +see - goodness, amiableness, purity, justice, virtue, power of doing +work in God’s heavenly world. This latter is the higher +life: and the former the lower, though good and necessary in its place: +but the lower, as well as the higher, is life; and comes from the Spirit +of God, who gives life and breath to all things.</p> +<p>And now, perhaps, we may see what St. Paul meant, by his being a +minister ‘not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter +killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.’</p> +<p>Do you not see yet, my friends? Then I will tell you.</p> +<p>If I were to get up in this pulpit, and preach the terrors of the +law, and the wrath of God, and hell fire: if I tried to bind heavy burdens +on you, and grievous to be borne, crying - You <i>must</i> do this, +you <i>must</i> feel that, you <i>must</i> believe the other - while +I having fewer temptations and more education than you, touched not +those burdens with one of my fingers; if I tried to make out as many +sins as I could against you, crying continually, this was wrong, and +that was wrong, making you believe that God is always on the watch to +catch you tripping, and telling you that the least of your sins deserved +endless torment - things which neither I nor any man can find in the +Bible, nor in common justice, nor common humanity, nor elsewhere, save +in the lying mouth of the great devil himself; - or if I put into your +hands books of self-examination (as they are called) full of long lists +of sins, frightening poor innocents, and defiling their thoughts and +consciences, and making the heart of the righteous sad, whom God has +not made sad; - if I, in plain English, had my mouth full of cursing +and bitterness, threatening and fault-finding, and distrustful, and +disrespectful, and insolent language about you my parishioners: why +then I might fancy myself a Christian priest, and a minister of the +Gospel, and a very able, and eloquent, and earnest one; and might perhaps +gain for myself the credit of being a ‘searching preacher,’ +by speaking evil of people who are most of them as good and better than +I, and by taking a low, mean, false view of that human nature which +God made in his own image, and Christ justified in his own man’s +flesh, and soul, and spirit; but instead of being an able minister of +the New Covenant, or of the Spirit of God, I should be no such man, +but the very opposite.</p> +<p>No. I should be one of those of whom the Psalmist says, ‘Their +mouths are full of cursing and bitterness’ - and also, ‘Their +feet are swift to shed blood.’</p> +<p>To shed blood; to kill with the letter which killeth; and your blood, +if I did succeed in killing your souls, would be upon my foolish head.</p> +<p>For such preaching as that does kill.</p> +<p>It kills three things.</p> +<p>1. It kills the Gospel. It turns the good news of God +into the very worst news possible, and the ministration of righteousness +into the ministration of condemnation.</p> +<p>2. It kills the souls of the congregation - or would kill them, +if God’s wisdom and love were not stronger than his minister’s +folly and hardness. For it kills in them self-respect and hope, +and makes them say to themselves, ‘God has made me bad, and bad +I must be. Let me eat and drink, for to-morrow I die. God +requires all this of me, and I cannot do it. I shall not try to +do it. I shall take my chance of being saved at last, I know not +how.’ It frightens people away from church, from religion, +from the very thought of God. It sets people on spying out their +neighbours’ faults, on judging and condemning, on fancying themselves +righteous and despising others; and so kills in them faith, hope, and +charity, which are the very life of their spirits.</p> +<p>3. And by a just judgment, it kills the soul of the preacher +also. It makes him forget who he is, what God has set him to do; +and at last, even who God is. It makes him fancy that he is doing +God’s work, while he is simply doing the work of the devil, the +slanderer and accuser of the brethren; judging and condemning his congregation, +when God has said, ‘Judge not and ye shall not be judged, condemn +not and ye shall not be condemned.’ It makes him at last +like the false God whom he has been preaching (for every man at last +copies the God in whom he believes), dark and deceiving, proud and cruel; +- and may the Lord have mercy upon his soul!</p> +<p>But I will tell you how I can be an able minister of the New Testament, +and of the Spirit who gives life.</p> +<p>If I say to you - and I do say it now, and will say it as long as +I am here - Trust God, because God is good; obey God, because God is +good.</p> +<p>I preach to you the good God of the Collect, even your heavenly Father; +who needs not be won over or appeased by anything which you can do, +for he loves you already for the sake of his dear Son, whose members +you are. He will not hear you the more for your much speaking, +for he knows your necessities before you ask, and your ignorance in +asking. He will not judge you according to the letter of Moses’ +law, or any other law whatsoever, but according to the spirit of your +longings and struggles after what is right. He will not be extreme +to mark what you do amiss, but will help you to mend it, if you desire +to mend; setting you straight when you go wrong, and helping you up +when you fall, if only your spirit is struggling after what is right.</p> +<p>This all-good heavenly Father I preach to you, and I say to you, +Trust <i>him.</i></p> +<p>I preach to you a Spirit who is the Lord and Giver of life; who hates +death, and therefore wills not that you should die; who has given you +all the life you have, all health and strength of body, all wit and +power of mind, all right, pure, loving, noble feelings of heart and +spirit, and who is both able and willing to keep them alive and healthy +in you for ever.</p> +<p>This all-good Spirit of life I preach to you; and I say to you, Trust +<i>him.</i></p> +<p>I preach to you a Son of God, who is the likeness of his Father’s +glory, and the express image of his person; in order that by seeing +him and how good he is, you may see your heavenly Father, and how good +he is likewise; a Son of God who is your Saviour and your Judge; who +judges you that he may save you, and saves you by judging you; who has +all power given to him in heaven and earth, and declares that almighty +power most chiefly by showing mercy and pity; who, when he was upon +earth, made the deaf to hear, the lame to walk, the blind to see; who +ate and drank with publicans and sinners, and was the friend of all +mankind; a Son of God who has declared everlasting war against disease, +ignorance, sin, death, and all which makes men miserable. Those +are his enemies; and he reigns, and will reign, till he has put all +enemies under his feet, and there is nothing left in God’s universe +but order and usefulness, health and beauty, knowledge and virtue, in +the day when God shall be all in all.</p> +<p>This all-good Son of God I preach to you, and I say to you, Trust +<i>him</i>, and obey him. Obey him, not lest he should become +angry and harm you, like the false gods of the heathen, but because +his commandments are life; because he has made them for your good.</p> +<p>Oh! when will people understand that - that God has not made laws +out of any arbitrariness, but for our good? - That his commandments +are <i>Life</i>? David of old knew as much as that. Why +do not we know more, instead of knowing, most of us, much less? +It is simple enough, if you will but look at it with simple minds. +God has made us; and if he had not loved us, he would not have made +us at all. God has sent us into the world; and if he had not loved +us, he would not have sent us into the world at all. In him we +live, and move, and have our being, and are the offspring and children +of God. And therefore God alone knows what is good for us; what +is the good life, the wholesome, the safe, the right, the everlasting +life for us. And he sends his Son to tell us - This is the right +life; a life like Christ’s; a life according to God’s Spirit; +and if you do not live that life you will die, not only body but soul +also, because you are not living the life which God meant for you when +he made you. Just as if you eat the wrong food, you will kill +your bodies; so if you think the wrong thoughts, and feel the wrong +feelings, and therefore do the wrong things, you will kill your own +souls. God will not kill you; you will kill yourselves. +God grudges you nothing. God does not wish to hurt you, wish to +punish you. He wishes you to live and be happy; to live for ever, +and be happy for ever. But as your body cannot live unless it +be healthy, so your soul cannot live unless it be healthy. And +it cannot be healthy unless it live the right life. And it cannot +live the right life without the right spirit. And the only right +spirit is the Spirit of God himself the Spirit of your Father in heaven, +who will make you, as children should be, like your Father.</p> +<p>But that Spirit is not far from any of you. In him you live, +and move, and have your being already. Were he to leave you for +a moment you would die, and be turned again to your dust. From +him comes all the good of body and soul which you have already. +Trust him for more. Ask him for more. Go boldly to the throne +of his grace, remembering that it is a throne of <i>grace</i>, of kindness, +tenderness, patience, bountiful love, and wealth without end. +Do not think that he is hard of hearing, or hard of giving. How +can he be? For he is the Spirit of the all-generous Father and +of the all-generous Son, and has given, and gives now; and delights +to give, and delights to be asked. He is the charity of God; the +boundless love by which all things consist; and, like all love, becomes +more rich by spending, and glorifies himself by giving himself away; +and has sworn by himself - that is, by his own eternal and necessary +character, which he cannot alter or unmake - ‘This is the new +covenant which I will make with my people. I will write my laws +in their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and I will dwell +with them, and be their God.’</p> +<p>Oh, my friends, take these words to yourselves; and trust in that +good Father in heaven, whose love sent you into this world, and gave +you the priceless blessing of life; whose love sent his Son to show +you the pattern of life, and to redeem you freely from all your sins; +whose love sends his Spirit to give you the power of leading the everlasting +life, and will raise you up again, body and soul, to that same everlasting +life after death. Trust him, for he is your Father. Whatever +else he is, he is that. He has bid you call him that, and he will +hear you. If you forget that he is your Father, you forget him, +and worship a false God of your own invention. And whenever you +doubt; whenever the devil, or ignorant preachers, or superstitious books, +make you afraid, and tempt you to fancy that God hates you, and watches +to catch you tripping, take refuge in that blessed name, and say, ‘Satan, +I defy thee; for the Almighty God of heaven is my Father.’</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XIV. HEROES AND HEROINES<br />(<i>Whitsunday</i>.)</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>PSALM xxxii. 8.</p> +<p>I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: +I will guide thee with mine eye.</p> +<p>This is God’s promise; which he fulfilled at sundry times and +in different manners to all the men of the old world who trusted in +him. He informed them; that is, he put them into right form, right +shape, right character, and made them the men which they were meant +to be. He taught them in the way in which they ought to go. +He guided them where they could not guide themselves.</p> +<p>But God fulfilled this promise utterly and completely on the first +Whitsuntide, when the Holy Spirit came down on the apostles.</p> +<p>That was an extraordinary and special gift; because the apostles +had to do an extraordinary and special work. They had to preach +the Gospel to all nations, and therefore they wanted tongues with which +to speak to all nations; at least to those of their countrymen who came +from foreign parts, and spoke foreign tongues, that they might carry +home the good news of Christ into all lands. And they wanted tongues +of fire, too, to set their own hearts on fire with divine zeal and earnestness, +and to set on fire the hearts of those who heard them.</p> +<p>But that was an extraordinary gift. There was never anything +like it before; nor has been, as far as we know, since; because it has +not been needed.</p> +<p>It is enough for us to know, that the apostles had what they needed. +God called and sent them to do a great work: and therefore, being just +and merciful, he gave them the power which was wanted for that great +work.</p> +<p>But if that is a special case; if there has been nothing like it +since, what has Whitsuntide to do with us? We need no tongues +of fire, and we shall have none on this Whitsunday or any Whitsunday. +Has Whitsunday then no blessing for us? Do we get nothing by it? +God forbid, my friends.</p> +<p>We get what the apostles got, and neither more nor less; though not +in the same shape as they did.</p> +<p>God called them to do a work: God calls us, each of us, to do some +work.</p> +<p>God gave them the Holy Spirit to make them able to do their work. +God gives <i>us</i> the Holy Spirit, to make us able to do <i>our</i> +work, whatsoever that may be.</p> +<p>As their day, so their strength was: as our day is, so our strength +shall be.</p> +<p>For instance. -</p> +<p>How often one sees a person - a woman, say - easy and comfortable, +enjoying life, and taking little trouble about anything, because she +has no need. And when one looks at such a woman, one is apt to +say hastily in one’s heart, ‘Ah, she does not know what +sorrow is - and well for her she does not; for she would make but a +poor fight if trouble came on her; she would make but a poor nurse if +she had to sit months by a sick bed. She would become down-hearted, +and peevish, and useless. There is no strength in her to stand +in the evil day.’</p> +<p>And perhaps that woman would say so of herself. She might be +painfully afraid of the thought of affliction; she might shrink from +the notion of having to nurse any one; from having to give up her own +pleasure and ease for the sake of others; and she would say of herself, +as you say of her, ‘What would become of me if sorrow came? +<i>I</i> have no strength to stand in the evil day.’</p> +<p>Yes, my friends, and you say true, and she says true. And yet +not true either. She has no strength to stand: but she will stand +nevertheless, for God is able to make her stand. As her day, so +her strength shall be. A day of suffering, anxiety, weariness, +all but despair may come to her. But in that day she shall be +baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire; and then you shall be astonished, +and she shall be astonished, at what she can do, and what she can endure; +because God’s Spirit will give her a right judgment in all things, +and enable her, even in the midst of her sorrow, to rejoice in his holy +comfort. And people will call her - those at least who know her +- a ‘heroine.’ And they speak truly and well, and +give her the right and true name. Why, I will tell you presently.</p> +<p>Or how often it happens to a man to be thrown into circumstances +which he never expected. An officer, perhaps, in war time in a +foreign land - in India now. He has a work to do: a heavy, dangerous, +difficult, almost hopeless work. He does not like it. He +is afraid of it. He wishes himself anywhere but where he is. +He has little or no hope of succeeding; and if he fails, he fears that +he will be blamed, misunderstood, slandered. But he feels he must +go through with it. He cannot turn back; he cannot escape. +As the saying is, the bull is brought to the stake, and he must bide +the baiting.</p> +<p>At first, perhaps, he tries to buoy himself up. He begins his +work in a little pride and self-conceit, and notion of his own courage +and cunning. He tries to fancy himself strong enough for anything. +He feeds himself up with the thought of what people will say of him; +the hope of gaining honour and praise: and that is not altogether a +wrong feeling - God forbid!</p> +<p>But the further the man gets into his work, the more difficult it +grows, and the more hopeless he grows. He finds himself weak, +when he expected to be strong; puzzled when he thought himself cunning. +He is not sure whether he is doing right. He is afraid of responsibility. +It is a heavy burden on him, too heavy to bear. His own honour +and good name may depend upon a single word which he speaks. The +comfort, the fortune, the lives of human beings may depend on his making +up his mind at an hour’s notice to do exactly the right thing +at the right time. People round him may be mistaking him, slandering +him, plotting against him, rebelling against him, even while he is trying +to do them all the good he can. Little comfort does he get then +from the thought of what people at home may say of him. He is +set in the snare, and he cannot find his way out. He is at his +own wits’ end; and from whence shall he get fresh wits? +Who will give him a right judgment in all things? Who will give +him a holy comfort in which he can rejoice? - a comfort which will make +him cheerful, because he knows it is a right comfort, and that he is +doing right? His heart is sinking within him, getting chill and +cold with despair. Who will put fresh fire and spirit into it?</p> +<p>God will. When he has learnt how weak he is in himself, how +stupid he is in himself; - ay, bitter as it is to a brave man to have +to confess it, how cowardly he is in himself - then, when he has learnt +the golden lesson, God will baptize him with the Holy Ghost and with +fire.</p> +<p>A time will come to that man, when, finding no help in himself, no +help in man, he will go for help to God.</p> +<p>Old words which he learnt at his mother’s knee come back to +him - old words that he almost forgot, perhaps, in the strength and +gaiety of his youth and prosperity. And he prays. He prays +clumsily enough, perhaps. He is not accustomed to praying; and +he hardly knows what to ask for, or how to ask for it. Be it so. +In that he is not so very much worse off than others. What did +St. Paul say, even of himself? ‘We know not how to ask for +anything as we ought: but the Spirit maketh intercession for us with +groanings that cannot be uttered’ - too deep for words. +Yes, in every honest heart there are longings too deep for words. +A man knows he wants something: but knows not what he wants. He +cannot find the right words to say to God. Let him take comfort. +What he does not know, the Holy Spirit of Whitsuntide - the Spirit of +Jesus Christ - does know. Christ knows what we want, and offers +our clumsy prayers up to our heavenly Father, not in the shape in which +we put them, but as they ought to be, as we should like them to be; +and our Father hears them.</p> +<p>Yes. Our Father hears the man who cries to him, however clumsily, +for light and strength to do his duty. So it is; so it has been +always; so it will be to the end. And then as the man’s +day, so his strength will be. He may be utterly puzzled, utterly +down-hearted, utterly hopeless: but the day comes to him in which he +is baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire. He begins to have +a right judgment; to see clearly what he ought to do, and how to do +it. He grows more shrewd, more prompt, more steady than he ever +has been before. And there comes a fire into his heart, such as +there never was before; a spirit and a determination which nothing can +daunt or break, which makes him bold, cheerful, earnest, in the face +of the anxiety and danger which would have, at any other time, broken +his heart. The man is lifted up above himself, and carried on +through his work, he hardly knows how, till he succeeds nobly, or if +he fails, fails nobly; and be the end as it may, he gets the work done +which God has given him to do.</p> +<p>And then when he looks back, he is astonished at himself. He +wonders how he could dare so much; wonders how he could endure so much; +wonders how the right thought came into his head at the right moment. +He hardly knows himself again. It seems to him, when he thinks +over it all, like a grand and awful dream. And the world is astonished +at him likewise. They cry, ‘Who would have thought there +was so much in this man? who would have expected such things of him?’ +And they call him a hero - and so he is.</p> +<p>Yes, the world is right, more right than it thinks in both sayings. +Who would have expected there was so much in the man? For there +was not so much in him, till God put it there.</p> +<p>And again they are right, too; more right than they think in calling +that man a hero, or that woman a heroine.</p> +<p>For what is the old meaning, the true meaning of a hero or a heroine?</p> +<p>It meant - and ought to mean - one who is a son or a daughter of +God, and whom God informs and strengthens, and sends out to do noble +work, teaching them the way wherein they should go. That was the +right meaning of a hero and of a heroine even among the old heathens. +Let it mean the same among us Christians, when we talk of a hero; and +let us give God the glory, and say - There is a man who has entered, +even if it be but for one day’s danger and trial, into the blessings +of Whitsuntide and the power of God’s Spirit; a man whom God has +informed and taught in the way wherein he should go. May that +same God give him grace to abide herein all the days of his life!</p> +<p>Yes, my friends, may God give us all grace to under stand Whitsuntide, +and feed on the blessings of Whitsuntide; not merely once in a way, +in some great sorrow, great danger, great struggle, great striving point +of our lives; but every day and all day long, and to rejoice in the +power of his Spirit, till it becomes to us - would that it could to-day +become to us; - like the air we breathe; till having got our life’s +work done, if not done perfectly, yet still done, we may go hence to +receive the due reward of our deeds.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XV. THE MEASURE OF THE CROSS</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>EPHESIANS iii. 18, 19.</p> +<p>That ye may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth +and length and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ, which +passeth knowledge.</p> +<p>These words are very deep, and difficult to understand; for St. Paul +does not tell us exactly of what he is speaking. He does not say +what it is, the breadth and length, and depth, and height of which we +are to comprehend and take in. Only he tells us afterwards what +will come of our taking it in; we shall know the love of Christ.</p> +<p>And therefore many great fathers and divines, whose names there is +no need for me to tell you, but whose opinions we must always respect, +have said that what St. Paul is speaking of is, the Cross of Christ.</p> +<p>Of course they do not mean the wood of which the actual cross was +made. They mean the thing of which the cross was a sign and token.</p> +<p>Now of what is the cross a token?</p> +<p>Of the love of Christ, which is the love of God.</p> +<p>But of what kind of love?</p> +<p>Not the love which is satisfied with sitting still and enjoying itself, +as long as nothing puts it out, and turns its love to anger - what we +call mere good nature and good temper; not that, not that, my friends: +but love which will dare, and do, and yearn, and mourn; love which cannot +rest; love which sacrifices itself; love which will suffer, love which +will die, for what it loves; - such love as a father has, who perishes +himself to save his drowning child.</p> +<p>Now the cross of Christ is a token to us, that God’s love to +us is like that: a love which will dare anything, and suffer anything, +for the sake of saving sinful man.</p> +<p>And therefore it is, that from the earliest times the cross has been +the special sign of Christians. We keep it up still, when we make +the sign of the cross on children’s foreheads in baptism: but +we have given up using the sign of the cross commonly, because it was +perverted, in old times, into a superstitious charm. Men worshipped +the cross like an idol, or bits of wood which they fancied were pieces +of the actual cross, while they were forgetting what the cross meant. +So the use of the cross fell into disrepute, and was put down in England.</p> +<p>But that is no reason why we should forget what the cross meant, +and means now, and will mean for ever. Indeed, the better Christians, +the better men we are, the more will Christ’s cross fill us with +thoughts which nothing else can give us; thoughts which we are glad +enough, often, to forget and put away; so bitterly do they remind us +of our own laziness, selfishness, and love of pleasure.</p> +<p>But still, the cross is our sign. It is God’s everlasting +token to us, that he has told us Christians something about himself +which none of the wisest among the heathen knew; which infidels now +do not know; which nothing but the cross can teach to men.</p> +<p>There were men among the old heathens who believed in one God; and +some of them saw that he must be, on the whole, a good and a just God. +But they could not help thinking of God (with very rare exceptions) +as a respecter of persons, a God who had favourites; and at least, that +he was a God who loved his friends, and hated his enemies. So +the Mussulmans believe now. So do the Jews; indeed, so they did +all along, though they ought to have known better; for their prophets +in the Old Testament told them a very different tale about God’s +love.</p> +<p>But that was all they could believe - in a God who was not unjust +or wicked, but was at least hard, proud, unbending: while the notion +that God could love his enemies, and bless those who used him despitefully +and persecuted him - much less die for his enemies - that would have +seemed to them impossible and absurd. They stumbled at the stumbling-block +of the cross. God, they thought, would do to men as they did to +him. If they loved him, he would love them. If they neglected +him, he would hate and destroy them.</p> +<p>But when the apostles preached the Gospel, the good news of Christ +crucified, they preached a very different tale; a tale quite new; utterly +different from any that mankind had ever heard before.</p> +<p>St. Paul calls it a mystery - a secret - which had been hidden from +the foundation of the world till then, and was then revealed by God’s +Spirit; namely, this boundless love of God, shown by Christ’s +dying on the cross.</p> +<p>And, he says, his great hope, his great business, the thing on which +his heart was set, and which God had sent him into the world to do, +was this - to make people know the love of Christ; to look at Christ’s +cross, and take in its breadth, and length, and depth, and height. +It passes knowledge, he says. We shall never know the whole of +it - never know all that God’s love has done, and will do: but +the more we know of it, the more blessed and hopeful, the more strong +and earnest, the more good and righteous we shall become.</p> +<p>And what is the breadth of Christ’s cross? My friends, +it is as broad as the whole world; for he died for the whole world, +as it is written, ‘He is a propitiation not for our sins only, +but for the sins of the whole world;’ and again, ‘God willeth +that none should perish;’ and again, ‘As by the offence +judgment came on all men to condemnation, even so by the righteousness +of one, the gift came upon all men to justification of life.’</p> +<p>And that is the breadth of Christ’s cross.</p> +<p>And what is the length of Christ’s cross? The length +thereof, says an old father, signifies the time during which its virtue +will last.</p> +<p>How long, then, is the cross of Christ? Long enough to last +through all time. As long as there is a sinner to be saved; as +long as there is ignorance, sorrow, pain, death, or anything else which +is contrary to God and hurtful to man, in the universe of God, so long +will Christ’s cross last. For it is written, he must reign +till he hath put all enemies under his feet; and God is all in all. +And that is the length of the cross of Christ.</p> +<p>And how high is Christ’s cross? As high as the highest +heaven, and the throne of God, and the bosom of the Father - that bosom +out of which for ever proceed all created things. Ay, as high +as the highest heaven; for - if you will receive it - when Christ hung +upon the cross, heaven came down on earth, and earth ascended into heaven. +Christ never showed forth his Father’s glory so perfectly as when, +hanging upon the cross, he cried in his death-agony, ‘Father, +forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ Those words +showed the true height of the cross; and caused St. John to know that +his vision was true, and no dream, when he saw afterwards in the midst +of the throne of God a lamb as it had been slain.</p> +<p>And that is the height of the cross of Christ.</p> +<p>And how deep is the cross of Christ?</p> +<p>This is a great mystery, and one which people in these days are afraid +to look at; and darken it of their own will, because they will neither +believe their Bibles, nor the voice of their own hearts.</p> +<p>But if the cross of Christ be as high as heaven, then, it seems to +me, it must also be as deep as hell, deep enough to reach the deepest +sinner in the deepest pit to which he may fall. We know that Christ +descended into hell. We know that he preached to the spirits in +prison. We know that it is written, ‘As in Adam all die, +even so in Christ shall all be made alive.’ We know that +when the wicked man turns from his wickedness, and does what is lawful +and right, he will save his soul alive. We know that in the very +same chapter God tells us that his ways are not unequal - that he has +not one law for one man, and another for another, or one law for one +year, and another for another. It is possible, therefore, that +he has not one law for this life, and another for the life to come. +Let us hope, then, that David’s words may be true after all, when +speaking by the Spirit of God, he says, not only, ‘if I ascend +up to heaven, thou art there;’ but ‘if I go down to hell, +thou art there also;’ and let us hope that <i>that</i> is the +depth of the cross of Christ.</p> +<p>At all events, my friends, I believe that we shall find St. Paul’s +words true, when he says, that Christ’s love passes knowledge; +and therefore that we shall find this also; - that however broad we +may think Christ’s cross, it is broader still. However long, +it is longer still. However high, it is higher still. However +deep, it is deeper still. Yes, we shall find that St. Paul spoke +solemn truth when he said, that Christ had ascended on high that he +might fill all things; that Christ filled all in all; and that he must +reign till the day when he shall give up the kingdom to God, even the +Father, that God may be all in all.</p> +<p>And now do you take all this about the breadth and length of Christ’s +cross to be only ingenious fancies, and a pretty play of words?</p> +<p>Ah, my friends, the day will come when you will find that the measure +of Christ’s cross is the most important question upon earth.</p> +<p>In the hour of death, and in the day of judgment; then the one thing +which you will care to think of (if you can think at all then, as too +many poor souls cannot, and therefore had best think of it now before +their wits fail them) - the one thing which you will care to think of, +I say, will be - not, how clever you have been, how successful you have +been, how much admired you have been, how much money you have made:- +‘Of course not,’ you answer; ‘I shall be thinking +of the state of my soul; whether I am fit to die; whether I have faith +enough to meet God; whether I have good works enough to meet God.’</p> +<p>Will you, my friend? Then you will soon grow tired of thinking +of that likewise, at least I hope and trust that you will. For, +however much faith you may have had, you will find that you have not +had enough. However so many good works you may have done, you +will find that you have not done enough. The better man you are, +the more you will be dissatisfied with yourself; the more you will be +ashamed of yourself; till with all saints, Romanist or Protestant, or +other, who have been worthy of the name of saints, you will be driven +- if you are in earnest about your own soul - to give up thinking of +yourself, and to think only of the cross of Christ, and of the love +of Christ which shines thereon; and ask - Is it great enough to cover +my sins? to save one as utterly unworthy to be saved as I. And +so, after all, you will be forced to throw yourself - where you ought +to have thrown yourself at the outset - at the foot of Christ’s +cross; and say in spirit and in truth -</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>Nothing in my hand I bring,<br />Simply to the cross I cling -</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>In plain words, I throw myself, with all my sins, upon that absolute +and boundless love of God which made all things, and me among them, +and hateth nothing that he hath made; who redeemed all mankind, and +me among them, and hath said by the mouth of his only-begotten Son, +‘Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.’</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XVI. THE PURE IN HEART</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>TITUS i. 15.</p> +<p>Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled +and unbelieving is nothing pure: but even their mind and conscience +is defiled.</p> +<p>This seems at first a strange and startling saying: but it is a true +one; and the more we think over it, the more we shall find it true.</p> +<p>All things are pure in themselves; good in themselves; because God +made them. Is it not written, ‘God saw all that he had made, +and behold, it was very good?’ Therefore St. Paul says, +that all things are ours; and that Christ gives us all things richly +to enjoy. All we need is, to use things in the right way; that +is, in the way in which God intended them to be used.</p> +<p>For God is a God of truth; a true, a faithful, and - if I may so +speak - an honest and honourable, and fair God: not a deceiving or unfair +God, who lays snares for his creatures, or leads them into temptation. +That would be a bad God, a cruel God, very unlike the Father of our +Lord Jesus Christ. He has put us into a good world, and not a +wilderness, as some people call it. If any part of this world +be a wilderness, it is because men have made it so, or left it so, by +their own wilfulness, ignorance, cowardice, laziness, violence. +No: God, I say, has put us into a good world, and given us pure and +harmless appetites, feelings, relations. Therefore all the relations +of life are holy. To be a husband, a father, a brother, a son, +is pure and good. To have property and to use it: to enjoy ourselves +in this life as far as we can, without hurting ourselves or our neighbours; +all this is pure, and good, and holy. God does not grudge or upbraid. +He does not frown upon innocent pleasure. For God is light, and +in him is no darkness at all. Therefore he rejoices in seeing +his creatures healthy and happy. Therefore, as I believe, Christ +smiles out of heaven upon the little children at their play; and the +laugh of a babe is heavenly music in his ears.</p> +<p>All things are pure which God has given to man. And therefore, +if a man be pure in heart, all which God has given him will not only +do him no harm, but do him good. All the comforts and blessings +of this life will help to make him a better man. They will teach +him about his own character; about human nature, and the people with +whom he has to do; ay - about God himself, as it is written, ‘Blessed +are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.’</p> +<p>All the blessings and comforts of this life, my friends (as well +as the anxieties which must come to those who have a family, or property, +even if he do not meet with losses and afflictions), ought to help to +improve a man’s temper, to call out in him right feelings, to +teach him more and more of the likeness of God.</p> +<p>If he be a married man, marriage ought to teach him not to live for +himself only, but to sacrifice his own fancies, his own ease, his own +will, for the sake of the woman whom God has given him; as Christ sacrificed +himself, and his own life, for mankind. And so, by the feelings +of a husband, he may enter into the mystery of the love of Christ, and +of the cross of Christ; and so, if only he be pure in heart, he will +see God.</p> +<p>If he have parents, he may learn by being a son how blessed it is +to obey, how useful to a man’s character to submit: ay, he will +find out more still. He will find out that not by being self-willed +and independent does the finest and noblest parts of his character come +out, but by copying his Father in everything; that going where his Father +sends him; being jealous of his Father’s honour; doing not his +own will, but his Father’s; that all this, I say, is its own reward; +for instead of lowering a man, it raises him, and calls out in him all +that is purest, tenderest, soberest, bravest. I tell you this +day - Just as far as you are good sons to your parents, so far will +you be able to understand the mystery of the co-equal and co-eternal +Son of God; who though he were in the form of God, did not snatch greedily +at being on the same footing with his Father, but emptied himself, and +took on him the form of a slave, that he might do his Father’s +will, and reveal his Father’s glory. And so, if you be only +pure in heart, you will see God.</p> +<p>If, again, a man have children - how they ought to teach him, to +train him; - teach him to restrain his own temper, lest he provoke them +to anger; to be calm and moderate with them, lest he frighten them into +lying; to avoid bad language, gluttony, drunkenness, and every coarse +sin, lest he tempt them to follow his example. I tell you, friends, +that you will find, if you choose, all the noblest, most generous, most +Godlike parts of your character called out to your children; and by +having the feelings of a father to your children, learn what feelings +our Father in heaven has toward us, his human offspring. And so, +if only you be pure in heart, you will see God.</p> +<p>If again, a man has money, money can teach him (as it teaches hundreds +of pure-hearted men) that charity and generosity are not only a duty, +but an honour and a joy; that ‘mercy is twice blest; it blesses +him that gives, and him that takes;’ that giving is the highest +pleasure upon earth, because it is God’s own pleasure; because +the blessedness of God, and the glory of God is this, that he giveth +to all liberally, and upbraideth not. And so in his wealth - if +only he be pure in heart, a man will see God.</p> +<p>If, again, a man has health, and strength, and high spirits, they +too will teach him, if his heart be pure. He will learn from them +to look up to God as the Lord and Giver of life, health, strength; of +the power to work, and the power to delight in working: because God +himself is ever full of life, ever busy, ever rejoicing to put forth +his almighty power for the good of the whole universe, as it is written, +‘My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.’ And so - +in every relation of life - if only a man’s heart be pure, he +will see God.</p> +<p>How, then, can we get the pure heart which will make all things pure +to us? By asking for the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, the Pure +Spirit, in whom is no selfishness.</p> +<p>For if our hearts be selfish, they cannot be pure. The pure +in heart, is the same as the man whose eye is single, and that is the +man who is not caring for himself, thinking of himself. If a man +be thinking of himself, he will never enjoy life. The pure blessings +which God has given him will be no blessings to him; as it is written, +‘He that saveth his life shall lose it.’</p> +<p>Do you not know that that is true? Do not the miseries of life +(I do not mean the afflictions, like loss of friends or kin), but the +miseries of life which make a man dark, and fretful, and prevent his +enjoying God’s gifts - do they not come, nineteen-twentieths of +them, from thinking about oneself; from lusting and longing after this +and that; from spite, vanity, bad temper, wounded pride, disappointed +covetousness? ‘I cannot get this or that; that money, that +place; this or that fine thing or the other: and how can I be contented?’ +There is a man whose heart is not pure. ‘That man has used +me ill, and I cannot help thinking of it, brooding over it. I +cannot forgive him. How can I be expected to forgive him?’ +There is a man whose heart is not pure; and more, there is a man who +is making himself miserable.</p> +<p>See again, how a man may make marriage a curse to him instead of +a blessing, without being unfaithful to his wife (which we all know +to be simply abominable and unmanly, and far below anything of which +I am talking now). And how? Simply by bad temper, vanity, +greediness, and selfish love of his own dignity, his own pleasure, his +own this, that, and the other. So, too, he may make his children +a torment to him, instead of letting them be God’s lesson-book +to him, in which he may see the likeness of the angels in heaven.</p> +<p>He may make his wealth a continual anxiety to him: ay, he may make +it, by ambition, covetousness, and wild speculation, the cause of his +shame and ruin; if only his heart be not pure.</p> +<p>Ay, there is not a blessing on earth which a man may not turn into +a curse. There is not a good gift of God out of which a man may +not get harm, if only his heart be not pure; as it is written, ‘To +those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure: but even their +mind and conscience are defiled.’</p> +<p>But defiled with what? Fouled with what? There is the +question. Many answers have been invented by people who did not +believe in that faithful and true God of whom I told you just now; people +who fancied that this world was a bad world, and that God laid snares +for his creatures and tempted his creatures. But the true answer +is only to be got, like most true answers, by observing; by using our +eyes and ears, and seeing what really makes people turn blessings into +curses, and suck poison out of every flower.</p> +<p>And that is, simply, self.</p> +<p>If you want to spoil all that God gives you; if you want to be miserable +yourself, and a maker of misery to others, the way is easy enough. +Only be selfish, and it is done at once. Be defiled and unbelieving. +Defile and foul God’s good gifts by self, and by loving yourself +more than what is right. Do not believe that the good God knows +your needs before you ask, and will give you whatsoever is good for +you. Think about yourself; about what <i>you</i> want, what <i>you</i> +like, what respect people ought to pay <i>you</i>, what people think +of <i>you</i>: and then to you nothing will be pure. You will +spoil everything you touch; you will make sin and misery for yourself +out of everything which God sends you; you will be as wretched as you +choose on earth, or in heaven either.</p> +<p>In heaven either, I say. For that proud, greedy, selfish, self-seeking +spirit would turn heaven into hell. It did turn heaven into hell, +for the great devil himself. It was by pride, by seeking his own +glory - (so, at least, wise men say) - that he fell from heaven to hell. +He was not content to give up his own will and do God’s will, +like the other angels. He was not content to serve God, and rejoice +in God’s glory. He would be a master himself, and set up +for himself, and rejoice in his own glory; and so, when he wanted to +make a private heaven of his own, he found that he had made a hell. +When he wanted to be a little God for himself, he lost the life of the +true God, to lose which is eternal death. And why? Because +his heart was not pure, clean, honest, simple, unselfish. Therefore +he saw God no more, and learnt to hate him whose name is love.</p> +<p>May God keep our hearts pure from that selfishness which is the root +of all sin; from selfishness, out of which alone spring adultery, foul +living, drunkenness, evil speaking, lying, slandering, injustice, oppression, +cruelty, and all which makes man worse than the beasts. May God +give us those pure hearts of which it is written, that the fruit of +the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, +meekness, temperance. Against such, St. Paul says, there is no +law. And why? Because no law is needed. For, as a +wise father says - ‘Love, and do what thou wilt;’ for then +thou wilt be sure to will what is right; and, as St. Paul says, If your +heart be pure, all things will be pure to you.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XVII. MUSIC<br />(<i>Christmas Day</i>.)</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>LUKE ii. 13, 14.</p> +<p>And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly +host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on +earth peace, good will toward men.</p> +<p>You have been just singing Christmas hymns; and my text speaks of +the first Christmas hymn. Now what the words of that hymn meant; +what Peace on earth and good-will towards man meant, I have often told +you. To-day I want you, for once, to think of this - that it was +a hymn; that these angels were singing, even as human beings sing.</p> +<p>Music. - There is something very wonderful in music. Words +are wonderful enough: but music is even more wonderful. It speaks +not to our thoughts as words do: it speaks straight to our hearts and +spirits, to the very core and root of our souls. Music soothes +us, stirs us up; it puts noble feelings into us; it melts us to tears, +we know not how:- it is a language by itself, just as perfect, in its +way, as speech, as words; just as divine, just as blessed.</p> +<p>Music has been called the speech of angels; I will go further, and +call it the speech of God himself - and I will, with God’s help, +show you a little what I mean this Christmas day.</p> +<p>Music, I say, without words, is wonderful and blessed; one of God’s +best gifts to men. But in singing you have both the wonders together, +music and words. Singing speaks at once to the head and to the +heart, to our understanding and to our feelings; and therefore, perhaps, +the most beautiful way in which the reasonable soul of man can show +itself (except, of course, doing <i>right</i>, which always is, and +always will be, the most beautiful thing) is singing.</p> +<p>Now, why do we all enjoy music? Because it sounds sweet. +But <i>why</i> does it sound sweet?</p> +<p>That is a mystery known only to God.</p> +<p>Two things I may make you understand - two things which help to make +music - melody and harmony. Now, as most of you know, there is +melody in music when the different sounds of the same tune follow each +other, so as to give us pleasure; there is harmony in music when different +sounds, instead of following each other, come at the same time, so as +to give us pleasure.</p> +<p>But why do they please us? and what is more, why do they please angels? +and more still, why do they please God? Why is there music in +heaven? Consider St. John’s visions in the Revelations. +Why did St. John hear therein harpers with their harps, and the mystic +beasts, and the elders, singing a new song to God and to the Lamb; and +the voices of many angels round about them, whose number was ten thousand +times ten thousand?</p> +<p>In this is a great mystery. I will try to explain what little +of it I seem to see.</p> +<p>First - There is music in heaven, because in music there is no self-will. +Music goes on certain laws and rules. Man did not make those laws +of music; he has only found them out: and if he be self-willed and break +them, there is an end of his music instantly; all he brings out is discord +and ugly sounds. The greatest musician in the world is as much +bound by those laws as the learner in the school; and the greatest musician +is the one who, instead of fancying that, because he is clever, he may +throw aside the laws of music, knows the laws of music best, and observes +them most reverently. And therefore it was that the old Greeks, +the wisest of all the heathens, made a point of teaching their children +<i>music</i>; because, they said, it taught them not to be self-willed +and fanciful, but to see the beauty of order, the usefulness of rule, +the divineness of law.</p> +<p>And therefore music is fit for heaven; therefore music is a pattern +and type of heaven, and of the everlasting life of God, which perfect +spirits live in heaven; a life of melody and order in themselves; a +life of harmony with each other and with God. Music, I say, is +a pattern of the everlasting life of heaven; because in heaven, as in +music, is perfect freedom and perfect pleasure; and yet that freedom +comes not from throwing away law, but from obeying God’s law perfectly; +and that pleasure comes, not from self-will, and doing each what he +likes, but from perfectly doing the will of the Father who is in heaven.</p> +<p>And that in itself would be sweet music, even if there were neither +voice nor sound in heaven. For wherever there is order and obedience, +there is sweet music for the ears of Christ. Whatsoever does its +duty, according to its kind which Christ has given it, makes melody +in the ears of Christ. Whatsoever is useful to the things around +it, makes harmony in the ears of Christ. Therefore those wise +old Greeks used to talk of the music of the spheres. They said +that sun, moon, and stars, going round each in its appointed path, made +as they rolled along across the heavens everlasting music before the +throne of God. And so, too, the old Psalms say. Do you not +recollect that noble verse, which speaks of the stars of heaven, and +says -</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>What though no human voice or sound<br />Amid their radiant orbs +be found?<br />To Reason’s ear they all rejoice,<br />And utter +forth a glorious voice;<br />For ever singing as they shine,<br />The +hand that made us is divine.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines1"><br /></div> +<p>And therefore it is, that that noble Song of the Three Children calls +upon sun and moon, and stars of heaven, to bless the Lord, praise him, +and magnify him for ever: and not only upon them, but on the smallest +things on earth; - on mountains and hills, green herbs and springs, +cattle and feathered fowl; they too, he says, can bless the Lord, and +magnify him for ever. And how? By fulfilling the law which +God has given them; and by living each after their kind, according to +the wisdom wherewith Christ the Word of God created them, when he beheld +all that he had made, and behold, it was very good.</p> +<p>And so can we, my friends; so can we. Some of us may not be +able to make music with our voices: but we can make it with our hearts, +and join in the angels’ song this day, if not with our lips, yet +in our lives.</p> +<p>If thou fulfillest the law which God has given thee, the law of love +and liberty, then thou makest music before God, and thy life is a hymn +of praise to God.</p> +<p>If thou art in love and charity with thy neighbours, thou art making +sweeter harmony in the ears of the Lord Jesus Christ, than psaltery, +dulcimer, and all kinds of music.</p> +<p>If thou art living a righteous and a useful life, doing thy duty +orderly and cheerfully where God has put thee, then thou art making +sweeter melody in the ears of the Lord Jesus Christ, than if thou hadst +the throat of a nightingale; for then thou in thy humble place art humbly +copying the everlasting harmony and melody which is in heaven; the everlasting +harmony and melody by which God made the world and all that therein +is, and behold it was very good, in the day when the morning stars sang +together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy over the new-created +earth, which God had made to be a pattern of his own perfection.</p> +<p>For this is that mystery of which I spoke just now, when I said that +music was as it were the voice of God himself. Yes, I say it with +all reverence: but I do say it. There is music in God. Not +the music of voice or sound; a music which no ears can hear, but only +the spirit of a man, when awakened by the Holy Spirit, and taught to +know God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.</p> +<p>There is one everlasting melody in heaven, which Christ, the Word +of God, makes for ever, when he does all things perfectly and wisely, +and righteously and gloriously, full of grace and truth: and from that +all melody comes, and is a dim pattern thereof here; and is beautiful +only because it is a dim pattern thereof.</p> +<p>And there is an everlasting harmony in God; which is the harmony +between the Father and the Son; who though he be co-equal and co-eternal +with his Father, does nothing of himself, but only what he seeth his +Father do; saying for ever, ‘Not my will, but thine be done,’ +and hears his Father answer for ever, ‘Thou art my Son, this day +have I begotten thee.’</p> +<p>Therefore, all melody and all harmony upon earth, whether in the +song of birds, the whisper of the wind, the concourse of voices, or +the sounds of those cunning instruments which man has learnt to create, +because he is made in the image of Christ, the Word of God, who creates +all things; all music upon earth, I say, is beautiful in as far as it +is a pattern and type of the everlasting music which is in heaven; which +was before all worlds, and shall be after them; for by its rules all +worlds were made, and will be made for ever, even the everlasting melody +of the wise and loving will of God, and the everlasting harmony of the +Father toward the Son, and of the Son toward the Father, in one Holy +Spirit who proceeds from them both, to give melody and harmony, order +and beauty, life and light, to all which God has made.</p> +<p>Therefore music is a sacred, a divine, a Godlike thing, and was given +to man by Christ to lift our hearts up to God, and make us feel something +of the glory and beauty of God and of all which God has made.</p> +<p>Therefore, too, music is most fit for Christmas day, of all days +in the year. Christmas has always been a day of songs, of carols +and of hymns; and so let it be for ever. If we had no music all +the rest of the year in church or out of church, let us have it at least +on Christmas day.</p> +<p>For on Christmas day most of all days (if I may talk of eternal things +according to the laws of time) was manifested on earth the everlasting +music which is in heaven.</p> +<p>On Christmas day was fulfilled in time and space the everlasting +harmony of God, when the Father sent the Son into the world, that the +world through him might be saved; and the Son refused not, neither shrank +back, though he knew that sorrow, shame, and death awaited him, but +answered, ‘A body hast thou prepared me I come to do thy +will, oh God!’ and so emptied himself, and took on himself the +form of a slave, and was found in fashion as a man, that he might fulfil +not his own will, but the will of the Father who sent him.</p> +<p>On this day began that perfect melody of the Son’s life on +earth; one song and poem, as it were, of wise words, good deeds, spotless +purity, and untiring love, which he perfected when he died, and rose +again, and ascended on high for ever to make intercession for us with +music sweeter than the song of angels and archangels, and all the heavenly +host.</p> +<p>Go home, then, remembering how divine and holy a thing music is, +and rejoice before the Lord this day with psalms and hymns, and spiritual +songs (by which last I think the apostle means not merely church music +- for that he calls psalms and hymns - but songs which have a good and +wholesome spirit in them); and remembering, too, that music, like marriage, +and all other beautiful things which God has given to man, is not to +be taken in hand unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly; but, even when it +is most cheerful and joyful (as marriage is), reverently, discreetly, +soberly, and in the fear of God. Amen.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XVIII. THE CHRIST CHILD<br />(<i>Christmas Day</i>.)</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>LUKE ii. 7.</p> +<p>And she brought forth her first-born Son, and wrapt him in swaddling +clothes, and laid him in a manger.</p> +<p>Mother and child. - Think of it, my friends, on Christmas day. +What more beautiful sight is there in the world? What more beautiful +sight, and what more wonderful sight?</p> +<p>What more beautiful? That man must be very far from the kingdom +of God - he is not worthy to be called a man at all - whose heart has +not been touched by the sight of his first child in its mother’s +bosom.</p> +<p>The greatest painters who have ever lived have tried to paint the +beauty of that simple thing - a mother with her babe: and have failed. +One of them, Rafaelle by name, to whom God gave the spirit of beauty +in a measure in which he never gave it, perhaps, to any other man, tried +again and again, for years, painting over and over that simple subject +- the mother and her babe - and could not satisfy himself. Each +of his pictures is most beautiful - each in a different way; and yet +none of them is perfect. There is more beauty in that simple every-day +sight than he or any man could express by his pencil and his colours. +And yet it is a sight which we see every day.</p> +<p>And as for the wonder of that sight - the mystery of it - I tell +you this. That physicians, and the wise men who look into the +laws of nature, of flesh and blood, say that the mystery is past their +finding out; that if they could find out the whole meaning, and the +true meaning of those two words, mother and child, they could get the +key to the deepest wonders of the world: but they cannot.</p> +<p>And philosophers, who look into the laws of soul and spirit, say +the same. The wiser men they are, the more they find in the soul +of every new-born babe, and its kindred to its mother, wonders and puzzles +past man’s understanding.</p> +<p>I will say boldly, my friends, that if one could find out the full +meaning of those two words, mother and child, one would be the wisest +philosopher on earth, and see deeper than all who have ever yet lived, +into the secrets of this world of time which we can see, and of the +eternal world, which no man can see, save with the eyes of his reasonable +soul.</p> +<p>And yet it is the most common, every-day sight. That only shows +once more what I so often try to show you, that the most common, every-day +things are the most wonderful. It shows us how we are to despise +nothing which God has made; above all, to despise nothing which belongs +to human nature, which is the likeness and image of God.</p> +<p>Above all, upon this Christmas day it is not merely ignorant and +foolish, but quite sinful and heretical, to despise anything which belongs +to human nature. For on this day God appeared in human nature, +and in the first and lowest shape of it - in the form of a new-born +babe, that by beginning at the beginning, he might end at the end; and +being made in all things like as his brethren, might perfectly and utterly +take the manhood into God.</p> +<p>This, then, we are to think of, at least on Christmas day - God revealed, +and shown to men, as a babe upon his mother’s bosom.</p> +<p>Men had pictured God to themselves already in many shapes - some +foolish, foul, brutal - God forgive them; - some noble and majestic. +Sometimes they thought of him as a mighty Lawgiver, sitting upon his +throne in the heavens, with solemn face and awful eyes, looking down +upon all the earth. That fancy was not a false one. St. +John saw the Lord so.</p> +<p>‘And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the +Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about +the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white +like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and +his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his +voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand +seven stars; and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword; and +his countenance was as the sun shining in his strength.’</p> +<p>Sometimes, again, they thought of him as the terrible warrior, going +forth to conquer and destroy all which opposed him; to kill wicked tyrants, +and devils, and all who rebelled against him, and who hurt human beings.</p> +<p>And that was not a false fancy either. St. John saw the Lord +so.</p> +<p>‘And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he +that sat upon him was called Faithful and True; and in righteousness +he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, +and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no +man knew but he himself: and he was clothed with a vesture dipped in +blood; and his name is called, The Word of God. And the armies +which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine +linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, +that with it he should smite the nations; and he shall rule them with +a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath +of Almighty God.’</p> +<p>But all these were only, as it were, fancies about one side of God’s +character. It was only in the Babe of Bethlehem that the <i>whole</i> +of God’s character shone forth, that men might not merely fear +him and bow before him, but trust in him and love him, as one who could +be touched with the feeling of their infirmities. <a name="citation151"></a><a href="#footnote151">{151}</a></p> +<p>It was on Christmas day that God appeared among men as a child upon +a mother’s bosom. And why? Surely for this reason, +among a thousand more, that he might teach men to feel for him and with +him, and to be sure that he felt for them and with them. To teach +them to feel for him and with him, he took the shape of a little child, +to draw out all their love, all their tenderness, and, if I may so say, +all their pity.</p> +<p>A God in need! A God weak! God fed by mortal woman! +A God wrapt in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger! - If that sight +will not touch our hearts, what will?</p> +<p>And by that same sight he has taught men that he feels with them +and for them. God has been through the pains of infancy. +God has hungered. God has wept. God has been ignorant. +God has grown, and increased in stature and in wisdom, and in favour +both with God and man.</p> +<p>And why? That he might take on him our human nature. +Not merely the nature of a great man, of a wise man, of a grown up man +only: but <i>all</i> human nature, from the nature of the babe on its +mother's bosom, to the nature of the full-grown and full-souled man, +fighting with all his powers against the evil of the world. All +this is his, and he is all; that no human being, from the strongest +to the weakest, from the eldest to the youngest, but may be able to +say, ‘What I am, Christ has been.’</p> +<p>Take home with you, then, this thought, on this Christmas day, among +all the rest which Christmas ought to put into your minds. Respect +your own children. Look on them as the likeness of Christ, and +the image of God; and when you go home this day, believe that Christ +is in them, the hope of glory to them hereafter. Draw them round +you, and say to them - each in your own fashion - ‘My children, +God was made like to you this day, that you might be made like God. +Children, this is your day, for on this day God became a child; that +God gives you leave to think of him as a child, that you may be sure +he loves children, sure he understands children, sure that a little +child is as near and as dear to God as kings, nobles, scholars, and +divines.’</p> +<p>Yes, my dear children, you may think of God as a child, now and always. +For you Christ is always the Babe of Bethlehem. Do not say to +yourselves, ‘Christ is grown up long ago; he is a full-grown man.’ +He is, and yet he is not. His life is eternal in the heavens, +above all change of time and space; for time and space are but his creatures +and his tools. Therefore he can be all things to all men, because +he is the Son of man.</p> +<p>Yes; all things to all men. Hearken to me, you children, and +you grown-up children also, if there be any in this church - for if +you will receive it, such is the sacred heart of Jesus - all things +to all; and wherever there is the true heart of a true human being, +there, beating in perfect answer to it, is the heart of Christ.</p> +<p>To the strong he can be strongest; and to the weak, weakest of all. +With the mighty he can be the King of kings; and yet with the poor he +can wander, not having where to lay his head. With quiet Jacob +he goes round the farm, among the quiet sheep; and yet he ranges with +wild Esau over battle-field, and desert, and far unknown seas. +With the mourner he weeps for ever; and yet he will sit as of old - +if he be but invited - and bless the marriage-feast. For the penitent +he hangs for ever on the cross; and yet with the man who works for God +his Father he stands for ever in his glory, his eyes like a flame of +fire, and out of his mouth a two-edged sword, judging the nations of +the earth. With the aged and the dying he goes down for ever into +the grave; and yet with you, children, Christ lies for ever on his mother’s +bosom, and looks up for ever into his mother’s face, full of young +life, and happiness, and innocence, the everlasting Christ-child in +whom you must believe, whom you must love, to whom you must offer up +your childish prayers.</p> +<p>The day will come when you can no longer think as a child, or pray +as a child, but put away childish things. I do not know whether +you will be the happier for that change. God grant that you may +be the better for it. Meanwhile, go home, and think of the baby +Jesus, <i>your</i> Lord, <i>your</i> pattern, <i>your</i> Saviour; and +ask him to make you such good children to your mothers, as the little +Jesus was to the Blessed Virgin, when he increased in knowledge and +in stature, and in favour both with God and man.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XIX. CHRIST’S BOYHOOD</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>LUKE ii. 52.</p> +<p>And Jesus increased in wisdom, and in stature, and in favour both +with God and man.</p> +<p>I do not pretend to understand these words. I preach on them +because the Church has appointed them for this day. And most fitly. +At Christmas we think of our Lord’s birth. What more reasonable, +than that we should go on to think of our Lord’s boyhood? +To think of this aright, even if we do not altogether understand it, +ought to help us to understand rightly the incarnation of our Lord Jesus +Christ; the right faith about which is, that he was very man, of the +substance of his mother. Now, if he were very and real man, he +must have been also very and real babe, very and real boy, very and +real youth, and then very and real full-grown man.</p> +<p>Now it is not so easy to believe that as it may seem. It is +not so easy to believe.</p> +<p>I have heard many preachers preach (without knowing it), what used +to be called the Apollinarian Heresy, which held that our Lord had not +a real human soul, but only a human body; and that his Godhead served +him instead of a human soul, and a man’s reason, man’s feelings.</p> +<p>About that the old fathers had great difficulty, before they could +make people understand that our Lord had been a real babe. It +seemed to people’s unclean fancies something shocking that our +Lord should have been born, as other children are born. They stumbled +at the stumbling-block of the manger in Bethlehem, as they did at the +stumbling-block of the cross on Calvary; and they wanted to make out +that our Lord was born into the world in some strange way - I know not +how; - I do not choose to talk of it here:- but they would fancy and +invent anything, rather than believe that Jesus was really born of the +Virgin Mary, made of the substance of his mother. So that it was +hundreds of years before the fathers of the Church set people’s +minds thoroughly at rest about that.</p> +<p>In the same way, though not so much, people found it very hard to +believe that our Lord grew up as a real human child. They would +not believe that he went down to Nazareth, and was subject to his father +and mother. People believe generally now - the Roman Catholics +as well as we - that our Lord worked at his father’s trade - that +he himself handled the carpenter’s tools. We have no certain +proof of it: but it is so beautiful a thought, that one hopes it is +true. At least our believing it is a sign that we do believe the +incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ more rightly than most people did +fifteen hundred years ago. For then, too many of them would have +been shocked at the notion.</p> +<p>They stumbled at the carpenter’s shop, even as they did at +the manger and at the cross. And they invented false gospels - +one of which especially, had strange and fanciful stories about our +Lord’s childhood - which tried to make him out.</p> +<p>Most of these stories are so childish I do not like to repeat them. +One of them may serve as a sample. Our Lord, it says, was playing +with other children of his own age, and making little birds out of clay: +but those which our Lord made became alive, and moved, and sang like +real birds. - Stories put together just to give our Lord some magical +power, different from other children, and pretending that he worked +signs and wonders: which were just what he refused to work.</p> +<p>But the old fathers rejected these false gospels and their childish +tales, and commanded Christian men only to believe what the Bible tells +us about our Lord’s childhood; for that is enough for us, and +that will help us better than any magical stories and childish fairy +tales of man’s invention, to believe rightly that God was made +man, and dwelt among us.</p> +<p>And what does the Bible tell us? Very little indeed. +And it tells us very little, because we were meant to know very little. +Trust your Bibles always, my friends, and be sure, if you were meant +to know more, the Bible would tell you more.</p> +<p>It tells us that Jesus grew just as a human child grows, in body, +soul, and spirit.</p> +<p>Then it tells us of one case - only one - in which he seemed to act +without his parents’ leave. And as the saying is, the exception +proves the rule. It is plain that his rule was to obey, except +in this case; that he was always subject to his parents, as other children +are, except on this one occasion. And even in this case, he <i>went</i> +back with them, it is expressly said, and was subject to them.</p> +<p>Now, I do not pretend to explain <i>why</i> our Lord stayed behind +in the temple.</p> +<p>I cannot explain (who can?) the why and wherefore of what I see people +do in common daily life.</p> +<p>How much less can one explain why our Lord did this and that, who +was both man and God.</p> +<p>But one reason, and one which seems to me to be plain, on the very +face of St. Luke’s words - he stayed behind to learn; to learn +all he could from the Scribes and Pharisees, the doctors of the law.</p> +<p>He told the people after, when grown up, ‘The Scribes and Pharisees +sit in Moses’ seat. All therefore which they command you, +that observe and do.’ And he was a Jew himself, and came +to fulfil all righteousness; and therefore he fulfilled such righteousness +as was customary among Jews according to their law and religion.</p> +<p>Therefore I do not like at all a great many pictures which I see +in children’s Sunday books, which set the child Jesus in the midst, +as on a throne, holding up his hand as if <i>he</i> were laying down +the law, and the Scribes and Pharisees looking angry and confounded. +The Bible says not that they heard him, but that he heard them; that +they were astonished at his understanding, not that they were confounded +and angry. No. I must believe that even those hard, proud +Pharisees, looked with wonder and admiration on the glorious Child; +that they perhaps felt for the moment that a prophet, another Samuel, +had risen up among them. And surely that is much more like the +right notion of the child Jesus, full of meekness and humility; of Jesus, +who, though ‘he were a Son, learnt obedience by the things which +he suffered;’ of Jesus, who, while he increased in stature, increased +in favour with <i>man</i>, as well as with God: and surely no child +can increase in favour either with God or man, if he sets down his elders, +and contradicts and despises the teachers whom God has set over him. +No let us believe that when he said, ‘Know ye not that I must +be about my Father’s business?’ that a child’s way +of doing the work of his Father in heaven is to learn all that he can +understand from his teachers, spiritual pastors, and masters, whom God +the Father has set over him.</p> +<p>Therefore - and do listen to this, children and young people - if +you wish really to think what Christ has to do with <i>you</i>, you +must remember that he was once a real human child - not different outwardly +from other children, except in being a perfectly good child, in all +things like as you are, but without sin.</p> +<p>Then, whatever happens to you, you will have the comfort of feeling +- Christ understands this; Christ has been through this. Child +though I am, Christ can be touched with the feeling of my weakness, +for he was once a child like me.</p> +<p>And then, if trouble, or sickness, or death come among you - and +you all know how sickness and death <i>have</i> come among you of late +- you may be cheerful and joyful still, if you will only try to be such +children as Jesus was. Obey your parents, and be subject to them, +as he was; try to learn from your teachers, pastors, and masters, as +he did; try and pray to increase daily in favour both with God and man, +as he did: and then, even if death should come and take you before your +time, you need not be afraid, for Jesus Christ is with you.</p> +<p>Your childish faults shall be forgiven you for Jesus’ sake; +your childish good conduct shall be accepted for Jesus Christ’s +sake; and if you be trying to be good children, doing your little work +well where God has put you, humble, obedient, and teachable, winning +love from the people round you, and from God your Father in heaven, +then, I say, you need not be afraid of sickness, not even afraid of +death, for whenever it takes you, it will find you about your Father’s +business.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XX. THE LOCUST-SWARMS</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>JOEL ii. 12, 13.</p> +<p>Therefore also now, saith the Lord, Turn ye even to me with all your +heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning; and rend +your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God, +for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, +and repenteth him of the evil.</p> +<p>This is one of the grandest chapters in the whole Old Testament, +and one which may teach us a great deal; and, above all, teach us to +be thankful to God for the blessings which we have.</p> +<p>I think I can explain what it means best by going back to the chapter +before it.</p> +<p>Joel begins his prophecy by bitter lamentation over the mischief +which the swarms of insects had done; such as had never been in his +days, nor in the days of his fathers. What the palmer worm had +left, the locust had eaten; what the locust had left, the cankerworm +had eaten; and what the cankerworm had left, the caterpillar had eaten. +Whether these names are rightly rendered, or whether they mean different +sorts of locusts, or the locusts in their different stages of growth, +crawling at first and flying at last, matters little. What mischief +they had done was plain enough. They had come up ‘a nation +strong and without number, whose teeth were like the teeth of a lion, +and his cheek-teeth like those of a strong lion. They had laid +his vines waste, and barked his fig-tree, and made its branches white; +and all drunkards were howling and lamenting, for the wine crop was +utterly destroyed: and all other crops, it seems likewise; the corn +was wasted, the olives destroyed; the seed was rotten under the clods, +the granaries empty, the barns broken down, for the corn was withered; +the vine and fig, pomegranate, palm, and apple, were all gone; the green +grass was all gone; the beasts groaned, the herds were perplexed, because +they had no pasture; the flocks of sheep were desolate.’ +There seems to have been a dry season also, to make matters worse; for +Joel says the rivers of waters were dried up - likely enough, if then, +as now, it is the dry seasons which bring the locust-swarms. Still +the locusts had done the chief mischief. They came just as they +come now (only in smaller strength, thank God) in many parts of the +East and of Southern Russia, darkening the sky, and shutting out the +very light of the sun; the noise of their innumerable jaws like the +noise of flame devouring the stubble, as they settled upon every green +thing, and gnawed away leaf and bark; and a fire devoured before them, +and behind them a flame burned; the land was as the garden of Eden before +them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; <a name="citation162"></a><a href="#footnote162">{162}</a> +till there was not enough left to supply the daily sacrifices, and the +meat offering and the drink offering were withheld from the house of +God.</p> +<p>But what has all this to do with us? There have never, as far +as we know, been any locusts in England.</p> +<p>And what has this to do with God? Why does Joel tell these +Jews that God sent the locusts, and bid them cry to God to take them +away? For these locusts are natural things, and come by natural +laws. And there is no need that there should be locusts anywhere. +For where the wild grass plains are broken up and properly cultivated, +there the locusts, which lay their countless eggs in the old turf, disappear, +and must disappear. We know that now. We know that when +the East is tilled (as God grant it may be some day) as thoroughly as +England is, locusts will be as unknown there as here; and that is another +comfortable proof to us that there is no real curse upon God’s +earth: but that just as far as man fulfils God’s command to replenish +the earth and subdue it, so far he gets rid of all manner of terrible +scourges and curses, which seemed to him in the days of his ignorance, +necessary and supernatural.</p> +<p>How, then, was Joel right in saying that God sent the locusts?</p> +<p>In this way, my friends.</p> +<p>Suppose you or I took cholera or fever. We know that cholera +or fever is preventible; that man has no right to have these pestilences +in a country, because they can be kept out and destroyed. But +if you or I caught cholera or fever by no fault or folly of our own, +we are bound to say, God sent me this sickness. It has some private +lesson for <i>me</i>. It is part of my education, my schooling +in God’s school-house. It is meant to make me a wiser and +better man; and that he can only do by teaching me more about himself. +So with these locusts, and still more so; for Joel did not know, could +not know, that these locusts could be prevented. But even if he +had known that, it was not his fault or folly, or his countrymen’s +which had brought the locusts. Most probably they were tilling +the ground to the best of their knowledge. Most probably, too, +these locusts were not bred in Palestine at all; but came down upon +the north-wind (as they are said to do now), from some land hundreds +of miles away; and therefore Joel could say - Whatever I do not know +about these locusts, this I know; that God, whose providence orders +all things in heaven and earth, has sent them; that he means to teach +you a lesson by them; that they are part of his schooling to us Jews; +that he intends to make us wiser and better men by them: <i>and that +he can only do by teaching us more about himself.</i></p> +<p>What, then, does Joel say about the locusts, which he might say to +you or me, if we were laid down by cholera or fever? He does not +say, these troubles have come upon you from devils, or evil spirits, +or by any blind chance of the world about you. He says, they have +come on you from <i>the Lord</i>; from the same good, loving, merciful +Lord who brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made a great nation +of you, and has preserved you to this day. And do not fancy that +he is changed. Do not fancy that he has forgotten you, or hates +you, or has become cruel, or proud, or unlike himself. It is you +who have forgotten him, and have shown that by living bad lives; and +all he wishes is, to drive you back to him, that you may live good lives. +Turn to him; and you will find him unchanged; the same loving, forgiving +Lord as ever. He requires no sacrifices, no great offerings on +your part to win him round. All he asks is, that you should confess +yourselves in the wrong, and turn and repent. Turn therefore to +the Lord with all your heart, and with weeping, and with fasting, and +with mourning - (which was, and is still the Eastern fashion); and rend +your heart, and not your garments. And why? Because the +Lord is very dreadful, angry and dark, and has determined to destroy +you all? Not so: but because he is gracious and merciful, slow +to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.</p> +<p>Yes, my friends: and this, you will find, is at the bottom of all +true repentance and turning to God. If you believe that God is +dark, and hard, and cruel, you may be afraid of him: but you cannot +repent, cannot turn to him. The more you think of him the more +you will be terrified at him, and turn from him. But if you believe +that God is gracious and merciful, then you can turn to him; then you +can repent with a true repentance, and a godly sorrow which breeds joy +and peace of mind.</p> +<p>So Joel thought, at least; for he tells them, that if they will but +turn to God, if they will but confess themselves in the wrong, all shall +be well again, and better than before.</p> +<p>Now, if Joel had been a heathen, worshipping the false gods of the +Canaanites, he would have spoken very differently; he would have said, +perhaps - Baal, the true God, is angry with you, and he has sent the +drought.</p> +<p>Or, Ashtoreth, the Queen of Heaven, by whose power all seeds grow +and all creatures breed, is angry with you, and she has destroyed the +seeds, and sent the locusts.</p> +<p>Or, Ammon, the Lord of the sheep, is angry, and he has destroyed +your flocks and herds.</p> +<p>But one thing we know he would have said - These angry gods want +<i>blood</i>. You cannot pacify them without human blood. +You must give them the most dear and precious things you have - the +most beautiful and pure. You must sacrifice boys and girls to +them; and then, perhaps, they will be appeased.</p> +<p>We <i>know</i> this. We know that the heathen, whenever they +were in trouble, took to human sacrifices.</p> +<p>The Canaanites - and the Jews when they fell into idolatry - used +to burn their children in the fire to Moloch.</p> +<p>We know that the Carthaginians, who were of the same blood and language +as the Canaanites, used human sacrifices; and that once when their city +was in great danger, they sacrificed at one time two hundred boys of +their highest families.</p> +<p>We know that the Greeks and Romans, who had much more humane and +rational notions about their gods, were tempted, in times of great distress, +to sacrifice human beings. It has always been so. The old +Mexicans in America used to sacrifice many thousands of men and women +every year to their idols; and when the Spaniards came and destroyed +them off the face of the earth in the name of the Lord - as Joshua did +the Canaanites of old - they found the walls of the idol temples crusted +inches thick with human blood. Even to this day, the wild Khonds +in the Indian mountains, and the Red men of America, sacrifice human +beings at times, and, I fear, very often indeed; and believe that the +gods will be the more pleased, and more certain to turn away their anger, +the more horrible and lingering tortures they inflict upon their wretched +victims. I say, these things were; and were it not for the light +of the Gospel, these things would be still; and when we hear of them, +we ought to bow our heads to our Father in heaven in thankfulness, and +say - what Joel the prophet taught the Jews to say dimly and in part +- what our Lord Jesus and his apostles taught us to say fully and perfectly +-</p> +<p>It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, at all times and in +all places - whether in joy or sorrow, in wealth or in want, to give +thanks to thee, O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty, Everlasting God.</p> +<p>Through Jesus Christ our Lord, according to whose most true promise +the Holy Ghost came down from heaven upon the apostles, to teach them +and to lead them into all truth, and give them fervent zeal, constantly +to preach the Gospel to all nations, by which we have been brought out +of darkness and error into the clear light and true knowledge of thee +and of thy Son Jesus Christ.</p> +<p>Yes, my friends, this is the lesson which we have to learn from Joel’s +prophecy, and from all prophecies. This lesson the old prophets +learnt for themselves, slowly and dimly, through many temptations and +sorrows. This lesson our Lord Jesus Christ revealed fully, and +left behind him to his apostles. This lesson men have been learning +slowly but surely in all the hundreds of years which have past since; +to know that there is one Father in heaven, of whom are all things, +and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things; that they may, in +all the chances and changes of this mortal life, in weal and in woe, +in light and in darkness, in plenty and in want, look up to that heavenly +Father who so loved them that he spared not his only begotten Son, but +freely gave him for them, and say, ‘Father, not our will but thine +be done. All things come from thy hand, and therefore all things +come from thy love. We have received good from thy hand, and shall +we not receive evil? Though thou slay us, yet will we trust in +thee. For thou art gracious and merciful, long-suffering and of +great goodness. Thou art loving to every man, and thy mercy is +over all thy works. Thou art righteous in all thy ways, and holy +in all thy doings. Thou art nigh to all that call on thee; thou +wilt hear their cry, and wilt help them. For all thou desirest, +when thou sendest trouble on them, is to make them wiser and better +men. <i>And that thou canst only make them by teaching them more +about thyself</i>.’</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XXI. SALVATION</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>ISAIAH lix. 15, 16.</p> +<p>And the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. +And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: +therefore his arm brought salvation unto him, and his righteousness +it sustained him.</p> +<p>This text is often held to be a prophecy of the coming of our Lord +Jesus Christ. I certainly believe that it is a prophecy of his +coming, and of something better still; namely, his continual presence; +and a very noble and deep one, and one from which we may learn a great +deal.</p> +<p>We may learn from it what ‘salvation’ really is. +What Christ came to save men from, and how he saves them.</p> +<p>The common notion of salvation now-a-days is this. That salvation +is some arrangement or plan, by which people are to escape hell-fire +by having Christ’s righteousness imputed to them without their +being righteous themselves.</p> +<p>Now, I have nothing to say about that this morning. It may +be so; or, again, it may not; I read a good many things in books every +week the sense of which I cannot understand. At all events it +is not the salvation of which Isaiah speaks here.</p> +<p>For Isaiah tells us very plainly, from <i>what</i> God was going +to save these Jews. Not from hell-fire - nothing is said about +it: but simply from their <i>sins</i>. As it is written, ‘Thou +shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from <i>their +sins</i>.’</p> +<p>The case is very simple, if you will look at Isaiah’s own words. +These Jews had become thoroughly bad men. They were not ungodly +men. They were very religious, orthodox, devout men. They +‘sought God daily, and delighted to know his ways, like a nation +that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinances of their God: +they asked of him the ordinances of justice; they took delight in approaching +unto God.’</p> +<p>But unfortunately for them, and for all with whom they had to do, +after they had asked of God the ordinances of justice, they never thought +of doing them; and in spite of all their religion, they were, Isaiah +tells them plainly, rogues and scoundrels, none of whom stood up for +justice, or pleaded for truth, but trusted in vanity, and spoke lies. +Their feet ran to evil, and they made haste to shed innocent blood; +the way of peace they knew not, and they had made themselves crooked +paths, speaking oppression and revolt, and conceiving and uttering words +of falsehood; so that judgment was turned away backward, and justice +stood afar off, for truth was fallen in the street, and equity could +not enter. Yea, truth failed; and he that departed from evil made +himself a prey (or as some render it) was accounted mad.</p> +<p>And this is in the face of all their religion and their church-going. +Verily, my friends, fallen human beings were much the same then as now; +and there are too many in England and elsewhere now who might sit for +that portrait.</p> +<p>But how was the Lord going to save these hypocritical, false, unjust +men? Was he going to say to them, Believe certain doctrines about +me, and you shall escape all punishment for your sins, and my righteousness +shall be imputed to you? We do not read a word of that. +We read - not that the Lord’s righteousness was imputed to these +bad men, but that it sustained the Lord himself. - Ah! there is a depth, +if you will receive it - a depth of hope and comfort - a well-spring +of salvation for us and all mankind.</p> +<p>You may be false and dishonest, saith the Lord, but I am honest and +true. Unjust, but I am just; unrighteous, but I am righteous. +If men will not set the world right, then I will, saith the Lord. +My righteousness shall sustain me, and keep me up to my duty, though +man may forget his. To me all power is given in heaven and earth, +and I will use my power aright.</p> +<p>If men are bringing themselves and their country, their religion, +their church to ruin by hypocrisy, falsehood, and injustice, as those +Jews were, then the Lord’s arm will bring salvation. He +will save them from their sins by the only possible way - namely, by +taking their sins away, and making those of them who will take his lesson +good and righteous men instead. It may be a very terrible lesson +of vengeance and fury, as Isaiah says. It may unmask many a hypocrite, +confound many a politic, and frustrate many a knavish trick, till the +Lord’s salvation may look at first sight much more like destruction +and misery; for his fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge +his floor, and gather the wheat into his garner: but the chaff he will +burn up with unquenchable fire.</p> +<p>But his purpose is, to <i>save</i> - to save his people from their +sins, to purge out of them all hypocrisy, falsehood, injustice, and +make of them honest men, true men, just men - men created anew after +his likeness. And this is the meaning of his salvation; and is +the only salvation worth having, for this life or the life to come.</p> +<p>Oh my friends, let us pray to God, whatsoever else he does for us, +to make honest men of us. For if we be not honest men, we shall +surely come to ruin, and bring all we touch to ruin, past hope of salvation. +Whatsoever denomination or church we belong to, it will be all the same: +we may call ourselves children of Abraham, of the Holy Catholic Church +(which God preserve), or what we will: but when the axe is laid to the +root of the tree, every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn +down, and is cast into the fire; and woe to the foolish fowl who have +taken shelter under the branches of it.</p> +<p>And we who are coming to the holy communion this day - let us ask +ourselves, What do we want there? Do we want to be made good men, +true, honest, just? Do we want to be saved from our sins? or merely +from the punishment of them after we die? Do we want to be made +sharers in that everlasting righteousness of Christ, which sustains +him, and sustains the whole world too, and prevents it from becoming +a cage of wild beasts, tearing each other to pieces by war and oppression, +falsehood and injustice? <i>Then</i> we shall get what we want; +and more. But if not, then we shall not get what we want, not +discerning that the Lord’s body is a righteous and just and good +body; and his blood a purifying blood, which purifies not merely from +the punishment of our sins, but from our sins themselves.</p> +<p>And bear in mind, my friends, when times grow evil, and rogues and +hypocrites abound, and all the world seems going wrong, there is one +arm to fall back upon, and one righteousness to fall back upon, which +can never fail you, or the world. -</p> +<p>The arm of the Lord, which brings salvation to him, that he may give +it to all who are faithful and true; which cannot weaken or grow weary, +till it has cast out of his kingdom all which offends, and whosoever +loveth or maketh a lie. -</p> +<p>And the eternal righteousness of the Lord, which will do justice +by every living soul of man, and which will never fail or fade away, +because it is his own property, belonging to his own essence, which +if he gave up for a moment he would give up being God. Yes, God +is good, though every man were bad; God is just, though every man were +a rogue; God is true, though every man were a liar; and as long as that +is so, all is safe for you and me, and the whole world:<i>- if we will.</i></p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XXII. THE BEGINNING AND END OF WISDOM</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>PROVERBS ii. 2, 3, 5.</p> +<p>If thou incline thine ear to wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; +yea, if thou criest after wisdom, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; +then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge +of God.</p> +<p>We shall see something curious in the last of these verses, when +we compare it with one in the chapter before. The chapter before +says, that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. That +if we wish to be wise at all, we must <i>begin</i> by fearing God. +But this chapter says, that the fear of the Lord is the <i>end</i> of +wisdom too; for it says, that if we seek earnestly after knowledge and +understanding, <i>then</i> we shall understand the fear of the Lord, +and find the knowledge of God.</p> +<p>So, according to Solomon, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of +wisdom, and the end likewise. It is the starting point from which +we are to set out, and the goal toward which we are to run.</p> +<p>How can that be?</p> +<p>If by wisdom Solomon meant high doctrines, what we call theology +and divinity, it would seem more easy to understand: but he does not +mean that, at least in our sense; for his rules and proverbs about wisdom +are not about divinity and high doctrines, but about plain practical +every-day life; shrewd maxims as to how to behave in this life, so as +to thrive and prosper in it.</p> +<p>And yet again they must be about divinity and theology in some sense. +For what does he say about wisdom in the text? ‘If thou +search after wisdom, thou shalt understand the fear of the Lord;’ +and is that all? No. He says more than that. Thou +shalt find, he says, the knowledge of God. To know God. - What +higher theology can there be than that? It is the end of all divinity, +of all religion. It is eternal life itself, to know God. +If a man knows God, he is in heaven there and then, though he be walking +in flesh and blood upon this mortal earth.</p> +<p>How can all this be?</p> +<p>Let us consider the words once again.</p> +<p>Solomon does not say, To understand the fear of the Lord is the beginning +of wisdom, but simply the fear of the Lord is the beginning of it. +But the end of wisdom, he says, is not merely to fear the Lord, but +to understand the fear of the Lord.</p> +<p>This then, I suppose, is his meaning: We are to begin life by fearing +God, without understanding it: as a child obeys his parents without +understanding the reason of their commands.</p> +<p>Therefore, says Solomon to the young man, begin with that - with +the solemn, earnest, industrious, God-fearing frame of mind - without +that you will gain no wisdom. You may be as clever as you will, +but if you are reckless and wild, you will gain no wisdom. If +you are violent and impatient; if you are selfish and self-conceited; +if you are weak and self-indulgent, given up to your own pleasures, +your cleverness will be of no use to you. It will be only hurtful +to you and to others. A clever fool is common enough, and dangerous +enough. For he is one who never sees things as they really are, +but as he would like them to be. A bad man, let him be as clever +as he may, is like one in a fever, whose mind is wandering, who is continually +seeing figures and visions, and mistaking them for actual and real things; +and so with all his cleverness, he lives in a dream, and makes mistake +upon mistake, because he knows not things as they are, and sees nothing +by the light of Christ, who is the light of the world, from whom alone +all true understanding comes.</p> +<p>Begin then with the fear of the Lord. Make up your mind to +do what you are told is right, whether you know the reason of it or +not. Take for granted that your elders know better than you, and +have faith in them, in your teachers, in your Bible, in the words of +wise men who have gone before you: and do right, whatever it costs you.</p> +<p>If you do not always know the reason at first, you will know it in +due time, and get, so Solomon says, to <i>understand</i> the fear of +the Lord. In due time you will see from experience that you are +in the path of life. You will be able to say with St. Paul, I +<i>know</i> in whom I have believed; and with Job, ‘Before I heard +of thee, O Lord, with the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth +thee.’</p> +<p>And why? Because, says Solomon, God himself will show you, +and teach you by his Holy Spirit. As our Lord says, ‘The +Holy Spirit shall take of mine, and show it unto you, and lead you into +all truth.’ And therefore Solomon talks of wisdom, who is +the Holy Ghost the Comforter, as a person who teaches men, whose delight +is with the sons of men. He speaks of wisdom as calling to men. +He speaks of her as a being who is seeking for those that seek her, +who will teach those who seek after her.</p> +<p>Yes, this, my friends, is, I believe, the secret of life. At +least it is the secret both of Solomon’s teaching, and our Lord’s, +and St. Paul’s, and St. John’s, that true wisdom is not +a thing which man finds out for himself, but which God teaches him. +This is the secret of life - to believe that God is your Father, schooling +and training you from your cradle to your grave; and then to please +him and obey him in all things, lifting up daily your hands and thankful +heart, entreating him to purge the eyes of your soul, and give you the +true wisdom, which is to see all things as they really are, and as God +himself sees them. If you do that, you may believe that God will +teach you more and more how to do, in all the affairs of life, that +which is right in his sight, and therefore good for you. He will +teach you more and more to see in all which happens to you, all which +goes on around you, his fatherly love, his patient mercy, his providential +care for all his creatures. He will reward you by making you more +and more partaker of his Holy Spirit and of truth, by which, seeing +everything as it really is, you will at last - if not in this life, +still in the life to come - grow to see God himself, who has made all +things according to his own eternal mind, that they may be a pattern +of his unspeakable glory; and beyond that, who needs to see? For +to know God, and to see God, is eternal life itself.</p> +<p>And this true wisdom, which lies in knowing God, and understanding +his laws, is within the reach of the simplest person here. As +I told you, cleverness without godliness will not give it you; but godliness +without cleverness may.</p> +<p>Therefore let no one say, ‘We are no scholars, nor philosophers, +and we never can be. Are we, then, shut out from this heavenly +wisdom?’ God forbid, my friends. God is no respecter +of persons. Only remember one thing; and by it you, too, may attain +to the heavenly wisdom. I said that the fear of the Lord was the +beginning of wisdom. I said that the fear of the Lord was the +end of wisdom. Now let the fear of the Lord be the middle of wisdom +also, and walk in it from youth to old age, and all will be well.</p> +<p>That is the short way, the royal road to wisdom. To be good +and to do good. To keep the single eye - the eye which does not +look two ways at once, and want to go two ways at once, as too many +do who want to serve God and mammon, and to be good people and bad people +too both at once. But the single eye of the man, who looks straightforward +at everything, and has made up his mind what it ought to do, and will +do, so help him God. As stout old Joshua said, ‘Choose ye +whom ye will serve: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’ +That is the single eye, which wants simply to know what is right, and +do what is right.</p> +<p>And if a man has that he may be a very wise man indeed, though he +can neither read nor write.</p> +<p>It is good for a man, of course, to be able to read, that he may +know what wiser men than he have said: above all, that he may know what +his Bible says. But, even if he cannot read, let him fear God, +and set his heart earnestly to know and do his duty. Let him keep +his soul pure, and his body also (for nothing hinders that heavenly +wisdom like loose living), and he will be wise enough for this world, +and for the world to come likewise.</p> +<p>I tell you, my friends, I have known women, who were neither clever +women, nor learned women, nor anything except good women, whose souls +were pure and full of the Holy Spirit, and who lived lives of prayer, +and sat all day long with Mary at the feet of Jesus. - I have known +such women to have at times a wisdom which all books and all sciences +on earth cannot give. I have known them give opinions on deep +matters which learned and experienced men were glad enough to take. +I have known them have, in a wonderful degree, that wisdom which the +Scripture calls discerning of spirits, being able to see into people’s +hearts; knowing at a glance what they were thinking of, what made them +unhappy, how to manage and comfort them; knowing at a glance whether +they were honest or not, pure-minded or not - a precious and heavenly +wisdom, which comes, as I believe, from none other than the inspiration +of the Spirit of Christ, who is the discerner of the secret thoughts +of all hearts: and when I have seen such people, altogether simple and +humble, and yet most wise and prudent, because they were full of the +fear of the Lord, and of the knowledge of God, I could not but ask - +Why should we not be all like them?</p> +<p>My friends, I believe that we may all be more or less like them, +if we will make the fear of the Lord the beginning of our wisdom, and +the middle of our wisdom, and the end of our wisdom.</p> +<p>Nine-tenths of the mistakes we make in life come from forgetting +the fear of God and the law of God, and saying not, I will do what is +right: but - I will do what will profit me; I will do what I like. +If we would say to ourselves manfully instead all our lives through, +I will learn the will of God, and do it, whatsoever it cost me; we should +find in our old age that God’s Holy Spirit was indeed a guide +and a comforter, able and willing to lead us into all truth which was +needful for us. We should find St. Paul had spoken truth, when +he said that godliness has the promise of <i>this</i> life, as well +as of that which is to come.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XXIII. HUMAN NATURE<br />(<i>Septuagesima Sunday</i>.)</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>GENESIS i. 27.</p> +<p>So God created man in his own image; in the image of God created +he him; male and female created he them.</p> +<p>On this Sunday the Church bids us to begin to read the book of Genesis, +and hear how the world was made, and how man was made, and what the +world is, and who man is.</p> +<p>And why?</p> +<p>To prepare us, I think, for Lent, and Passion week, Good Friday, +and Easter day.</p> +<p>For you must know what a thing ought to be, before you can know what +it ought not to be; you must know what health is, before you can know +what disease is; you must know how and why a good man is good, before +you can know how and why a bad man is bad. You must know what +man fell from, before you can know what man has fallen to; and so you +must hear of man’s creation, before you can understand man’s +fall.</p> +<p>Now in Lent we lament and humble ourselves for man’s fall. +In Passion week we remember the death and suffering of our blessed Lord, +by which he redeemed us from the fall. On Easter day we give him +thanks and glory for having conquered death and sin, and rising up as +the new Adam, of whom St. Paul writes, ‘As in Adam all died, even +so in Christ shall all be made alive.’</p> +<p>And therefore to prepare us for Lent and Passion week, and Easter +day, we begin this Sunday to read who the first man was, and what he +was like when he came into the world.</p> +<p>Now we all say that man was created good, righteous, innocent, holy. +But do you fancy that man had any goodness or righteousness of his own, +so that he could stand up and say, I am good; I can take care of myself; +I can do what is right in my own strength?</p> +<p>If you fancy so, you fancy wrong. The book of Genesis, and +the text, tell us that it was not so. It tells us that man could +not be good by himself; that the Lord God had to tell him what to do, +and what not to do; that the Lord God visited him and spoke to him: +so that he could only do right by faith: by trusting the Lord, and believing +him, and believing that what the Lord told him was the right thing for +him; and it tells us that he fell for want of faith, by not believing +the Lord and not believing that what the Lord told him was right for +him. So he was holy, and stood safe, only as long as he did not +stand alone: but the moment that he tried to stand alone he fell. +So that it was with Adam as it is with you and me. The just man +can only live by faith.</p> +<p>And St. John explains this more fully, when he tells us that the +voice of the Lord, the Word of God whom Adam heard walking among the +trees of the garden, was our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, who was the +life of Adam and all men, and the light of Adam and all men. All +death and misery, and all ignorance and darkness, come at first from +forgetting the Lord Jesus Christ, and forgetting that he is about our +path and about our bed, and spying out all our ways; as St. John says, +that Christ’s light is always shining in the darkness of this +world, but the darkness comprehendeth it not; that he came to his own, +but his own received him not; but as many as received him, to them gave +he power to become the sons of God, as he gave to man at first; for +St. Luke says, that Adam was the Son of God. But a son must depend +on his father; and therefore man was sent into the world to depend on +God. So do not fancy that man before he fell could do without +God’s grace, though he cannot now. If man had never fallen, +he would have been just as much in need of God’s grace to keep +him from falling. To deny that is the root of what is called the +Pelagian heresy. Therefore the Church has generally said, and +said most truly, that ‘Adam stood by grace in Paradise;’ +and had a ‘supernatural gift;’ and that as long as he used +that gift, he was safe, and only so long.</p> +<p>Now what does supernatural mean?</p> +<p>It means ‘above nature.’</p> +<p>Adam had a human nature: but he wanted something to keep him above +that nature, lest he should die, as all natural things on earth must. +Trees and flowers, birds and beasts, yea, the great earth itself must +die, and have an end in time, because it has had a beginning.</p> +<p>Man had and has still a human nature; the most beautiful, noble, +and perfect nature in the world; high above the highest animals in rank, +beauty, understanding, and feelings. Human nature is made, so +the Bible tells us, in some mysterious way, after the likeness of God; +of Christ, the eternal Son of man, who is in heaven; for the Bible speaks +of the Word or Voice of God as appearing to man in something of a human +voice: reasoning with him as man reasons with man; and feeling toward +him human feelings. That is the doctrine of the Bible; of David +and the prophets, just as much as of Genesis or of St. Paul.</p> +<p>That is a great mystery and a great glory: but that alone could not +make man good, could not even keep him alive.</p> +<p>For God made man for something more noble and blessed than to follow +even his own lofty human nature. God made the animals to follow +their natures each after its kind, and to do each what it liked, without +sin. But he made man to do more than that; to do more than what +he <i>likes</i>; namely, to do what he <i>ought</i>. God made +man to love him, to obey him, to copy him, by doing God’s will, +and living God’s life, lovingly, joyfully, and of his own free +will, as a son follows the father whose will he delights to do.</p> +<p>All animals God made to live and multiply, each after their kind: +and man likewise: but the animals he made to die again, and fresh generations, +ay, and fresh kinds of animals to take their place, and do their work, +as we know has happened again and again, both before and since man came +upon the earth. But of man the Bible says, that he was not meant +to die: that into him God breathed the breath, or spirit, of life: of +that life of men who is Jesus Christ the Lord; that in Christ man might +be the Son of God. To man he gave the life of the soul, the moral +and spiritual life, which is - to do justly, and to love mercy, and +to walk humbly with his God; the life which is always tending upward +to the source from which it came, and longing to return to God who gave +it, and to find rest in him. For in God alone, in the assurance +of God’s love to us, and in the knowledge that we are living the +life of God, can a man’s spirit find rest. So St. Augustine +found, through so many bitter experiences, when (as he tells us) he +tried to find rest and comfort in all God’s creatures one after +another, and yet never found them till he found God, or rather was found +by God, and illuminated (so he says himself) with that grace which by +the fall he lost.</p> +<p>What then does holy baptism mean? It means that God lifts us +up again to that honour from whence Adam fell. That as Adam lost +the honour of being God’s son, so Jesus Christ restores to us +that honour. That as Adam lost the supernatural grace in which +he stood, so God for Christ’s sake freely gives us back that grace, +that we may stand by faith in that Christ, the Word of God, whom Adam +disbelieved and fell away.</p> +<p>Baptism says, You are not true and right men by nature; you are only +fallen men - men in your wrong place: but by grace you become men indeed, +true men; men living as man was meant to live, by faith, which is the +gift of God. For without grace man is like a stream when the fountain +head is stopped; it stops too - lies in foul puddles, decays, and at +last dries up: to keep the stream pure and living and flowing, the fountain +above must flow, and feed it for ever.</p> +<p>And so it is with man. Man is the stream, Christ is the fountain +of life. Parted from him mankind becomes foul and stagnant in +sin and ignorance, and at last dries up and perishes, because there +is no life in them. Joined to him in holy baptism, mankind lives, +spreads, grows, becomes stronger, better, wiser year by year, each generation +of his church teaching the one which comes after, as our Lord says, +not only, ‘If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink;’ +but also, ‘He that believeth in me, out of him shall flow rivers +of living water.’</p> +<p>Yes, my brethren, if you want to see what man is, you must not look +at the heathens, who are in a state of fallen and corrupt nature, but +at Christians, who are in a state of grace; for they only (those of +them, I mean, who are true to God and themselves), give us any true +notion of what man can be and should be.</p> +<p>Heathendom is the foul and stagnant pool, parted from Christ, the +Fount of life. Christendom, in spite of all its sins and short-comings, +is the stream always fed from the heavenly Fountain. And holy +baptism is the river of the water of life, which St. John saw in the +Revelations, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and +of the Lamb, the trees of which are for the healing of the nations. +And when that river shall have spread over the world, there shall be +no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in the +city of God; and the nations of them that are saved shall grow to glory +and blessedness, such as eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath +entered into the heart of man to conceive, but God hath prepared for +those who love him.</p> +<p>Oh, may God hasten that day! May he accomplish the number of +his elect and hasten his kingdom, and the day when there shall not be +a heathen soul on earth, but all shall know him from the least to the +greatest, and the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth, as the +waters cover the sea!</p> +<p>Then - when all men are brought into the fold of Christ’s holy +Church - then will they be men indeed; men not after nature, but after +grace, and the likeness of Christ, and the stature of perfect men: and +then what shall happen to this earth matters little; no, not if the +earth and all the works therein, beautiful though they be, be burned +up; for though this world perish, man would still have his portion sure +in the city of God which is eternal in the heavens, and before the face +of the Son of man who is in heaven.</p> +<p>Oh, my friends, think of this. Think of what you say when you +say, ‘I am a man.’ Remember that you are claiming +for yourselves the very highest honour - an honour too great to make +you proud; an honour so great that, if you understand it rightly, it +must fill you with awe, and trembling, and the spirit of godly fear, +lest, when God has put you up so high, you should fall shamefully again. +For the higher the place, the deeper the fall; and the greater the honour, +the greater the shame of losing it. But be sure that it was an +honour before Adam fell. That ever since Christ has taken the +manhood into God, it is an honour now to be a man. Do not let +the devil or bad men ever tempt you to say, I am only a man, and therefore +you cannot expect me to do right. I am but a man, and therefore +I cannot help being mean, and sinful, and covetous, and quarrelsome, +and foul: for that is the devil’s doctrine, though it is common +enough. I have heard a story of a man in America - where very +few, I am sorry to say, have heard the true doctrine of the Catholic +Church, and therefore do not know really that God made man in his own +image, and redeemed him again into his own image by Jesus Christ - and +this man was rebuked for being a drunkard; and what do you fancy his +excuse was? ‘Ah,’ he said, ‘you should remember +that there is a great deal of human nature in a man.’ That +was his excuse. He had been so ill-taught by his Calvinist preachers, +that he had learnt to look on human nature as actually a bad thing; +as if the devil, and not God, had made human nature, and as if Christ +had not redeemed human nature. Because he was a man, he thought +he was excused in being a bad man; because he had a human nature in +him, he was to be a drunkard and a brute.</p> +<p>My friends, I trust that you have not so learned Christ. And +if you have, it is from no teaching of your Bible, of your Catechism, +or your Prayer-book; and, I say boldly, from no teaching of mine. +The Church bids you say, Yes; I have a human nature in me; and what +nature is that but the nature which the Son of God took on himself, +and redeemed, and justified it, and glorified it, sitting for ever now +in his human nature at the right hand of God, the Son of man who is +in heaven? Yes, I am a man; and what is it to be a man, but to +be the image and glory of God? What is it to be a man? To +belong to that race whose Head is the co-equal and co-eternal Son of +God. True, it is not enough to have only a human nature which +may sin, will sin, must sin, if left to itself a moment. But you +have, unless the Holy Spirit has left you, and your baptism is of none +effect, more than human nature in you: you have divine grace - that +supernatural grace and Spirit of God by which man stood in Paradise, +and by neglecting which he fell.</p> +<p>Obey that Spirit; from him comes every right judgment of your minds, +every good desire of your hearts, every thought and feeling in you which +raises you up, instead of dragging you down; which bids you do your +duty, and live the life of God and Christ, instead of living the mere +death-in-life of selfish pleasure and covetousness. Obey that +Spirit, and be men: men indeed, that you may not come to shame in the +day when Christ the Son of Man shall take account of you, how you have +used your manhood, body, soul, and spirit.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XXIV. THE CHARITY OF GOD</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>(<i>Quinquagesima Sunday</i>.)</p> +<p>LUKE xviii. 31, 32, 33.</p> +<p>All things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of +man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the +Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted +on: and they shall scourge him and put him to death; and the third day +he shall rise again.</p> +<p>This is a solemn text, a solemn Gospel; but it is not its solemnity +which I wish to speak of this morning, but this - What has it to do +with the Epistle, and with the Collect? The Epistle speaks of +Charity; the Collect bids us pray for the Holy Spirit of Charity. +What have they to do with the Gospel?</p> +<p>Let me try to show you.</p> +<p>The Epistle speaks of God’s eternal charity. The Gospel +tells us how that eternal charity was revealed, and shown plainly in +flesh and blood on earth, in the life and death of Jesus Christ our +Lord.</p> +<p>But you may ask, How does the Epistle talk of God’s charity? +It bids men be charitable; but the name of God is never mentioned in +it. Not so, my friends. Look again at the Epistle, and you +will see one word which shows us that this charity, which St. Paul says +we must have, is God’s charity.</p> +<p>For, he says, Charity never faileth; that though prophecies shall +fail, tongues cease, knowledge vanish away, charity shall never fail. +Now, if a thing never fail, it must be eternal. And if it be eternal, +it must be in God. For, as I have reminded you before about other +things, the Athanasian Creed tells us (and never was truer or wiser +word written) there is but one eternal.</p> +<p>But if charity be not in God, there must be two eternals; God must +be one eternal, and charity another eternal; which cannot be. +Therefore charity must be in God, and of God, part of God’s essence +and being; and not only God’s saints, but God himself - suffereth +long, and is kind; envieth not, is not puffed up, seeketh not his own, +is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, +but in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all +things, endureth all things.</p> +<p>So St. Augustine believed, and the greatest fathers of old time. +They believed, and they have taught us to believe, that before all things, +above all things, beneath all things, is the divine charity, the love +of God, infinite as God is infinite, everlasting as God is everlasting; +the charity by which God made all worlds, all men, and all things, that +they might be blest as he is blest, perfect as he is perfect, useful +as he is useful; the charity which is God’s essence and Holy Spirit, +which might be content in itself, because it is perfectly at peace in +itself; and yet <i>cannot</i> be content in itself, just because it +is charity and love, and therefore must be going forth and proceeding +everlastingly from the Father and the Son, upon errands of charity, +love, and mercy, rewarding those whom it finds doing their work in their +proper place, and seeking and saving those who are lost, and out of +their proper place.</p> +<p>But what has this to do with the Gospel? Surely, my friends, +it is not difficult to see. In Jesus Christ our Lord, the eternal +charity of God was fully revealed. The veil was taken off it once +for all, that men might see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, +and know that the glory of God is charity, and the Spirit of God is +love.</p> +<p>There was a veil over that in old times; and the veil comes over +it often enough now. It was difficult in old times to believe +that God was charity; it is difficult sometimes now.</p> +<p>Sad and terrible things happen - Plague and famine, earthquake and +war. All these things have happened in our times. Not two +months ago, in Italy, an earthquake destroyed many thousands of people; +and in India, this summer, things have happened of which I dare not +speak, which have turned the hearts of women to water, and the hearts +of men to fire: and when such things happen, it is difficult for the +moment to believe that God is love, and that he is full of eternal, +boundless, untiring charity toward the creatures whom he has made, and +who yet perish so terribly, suddenly, strangely.</p> +<p>Well, then, we must fall back on the Gospel. We must not be +afraid of the terror of such awful events, but sanctify the Lord God, +in our hearts, and say, Whatever may happen I know that God is love; +I know that his glory is charity; I know that his mercy is over all +his works; for I know that Jesus Christ, who was full of perfect charity, +is the express image of his Father’s person, and the brightness +of his Father’s glory. I know (for the Gospel tells me), +that he dared all things, endured all things, in the depth of his great +love, for the sake of sinful men. I know that when he knew what +was going to happen to him; when he knew that he should be mocked, scourged, +crucified, he deliberately, calmly, faced all that shame, horror, agony, +and went up willingly to Jerusalem to suffer and to die there; because +he was full of the Spirit of God, the spirit of charity and love. +I know that he was <i>so</i> full of it, that as he went up on his fatal +journey, with a horrible death staring him in the face, still, instead +of thinking of himself, he was thinking of others, and could find time +to stop and heal the poor blind man by the way side, who called ‘Jesus, +thou Son of David, have mercy on me.’ And in him and his +love will I trust, when there seems nothing else left to trust on earth.</p> +<p>Oh, my friends, believe this with your whole heart. Whatever +happens to you or to your friends, happens out of the eternal charity +of God, who cannot change, who cannot hate, who can be nothing but what +he is and was, and ever will be - love.</p> +<p>And when St. Paul tells you, as he told you in the Epistle to-day, +to have charity, to try for charity, because it is the most excellent +way to please God, and the eternal virtue, which will abide for ever +in heaven, when all wisdom and learning, even about spiritual things, +which men have had on earth, shall seem to us when we look back such +as a child’s lessons do to a grown man; - when, I say, St. Paul +tells you to try after charity, he tells you to be like God himself; +to be perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect; to bear and +forbear because God does so: to give and forgive because God does so; +to love all because God loves all, and willeth that none should perish, +but that all should come to the knowledge of the truth.</p> +<p>How he will fulfil that; how he fulfilled it last summer with those +poor souls in India, we know not, and never shall know in this life. +Let it be enough for us that known unto God are all his works from the +foundation of the world, and that his charity embraces the whole universe.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XXV. THE DAYS OF THE WEEK</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>JAMES i. 17.</p> +<p>Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh +down from the Father of lights, with whom is neither variableness, nor +shadow of turning.</p> +<p>It seems an easy thing for us here to say, ‘I believe in God.’ +We have learnt from our childhood that there is but one God. It +seems to us strange and ridiculous that people anywhere should believe +in more gods than one. We never heard of any other doctrine, except +in books about the heathen; and there are perhaps not three people in +this church who ever saw a heathen man, or talked to him.</p> +<p>Yet it is not so easy to learn that there is but one God. Were +it not for the church, and the missionaries who were sent into this +part of the world by the church, now 1200 years ago, we should not know +it now. Our forefathers once worshipped many gods, and not one +only God. I do not mean when they were savages; for I do not believe +that they ever were savages at all: but after they were settled here +in England, living in a simple way, very much as country people live +now, and dressing very much as country people do now, they worshipped +many gods.</p> +<p>Now what put that mistake into their minds? It seems so ridiculous +to us now, that we cannot understand at first how it ever arose.</p> +<p>But if we will consider the names of their old gods, we shall understand +it a little better. Now the names of the old English gods you +all know. They are in your mouths every day. The days of +the week are named after them. The old English kept time by weeks, +as the old Jews did, and they named their days after their gods. +Why, would take me too much time to tell: but so it is.</p> +<p>Why, then, did they worship these gods?</p> +<p>First, because man must worship something. Before man fell, +he was created in Christ the image and likeness of God the Father; and +therefore he was created that he might hear his Father’s voice, +and do his Father’s will, as Christ does everlastingly; and after +man fell, and lost Christ and Christ’s likeness, still there was +left in his heart some remembrance of the child’s feeling which +the first man had; he felt that he ought to look up to some one greater +than himself, obey some one greater than himself; that some one greater +than himself was watching over him, doing him good, and perhaps, too, +doing him harm and punishing him.</p> +<p>Then these simple men looked up to the heaven above, and round on +the earth beneath, and asked, Who is it who is calling for us? +Who is it we ought to obey and please; who gives us good things? +Who may hurt us if we make him angry?</p> +<p>Then the first thing they saw was the sun. What more beautiful +than the sun? What more beneficent? From the sun came light +and heat, the growth of all living things, ay, the growth of life itself.</p> +<p>The sun, they thought, must surely be a god; so they worshipped the +sun, and called the first day of the week after him - Sunday.</p> +<p>Next the moon. Nothing, except the sun, seemed so grand and +beautiful to them as the moon, and she was their next god, and Monday +was named after her.</p> +<p>Then the wind - what a mysterious, awful, miraculous thing the wind +seemed, always moving, yet no one knew how; with immense power and force, +and yet not to be seen; as our blessed Lord himself said, ‘The +wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but +canst not tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth.’ Then +- and this is very curious - they fancied that the wind was a sort of +pattern, or type of the spirit of man. With them, as with the +old Jews and Greeks, the same word which meant wind, meant also a man’s +soul, his spirit; and so they grew to think that the wind was inhabited +by some great spirit, who gave men spirit, and inspired them to be brave, +and to prophesy, and say and do noble things; and they called him Wodin +the Mover, the Inspirer; and named Wednesday after him.</p> +<p>Next the thunder - what more awful and terrible, and yet so full +of good, than the summer heat and the thunder cloud? So they fancied +that the thunder was a god, and called him Thor - and the dark thunder +cloud was Thor’s frowning eyebrow; and the lightning flash Thor’s +hammer, with which he split the rocks, and melted the winter-ice and +drove away the cold of winter, and made the land ready for tillage. +So they worshipped Thor, and loved him; for they fancied him a brave, +kindly, useful god, who loved to see men working in their fields, and +tilling the land honestly.</p> +<p>Then the spring. That was a wonder to them again - and is it +not a wonder to see all things grow fresh and fair, after the dreary +winter cold? So the spring was a goddess, and they called her +Freya, the Free One, the Cheerful One, and named Friday after her; and +she it was, they thought, who gave them the pleasant spring time, and +youth, and love, and cheerfulness, and rejoiced to see the flowers blossom, +and the birds build their nests, and all young creatures enjoy the life +which God had given them in the pleasant days of spring. And after +her Friday is named.</p> +<p>Then the harvest. The ripening of the grain, that too was a +wonder to them - and should it not be to us? - how the corn and wheat +which is put into the ground and dies should rise again, and then ripen +into golden corn? That too must be the work of some kindly spirit, +who loved men; and they called him Seator, the Setter, the Planter, +the God of the seed field and the harvest, and after him Saturday is +named.</p> +<p>And so, instead of worshipping him who made all heaven and earth, +they turned to worship the heaven and the earth itself, like the foolish +Canaanites.</p> +<p>But some may say, ‘This was all very mistaken and foolish: +but what harm was there in it? How did it make them worse men?’</p> +<p>My friends, among these very woodlands here, some thirteen hundred +years ago, you might have come upon one of the places where your forefathers +worshipped Thor and Odin, the thunder and the wind, beneath the shade +of ancient oaks, in the darkest heart of the forest. And there +you would have seen an ugly sight enough.</p> +<p>There was an altar there, with an everlasting fire burning on it; +but why should that altar, and all the ground around be crusted and +black with blood; why should that dark place be like a charnel house +or a butcher’s shambles; why, from all the trees around, should +there be hanging the rotting carcases, not of goats and horses merely, +but of <i>men</i>, sacrificed to Thor and Odin, the thunder and the +wind? Why that butchery, why those works of darkness in the dark +places of the world?</p> +<p>Because that was the way of pleasing Thor and Odin. To that +our forefathers came. To that all heathens have come, sooner or +later. They fancy gods in their own likeness; and then they make +out those gods no better than, and at last as bad as themselves.</p> +<p>The old English and Danes were fond of Thor and Odin; they fancied +them, as I told you, brave gods, very like themselves: but they themselves +were not always what they ought to be; they had fierce passions, were +proud, revengeful, blood-thirsty; and they thought Thor and Odin must +be so too.</p> +<p>And when they looked round them, that seemed too true. The +thunder storm did not merely melt the snow, cool the air, bring refreshing +rain; it sometimes blasted trees, houses, men; that they thought was +Thor’s anger.</p> +<p>So of the wind. Sometimes it blew down trees and buildings, +sank ships in the sea. That was Odin’s anger. Sometimes, +too, they were not brave enough; or they were defeated in battle. +That was because Thor and Odin were angry with them, and would not give +them courage. How were they to appease Thor and Odin, and put +them into good humour again? By giving them their revenge, by +letting them taste blood; by offering them sheep, goats, horses in sacrifice: +and if that would not do, by offering them something more precious still, +living men.</p> +<p>And so, too often, when the weather was unfavourable, and crops were +blasted by tempest or they were defeated in battle by their enemies, +Thor’s and Odin’s altars were turned into slaughter-places +for wretched human beings - captives taken in war, and sometimes, if +the need was very great, their own children. That was what came +of worshipping the heaven above and the earth around, instead of the +true God. Human sacrifices, butchery, and murder.</p> +<p>English and Danes alike. It went on among them both; across +the seas in their old country, and here in England, till they were made +Christians. There is no doubt about it. I could give you +tale on tale which would make your blood run cold. Then they learnt +to throw away those false gods who quarrelled among themselves, and +quarrelled with mankind; gods who were proud, revengeful, changeable, +spiteful; who had variableness in them, and turned round as their passions +led them. Then they learnt to believe in the one true God, the +Father of lights, in whom is neither variableness nor shadow of turning. +Then they learnt that from one God came every good and perfect gift; +that God filled the sun with light; that God guided the changes of the +moon; that God, and not Thor, gave to men industry and courage; God, +and not Wodin, inspired them with the spirit which bloweth where it +listeth, and raised them up above themselves to speak noble words and +do noble deeds; that God, and not Friga, sent spring time and cheerfulness, +and youth and love, and all that makes earth pleasant; that God, and +not Satur, sent the yearly wonder of the harvest crops, sent rain and +fruitful seasons, filling the earth with food and gladness.</p> +<p>But what was there about this new God, even the true God, which the +old missionaries preached, which won the hearts of our forefathers?</p> +<p>This, my friends, not merely that he was one God and not many, but +that he was a Father of lights, from whom came good gifts, in whom was +neither variableness nor shadow of turning.</p> +<p>Not merely a master, but a Father, who gave good gifts, because he +was good himself; a God whom they could love, because he loved them; +a God whom they could trust and depend on, because there was no variableness +in him, and he could not lose his temper as Thor and Odin did. +That was the God whom their wild, passionate hearts wanted, and they +believed in him.</p> +<p>And when they doubted, and asked, ‘How can we be sure that +God is altogether good? - how can we be sure that he is always trustworthy, +always the same?’ - Then the missionaries used to point them to +the crucifix, the image of Christ upon his cross, and say, ‘There +is the token; there is what God is to you, what God suffered for you; +there is the everlasting sign that he gives good gifts, even to the +best of all gifts, even to his own self, when it was needed; there is +the everlasting sign that in him is neither darkness, passion, nor change, +but that he wills all men to be saved from their own darkness and passions, +and from the ruin which they bring, and to come to the knowledge of +the truth, that they have a Father in heaven.’</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XXVI. THE HEAVENLY FATHER</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>ACTS xvi. 24-28.</p> +<p>God that made the world, and all that therein is, seeing that he +is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands +. . . For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also +of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.</p> +<p>I told you last Sunday of the meaning of the days of the week; but +one day I left out - namely, Tuesday. I did so on purpose. +I wish to speak of that day by itself in this sermon.</p> +<p>I told you how our forefathers worshipped many gods, by fancying +that various things in the world round them were gods - sun and moon, +wind and thunder, spring and harvest.</p> +<p>But if that seems to you at times wrong and absurd, it seemed so +to them also. They, like all heathens, had at times dreams of +one God.</p> +<p>They thought to themselves - All heaven and earth must have had a +beginning, and they cannot have grown out of nothing, for out of nothing +nothing comes. They must have been made in some way. Perhaps +they were made by some <i>One</i>.</p> +<p>The more they saw of this wonderful world, and all the order and +contrivance in it, the more sure they were that one mind must have planned +it, one will created it.</p> +<p>But men - they thought - persons, living souls - are not merely made; +they are begotten; they must have a Father, whose sons they are. +Perhaps, they thought, there is somewhere a great Father; a Father of +all persons, from whom all souls come, who was before all things, and +all persons, however great, however ancient they may be. And so, +like the Greeks and Romans, and many other heathen nations, they had +dim thoughts of an All-Father, as they called him; Father of gods and +men; the Father of spirits.</p> +<p>They looked round them too, in this world, and saw that everything +in it must die. The tree, though it stood for a thousand years, +must decay at last; the very rocks and mountains crumbled to dust at +last: and so they thought - truly and wisely enough - Everything which +we see near us, perishes at last: why should not everything which we +can see, however far off, however great, perish? Why should not +this earth come to an end? Why should not sun and moon, wind and +thunder, spring and harvest, end at last? And then will not these +gods, who are mixed up with the world, and live in it, and govern it, +die too? If the sun perishes, the sun-god will perish too. +If the thunder ceases for ever, then there will be no more thunder-god. +Yes, they thought - and wisely and truly too - everything which has +a beginning must have an end. Everything which is born, must die. +The sun and the earth, wind and thunder, will perish some day; the gods +of sun and earth, wind and thunder, will die some day. And then +what will be left? Will there be nothing and nowhere? That +thought was too horrible. God’s voice in their hearts, the +word of the Lord Jesus Christ, who lights every man who comes into the +world, made them feel that it was horrible, unreasonable; that it could +not be.</p> +<p>But it was all dim to them, and uncertain. Of one thing only +they were certain, that death reigned, and that death had passed upon +all men, and things, and even gods. Evil beasts, evil gods, evil +passions, were gnawing at the root of all things. A time would +come of nothing but rage and wickedness, fury and destruction; the gods +would fight and be slain, and earth and heaven would be sent back again +into shapeless ruin: and after that they knew no more, though they longed +to know. They dreamed, I say, at moments of a new and a better +world, new men, new gods: but how were they to come? Who would +live when all things died? Was there not somewhere an All-Father, +who had eternal life?</p> +<p>Then they looked round upon the earth, those simple-hearted forefathers +of ours, and said within themselves, Where is the All-Father, if All-Father +there be? Not in this earth; for it will perish. Not in +the sun, moon, or stars, for they will perish too. Where is He +who abideth for ever?</p> +<p>Then they lifted up their eyes and saw, as they thought, beyond sun, +and moon, and stars and all which changes and will change, the clear +blue sky, the boundless firmament of heaven.</p> +<p>That never changed; that was always the same. The clouds and +storms rolled far below it, and all the bustle of this noisy world; +but there the sky was still, as bright and calm as ever. The All-Father +must be there, unchangeable in the unchanging heaven; bright, and pure, +and boundless like the heavens; and like the heavens too, silent, and +afar off.</p> +<p>So they named him after the heaven, Tuith, Tuisco, Divisco - The +God who lives in the clear heaven; and after him Tuesday is called: +the day of Tuisco, the heavenly Father. He was the Father of gods +and men; and man was the son of Tuisco and Hertha - heaven and earth.</p> +<p>That was all they knew; and even that they did not know; they contradicted +themselves and each other about it. After a time they began to +think that Odin, and not Tuisco, was the All-Father; all was dim and +far off to them. They were feeling after him, as St. Paul says +he had intended them to do: but they did not find him. They did +not know the Father, because they did not know Jesus Christ the Son; +as it is written, ‘No man cometh to the Father, but through me;’ +and, ‘No man hath seen God at any time; only the only-begotten +Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.’</p> +<p>Many other heathens had the same thought and the same word; the old +Greeks and Romans, for instance, who many thousand years ago spoke the +same tongue as we did then, called him Zeus or Deus Pater; Jupiter; +the heavenly Father, Father of gods and men; using the same word as +our Tuisco, a little altered. And that same word, changed slightly, +means God now, in Welsh, French, and Italian, and many languages in +Europe and in Asia; and will do so till the end of time.</p> +<p>That, I say, was all they knew of their Father in heaven, till missionaries +came and preached the Gospel to them, and told them what St. Paul told +the Greeks in my text.</p> +<p>Now, what did St. Paul tell the Greeks? He came, we read, to +Athens in Greece, and found the city wholly given to idolatry, worshipping +all manner of false gods, and images of them. And yet they were +not content with their false gods. They felt, as our forefathers +felt, that there must be a greater, better, more mighty, more faithful +God than all: and they thought, ‘We will worship him too: for +we are sure that he is, though we know nothing about him.’ +So they set up, beside all the altars and temples of the false gods +‘To the Unknown God.’ And St. Paul passed by and saw +it; and his heart was stirred within him with pity and compassion; and +he rose up and preached them a sermon - the first and the best missionary +sermon which ever was preached on earth, the model of all missionary +sermons; and said, ‘That God whom you ignorantly worship, Him +I will declare unto you.’</p> +<p>Now, here was a Gospel; here was good news. St. Paul told them +- as the missionaries afterwards told our forefathers - that one, at +least, of their heathen fancies was not wrong. There was a heavenly +Father. Mankind was not an orphan, come into the world he knew +not whence, and going, when he died, he knew not whither. No, +man was not an orphan. From God he came; to God, if he chose, +he might return. The heathen poet had spoken truth when he said, +‘For we are the offspring of God.’</p> +<p>But where was the heavenly Father? Far away in the clear sky, +in the highest heaven beyond all suns and stars? Silent and idle, +caring for no one on earth, content in himself, and leaving sinful man +to himself to go to ruin as he chose?</p> +<p>‘No,’ says St. Paul, ‘He is not far off from any +one of us; for in him we live, and move, and have our being.’</p> +<p>Wonderful words! Eighteen hundred years have past since then, +and we have not spelt out half the meaning of them. It is such +good news, such blessed news, and yet such awful news, that we are afraid +to believe it fully. That the Almighty God should be so near us, +sinful men; that we, in spite of all our sins, should live, and move, +and have our being in God. How can it be true?</p> +<p>My friends, it would not be true, if something more was not true. +We should have no right to say, ‘I believe in God the Father Almighty,’ +unless we said also, ‘I believe in Jesus Christ,. his only Son, +our Lord.’ St. Paul, after he had told them of a Father +in heaven, went on to tell them of <i>a man</i> whom that Father had +sent to judge the world, having raised him from the dead. - And there +his sermon stopped. Those foolish Greeks laughed at him; they +would not receive the news of Jesus Christ the Son; and therefore they +lost the good news of their Father in heaven. We can guess from +St. Paul’s Epistle what he was going on to tell them. How, +by believing in Jesus Christ the Son, and claiming their share in him, +and being baptized into his name, they might become once more God’s +children, and take their place again as new men and true men in Jesus +Christ. But they would not hear his message.</p> +<p>Our forefathers did hear that message, and believed it; they had +been feeling after the heavenly Father, and at last they found him, +and claimed their share in Christ as sons of the heavenly Father; and +therefore we are Christian men this day, baptized into God’s family, +and thriving as God’s family must thrive, as long as it remembers +that God dwelleth not in temples made with hands, and needs nothing +from man, seeing that he gives to all life and breath and all things; +and is not far from any one of us, seeing that in him we live, and move, +and have our being, and are the offspring, the children of God.</p> +<p>Bear that in mind. Bear it in mind, I say, that in God you +live, and move, and have your being. Day and night, going out +and coming in, say to yourselves, ‘I am with God my Father, and +God my Father is with me. There is not a good feeling in my heart, +but my heavenly Father has put it there: ay, I have not a power which +he has not given, a thought which he does not know; even the very hairs +of my head are all numbered. Whither shall I go then from his +presence? Whither shall I flee from his Spirit? For he filleth +all things. If my eyes were opened, I should see at every moment +God’s love, God’s power, God’s wisdom, working alike +in sun and moon, in every growing blade and ripening grain, and in the +training and schooling of every human being, and every nation, to whom +he has appointed their times, and the bounds of their habitation, if +haply they may seek after the Lord, and find him in whom they live, +and move, and have their being. Everywhere I should see life going +forth to all created things from God the Father, of whom are all things, +and God the Son, by whom are all things, and God the Holy Spirit, the +Lord and Giver of that life.’</p> +<p>A little of that glorious sight we may see in this life, if our hearts +and reasons are purified by the Spirit of God, to see God in all things, +and all things in God: and more in that life whereof it is written, +‘Beloved, we are now the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear +what we shall be: but this we know, that when he appears, we shall be +like him, for we shall see him as he is.’ To that life may +he in his mercy bring us all. Amen.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XXVII. THE GOOD SHEPHERD</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>JOHN x. 11.</p> +<p>I am the good shepherd.</p> +<p>Here are blessed words. They are not new words. You find +words like these often in the Bible, and even in ancient heathen books. +Kings, priests, prophets, judges, are called shepherds of the people. +David is called the shepherd of Israel. A prophet complains of +the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves, and will not feed the flock.</p> +<p>But the old Hebrew prophets had a vision of a greater and better +shepherd than David, or any earthly king or priest - of a heavenly and +almighty shepherd. ‘The Lord is my shepherd,’ says +one; ‘therefore I shall not want.’ And another says, +‘He shall feed his flock like a shepherd. He shall gather +his lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently +lead those who are with young.’</p> +<p>This was blessed news; good news for all mankind, if there had been +no more than this. But there is more blessed news still in the +text. In the text, the Lord of whom those old prophets spoke, +spoke for himself, with human voice, upon this earth of ours; and declared +that all they had said was true; and that more still was true.</p> +<p>I am the good shepherd, he says. And then he adds, The good +shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.</p> +<p>Oh, my friends, consider these words. Think what endless depths +of wonder there are in them. Is it not wonderful enough that God +should care for men; should lead them, guide them, feed them, condescend +to call himself their shepherd? Wonderful, indeed; so wonderful, +that the old prophets would never have found it out but by the inspiration +of Almighty God. But what a wider, deeper, nobler, more wonderful +blessing, and more blessed wonder, that the shepherd should give his +life for the sheep; - that the master should give his life for the servant, +the good for the bad, the wise one for the fools, the pure one for the +foul, the loving one for the spiteful, the king for those who had rebelled +against him, the Creator for his creatures. That God should give +his life for man! Truly, says St. John, ‘Herein is love. +Not that we loved him: but that he loved us.’ Herein, indeed, +is love. Herein is the beauty of God, and the glory of God; that +he spared nothing, shrank from nothing, that he might save man. +Because the sheep were lost, the good shepherd would go forth into the +rough and dark places of the earth to seek and to save that which was +lost. That was enough. That was a thousand times more than +we had a right to expect. Had he done only that he would have +been for ever glorious, for ever adorable, for ever worthy of the praises +and thanks of heaven and earth, and all that therein is. But that +seemed little in the eyes of Jesus, little to the greatness of his divine +love. He would understand the weakness of his sheep by being weak +himself; understand the sorrows of his sheep, by sorrowing himself; +understand the sins of his sheep, by bearing all their sins; the temptations +of his sheep, by conquering them himself; and lastly, he would understand +and conquer the death of his sheep, by dying himself. Because +the sheep must die, he would die too, that in all things, and to the +uttermost, he might show himself the good shepherd, who shared all sorrow, +danger and misery with his sheep, as if they had been his children, +bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. In all things he would +show himself the good shepherd, and no hireling, who cared for himself +and his own wages. If the wolf came, he would face the wolf, and +though the wolf killed him, yet would he kill the wolf, that by his +death he might destroy death, and him who had the power of death, that +is, the devil. He would go where the sheep went. He would +enter into the sheepfold by the same gate as they did, and not climb +over into the fold some other way, like a thief and a robber. +He would lead them into the fold by the same gate. They had to +go into God’s fold through the gate of death; and therefore he +would go in through it also, and die with his sheep; that he might claim +the gate of death for his own, and declare that it did not belong to +the devil, but to him and his heavenly Father; and then having led his +sheep in through the gate of death, he would lead them out again by +the gate of resurrection, that they might find pasture in the redeemed +land of everlasting life, where can enter neither devil, nor wolf, nor +robber, evil spirit, evil man, or evil thing. This, and more than +this, he would do in the greatness of his love. He would become +in all things like his sheep, that he might show himself the good shepherd. +Because they died, he would die; that so, because he rose, they might +rise also.</p> +<p>Oh, my friends, who is sufficient for these things? Not men, +not saints, not angels or archangels can comprehend the love of Christ. +How can they? For Christ is God, and God is love; the root and +fountain of all love which is in you and me, and angels, and all created +beings. And therefore his love is as much greater than ours, or +than the love of angels and archangels, as the whole sun is greater +than one ray of sun-light. Say rather, as much greater and more +glorious as the sun is greater and more glorious than the light which +sparkles in the dew-drop on the grass. The love and goodness and +holiness of a saint or an angel is the light in that dew-drop, borrowed +from the sun. The love of God is the sun himself, which shineth +from one part of heaven to the other, and there is nothing hid from +the life-giving heat and light thereof. When the dew-drop can +take in the sun, then can we take in the love of God, which fills all +heaven and earth.</p> +<p>But there is, if possible, better news still behind - ‘I am +the good shepherd; and know my sheep, and am known of mine.’</p> +<p>‘I know my sheep.’ Surely some of the words which +I have just spoken may help to explain that to you. ‘I know +my sheep.’ Not merely, I know who are my sheep, and who +are not. Of course, the Lord does that. We might have guessed +that for ourselves. What comfort is there in that? No, he +does not say merely, ‘I know <i>who</i> my sheep are; but I know +<i>what</i> my sheep are. I know them; their inmost hearts. +I know their sins and their follies: but I know, too, their longing +after good. I know their temptations, their excuses, their natural +weaknesses, their infirmities, which they brought into the world with +them. I know their inmost hearts for good and for evil. +True, I think some of them often miserable, and poor, and blind, when +they fancy themselves strong, and wise, and rich in grace, and having +need of nothing. But I know some of them, too, to be longing after +what is good, to be hungering and thirsting after righteousness, when +they can see nothing but their own sin and weakness, and are utterly +ashamed and tired of themselves, and are ready to lie down in despair, +and give up all struggling after God. I know their weakness - +and of me it is written, ‘I will carry the lambs in mine arms.’ +Those who are innocent and inexperienced in the ways of this world, +I will see that they are not led into temptation; and I will gently +lead those that are with young: those who are weary with the burden +of their own thoughts, those who are yearning and labouring after some +higher, better, more free, more orderly, more useful life; those who +long to find out the truth, and to speak it, and give birth to the noble +thoughts and the good plans which they have conceived: I have inspired +their good desires, and I will bring them to good effect; I will gently +lead them,’ says the Lord, ‘for I know them better than +they know themselves.’</p> +<p>Yes. Christ knows us better than we know ourselves: and better, +too, than we know him. Thanks be to God that it is so. Or +the last words of the text would crush us into despair - ‘I know +my sheep, and am known of mine.’</p> +<p>Is it so? We trust that we are Christ’s sheep. +We trust that he knows us: but do we know him? What answer shall +we make to that question, Do you know Christ? I do not mean, Do +you know <i>about</i> Christ? You may know <i>about</i> a person +without knowing the person himself when you see him. I do not +mean, Do you know doctrines about Christ? though that is good and necessary. +Nor, Do you know what Christ has done for your soul? though that is +good and necessary also. But, Do you know Christ himself? +You have never seen him. True: but have you never seen any one +like him - even in part? Do you know his likeness when you see +it in any of your neighbours? That is a question worth thinking +over. Again - Do you know what Christ is like? What his +character is - what his way of dealing with your soul, and all souls, +is? Are you accustomed to speak to him in your prayers as to one +who can and will hear you; and do you know his voice when he speaks +to you, and puts into your heart good desires, and longings after what +is right and true, and fair and noble, and loving and patient, as he +himself is? Do you know Christ?</p> +<p>Alas! my friends, what a poor answer we can make to that question? +How little do we know Christ?</p> +<p>What would become of us, if he were like us? - If he were one who +bargained with us, and said - ‘Unless you know me, I will not +take the trouble to know you. Unless you care for me, you cannot +expect me to care for you.’ What would become of us, if +God said, ‘As you do to me, so will I do to you?’</p> +<p>But our only hope lies in this, that in Christ the Lord is no spirit +of bargaining, no pride, no spite, no rendering evil for evil. +In this is our hope; that he is the likeness of his Father’s glory, +and the express image of his person; perfect as his Father is perfect; +that like his Father, he causeth his rain to fall on the evil and the +good; and his sun to shine on the just and on the unjust; and is good +to the unthankful and the evil - to you and me - and knows us, though +we know him not; and cares for us, though we care not for him; and leads +us his way, like a good shepherd, when we fancy in our conceit that +we are going in our own way. This is our hope, that his love is +greater than our stupidity; that he will not tire of us, and our fancies, +and our self-will, and our laziness, in spite of all our peevish tempers, +and our mean and fruitless suspicions of his goodness. No! +He will not tire of us, but will seek us, and save us when we go astray. +And some day, somewhere, somehow, he will open our eyes, and let us +see him as he is, and thank him as he deserves. Some day, when +the veil is taken off our eyes, we shall see like those disciples at +Emmaus, that Jesus has been walking with us, and breaking our bread +for us, and blessing us, all our lives long; and that when our hearts +burned within us at noble thoughts, and stories of noble and righteous +men and women, and at the hope that some day good would conquer evil, +and heaven come down on earth, then - so we shall find - God had been +dwelling among men all along - even Jesus, who was dead, and is alive +for evermore, and has the keys of death and hell, and knows his sheep +in this world, and in all worlds, past, present, and to come, and leads +them, and will lead them for ever, and none can pluck them out of his +hand. Amen.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XXVIII. DARK TIMES</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>1 JOHN iv. 16-18.</p> +<p>We have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God +is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. +Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day +of judgment; because as he is, so are we in this world. There +is no fear in love but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath +torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.</p> +<p>Have we learnt this lesson? Our reading, and thinking, and +praying, have been in vain, unless they have helped us to believe and +know the love which God has to us. But, indeed, no reading, or +thinking, or praying will teach us that perfectly. God must teach +it us himself. It is easy to say that God is love; easy to say +that Christ died for us; easy to say that God’s Spirit is with +us; easy to say all manner of true doctrines, and run them off our tongues +at second-hand; easy for me to stand up here and preach them to you, +just as I find them written in a book. But do I believe what I +say? Do you believe what you say? There is an awful question. +We believe it all now, or think we believe it, while we are easy and +comfortable: but should we have boldness in the day of judgment? - Should +we believe it all, if God visited us, to judge us, and try us, and pierce +asunder the very joints and marrow of our heart with fearful sorrow +and temptation? O Lord, who shall stand in that day?</p> +<p>Suppose, for instance, God were to take away the desire of our eyes, +with a stroke. Suppose we were to lose a wife, a darling child; +suppose we were struck blind, or paralytic; suppose some unspeakable, +unbearable shame fell on us to-morrow: could we say then, God is love, +and this horrible misery is a sign of it? He loves me, for he +chastens me? Or should we say, like Job’s wife, and one +of the foolish women, ‘Curse God and die?’ God knows.</p> +<p>Ah, when that dark day seems coming on us, and bringing some misery +which looks to us beforehand quite unbearable - then how our lip-belief +and book-faith is tried, and burnt up in the fire of God, and in the +fire of our own proud, angry hearts, too! How we struggle and +rage at first at the very thought of the coming misery; and are ready +to say, God will not do this! He cannot - cannot be so unjust, +so cruel, as to bring this misery on me. What have I done to deserve +it? Or, if I have deserved it, what have these innocents done? +Why should they be punished for my sins? After all my prayers, +too, and my church-goings, and my tryings to be good. Is this +God’s reward for all my trouble to please him? Then how +vain all our old prayers seem; how empty and dry all ordinances. +We cry, I have cleansed my hands in vain, and in vain washed my heart +in innocency. We have no heart to pray to God. If he has +not heard our past prayers, why should we pray anymore? Let us +lie down and die; let us bear his heavy hand, if we must bear it, sullenly, +desperately: but, as for saying that God is love, or to say that we +know the love which God has for us, we say in our hearts, Let the clergyman +talk of that; it is his business to speak about it; or comfortable, +easy people, who are not watering their pillow with bitter tears all +night long. But if they were in my place (says the unhappy man), +they would know a little more of what poor souls have to go through: +they would talk somewhat less freely about its being a sin to doubt +God’s love. He has sent this great misery on me. How +can I tell what more he may not send? How can I help being afraid +of God, and looking up to him with tormenting fear?</p> +<p>Yes, my friends. These are very terrible thoughts - very wrong +thoughts some of them, very foolish thoughts some of them, though pardonable +enough; for God pardons them, as we shall see. But they are real +thoughts. They are what really come into people’s minds +every day; and I am here to talk to you about what is really going on +in your soul, and mine; not to repeat to you doctrines at second-hand +out of a book, and say, There, that is what you have to believe and +do; and, if you do not, you will go to hell: but to speak to you as +men of like passions with myself; as sinning, sorrowing, doubting, struggling +human beings; and to talk to you of what is in my own heart, and will +be in your hearts too, some day, if it has not been already. This +is the experience of all <i>real</i> men, all honest men, who ever struggled +to know and to do what is right. David felt it all. You +find it all through those glorious Psalms of his. He was no comfortable, +book-read, second-hand Christian, who had an answer ready for every +trouble, because he had never had any real trouble at all. David +was not one of them. He had to go through a very rough training +- very terrible and fiery trials, year after year; and had to say, again +and again, ‘I am weary of crying; my heart is dry; my heart faileth +me for waiting so long upon my God. All thy billows and storms +are gone over me. Thou hast laid me in a place of darkness, and +in the lowest deep.’ -</p> +<p>Not by sitting comfortably reading his book, but by such terrible +trials as that, was David taught to trust God to the uttermost; and +to learn that God’s love was so perfect that he need never dread +him, or torment himself with anxiety lest God should leave him to perish.</p> +<p>Hezekiah felt it, too, good man as he was, when he was sick, and +like to die. And it was not for many a day that he found out the +truth about these dark hours of misery, that by all these things men +live, and in all these things is the life of the Spirit.</p> +<p>And this was Jacob’s experience, too, on that most fearful +night of all his life, when he waited by the ford of Jabbok, expecting +that with the morning light the punishment of his past sins would come +on him; and not only on him, but on all his family, and his innocent +children; when he stood there alone by the dark river, not knowing whether +Esau and his wild Arabs would not sweep off the earth all he had and +all he loved; and knowing, too, that it was his own fault, that he had +brought it all upon them by his own deceit and treachery. Then, +when his sins stared him in the face, and God rose up to judgment against +him, he learnt to pray as he had never prayed before - a prayer too +deep for words.</p> +<p>‘And Jacob was left alone: and there wrestled a man with him +till the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed +not against him, he touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh; and the +hollow of his thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with him. +And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will +not let thee go, till thou bless me. And he blessed him there. +And Jacob called the name of that place Peniel: for I have seen God +face to face, and my life is preserved.’</p> +<p>So it may be with us. So it must be with us, in the dark day +when our faith is really tried by terrible affliction.</p> +<p>We must begin as Jacob did. Plead God’s promises, confess +the mercies we have received already. ‘I am not worthy of +the least of all the mercies which thou hast showed to thy servant.’</p> +<p>Ask for God’s help, as Jacob did: ‘Deliver me, I pray +thee, out of the hand of Esau my brother.’ Plead his written +promises, and the covenant of our baptism, which tell us that we are +God’s children, and God our Father, as Jacob did according to +his light - ‘And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good.’</p> +<p>So the proud angry heart will perhaps pass out of us, and we shall +set ourselves more calmly to face the worst, and to try if God’s +promises be indeed true, and God be indeed as he has said, ‘Love.’</p> +<p>But do not be astonished, do not be disheartened, if, when the trouble +comes, there comes with it, as to Jacob, a more terrible struggle far, +a struggle too deep for words; if you find out that fine words and set +prayers are nothing in the hour of need, and that you will not be heard +for your much speaking. Ah! the darkness of that time, which perhaps +goes on for days, for months, all alone between you and God himself. +Clergymen and good people may come in with kind words and true words: +but they give no comfort; your heart is still dark, still full of doubt; +you want God himself to speak to your heart, and tell you that he is +love. And you have no words to pray with at last; you have used +them all up; and you can only cling humbly to God, and hold fast. +One moment you feel like a poor slave clinging to his stern master’s +arm, and entreating him not to kill him outright. The next you +feel like a child clinging to its father, and entreating him to save +him from some horrible monster which is going to devour it: but you +have no words to pray with, only sighs, and tears, and groans; you feel +that you know not what to pray for as you ought, know not what is good +for you; dare ask for nothing, lest it should be the wrong thing. +And the longer you struggle, the weaker you become, as Jacob did, till +your very bones seem out of joint, your very heart broken within you, +and life seems not worth having, or death either.</p> +<p>Only hold fast by God. Only do not despair. Only be sure +that God cannot lie; be sure that he who cared for you from your birth +hour cares for you still; that he who loved you enough to give his own +Son for you hundreds of years before you were born, cannot but love +you still; do not despair, I say; and at last, when you are fallen so +low that you can fall no lower, and so weak that you are past struggling, +you may hear through the darkness of your heart the still small voice +of God. Only hold fast, and let him not go until he bless you, +and you shall find with Jacob of old, that as a prince you have power +with God and with man, and have prevailed. And so God will answer +you, as he answered Elijah, at first out of the whirlwind and the blinding +storm: but at last, doubt it not, with the still small voice which cannot +be mistaken, which no earthly ear can hear, but which is more precious +to the broken heart than all which this world gives, the peace which +passes understanding, and yet is the surest and the only lasting peace.</p> +<p>But what is the secret of this strange awful struggle? Can +you or I change God’s will by any prayers of ours? God forbid +that we should, my friends, even if we could; for his will is a good +will to us, and his name is Love.</p> +<p>Do not be afraid of him. If you do, you are not made perfect +in love; you have not yet learnt perfect the lesson of his great love +to you. But what is the secret of this struggle? Why has +any poor soul to wrestle thus with God who made him, before he can get +peace and hope? Why is the trouble sent him at all? It looks +at first sight a strange sort of token of God’s love, to bring +the creatures whom he has made into utter misery.</p> +<p>My friends, these are deep questions. There are plenty of answers +for them ready written: but no answers like the Bible ones, which tell +us that ‘whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth; that these sorrows +come on us, and heaviness, and manifold temptations, in order that the +trial of our faith, being much more precious than that of gold, which +perishes though it be tried with fire, may be found to praise, and honour, +and glory at the appearance of Jesus Christ.’ This is the +only answer but it does not explain the reason. It only gives +us hope under it. We do not know that these dreadful troubles +come from God. The Bible tells us ‘that God tempts no man; +that he does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.’ +The Bible speaks at times as if these dark troubles came from the devil +himself; and as if God turned them into good for us by making them part +of our training, part of our education; and so making some devil’s +attempt to ruin us only a great means of our improvement. I do +not know: but this I do know, the troubles are here, and God is love. +At least this is comfortable, that God will let no man be tempted beyond +what he is able: but will with the temptation make a way for us to escape, +that we may be able to bear it. At least this is comfortable, +that our prayers are not needed to change God’s will, because +his will is already that we should be saved; because we are on his side +in the battle against the devil, or the flesh, or the world, or whatever +it is which makes poor souls and bodies miserable, and he on ours: and +all we have to do in our prayers, is to ask advice and orders and strength +and courage from the great Captain of our salvation; that we may fight +his battle and ours aright and to the end. And, my friends, if +you be in trouble, if your heart be brought low within you, remember, +only remember, who the Captain of our salvation is. Who but Jesus +who died on the cross - Jesus who was made perfect by sufferings, Jesus +who cried out, ‘My God! my God! why hast thou forsaken me?’</p> +<p>If Christ had to be made perfect by sufferings, much more must we. +If he needed to learn obedience by sorrow, much more must we. +If he needed in the days of his flesh, to make supplication to God his +Father with strong crying and tears, so do we. And if he was heard +in that he feared, so, I trust, we shall be heard likewise. If +he needed to taste even the most horrible misery of all; to feel for +a moment that God had forsaken him; surely we must expect, if we are +to be made like him, to have to drink at least one drop out of his bitter +cup. It is very wonderful: but yet it is full of hope and comfort. +Full of hope and comfort to be able, in our darkest and bitterest sorrow, +to look up to heaven, and say, At least there is one who has been through +all this. As Christ was, so are we in this world; and the disciple +cannot be above his master. Yes, we are in this world as he was, +and he was once in this world as we are, he has been through all this, +and more. He knows all this and more. ‘We have a High +Priest above us who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, +because he has been tempted in all things like as we are. yet without +sin.’</p> +<p>Yes, my friends. Nothing like one honest look, one honest thought, +of Christ upon his cross. That tells us how much he has been through, +how much he endured, how much he conquered, how much God loved us, who +spared not his only-begotten Son, but freely gave him for us. +Dare we doubt such a God? Dare we murmur against such a God? +Dare we lay the blame of our sorrows on such a God - our Father? +No; let us believe the blessed message of our confirmation, which tells +us that it is his Fatherly hand which is ever over us, and that even +though that hand may seem heavy for awhile, it is the hand of him whose +very being and substance is love, who made the world by love, by love +redeemed man, by love sustains him still. Though we went down +into hell, says David, he is there; though we took the wings of the +morning, and fled into the uttermost part of the sea, yet there his +hand would hold us, and his right hand guide us still. It is holding +and guiding every one of us now, through storm as well as through sunshine, +through grief as well as through joy; let us humble ourselves under +that mighty hand, and it will exalt us in due time. He knows, +and must know, when that due time is, and, till then, he is still love, +and his mercy is over all his works.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XXIX. GOD’S CREATION</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>GENESIS i. 31.</p> +<p>And God saw everything that he had made, and behold it was very good.</p> +<p>This is good news, and a gospel. The Bible was written to bring +good news, and therefore with good news it begins, and with good news +it ends.</p> +<p>But it is not so easy to believe. We want faith to believe; +and that faith will be sometimes sorely tried.</p> +<p>Yes; we want faith. As St. Paul says: ‘Through faith +we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God; so that +things which are seen were not made of things which appear.’</p> +<p>No one can prove to us that God made the world; yet we must believe +it; and what is more, we <i>do</i> believe it, and are certain of it. +But all the proving and arguments in the world will not make us <i>certain</i> +that God made the world; they will only make us feel that it is probable, +that it is reasonable to think so. What, then, does make us <i>certain</i> +that God made the world? - as certain as if we had seen him make it? +<i>Faith</i>, which is stronger than all arguments. Faith, which +comes down from heaven to our hearts, and is the gift of God. +Faith, which is the light with which Jesus Christ lights us. Faith, +which comes by the inspiration of God’s Holy Spirit.</p> +<p>So, again, when we have to believe not only that God made the world, +but that all things which he has made are very good.</p> +<p>So it is, and you must believe it. God is good, the absolute +and perfect good; and from good nothing can come but good: and therefore +all which God has made is good, as he is; and therefore if anything +in the world seems to be bad, one of two things must be true of it.</p> +<p>1. Either it is <i>not</i> bad, though it seems so to us; and +God will bring good out of it in his good time, and justify himself +to men, and show us that he is holy in all his works, and righteous +in all his ways.</p> +<p>Or else - If the thing be really bad, then God did not make it. +It must be a disease, a mistake, a failure, of man’s making, or +some person’s making, but not of God’s making. For +all that he has made he sees eternally; and behold, it is very good.</p> +<p>Now, I can say that; and I believe it; and God grant I may never +say anything else. And yet I cannot prove it to you by any argument. +But I believe it; and I dare say many of you believe it (you all must +believe it, before all is over), by something better than any argument. +By faith - faith, which speaks to the very core and root of a man’s +heart and reason, and teaches him things surer and deeper than all sermons +and books, all proofs and arguments.</p> +<p>May God, our Heavenly Father, fill our hearts with his Holy Spirit +of faith, that we may believe utterly in his goodness, and therefore +believe in the goodness of all that he has made.</p> +<p>For at times we shall need that faith very much indeed, not only +about our neighbours, but about ourselves. We shall find it hard +to believe that there is goodness in some of our neighbours; and the +better we know ourselves, we shall find it very difficult to believe +that there is goodness in us.</p> +<p>For surely this is a great puzzle.</p> +<p>‘God saw everything that he had made, and behold it was very +good.’ And God made you and me. Are we therefore very +good? Or were we ever very good? Here is a great mystery. +It would seem as if we must have been very good if God made us. +For God can make nothing bad. Surely not. For he who makes +bad things is a bad maker; he who makes bad houses is a bad builder; +and he who makes bad men is a bad maker of men. But God cannot +be a bad maker; for he is perfect and without fault in all his works. +Yet men are bad.</p> +<p>Yet, on the other hand, if God made us, and the Bible be true, there +must be good in us. When God said, Let that man be; when God first +thought of us, if I may so speak, before the foundation of the world +- he thought of us as good. He created each of us good in his +own mind, else he would not have created us at all. But why were +we not good when we came on earth? Why do we come into this world +sinful? Why does God’s thought of us, God’s purpose +about us, seem to have failed? We do not know, and we need not +know. St. Paul tells us that it came by Adam’s fall; that +by Adam’s fall sin entered into the world, and each man, as he +came into it, became sinful. How that was we cannot understand +- we need not understand. Let us believe, and be silent; but let +us believe this also, that St. Paul speaks truth not in this only but +in that blessed and glorious news with which he follows up his sad and +bad news. ‘As by the offence of one, judgment came upon +all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one, the free +gift came upon all men to justification of life.’</p> +<p>Yes; we may say boldly now, Whatever has been; whatever sin I inherited +from Adam; however sinful I came into this world, God looks on me now, +not as I am in Adam, but as I am in Christ. I am in Christ now, +baptized into Christ, a new creature in Christ; to Christ I belong, +and not to Adam at all; and God looks now, not on the old corrupt nature +which I inherited from Adam, but on the new and good grace which God +meant for me from all eternity, which Christ has given me now. +It is that good and new grace in me which God cares for; it is that +good and new grace which God is working on, to strengthen and perfect +it, that I may grow in grace, and in the likeness of Christ, and become +at last what God intended me to be, when he thought of me first before +the foundation of all worlds, and said, ‘Let us make man [not +one man, but all men, male and female] in our image, after our likeness.’</p> +<p>This, again, is a great mystery. Yet our own hearts will tell +us, if we will look at them, that it is true. Are there not, as +it were, two different persons in us, fighting for the mastery? +Are we not so different at different times, that we seem to ourselves, +and to our neighbours, perhaps, to be two different people, according +as we give way to the better nature or to the worse? Even as David +- one year living a heroic and noble life by faith in God, writing Psalms +which will live to the world’s end, and the next committing adultery +and murder. Were those two Davids the same David? Yes; and +yet No. The good and noble David was David when he obeyed the +grace of God. The base and foul David was David when he gave way +to his fallen and corrupt nature.</p> +<p>Even so might we be. Even so, in a less degree, are we sometimes +so unlike ourselves, so ashamed of ourselves, so torn asunder with passions +and lusts, delighting in God’s law and all that is good in our +hearts, and yet finding another law in us which makes us slaves at moments +to our basest passions - to anger, fear, spite, covetousness - that +when we think of it we are ready to cry with St. Paul, ‘Oh, wretched +man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?’</p> +<p>Who? Who but he of whom St. Paul tells us, gives the answer +in the very next verse, ‘I thank God, that God himself will, through +Jesus Christ our Lord.’</p> +<p>Oh, my friends, whosoever of you have ever felt angry with yourselves, +discontented with yourselves, ashamed of yourselves (and he that has +not felt so knows no more about himself than a dumb animal does) - you +that have felt so, listen to St. Paul’s glorious news and take +comfort. Do you wish to be right? Do you wish to be what +God intended you to be before all worlds? Do you wish that of +you the glorious words may come true, ‘And God saw all that he +had made, and behold it was very good?’</p> +<p>Then believe this. That all which is good in you God has made; +and that he will take care of what he has made, for he loves it; that +all which is bad in you, God has <i>not</i> made, and therefore he will +destroy it; for he hates all that he has not made, and will not suffer +it in his world; and that if you, your heart, your will, are enlisted +on the good side, if you are wishing and trying that the good nature +in you should conquer the bad, then you are on the side of God himself, +and God himself is on your side; and ‘if God be for you, who shall +be against you?’ Before all worlds, from eternity itself, +God said, ‘Let us make man in our own likeness;’ and nothing +can hinder God’s word but the man himself. The word of God +comes down, says the prophet, as the rain and the dew from heaven, and, +like the rain and dew, returns not to him void, but prospers in the +thing whereto he sends it; only if the ground be hard and barren, and +determined to bring forth thorns and briars, rather than corn and fruit, +is it cursed, and near to burning; and only if a man loves his fallen +nature better than the noble, just, loving, generous grace of God, and +gives himself willingly up to the likeness of the beasts which perish, +can God’s purpose towards him become of none effect.</p> +<p>Take courage, then. If thou dislikest thy sins, so does God. +If thou art fighting against thy worse feelings, so is God. On +thy side is God who made all, and Christ who died for all, and the Holy +Spirit who alone gives wisdom, purity, nobleness. How canst thou +fail when he is on thy side? On thy side are all spirits of just +men made perfect, all wise and good souls and persons in earth and heaven, +all good and wholesome influences, whether of nature or of grace, of +matter or of mind. How canst thou fail if they are on thy side? +God, I say, and all that God has made, are working together to bring +true of thee the word of God - ‘And God saw all that he had made, +and behold it was very good.’ Believe, and endure to the +end, and thou shalt be found in Christ at the last day; and, being in +Christ, have thy share at last in the blessing which the Father pronounces +everlastingly on Christ, and on the members of Christ, ‘This is +my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.’ Amen.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XXX. TRUE PRUDENCE</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>MATTHEW vi. 34.</p> +<p>Take, therefore, no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall +take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day +is the evil thereof.</p> +<p>Let me say a few words to you on this text. Be not anxious, +it tells you. And why? Because you have to be prudent. +In practice, fretting and anxiety help no man towards prudence. +We must all be as prudent and industrious as we can; agreed. But +does fretting make us the least more prudent? Does anxiety make +us the least more industrious? On the contrary, I know nothing +which cripples a man more, and hinders him working manfully, than anxiety. +Look at the worst case of all - at a man who is melancholy, and fancies +that all is going wrong with him, and that he must be ruined, and has +a mind full of all sorts of dark, hopeless, fancies. Does he work +any the more, or try to escape one of these dangers which he fancies +are hanging over him? So far from it, he gives himself up to them +without a struggle; he sits moping, helpless, and useless, and says, +‘There is no use in struggling. If it will come, it must +come.’ He has lost spirit for work, and lost the mind for +work, too. His mind is so full of these dark fears that he cannot +turn it to laying any prudent plan to escape from the very things which +he dreads.</p> +<p>And so, in a less degree, with people who fret and are anxious. +They may be in a great bustle, but they do not get their work done. +They run hither and thither, trying this and that, but leaving everything +half done, to fly off to something else. Or else they spend time +unprofitably in dreaming, and expecting, and complaining, which might +be spent profitably in working. And they are always apt to lose +their heads, and their tempers, just when they need them most; to do +in their hurry the very last things which they ought to have done; to +try so many roads that they choose the wrong road after all, from mere +confusion, and run with open eyes into the very pit which they have +been afraid of falling into. As we say here, they will go all +through the wood to cut a straight stick, and bring out a crooked one +at last. My friends, even in a mere worldly way, the men whom +I have seen succeed best in life have always been cheerful and hopeful +men, who went about their business with a smile on their faces, and +took the changes and chances of this mortal life like men, facing rough +and smooth alike as it came, and so found the truth of the old proverb, +that ‘Good times, and bad times, and all times pass over.’ +Of all men, perhaps, who have lived in our days, the most truly successful +was the great Duke of Wellington; and one thing, I believe, which helped +him most to become great, was that he was so wonderfully free from vain +fretting and complaining, free from useless regrets about the past, +from useless anxieties for the future. Though he had for years +on his shoulders a responsibility which might have well broken down +the spirit of any man; though the lives of thousands of brave men, and +the welfare of great kingdoms - ay, humanly speaking, the fate of all +Europe - depended on his using his wisdom in the right place, and one +mistake might have brought ruin and shame on him and on tens of thousands; +yet no one ever saw him anxious, confused, terrified. Though for +many years he was much tried and hampered, and unjustly and foolishly +kept from doing his work as he knew it ought to be down, yet when the +time came for work, his head was always clear, his spirit was always +ready; and therefore he succeeded in the most marvellous way. +Solomon says, ‘Better is he that ruleth his spirit, than he that +taketh a city.’ Now the Great Duke had learnt in most things +to rule his spirit, and therefore he was able not only to take cities, +but to do better still, to deliver cities, - ay, and whole countries +- out of the hand of armies often far stronger, humanly speaking, than +his own.</p> +<p>And for an example of what I mean I will tell you a story of him +which I know to be true. Some one once asked him what his secret +was for winning battles. And he said that he had no secret; that +he did not know how to win battles, and that no man knew. For +all, he said, that man could do, was to look beforehand steadily at +all the chances, and lay all possible plans beforehand: but from the +moment the battle began, he said, no mortal prudence was of use, and +no mortal man could know what the end would be. A thousand new +accidents might spring up every hour, and scatter all his plaits to +the winds; and all that man could do was to comfort himself with the +thought that he had done his best, and to trust in God.</p> +<p>Now, my friends, learn a lesson from this, a lesson for the battle +of life, which every one of us has to fight from our cradle to our grave +- the battle against misery, poverty, misfortune, sickness; the battle +against worse enemies even than they - the battle against our own weak +hearts, and the sins which so easily beset us against laziness, dishonesty, +profligacy, bad tempers, hard-heartedness, deserved disgrace, the contempt +of our neighbours, and just punishment from Almighty God. Take +a lesson, I say, from the Great Duke for the battle of life. Be +not fretful and anxious about the morrow. Face things like men; +count the chances like men; lay your plans like men: but remember, like +men, that a fresh chance may any moment spoil all your plans; remember +that there are thousand dangers round you from which your prudence cannot +save you. Do your best; and then like the Great Duke, comfort +yourselves with the thought that you have done your best; and like him, +trust in God. Remember that God is really and in very truth your +Father, and that without him not a sparrow falls to the ground; and +are ye not of more value than many sparrows, O ye of little faith? +Remember that he knows what you have need of before you ask him; that +he gives you all day long of his own free generosity a thousand things +for which you never dream of asking him; and believe that in all the +chances and changes of this life, in bad luck as well as in good, in +failure as well as success, in poverty as well as wealth, in sickness +as well as health, he is giving you and me, and all mankind good gifts, +which we in our ignorance, and our natural dread of what is unpleasant, +should never dream of asking him for: but which are good for us nevertheless; +like him from whom they come, the Father of lights, from whom comes +every good and perfect gift; who is neither neglectful, capricious, +or spiteful, for in him is neither variableness, nor shadow of turning, +but who is always loving unto every man, and his mercy is over all his +works.</p> +<p>Bear this in mind, my friends, in all the troubles of life - that +you have a Father in heaven who knows what you have need of before you +ask him, and your infirmity in asking, and who is wont - is regularly +accustomed all day long - to give you more than either you desire or +deserve. And bear it in mind even more carefully, if you ever +become anxious and troubled about your own soul, and the life to come.</p> +<p>Many people are troubled with such anxieties, and are continually +asking, ‘Shall I be saved or not?’ In some this anxiety +comes from bad teaching, and the hearing of false, cruel, and superstitious +doctrine. In others it seems to be mere bodily disease, constitutional +weakness and fearfulness, which prevents their fighting against dark +and sad thoughts when they arise; but in both cases I think that it +is the devil himself who tempts them, the devil himself who takes advantage +of their bodily weakness, or of the false doctrines which they have +heard, and begins whispering in their ears, ‘You have no Father +in heaven. God does not love you. His promises are not meant +for you. He does not will your salvation, but your damnation, +and there is no hope for you;’ till the poor soul falls into what +is called religious melancholy, and moping madness, and despair, and +dread of the devil; and often believes that the devil has got complete +power over him, and that he is the slave of Satan for ever, till, in +some cases, the man is even driven to kill himself in the agony of his +despair.</p> +<p>Now, my friends, the true answer to all such dark thoughts is, ‘Your +Heavenly Father knows what you have need of before you ask him; therefore +be not anxious about the morrow, for the morrow shall take care for +the things of itself; sufficient for the day is the evil thereof.’</p> +<p>For in the first place, my friends, the devil was a liar from the +beginning, and therefore the chances are a million to one against his +speaking the truth in any case; and if he tells you that you are going +to be damned, I should take that for a fair sign that you were <i>not</i> +going to be damned, simply because the devil says it, and therefore +it <i>cannot</i> be true. No, my friends, the people who have +real reason to be afraid are just those who are not afraid - the self-conceited, +self-satisfied souls; for the devil attacks them too, as he does every +one, by their weakest point, and has his lie ready for them, and whispers, +‘You are all right; you are safe; you cannot fall; your salvation +is sure.’ Or else, ‘You hold the right doctrine; you +are orthodox, and perfectly right, and whoever differs from you must +be wrong;’ and so tempts them to vain confidence and unclean living, +or else into pride, hardness of heart, self-willed and self-conceited +quarrelling and slandering and lying for the sake of their own party +in the Church. It is the self-confident ones who have reason to +fear and tremble; for after pride comes a fall. They have reason +to fear, lest while they are crying peace and safety, and thanking God +that they are not as other men are, sudden destruction come on them; +but you anxious, trembling souls, who are terrified at the sight of +your own sins you who feel how weak you are, and ignorant, and confused, +and unworthy to do aught but cry, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner!’ +you are the very ones who have least reason to be afraid, just because +you are most afraid: you are the true penitents over whom your Father +in heaven rejoices; you are those of whom he has said, ‘I am the +High and Holy One who inhabiteth eternity; yet I dwell with him that +is of an humble and contrite heart, to revive the spirit of the humble, +and to comfort the soul of the contrite ones;’ as he will revive +and comfort you, if you will only have faith in God, and take your stand +on your baptism, and from that safe ground defy the devil and all his +dark imaginations, saying, ‘I am God’s child, and God is +my father, and Christ’s blood was shed for me, and the Holy Spirit +of God is with me; and in the strength of my baptism, I will hope against +hope; I trust in the Lord my God, who has called me into this state +of salvation, that he will keep to the end the soul which I have committed +to him through Jesus Christ my Lord.’</p> +<p>Yes. Be not anxious for the morrow, and much more, be not anxious +for the life to come. Your Heavenly Father knew that you had need +of salvation long before you asked him. Eighteen hundred years +before you were born, he sent his Son into the world to die for you; +when you were but an infant he called you to be baptized into his Church, +and receive your share of his Spirit. Long before you thought +of him, he thought of you; long before you loved him, he loved you; +and if he so loved you, that he spared not his only begotten Son, but +freely gave him for you, will he not with that Son freely give you all +things? Therefore, fear not, little flock; it is your Father’s +good pleasure to give you the kingdom.</p> +<p>And be not anxious about the morrow; for the morrow shall be anxious +about the things of itself. Be anxious about to-day, if you will; +and ‘work out your salvation with fear and trembling;’ for +it is God who works in you to will and to do of his good pleasure; and +therefore you can do right; and therefore, again, it is your own fault +if you do not do right. And yet, for that very reason, be not +over anxious; for ‘if God be with you, who can be against you?’ +If God, who is so mighty that he made all heaven and earth, be on our +side, surely stronger is he that is with you than he that is against +you. If God, who so loved you that he gave his only begotten Son +for you, be on your side, surely you have a friend whom you can trust. +‘What can part you from his love?’ St. Paul asks you; +from God’s love, which is as boundless and eternal as God himself; +nothing can part you from it, but your own sin.</p> +<p>‘But I do sin,’ you say, ‘again and again, and +that is what makes me fearful. I try to do better, but I fall +and I fail all day long. I try not to be covetous and worldly, +but poverty tempts me, and I fall; I try to keep my temper, but people +upset me, and I say things of which I am bitterly ashamed the next minute. +Can God love such a one as me?’ My answer is, If God loved +the whole world when it was dead in trespasses and sins, and <i>not</i> +trying to be better, much more will he love you who are not dead in +trespasses and sins, and are trying to be better. If he were not +still helping you; if his Spirit were not with you, you would care no +more to become better than a dog or an ox cares. And if you fall +- why, arise again. Get up, and go on. You may be sorely +bruised, and soiled with your fall, but is that any reason for lying +still, and giving up the struggle cowardly? In the name of Jesus +Christ, arise and walk. He will wash you, and you shall be clean. +He will heal you, and you shall be strong again. What else can +a traveller expect who is going over rough ground in the dark, but to +fall and bruise himself, and to miss his way too many a time: but is +that any reason for his sitting down in the middle of the moor, and +saying, ‘I shall never get to my journey’s end?’ +What else can a soldier expect, but wounds, and defeat, too, often; +but is that any reason for his running away, and crying, ‘We shall +never take the place?’ If our brave men at Sebastopol had +done so, and lost heart each time they were beaten back, not only would +they have never taken the place, but the Russians would have driven +them long ago into the sea, and perhaps not a man of them would have +escaped. And, be sure of it, your battle is like theirs. +Every one of us has to fight for the everlasting life of his soul against +all the devils of hell, and there is no use in running away from them; +they will come after us stronger than ever, unless we go to face them. +As with our men at Sebastopol, unless we beat the enemy, the enemy will +destroy us; and our only hope is to fight to-day’s battle like +men, in the strength which God gives us, and trust him to give us strength +to fight to-morrow’s battle too, when it comes. For here +again, as it was at Sebastopol, so it is with our souls. Let our +men be as prudent as they might, they never knew what to-morrow’s +battle would be like, or where the enemy might come upon them; and no +more do we. They in general could not see the very enemy who was +close on them; and no more can we see our enemy, near to us though he +is. To-morrow’s temptations may be quite different from +to-day’s. To-day we may be tempted to be dishonest, to-morrow +to lose our tempers, the day afterwards to be vain and conceited, and +a hundred other things. Let the morrow be anxious about the things +of itself, then; and face to-day’s enemy, and do the duty which +lies nearest you. Our brave men did so. They kept themselves +watchful, and took all the precautions they could in a general way, +just as we ought to do each in his own habits and temper; but the great +business was, to go steadily on at their work, and do each day what +they could do, instead of giving way to vain fears and fancies about +what they might have to do some day, which would have only put them +out of heart, and confused and distracted them. And so it came +to pass, that as their day so their strength was; that each day they +got forward somewhat, and had strength and courage left besides to drive +back each new assault as it came; and so at last, after many mistakes +and many failures, through sickness and weakness, thirst and hunger, +and every misery except fear which can fall on man, they conquered suddenly, +and beyond their highest hopes:- as every one will conquer suddenly, +and beyond his highest hope, who fights on manfully under Christ’s +banner against sin; against the sin in himself, and in his neighbours, +and in his parish, and faces the devil and his works wheresoever he +may meet them, sure that the devil and his works must be conquered at +the last, because God’s wrath is gone out against them, and Christ, +who executes God’s wrath, will never sheath his sword till he +has put all enemies under his feet, and death be swallowed up in victory.</p> +<p>Therefore be not anxious about the morrow. Do to-day’s +duty, fight to-day’s temptation; and do not weaken and distract +yourself by looking forward to things which you cannot see, and could +not understand if you saw them. Enough for you that your Saviour +for whom you fight is just and merciful; for he rewardeth every man +according to his work. Enough for you that he has said, ‘He +that is faithful unto death, I will give him a crown of life.’ +Enough for you that if you be faithful over a few things, he will make +you ruler over many things, and bring you into his joy for evermore.</p> +<p>But as for vain fears, leave them to those who will not believe God’s +message concerning himself - that he is love, and his mercy over all +his works. Leave them for those who deny God’s righteousness, +by denying that he has had pity on this poor fallen world, but has left +it to itself and its sins, without sending any one to save it. +And for real fears, leave them for those who have no fears; for those +who think they see, and yet are blind; who think themselves orthodox +and infallible, and beyond making a mistake, every man his own Pope; +who say that they see, and therefore their sin remaineth; for those +who thank God that they are not as other men are, and who will find +the publicans and harlots entering into the kingdom of heaven before +them; and for those who continue in sin that grace may abound, and call +themselves Christians, while they bring shame on the name of Christ +by their own evil lives, by their worldliness and profligacy, or by +their bitterness and quarrelsomeness; who make religious profession +a by-word and a mockery in the mouths of the ungodly, and cause Christ’s +little ones to stumble. Let them be afraid, if they will; for +it were better for them that a millstone were hanged about their neck, +and they were drowned in the midst of the sea. But those who hate +their sins, and long to leave their sins behind; those who distrust +themselves - let them not be anxious about the morrow; for to-morrow, +and to-day, and for ever, the Almighty Father is watching over them, +the Lord Jesus guiding them wisely and tenderly, and the Holy Spirit +inspiring them more and more to do all those good works which God has +prepared for them to walk in, and to conquer in the life-long battle +against sin, the world, and the devil.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XXXI. THE PENITENT THIEF</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>LUKE xxiii. 42, 43.</p> +<p>And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy +kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day +shalt thou be with me in paradise.</p> +<p>The story of the penitent thief is a most beautiful and affecting +one. Christians’ hearts, in all times, have clung to it +for comfort, not only for themselves, but for those whom they loved. +Indeed, some people think that we are likely to be too fond of the story. +They have been afraid lest people should build too much on it; lest +they should fancy that it gives them licence to sin, and lead bad lives, +all their days, provided only they repent at last; lest it should countenance +too much what is called a death-bed repentance.</p> +<p>Now, God forbid that I should try to narrow Christ’s Gospel. +Who am I, to settle who shall be saved, and who shall not? When +the disciples asked the Lord Jesus, ‘Are there few that be saved?’ +he would not tell them. And what Christ did not choose to tell, +I am not likely to know.</p> +<p>But I must say openly, that I cannot see what the story of the penitent +thief has to do with a death-bed repentance; and for this plain reason, +that the penitent thief did not die in his bed.</p> +<p>On the contrary, he received the due reward of his deeds. He +was crucified; publicly executed, by the most shameful, painful, and +lingering torture; and confessed that it was no more than he deserved.</p> +<p>Therefore, if any man say to himself - and I am afraid that some +do say to themselves - ‘I know I am leading a bad life; and I +have no mind to mend it yet; the penitent thief repented at the last, +and was forgiven; so I dare say that I shall be;’ one has a right +to answer him - ‘Very well; but you must first put yourself in +the penitent thief’s place. Are you willing to be hanged, +or worse than hanged, as a punishment for your sins in this world? +For, till then, the penitent thief would certainly not be on the same +footing as you.’</p> +<p>If a man says to himself, I will go on sinning now, on the chance +of repenting at last, and ‘making my peace with God,’ he +is not like the penitent thief, he is much more like a famous Emperor +of Rome, who, though a Christian in name, put off his baptism till his +death-bed, fancying that by it his sins would be washed away, once and +for all, and made use of the meantime in murdering his eldest son and +his nephew, and committing a thousand follies and cruelties. Whether +his death-bed repentance, purposely put off in order to give him time +to sin, was of any use to him, let your own consciences judge.</p> +<p>Has, then, this story of the penitent thief no comfort for us? +God forbid! Why else was it put into Christ’s Gospel of +good news? Surely, there is comfort in it.</p> +<p>Only let us take the story honestly, and word for word as it stands. +So we may hope to be taught by it what it was meant to teach us.</p> +<p>He was a robber. The word means, not a petty thief, but a robber; +and his being put to such a terrible death shows the same thing. +Most probably he had belonged to one of the bands of robbers which haunted +the mountains of Judea in those days, as they used in old times to haunt +the forests in England, and as they do now in Italy and Spain, and other +waste and wild countries. Some of these robbers would, of course, +be shameless and hardened ruffians; as that robber seems to have been +who insulted our Lord upon the very cross. Others among them would +not be lost to all sense of good. Young men who got into trouble +ran away from home, and joined these robber-bands, and found pleasure +in the wild and dangerous life.</p> +<p>There is a beautiful story told of such a young robber in the life +of the blessed Apostle St. John. A young man at Ephesus who had +become a Christian, and of whom St. John was very fond, got into trouble +while St. John was away, and had to flee for his life into the mountains. +There he joined a band of robbers, and was so daring and desperate that +they soon chose him as their captain. St. John came back, and +found the poor lad gone. St. John had stood at the foot of the +cross years before, and heard his Lord pardon the penitent thief; and +he knew how to deal with such wild souls. And what did he do? +Give him up for lost? No! He set off, old as he was, by +himself, straight for the mountains, in spite of the warnings of his +friends that he would be murdered, and that this young man was the most +desperate and bloodthirsty of all the robbers. At last he found +the young robber. And what did the robber do? As soon as +he saw St. John coming - before St. John could speak a word to him, +he turned, and ran away for shame; and old St. John followed him, never +saying a harsh word to him, but only crying after him, ‘My son, +my son, come back to your father!’ and at last he found him, where +he was hidden, and held him by his clothes, and embraced him, and pleaded +with him so, that the poor fellow burst into tears, and let St. John +lead him away; and so that blessed St. John went down again to Ephesus +in joy and triumph, bringing his lost lamb with him.</p> +<p>Now, such a man one can well believe this penitent thief to have +been. A man who, however bad he had been, had never lost the feeling +that he was meant for better things; whose conscience had never died +out in him. He may have been such a man. He <i>must</i> +have been such a man. For such faith as he showed on the cross +does not grow up in an hour or a day. I do not mean the feeling +that he deserved his punishment (that might come to a man very suddenly) +but the feeling that Christ was the Lord, and the King of the Jews. +He must have bought that by terrible struggles of mind, by bitter shame +and self-reproach. He had heard, I suppose, of Christ’s +miracles and mercy, of his teaching, of his being the friend of publicans +and sinners, had admired the Lord Jesus, and thought him excellent and +noble. But he could not have done that without the Holy Spirit +of God. It was the Holy Spirit striving with his sinful heart, +which convinced him of Christ’s righteousness. But the Holy +Spirit would have convinced him, too, of his own sin. The more +he admired our Lord, the more he must have despised himself for being +unlike our Lord; and, doubt it not, he had passed many bitter hours, +perhaps bitter years, seeing what was right, and yet doing what was +wrong from bad habits or bad company, before he came to his end upon +the gallows-tree. And there while he hung in torture on the cross, +the whole truth came to him at last. God’s Spirit shone +truly on him at last, and divided the light from the darkness in his +poor wretched heart. All the good which had been in him came out +once and for all. Christ’s light had been shining in the +darkness of his heart, and the darkness had been trying to take it in, +and close over it, but it could not; and now the light had conquered +the darkness, and all was clear to him at last. He never despised +himself so much, he never admired Christ so much, as when they hung +side by side in the same condemnation. Side by side they hung, +scorned alike, crucified alike, seemingly come alike to open shame and +ruin. And yet he could see that though he deserved all his misery, +that the man who hung by him not only did not deserve it, but was his +Lord, the Lord, the King of the Jews, and that - of course he knew not +how - the cross would not destroy him; that he would come in his kingdom. +How he found out that, no man can tell; the Spirit of God taught him, +the Spirit of God alone, to see in that crucified man the Lord of glory, +and to cast himself humbly before his love and power, in hope that there +might be mercy even for him - ‘Lord, remember me when thou comest +to thy kingdom.’ There was faith indeed, and humility indeed; +royal faith and royal humility coming out in that dying robber. +And so, if you ask - How was that robber justified by his works? +How could his going into Paradise be the receiving of the due reward +of the deeds done in his body whether they be good or evil. I +say he <i>was</i> justified by his works. He <i>did</i> receive +the due reward of his deeds. One great and noble deed, even that +saying of his in his dying agony, - that showed that whatever his heart +had been, it was now right with God. He could not only confess +God’s justice against sin in his own punishment, but he could +see God’s beauty, God’s glory, yea, God himself in that +man who hung by him, helpless like himself, scourged like himself, crucified +like himself, like himself a scorn to men. He could know that +Christ was Christ, even on the cross, and know that Christ would conquer +yet, and come to his kingdom. That was indeed a faith in the merits +of Christ enough to justify him or any man alive.</p> +<p>Now what has all this to do with you or me living an easy, comfortable +life in sin here, and hoping to die an easy, comfortable death after +all, and get to heaven by having in a clergyman to read and pray a little +with us; and saying a few words of formal repentance, when perhaps our +body and our mind are so worn out and dulled by illness that we hardly +know what we say? No, my friends, if our hearts be right, we shall +not think of the penitent thief to give us comfort about our own souls; +but we shall think of it and love it, to give us comfort about the souls +of many a man or woman for whom we care.</p> +<p>How many men there are who are going wrong, very wrong; and yet whom +we cannot help liking, even loving! In the midst of all their +sins, there is something in them which will not let us give them up. +Perhaps, kind-heartedness. Perhaps, an honest respect for good +men, and for good and right conduct; loving the better, while they choose +the worse. Perhaps, a real shame and sorrow when they have broken +out and done wrong; and even though we know that they will go and do +wrong again, we cannot help liking them, cannot give them up. +Then let us believe that God will not give them up, any more than he +gave up the penitent thief. If there be something in them that +we love, let us believe that God loves it also; and what is more, that +God put it into them, as he did into the penitent thief; and let us +hope (we cannot of course be certain, but we may hope) that God will +take care of it, and make it conquer, as he did in the penitent thief. +Let us hope that God’s light will conquer their darkness; God’s +strength conquer their weakness; God’s peace, their violence; +God’s heavenly grace their earthly passions. Let us hope +for them, I say.</p> +<p>When we hear, as we often hear, people say, ‘What a noble-hearted +man that is after all, and yet he is going to the devil!’ let +us remember the penitent thief and have hope. Who would have seemed +to have gone to the devil more hopelessly than that poor thief when +he hung upon the cross? And yet the devil did not have him. +There was in him a seed of good, and of eternal life, which the devil +had not trampled out; and that seed flowered and bore fruit upon the +very cross in noble thoughts and words and deeds. Why may it not +be so with others? True, they may receive the due reward of their +deeds. They may end in shame and misery, like the penitent thief. +Perhaps it may be good for them to do so. If a man will sow the +wind, it may be good for him to reap the whirlwind, and so find out +that sowing the wind will not prosper. The penitent thief did +so. As the proverb is, he sowed the gallows-acorn, poor wretch, +and he reaped the gallows-tree; but that gallows-tree taught him to +confess God’s justice, and his own sin, and so it may teach others.</p> +<p>Yes, let us hope; and when we see some one whom we love, and cannot +help loving, bringing misery on himself by his own folly, let us hope +and pray that the day may come to him when, in the midst of his misery, +all that better nature in him shall come out once and for all, and he +shall cry out of the deep to Christ, ‘I only receive the due reward +of my deeds; I have earned my shame; I have earned my sorrow. +Lord, I have deserved it all. I look back on wasted time and wasted +powers. I look round on ruined health, ruined fortune, ruined +hopes, and confess that I deserve it all. But thou hast endured +more than this for me, though thou hast deserved nothing, and hast done +nothing amiss. Thou hast done nothing amiss by me. Thou +hast been fair to me, and given me a fair chance; and more than that, +thou hast endured all for me. For me thou didst suffer; for me +thou hast been crucified; and me thou hast been trying to seek and to +save all through the years of my vanity. Perhaps I have not wearied +out thy love; perhaps I have not conquered thy patience. I will +take the blessed chance. I will still cast myself upon thy love. +Lord, I have deserved all my misery; yet, Lord, remember me when thou +comest into thy kingdom.</p> +<p>Oh, my friends, let us hope that that prayer will go up, even out +of the wildest heart, in God’s good time; and that it will not +go up in vain.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XXXII. THE TEMPER OF CHRIST</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>PHILIPPIANS ii. 4.</p> +<p>Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.</p> +<p>What mind? What sort of mind and temper ought to be in us? +St. Paul tells us in this chapter, very plainly and at length, what +sort of temper he means; and how it showed itself in Christ; and how +it ought to show itself in us.</p> +<p>‘All of you,’ he tells us, ‘be like-minded, having +the same love; being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be +done through strife or vain-glory: but in lowliness of mind let each +esteem others better than himself. Look not every man on his own +things, but every man also on the things of others.’</p> +<p>First, be like-minded, having the same love. Men cannot all +be of exactly the same opinion on every point, simply because their +characters are different; and the old proverb, ‘Many men, many +minds,’ will stand true in one sense to the end of the world. +But in another sense it need not. People may differ in little +matters of opinion, without hating and despising, and speaking ill of +each other on these points; they may agree to differ, and yet keep the +same love toward God and toward each other; they may keep up a kindly +feeling toward each other; and they will do so, if they have in their +hearts the same love of God. If we really love God, and long to +do good, and to work for God; if we really love our neighbours, and +wish to help them, then we shall have no heart to quarrel - indeed, +we shall have no time to quarrel - about <i>how</i> the good is to be +done, provided <i>it is</i> done; and we shall remember our Lord’s +own words to St. John, when St. John said, ‘Master, we saw one +casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: wilt thou therefore +that we forbid him?’</p> +<p>And Jesus said, ‘Forbid him <i>not</i>.’</p> +<p>‘Forbid him not,’ said Jesus himself. He that hath +ears to hear his Saviour’s words, let him hear.</p> +<p>‘Therefore,’ St. Paul says, ‘let nothing be done +through strife or vain-glory.’ It is a very sad thing to +think that the human heart is so corrupt, that we should be tempted +to do good, and to show our piety, through strife or vain-glory. +But so it is. Party spirit, pride, the wish to show the world +how pious we are, the wish to make ourselves out better and more reverent +than our neighbours, too often creep into our prayers and our worship, +and turn our feasts of charity into feasts of uncharitableness, vanity, +ambition.</p> +<p>So it was in St. Paul’s time. Some, he says, preached +Christ out of contention, hoping to add affliction to his bonds. +Not that he hated them for it, or tried to stop them. Any way, +he said, Christ was preached, whether out of party-spirit against him, +or out of love to Christ; any way Christ was preached: and he would +and did rejoice in that thought. Again I say, ‘He that hath +ears to hear, let him hear.’</p> +<p>‘Esteem others better than ourselves?’ God forgive +us! which of us does that? Is not one’s first feeling not +‘Others are better than me,’ but ‘I am as good as +my neighbour, and perhaps better too?’ People say it, and +act up to it also, every day. If we would but take St. Paul’s +advice, and be humble; if we would take more for granted that our neighbours +have common sense as well as we, experience as well as we, the wish +to do right as well as we - and perhaps more than we have; and therefore +listen <i>humbly</i> (that is St. Paul’s word, bitter though it +may be to our carnal pride), listen humbly to every one who is in earnest, +or speaks of what he knows and feels! People are better than we +fancy, and have more in them than we fancy; and if they do not show +that they have, it is three times out of four our own fault. Instead +of esteeming them better than ourselves, and asking their advice, and +calling out their experience, we are too in such a hurry to show them +that we are better than they, and to thrust our advice upon them, that +we give them no encouragement to speak, often no time to speak; and +so they are silent and think the more, and remain shut up in themselves, +and often pass for stupider people and worse people than they really +are. Because we will not begin by doing justice to our neighbours, +we prevent them doing justice to themselves.</p> +<p>Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things +of others. Ah, my friends, if we could but do that heartily and +always, what a different world it would be, and what different people +we should be! If, instead of saying to ourselves, as one is so +apt to do, ‘Will this suit my interest? will this help me?’ +we would recollect to say too, ‘Will this suit my neighbours’ +interest? Will this harm my neighbours, though it may help me? +For if it hurts them, I will have nothing to do with it.’</p> +<p>If, again, instead of saying to ourselves, as we are too apt to do, +‘This is what I like, and done it shall be,’ we would generously +and courteously think more of what other people like; what will please +them, instruct them, comfort them, soften for them the cares of life, +and lighten the burden of mortality - how much happier would not only +they be, but we also!</p> +<p>For this, my friends, is the very likeness of Christ, who pleased +not himself; the very likeness of Christ, who sacrificed himself.</p> +<p>And for this very reason St. Paul puts it the last of all his advices, +because it is the greatest; the summing up of all; the fulfilment of +the whole law, which says, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;’ +and therefore after it he can give no more advice, for there is none +better left to give: but he goes on at once to speak of Christ, who +fulfilled that whole law of love, and more than fulfilled it; for instead +of merely loving his neighbours <i>as</i> he loved himself (which is +all God asks of us), Christ loved his enemies better than himself, and +died for them.</p> +<p>So says St. Paul. - ‘Look not every man on his own things, +but on other people’s interest and comfort also. Let this +mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.’ What mind? +The mind which looks not merely on its own things, its own interest, +its own reputation, its own opinions, likes, and dislikes, but on those +of others, and has learnt to live and let live.</p> +<p>Yes, this, he says, is the mind of Christ. And this mind, and +spirit, and temper, he showed before all heaven and earth, when, though +he was in the form of God, and therefore, (as some interpret the text) +would have done no robbery, no injustice, by remaining for ever equal +with God (that is, in the co-equal and co-eternal glory which he had +with the Father), yet made himself of no reputation, and took on him +the form of a slave, and was obedient to death, even the death of the +cross.</p> +<p>My friends, I beseech you, young and old, rich and poor, remember +the full meaning of these glorious words, and of those which follow +them.</p> +<p>‘Wherefore God hath highly exalted him.’ Why? +What was it in Christ which was so precious, so glorious, in the eyes +of the Almighty Father, that no reward seemed too great for him? +What but this very spirit of fellow-feeling and tenderness, charity, +self-sacrifice - even the Holy Spirit of God himself, with which Christ +was filled without measure?</p> +<p>Because Christ utterly and perfectly looked not on his own things, +but on the things of others: because he was pity itself, patience itself, +love itself, in the soul and body of a human being; therefore his Father +declared of him, ‘This, this is my well-beloved Son, in whom I +am well pleased.’ Therefore it was that he highly exalted +him; therefore it was that he proclaimed him to be worthy of all honour +and worship, the most perfect, lovely, admirable, and adorable of all +beings in heaven and earth; not merely because he showed himself to +be light of light, or wisdom of wisdom, or power of power; but because +he showed himself to be love of love, and therefore very God of very +God begotten, whom men and angels could not reverence, admire, adore, +imitate too much, but were to see in him the perfection of all beauty, +all virtue, all greatness, the likeness of his Father’s glory, +and the express image of his person.</p> +<p>And therefore it is a very good and beautiful old custom to bow when +the name of Jesus is mentioned; at least, when it is mentioned for the +first time, or under any very solemn circumstances. It helps to +remind us that he is really our King and Lord. It helps, too, +to remind us that he is actually and really near us, standing by us, +looking at us face to face, though we see him not; and I am willing +to say for myself that whenever I recollect that he is looking at me +(alas! that is not a hundredth part often enough), I cannot help bowing +almost without any will of my own. But, remember, there is no +commandment for it. It is just one of those things on which a +Christian is free to do what he likes, and for which every Christian +is forbidden to judge or blame another, according to St. Paul’s +rule, He that observeth the day, to the Lord he observeth it; and he +that observeth it not, to the Lord he observeth it not. Who art +thou that judgest another? To his own master he standeth or falleth. +Yea, and he shall stand, for God is able to make him stand. Beside, +the text says, if we are to take it literally, as we always ought with +Scripture, not that every <i>head</i> shall bow at the name of Jesus, +but every knee. And to kneel down every time we repeat that holy +name would be impossible. While, on the other hand, we <i>do</i> +bow our knees, literally and in earnest, at the name of Jesus every +time we kneel down in church, every time we kneel down to say our prayers. +And if any man is content with that, no one has the least right to blame +him.</p> +<p>Besides, my friends, there is, I know too well, a great danger in +making too much of these little outward ceremonies, especially with +children and young people. For the heart of man is just as fond +as it ever was of idolatry, and superstition, and will-worship, and +voluntary humility, and paying tithe of mint, anise, and cummin, while +it neglects the weightier matters of the law, justice, mercy, and judgment: +and, therefore, there is very great danger, if we make too much of these +ceremonies, harmless and even good as many of them may be, of getting +to rest in them, and thinking that God is pleased with them themselves. +Whereas, what God looks at is the heart, the spirit, the soul; and whether +it is right or wrong, proud or humble, hard or loving: and if we think +so much of the outward and visible form, that we forget the inward and +spiritual grace, for which it ought to stand, then we lay a snare for +our own souls to turn them away from the worship of the living God, +and break the second commandment. Much more, if we pride ourselves +on being more reverent than our neighbours in these outward forms, and +look down on, and grudge at, those who do not practise them; for then +we turn our humility into pride, and our reverence to Christ into an +insult to him; for the true way to honour Christ is to copy Christ. +No one really honours and admires Christ’s character who does +not copy him; and to esteem ourselves better than others, to say in +our hearts, ‘Stand by, for I am holier than thou,’ to offend +and drive away Christ’s little ones, and wound the consciences +of weak brethren by insisting on things against which they have a prejudice, +is to run exactly counter to Christ and the mind of Christ, and to be +more like the Pharisees than the Lord Jesus. That is not surely +esteeming others better than ourselves: that is not surely looking not +merely on our own things, but also on the things of others; that is +not fulfilling the law of love; that is not following St. Paul’s +example, who gave up, he says, doing many things which he thought right, +because they offended weaker spirits than his own. ‘All +things,’ he says, ‘are lawful to me, but all things are +not expedient.’ ‘Ay,’ says he, ‘I would +eat no meat while the world standeth, if it cause my brother to offend.’</p> +<p>No, my dear friends, let us rather, in this coming Passion week, +take the lesson which the services of the Church give us in this Epistle. +Let us keep Passion week really and in spirit, by remembering that it +means the week of suffering, in which Christ, instead of pleasing himself, +conquered himself, and gave up himself, and let wicked men do with him +whatsoever they would. Let us honour the holy name of Jesus in +spirit and in truth, and bend not merely our necks or our knees, when +we hear his name, but bend those stiff necks of our souls, and those +stubborn knees of our hearts; let us conquer our self-will, self-opinion, +self-conceit, self-interest, and take his yoke upon us, for he is meek +and lowly of heart. This is the Passion week which he has chosen; +- to distrust ourselves, and our own opinions, likings and fancies. +This is the repentance, and this is the humiliation which he has chosen; +- to entreat him (now and at once, lest by pride we give place to the +devil, and fall while we think we stand) to forgive us every hard, and +proud, and conceited, and self-willed thought, and word, and deed, to +which we have given way since we were born; to pray to him for really +new hearts, really tender hearts, really humble hearts, really broken +and contrite hearts; to look at his beautiful tenderness, patience, +sympathy, understanding, generosity, self-sacrifice; and then to look +at ourselves, and be shocked, and ashamed, and confounded, at the difference +between ourselves and him; and so really to honour the name of Jesus, +who humbled himself, even to the death upon the cross.</p> +<p>I am not judging you, my friends; I am judging myself lest God judge +me; and telling you how to judge yourselves, lest God judge you. +Believe me, if you will but take his yoke on you, you will find it an +easy yoke and a light burden; you will find yourselves happier, your +duty simpler, your prospects clearer, your path through life smoother, +your character higher and more amiable in the eyes of all, and you yourselves +holy and fit to share on Easter day in the precious body and blood of +him who gave himself up to death that he might draw all men to himself; +and so draw them all to each other, as children of one common Father, +and brothers of Jesus Christ your Lord.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XXXIII. THE FRIEND OF SINNERS</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>(<i>Preached in London</i>.)</p> +<p>MARK ii. 15, 16.</p> +<p>And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many +publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: +for there were many, and they followed him. And when the scribes +and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners they said onto +his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans +and sinners?</p> +<p>We cannot wonder at the scribes and Pharisees asking this question. +I think that we should most of us ask the same question now, if we saw +the Lord Jesus, or even if we saw any very good or venerable man, going +out of his way to eat and drink with publicans and sinners. We +should be inclined to say, as the scribes and Pharisees no doubt said, +Why go out of his way to make fellowship with them? to eat and drink +with them? He might have taught them, preached to them, warned +them of God’s wrath against their sins when he could find them +out in the street. Or, even if he could not do that, if he could +not find them all together without going into their house, why sit down +and eat and drink? Why not say, No - I am not going to join with +you in that? I am come on a much more solemn and important errand +than eating. I have no time to eat. I must preach to you, +ere it be too late. And you would have no appetite to eat, if +you knew the terrible danger in which your souls are. Besides, +however anxious for your souls I am, you cannot expect me to treat you +as friends, to make companions of you, and accept your hospitality, +while you are living these bad lives. I shall always feel pity +and sorrow for you: but I cannot be a table companion with you, till +you begin to lead very different lives.</p> +<p>Now if the scribes and Pharisees had said that, should we have thought +them very unreasonable? For whatsoever kinds of sinners the sinners +were, these publicans were the very worst and lowest of company. +They were not innkeepers, as the word means now; they were a kind of +tax-gatherers: but not like ours in England. For first, these +taxes were not taken by the Jewish government, but by the Romans - heathen +foreigners who had conquered them, and kept them down by soldiery quartered +in their country. So that these publicans, who gathered taxes +and tribute for the heathen Cæsar of Rome from their own countrymen, +were traitors to their country, in league with their foreign tyrants, +as it were devouring their own flesh and blood; and all the Jews looked +on them (and really no wonder) with hatred and contempt. Beside, +these publicans did not merely gather the taxes, as they do in free +England; they farmed them, compounded for them with the Roman emperor; +that is, they had each to bring in to the Romans a stated sum of money, +each out of his own district, and to make their own profit out of the +bargain by grinding out of the poor Jews all they could over and above; +and most probably calling in the soldiery to help them if people would +not pay. So this was a trade, as you may easily see, which could +only prosper by all kinds of petty extortion, cruelty, and meanness; +and, no doubt, these publicans were devourers of the poor, and as unjust +and hard-hearted men as one could be. As for those ‘sinners’ +who are so often mentioned with them, I suppose this is what the word +means. These publicans making their money ill, spent it ill also, +in a low profligate way, with the worst of women and of men. Moreover, +all the other Jews shunned them, and would not eat or keep company with +them; so they hung all together, and made company for themselves with +bad people, who were fallen too low to be ashamed of them. The +publicans and harlots are often mentioned together; and, I doubt not, +they were often eating and drinking together, God help them!</p> +<p>And God did help them. The Son of God came and ate and drank +with them. No doubt, he heard many words among them which pained +his ears, saw many faces which shocked his eyes; faces of women who +had lost all shame; faces of men hardened by cruelty, and greediness, +and cunning, till God’s image had been changed into the likeness +of the fox and the serpent; and, worst of all, the greatest pain to +him of all, he could see into their hearts, their immortal souls, and +see all the foulness within them, all the meanness, all the hardness, +all the unbelief in anything good or true. And yet he ate and +drank with them. Make merry with them he could not: who could +be merry in such company? but he certainly so behaved to them that they +were glad to have him among them, though he was so unlike them in thought, +and word, and look, and action.</p> +<p>And why? Because, though he was so unlike them in many things, +he was like them at least in one thing. If he could do nothing +else in common with them, he could at least eat and drink as they did, +and eat and drink with them too. Yes. He was the Son of +man, the man of all men, and what he wanted to make them understand +was, that, fallen as low as they were, they were men and women still, +who were made at first in God’s likeness, and who could be redeemed +back into God’s likeness again.</p> +<p>The only way to do that was to begin with them in the very simplest +way; to meet them on common human ground; to make them feel that, simply +because they were men and women, he felt for them; that, simply because +they were men and women, he loved them; that, simply because they were +men and women, he could not turn his back upon them, for the sake of +his Father and their Father in heaven. If he had left those poor +wretches to themselves; if he had even merely kept apart from their +common every-day life, and preached to them, they would never have felt +that there was still hope for them, simply because they were men and +women. They would have said in their hearts, ‘See; he will +talk to us: but he looks down on us all the time. We are fallen +so low, we cannot rise; we cannot mend. What is there in us that +can mend? We are nothing but brutes, perhaps; then brutes we must +remain. Heaven is for people like him, perhaps; but not for such +as us. We are cut off from men. We have no brothers upon +earth, no Father in heaven.’ ‘Let us eat and drink, +for to-morrow we die.’</p> +<p>Yes; they would have said this; for people like them will say it +too often now, here in Christian England.</p> +<p>But when our Lord came to them, ate and drank with them, talked with +them in a homely and simple way (for our Lord’s words are always +simple and homely, grand and deep and wonderful as they are), then do +you not see how <i>self-respect</i> would begin to rise in those poor +sinners’ hearts? Not that they would say, ‘We are +better men than we thought we were.’ No; perhaps his kindness +would make them all the more ashamed of themselves, and convince them +of sin all the more deeply; for nothing, nothing melts the sinner’s +hard, proud heart, like a few unexpected words of kindness - ay, even +a cordial shake of the hand from any one who he fancies looks down on +him. To find a loving brother, where he expected only a threatening +schoolmaster - that breaks the sinner’s heart; and most of all +when he finds that brother in Jesus his Saviour. That - the sight +of God’s boundless love to sinners, as it is revealed in the loving +face of Jesus Christ our Lord - that, and that alone, breeds in the +sinner the broken and the contrite heart which is in the sight of God +of great price. And so, those publicans and sinners would not +have begun to say, We are better than we thought: but, We can become +better than we thought. He must see something in us which makes +him care for us. Perhaps God may see something in us to care for. +He does not turn his back on us. Perhaps God may not. He +must have some hope of us. May we not have hope of ourselves? +Surely there is a chance for us yet. Oh! if there were! +We are miserable now in the midst of our drunkenness, and our covetousness, +and our riotous pleasures. We are ashamed of ourselves: and our +countrymen are ashamed of us: and though we try to brazen it off by +impudence, we carry heavy hearts under bold foreheads. Oh, that +we could be different! Oh, that we could be even like what we +were when we were little children! Perhaps we may be yet. +For he treats us as if we were men and women still, his brothers and +sisters still. He thinks that we are not quite brute animals yet, +it seems. Perhaps we are not; perhaps there is life in us yet, +which may grow up to a new and better way of living. What shall +we do to be saved?</p> +<p>O blessed charity, bond of peace and of all virtues; of brotherhood +and fellow-feeling between man and man, as children of one common Father. +Ay, bond of all virtues - of generosity and of justice, of counsel and +of understanding. Charity, unknown on earth before the coming +of the Son of man, who was content to be called gluttonous and a wine-bibber, +because he was the friend of publicans and sinners!</p> +<p>My friends, let us try to follow his steps; let us remember all day +long what it is to be <i>men</i>; that it is to have every one whom +we meet for our brother in the sight of God; that it is this, never +to meet any one, however bad he may be, for whom we cannot say, ‘Christ +died for that man, and Christ cares for him still. He is precious +in God’s eyes; he shall be precious in mine also.’ +Let us take the counsel of the Gospel for this day, and love one another, +not in word merely - in doctrine, but in deed and in truth, really and +actually; in our every-day lives and behaviour, words, looks - in all +of them let us be cordial, feeling, pitiful, patient, courteous. +Masters with your workmen, teachers with your pupils, parents with your +children, be cordial, and kind, and patient; respect every one, whether +below you or not in the world’s eyes. Never do a thing to +any human being which may lessen his self-respect; which may make him +think that you look down upon him, and so make him look down upon himself +in awkwardness and shyness; or else may make him start off from you, +angry and proud, saying, ‘I am as good as you; and if you keep +apart from me, I will from you; if you can do without me, I can do without +you. I want none of your condescension.’ It is <i>not</i> +so. You cannot do without each other. We can none of us +do without the other; do not let us make any one fancy that he can, +and tempt him to wrap himself up in pride and surliness, cutting himself +off from the communion of saints, and the blessing of being a man among +men.</p> +<p>And if any of you have a neighbour, or a relation fallen into sin, +even into utter shame; - oh, for the sake of Him who ate and drank with +publicans and sinners, never cast them off, never trample on them, never +turn your back upon them. They are miserable enough already, doubt +it not. Do not add one drop to their cup of bitterness. +They are ashamed of themselves already, doubt it not. Do not you +destroy in them what small grain of self-respect still remains. +You fancy they are not so. They seem to you brazen-faced, proud, +impenitent. So did the publicans and harlots seem to those proud, +blind Pharisees. Those pompous, self-righteous fools did not know +what terrible struggles were going on in those poor sin-tormented hearts. +Their pride had blinded them, while they were saying all along, ‘It +is we alone who see. This people, which knoweth not the law, is +accursed.’ Then came the Lord Jesus, the Son of man, who +knew what was in man; and he spoke to them gently, cordially, humanly; +and they heard him, and justified God, and were baptized, confessing +their sins; and so, as he said himself, the publicans and harlots went +into the kingdom of God before those proud, self-conceited Pharisees.</p> +<p>Therefore, I say, never hurt any one’s self-respect. +Never trample on any soul, though it may be lying in the veriest mire; +for that last spark of self-respect is as its only hope, its only chance; +the last seed of a new and better life; the voice of God which still +whispers to it, ‘You are not what you ought to be, and you are +not what you can be. You are still God’s child, still an +immortal soul: you may rise yet, and fight a good fight yet, and conquer +yet, and be a man once more, after the likeness of God who made you, +and Christ who died for you!’ Oh, why crush that voice in +any heart? If you do, the poor creature is lost, and lies where +he or she falls, and never tries to rise again. Rather bear and +forbear; hope all things, believe all things, endure all things; so +you will, as St. John tells you in the Epistle, know that you are of +the truth, in the true and right road, and will assure your hearts before +God. For this is his commandment, that we should believe in the +name of his Son Jesus Christ, and believe really that he is now what +he always was, the friend of publicans and sinners, and love one another +as he gave us commandment. That was Christ’s spirit; the +fairest, the noblest spirit upon earth; the spirit of God whose mercy +is over all his works; and hereby shall we know that Christ abideth +in us, by his having given us the same spirit of pity, charity, fellow-feeling +and love for every human being round us.</p> +<p>And now, I will also give you one lesson to carry home with you - +a lesson which if we all could really believe and obey, the world would +begin to mend from to-morrow, and every other good work on earth would +prosper and multiply tenfold, a hundredfold - ay, beyond all our fairest +dreams. And my lesson is this. When you go out from this +church into those crowded streets, remember that there is not a soul +in them who is not as precious in God’s eyes as you are; not a +little dirty ragged child whom Jesus, were he again on earth, would +not take up in his arms and bless; not a publican or a harlot with whom, +if they but asked him, he would not eat and drink - now, here, in London +on this Sunday, the 8th of June, 1856, as certainly as he did in Jewry +beyond the seas, eighteen hundred years ago. Therefore do to all +who are in want of your help as Jesus would do to them if he were here; +as Jesus is doing to them already: for he is here among us now, and +for ever seeking and saving that which was lost; and all we have to +do is to believe that, and work on, sure that he is working at our head, +and that though we cannot see him, he sees us; and then all will prosper +at last, for this brave old earth whereon we are living now, and for +that far braver new heaven and new earth whereon we shall live hereafter.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XXXIV. THE SEA OF GLASS</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>(<i>Trinity Sunday</i>.)</p> +<p>REVELATION iv. 9, 10, 11.</p> +<p>And when those beasts give glory, and honour, and thanks to him that +sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, the four and twenty +elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him +that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, +saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power: +for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and +were created.</p> +<p>The Church bids us read this morning the first chapter of Genesis, +which tells us of the creation of the world. Not merely on account +of that most important text, which, according to some divines, seems +to speak of the ever-blessed Trinity, and brings in God as saying, ‘Let +<i>us</i> make man in <i>our</i> image;’ not, Let me make man +in my image; but, Let <i>us</i>, in <i>our</i> image. - Not merely for +this reason is Gen. i. a fit lesson for Trinity Sunday: but because +it tells us of the whole world, and all that is therein, and who made +it, and how. It does not tell us why God made the world; but the +Revelations do, and the text does. And therefore perhaps it is +a good thing for us that Trinity Sunday comes always in the sweet spring +time, when all nature is breaking out into new life, when leaves are +budding, flowers blossoming, birds building, and countless insects springing +up to their short and happy life. This wonderful world in which +we live has awakened again from its winter’s sleep. How +are we to think of it, and of all the strange and beautiful things in +it? Trinity Sunday tells us; for Trinity Sunday bids us think +of and believe a matter which we cannot understand - a glorious and +unspeakable God, who is at the same time One and Three. We cannot +understand that. No more can we understand anything else. +We cannot understand how the grass grows beneath our feet. We +cannot understand how the egg becomes a bird. We cannot understand +how the butterfly is the very same creature which last autumn was a +crawling caterpillar. We cannot understand how an atom of our +food is changed within our bodies into a drop of living blood. +We cannot understand how this mortal life of ours depends on that same +blood. We do not know even what life is. We do not know +what our own souls are. We do not know what our own bodies are. +We know nothing. We know no more about ourselves and this wonderful +world than we do of the mystery of the ever-blessed Trinity. That, +of course, is the greatest wonder of all. For, as I shall try +to show you presently, God himself must be more wonderful than all things +which he has made. But all that he has made is wonderful; and +all that we can say of it is, to take up the heavenly hymn which this +chapter in the Revelations puts into our mouths, and join with the elders +of heaven, and all the powers of nature, in saying, ‘Thou art +worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power; for thou hast +created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.’</p> +<p>Let us do this. Let us open our eyes, and see honestly what +a wonderful world we live in; and go about all our days in wonder and +humbleness of heart, confessing that we know nothing, and that we cannot +know; confessing that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, and that +our soul knows right well; but that beyond we know nothing; though God +knows all; for in his book were all our members written, which day by +day were fashioned, while as yet there were none of them. ‘How +great are thy counsels, O God! they are more than I am able to express,’ +said David of old, who knew not a tenth part of the natural wonders +which we know; ‘more in number than the hairs of my head, if I +were to speak of them.’</p> +<p>This will keep us from that proud and yet shallow temper of mind +which people are apt to fall into, especially young men who are clever +and self-educated, and those who live in great towns, and so lose the +sight of the wonderful works of God in the fields and woods, and see +hardly anything but what man has made; and therefore forget how weak +and ignorant even the wisest man is, and how little he understands of +this great and glorious world.</p> +<p>Such people are apt to fancy men are clever enough to understand +anything. Then they say, ‘Why am I to believe anything I +cannot understand?’ And then they laugh at the mysteries +of faith, and say, ‘Three Persons in one God! I cannot understand +that! Why am I expected to believe it?’</p> +<p>Now, here is the plain answer to such unwise speech (for unwise it +is, let it be dressed up in all fine long words, and show of wisdom), +whether the doctrine be true or not, your not understanding the matter +is no reason against it. Here is the answer: ‘You <i>do</i> +believe all day long a hundred things which you do not understand; which +quite surpass your reason. You believe that you are alive: but +you do not understand how you live. You believe that, though you +are made up of so many different faculties and powers, you are one person: +but you cannot understand how. You believe that though your body +and your mind too have gone through so many changes since you were born, +yet you are still one and the same person, and nobody else but yourself; +but you cannot understand that either. You know it is so; but +how and why it is so, you cannot explain; and the greatest philosopher +would not be foolish enough to try to explain; because, if he is a really +great scholar, he knows that it cannot be explained. You lift +your hand to your head: but how you do it, neither you nor any mortal +man knows; and true philosophers tell you that we shall probably never +know. True philosophers tell you that in the simplest movement +of your body, in the growth of the meanest blade of grass, let them +examine it with the microscope, let them think over it till their brains +are weary, there is always some mystery, some wonder over and above, +which neither their glasses nor their brains can explain, or even find +and see, much less give a name to. They know that there is more +in the matter, in the simplest matter, than man can find out; and they +are content to leave the wonder in the hands of God who made it; and +when they have found out all they can, confess, that the more they know, +the less they find they know.</p> +<p>I tell you frankly, my friends, if you were to see through the microscope +a few of the wonderful things which are going on round you now in every +leaf, and every gnat which dances in the sunbeam; if you were to learn +even the very little which is known about them, you would see wonders +which would surpass your powers of reasoning, just as much as that far +greater wonder of the ever-blessed Trinity; things which you would not +believe, if your own eyes did not show them you.</p> +<p>And what if it be strange? What is there to surprise us in +that? If the world be so wonderful, how much more wonderful must +that great God be who made the world, and keeps it always living? +If the smallest blade of grass be past our understanding, how much more +past our understanding must be the Absolute, Eternal, Almighty God? +Do you not see that common sense and reason lead us to expect that God +should be the most wonderful of all beings and things; that there must +be some mystery and wonder in him which is greater than all mysteries +and wonders upon earth, just as much as <i>he</i> is greater than all +heaven and earth? Which must be most wonderful, the maker or the +thing made? Thou art man, made in the likeness of God. Thou +canst not understand thyself. How much less canst thou understand +God, in whose likeness thou art made!</p> +<p>For my part, instead of keeping people from learning, lest they should +grow proud, and despise the mysteries of faith, I would make them learn, +and entreat them to learn, and look seriously and patiently at all the +wonderful things which are going on round them all day long; for I am +sure that they would be so much astonished with what they saw on earth, +that they would not be astonished, much less staggered, at anything +they heard of in heaven; and least of all astonished at being told that +the name of Almighty God was too deep for the little brain of mortal +man; and that they would learn more and more to take humbly, like little +children, every hint which the experience of wise and good men of old +time gives us of the everlasting mystery of mysteries, the glory of +the Triune God, which St. John saw in the spirit.</p> +<p>And what did St. John see? Something beyond even an apostle’s +understanding. Something which he could only see himself dimly, +and describe to us in figures and pictures, as it were, to help us to +imagine that great wonder.</p> +<p>He was in the spirit, he says, when he saw it. That is, he +did not see it with his bodily eyes, but with his soul, his heart and +mind. Not with his bodily eyes (for no man hath seen God at any +time), but with his mind’s eye, which God had enlightened by his +Holy Spirit.</p> +<p>He sees a throne in heaven, and one sitting on it, bright and pure +as richest precious stone; and round his throne a rainbow like an emerald, +the sign to us of hope, and faithfulness, mercy and truth, which he +himself appointed after the flood, to comfort the fearful hearts of +men. Around him are elders crowned; men like ourselves, but men +who have fought the good fight, and conquered, and are now at rest; +pure, as their white garments tell us; and victorious, as their golden +crowns tell us. And from the throne come thunderings, and lightnings, +and voices, as they did when he spoke to the Jews of old - signs of +his terrible power, as judge, and lawgiver, and avenger of all the wrong +which is done on earth. And there are there, too, seven burning +lamps, the seven spirits of God, which give light and life to all created +things, and most of all to righteous hearts. And before the throne +is a sea of glass; the same sea which St. John saw in another vision, +with us human beings standing on it, and behold it was mingled with +fire; - the sea of time, and space, and mortal life, on which we all +have our little day; the brittle and dangerous sea of earthly life; +for it may crack any moment beneath our feet, and drop us into eternity, +and the nether fire, unless we have his hand holding us, who conquered +time, and life, and death, and hell itself.</p> +<p>It seems to us to be a great thing now, time, and space, and the +world; and yet it looked small enough to St. John, as it lies in heaven, +before the throne of Christ; and he passes it by in a few words. +For what are all suns and stars, and what are all ages and generations, +and millions and millions of years, compared with eternity; with God’s +eternal heaven, and God whom not even heaven can contain? - One drop +of water in comparison with all the rain clouds of the western sea.</p> +<p>But there is one comfort for us in St. John’s vision; that +brittle, and uncertain, and dangerous as life may be, yet it is before +the throne of God, and before the feet of Christ. St. John saw +it lying there in heaven, for a sign that in God we live, and move, +and have our being. Let us be content, and hope on, and trust +on; for God is with us, and we with God.</p> +<p>But St. John saw another wonder. Four beasts - one like a man, +one like a calf, one like an eagle, one like a lion, with six wings +each.</p> +<p>What those living creatures mean, I can hardly tell you. Some +wise and learned men say they mean the four Evangelists: but, though +there is much to be said for it, I hardly think that; for St. John, +who saw them, was one of the four Evangelists himself. Others +think they mean great and glorious archangels; and that may be so. +But certainly the Bible always speaks of angels as shaped like men, +like human beings, only more beautiful and glorious. The two angels, +for instance, who appeared to the three men at our Lord’s tomb, +are plainly called in one place, young men. I think, rather, that +these four living creatures mean the powers and talents which God has +given to men, that they may replenish the earth, and subdue it. +For we read of these same living creatures in the book of the prophet +Ezekiel; and we see them also on those ancient Assyrian sculptures which +are now in the British Museum; and we have good reason to think that +is what they mean there. The creature with the man’s head +means reason; the beast with the lion’s head, kingly power and +government; with the eagle’s head, and his piercing eye, prudence +and foresight; with the ox’s head, labour, and cultivation of +the earth, and successful industry. But whatsoever those living +creatures mean, it is more important to see what they do. They +give glory, and honour, and thanks to him who sits upon the throne. +They confess that all power, all wisdom, all prudence, all success in +men or angels, in earth or heaven, comes from God, and is God’s +gift, of which he will require a strict account; for he is Holy, Holy, +Holy, Lord God Almighty; and all things are of him, and by him, and +for him, for ever and ever.</p> +<p>But who is he who sits upon the throne? Who but the Lord Jesus +Christ? Who but the Babe of Bethlehem? Who but the Friend +of publicans and sinners? Who but he who went about doing good +to suffering mortal man? Who but he who died on the cross? +Who but he on whose bosom St. John leaned at supper, and now saw him +highly exalted, having a name above every name?</p> +<p>Oh, blest St. John, to see that sight! To see his dear Master +in his glory, after having seen him in his humiliation! God grant +us so to follow in St. John’s steps, that we may see the same +sight, unworthy though we are, in God’s good time.</p> +<p>And where is God the Father? Yes, where? The heaven, +and the heaven of heavens, cannot contain him, whom no man hath seen, +or can see; who dwells in the light, whom no man can approach unto. +Only the only begotten Son, who dwells in the bosom of the Father, he +hath declared him, and shown to men in his own perfect loveliness and +goodness, what their heavenly Father is. That was enough for St. +John; let it be enough for us. He who has seen Christ has seen +the Father, as far as any created being can see him. The Son Christ +is merciful: therefore the Father is merciful. The Son is just: +therefore the Father is just. The Son is faithful and true: therefore +the Father is faithful and true. The Son is almighty to save: +therefore the Father is almighty to save. Let that be enough for +you and me.</p> +<p>But where is the Holy Spirit? There is no <i>where</i> for +spirits. All that we can say is, that the Holy Spirit is proceeding +for ever from the Father and the Son; going forth for ever, to bring +light and life, righteousness and love, to all worlds, and to all hearts +who will receive him. The lamps of fire which St. John saw, the +dove which came down at Christ’s baptism, the cloven tongues of +fire which sat on the Apostles - these were signs and tokens of the +Spirit; but they were not the Spirit itself. Of him it is written, +‘He bloweth where he listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, +but canst not tell whence he cometh or whither he goeth.’</p> +<p>It is enough for us that he is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the +Holy Father, and of the Holy Son; like them eternal, like them incomprehensible, +like them almighty, like them all-wise, all-just, all-loving, merciful, +faithful, and true for ever.</p> +<p>This is what St. John saw - Christ the crucified, Christ the Babe +of Bethlehem, in the glory which he had before all worlds, and shall +have for ever; with all the powers of this wondrous world crying to +him for ever, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, +and is, and is to come; and the souls of just men made perfect answering +those mystic animals, and joining their hymns of praise to the hymn +which goes up for ever from sun and stars, from earth and sea, - when +they find out the deepest of all wisdom - the lesson which all the wonders +of this earth, and all which ever has happened, or will happen, in space +and time, is meant to teach us</p> +<p>‘Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and +power; for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are +and were created.’</p> +<p>This is all that I can tell you. It may be a very little: but +is it not enough? What says Solomon the wise? ‘Knowest +thou how the bones grow in the womb?’ Not thou. How, +then, wilt thou know God, who made all things? Thou art fearfully +and wonderfully made, though thou art but a poor mortal man. And +is not God more fearfully and wonderfully made than thou art? +It is a strange thing, and a mystery, how we ever got into this world: +a stranger thing still to me, how we shall ever get out of this world +again. Yet they are common things enough - birth and death. +‘Every moment dies a man, every moment one is born:’ and +yet you do not know what is the meaning of birth or death either: and +I do not know; and no man knows. How, then, can we know the mystery +of God, in whose hand are the issues of life and death? - God to whom +all live for ever, living and dead, born and unborn, in heaven and in +hell?</p> +<p>So it is in small things as well as great, in great as well as small; +and so it ever will be. ‘All things begin in some wonder, +and in some wonder all things end,’ said Saint Augustine, wisest +in his day of all mortal men; and all that great scholars have discovered +since prove more and more that Saint Augustine’s words were true, +and that the wisest are only, as a great philosopher once said, and +one, too, who discovered more of God’s works than any man for +many a hundred years, even Sir Isaac Newton himself: ‘The wisest +of us is but like a child picking up a few shells and pebbles on the +shore of a boundless sea.’</p> +<p>The shells and pebbles are the little scraps of knowledge which God +vouchsafes to us, his sinful children; knowledge, of which at best St. +Paul says, that we know only in part, and prophesy in part, and think +as children; and that knowledge shall vanish away, and tongues shall +cease, and prophecies shall fail.</p> +<p>And the boundless sea is the great ocean of time - of God’s +created universe, above which his Spirit broods over, perfect in love, +and wisdom, and almighty power, as at the beginning, moving above the +face of the waters of time, giving life to all things, for ever blessing, +and for ever blest.</p> +<p>God grant us all to see the day when we shall have passed safely +across that sea of time, up to the sure land of eternity; and shall +no more think as children, or know in part; but shall see God face to +face, and know him even as we are known; and find him, the nearer we +draw to him, more wonderful, and more glorious, and more good than ever; +- ‘Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and +is to come.’ And meanwhile, take comfort, and recollect +however little you and I may know, God knows: he knows himself, and +you, and me, and all things; and his mercy is over all his works.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XXXV. A GOD IN PAIN</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>(<i>Good Friday</i>.)</p> +<p>HEBREWS ii. 9, 50.</p> +<p>But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for +the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the +grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, +for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many +sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through +sufferings.</p> +<p>What are we met together to think of this day? God in pain: +God sorrowing; God dying for man, as far as God could die. Now +it is this; - the blessed news that God suffered pain, God sorrowed, +God died, as far as God could die - which makes the Gospel different +from all other religions in the world; and it is this, too, which makes +the Gospel so strong to conquer men’s hearts, and soften them, +and bring them back to God and righteousness in a way no other religion +ever has done. It is the good news of this good day, well called +Good Friday, which wins souls to Christ, and will win them as long as +men are men.</p> +<p>The heathen, you will find, always thought of their gods as happy. +The gods, they thought, always abide in bliss, far above all the chances +and changes of mortal life; always young, strong, beautiful, needing +no help, needing no pity; and therefore, my friends, never calling out +our love. The heathens never <i>loved</i> their gods: they admired +them, thanked them when they thought they helped them; or they were +afraid of them when they thought they were offended.</p> +<p>But as far as I can find, they never really loved their gods. +Love to God was a new feeling, which first came into the world with +the good news that God had suffered and that God had died upon the cross. +That was a God to be loved, indeed; and all good hearts loved him, and +will love him still.</p> +<p>For you cannot really love any one who is quite different from you; +who has never been through what you have. You do not think that +he can understand you; you expect him to despise you, laugh at you. +You say, as I have heard a poor woman say of a rich one, ‘How +can she feel for me? She does not know what poor people go through.’</p> +<p>Now it is just that feeling which mankind had about God till Christ +died.</p> +<p>God, or the gods, were beautiful, strong, happy, self-sufficient, +up in the skies; and men on earth were full of sorrow and trouble, disease, +accidents, death; and sin, too; quarrelling and killing, hateful and +hating each other. How could the gods love men? And then +men had a sense of sin; they felt they were doing wrong. Surely +the gods hated them for doing wrong. Surely all the sorrows and +troubles which came on them were punishments for doing wrong. +How miserable they were! But the gods sat happy up in heaven, +and cared not for them. Or, if the gods did care, they cared only +for special favourites. If any man was very good, or strong, or +handsome, or clever, or rich, or prosperous, the gods cared for him +- he was a favourite. But what did they care for poor, ugly, deformed, +unfortunate, foolish wretches? Surely the gods despised them, +and had sent them into the world to be miserable. There was no +sympathy, no fellow-feeling between gods and men. The gods did +not love men as men. Why should men love them? And so men +did not love them.</p> +<p>And as there was no love to God before Good Friday, so there was +no love to men.</p> +<p>If God despised the poor, the deformed, the helpless, the ignorant, +the crazy, why should not man? If God was hard on them, why should +not man oppress and ill-use them? And so you will find that there +was no charity in the world.</p> +<p>Among some of the Eastern nations - the Hindoos, for instance - when +they were much better men than now, charity did spring up for a while +here and there, in a very beautiful shape; but among Greeks and Romans +there was simply no charity; and you will find little or none among +the Jews themselves.</p> +<p>The Pharisees gave alms to save their own souls, and feed their own +pride of being good; but had no charity - ‘This people, who knoweth +not the law, is accursed.’ As for poor, diseased people, +they were born in sin: either they or their parents had sinned. +We may see that the poor of Judea, as well as Galilee, were in a miserable, +neglected, despised state; and the worst thing that the Pharisees could +say of our Lord Jesus was, that he ate and drank with publicans and +sinners. Because there was no love to God, there was no love to +man. There was a great gulf fixed between every man and his neighbour.</p> +<p>But Christ came; God came; and became man. And with the blood +of his cross was bridged over for ever the gulf between God and man, +and the gulf between man and man.</p> +<p>Good Friday showed that there was sympathy, there was fellow-feeling +between God and man; that God would do all for man, endure all for man; +that God so desired to make man like God, that he would stoop to be +made like man. There was nothing God would not do to justify himself +to man, to show men that he did care for them, that he did love the +creatures whom he had made. Yes; God had not forgotten man; God +had not made man in vain. God had not sent man into the world +to be wicked and miserable here, and to perish for ever hereafter. +Wickedness and misery were here; but God had not put them here, and +he would not leave them here. He would conquer them by enduring +them. Sin and misery tormented men; then they should torment the +Son of God too. Sin and misery killed men; then they should kill +the Son of God, too: he would taste death for every man, that men might +live by him. He would be made perfect by sufferings: not made +perfectly good (for that he was already), but perfectly able to feel +for men, to understand them, to help them; because he had been tempted +in all things like as they.</p> +<p>And so on Good Friday did God bridge over the gulf between God and +men. No man can say now, Why has God sent man into the world to +be miserable, while he is happy? For God in Christ was miserable +once. No man can say, God makes me go through pain, and torture, +and death, while he goes through none of such things: for God in Christ +endured pain, torture, death, to the uttermost. And so God is +a being which man can love, admire, have fellow-feeling for; cling to +God with all the noble feelings of his heart, with admiration, gratitude, +and tenderness, even on this day with pity. - As Christ himself said, +‘When I am lifted up, I will draw all men to me.’</p> +<p>And no man can say now, What has God to do with sufferers - sick, +weak, deformed wretches? If he had cared for them, would he have +made them thus? For we can answer, However sick, or weak they +may be, God in Christ has been as weak as they. God has shared +their sufferings, and has been made perfect by sufferings, that they +might be made perfect also. God has sanctified suffering, pain, +and sorrow upon his cross, and made them holy; as holy as health, and +strength, and happiness are. And so on Good Friday God bridged +over the gulf between man and man. He has shown that God is charity +and love; and that the way to live for ever in God is to live for ever +in that charity and love to all mankind which God showed this day upon +the cross.</p> +<p>And, therefore, all <i>charity</i> is rightly called <i>Christian</i> +charity; for it is Christ, and the news of Good Friday, which first +taught men to have charity; to look on the poor, the afflicted, the +weak, the orphan, with love, pity, respect. By the sight of a +suffering and dying God, God has touched the hearts of men, that they +might learn to love and respect suffering and dying men; and in the +face of every mourner, see the face of Christ, who died for them. +Because Christ the sufferer is their elder brother, all sufferers are +their brothers likewise. Because Christ tasted pain, shame, misery, +death for all men, therefore we are bound this day to pray for all men, +that they may have their share in the blessings of Christ’s death; +not to look on them any longer as aliens, strangers, enemies, parted +from us and each other and God; but whether wise or foolish, sick or +well, happy or unhappy, alive or dead, as brothers. We are bound +to pray for his Holy Church as one family of brothers; for all ranks +of men in it, that each of them may learn to give up their own will +and pleasure for the sake of doing their duty in their calling, as Christ +did; to pray for Jews, Turks, Heathens, and Infidels; as for God’s +lost children, and our lost brothers, that God would bring them home +to his flock, and touch their hearts by the news of his sufferings for +them; that they may taste the inestimable comfort of knowing that God +so loved them as to suffer, to groan, to die for them and all mankind.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XXXVI. ON THE FALL</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>(<i>Sexagesima Sunday</i>.)</p> +<p>GENESIS iii. 12.</p> +<p>And the man said, The woman, whom thou gavest to be with me, she +gave me of the tree, and I did eat.</p> +<p>This morning we read the history of Adam’s fall in the first +Lesson. Now does this story seem strange to you, my friends? +Do you say to yourselves, If I had been in Adam’s place, I should +never have been so foolish as Adam was? If you do say so, you +cannot have looked at the story carefully enough. For if you do +look at it carefully, I believe you will find enough in it to show you +that it is a very <i>natural</i> story, that we have the same nature +in us that Adam had; that we are indeed Adam’s children; and that +the Bible speaks truth when it says, ‘Adam begat a son after his +own likeness.’</p> +<p>Now, let us see how Adam fell, and what he did when he fell.</p> +<p>Adam, we find, was not content to be in the image of God. He +wanted, he and his wife, to be as gods, knowing good and evil. +Now do, I beseech you, think a moment carefully, and see what that means.</p> +<p>Adam was not content to be in the likeness of God; to copy God by +obeying God. He wanted to be a little god himself; to know what +was good for him, and what was evil for him; whereas God had told him, +as it were, You do <i>not</i> know what is good for you, and what is +evil for you. I know; and I tell you to obey me; not to eat of +a certain tree in the garden.</p> +<p>But pride and self-will rose up in Adam’s heart. He wanted +to show that he <i>did</i> know what was good for him. He wanted +to be independent, and show that he could do what he liked, and take +care of himself; and so he ate the fruit which he was forbidden to eat, +partly because it was fair and well-tasted, but still more to show his +own independence.</p> +<p>Now, surely this is natural enough. Have we not all done the +very same thing in our time, nay, over and over again? When we +were children, were we never forbidden to do something which we wished +to do? Were we never forbidden, just as Adam was, to take an apple +- something pleasant to the eye, and good for food? And did we +not long for it, and determine to have it all the more, because it was +forbidden, just as Adam and Eve did; so that we wished for it much more +than we should if our parents had given it to us? Did we not in +our hearts accuse our parents of grudging it to us, and listen to the +voice of the tempter, as Eve did, when the serpent tried to make out +that God was niggardly to her, and envious of her, and did not want +her to be wise, lest she should be too like God?</p> +<p>Have we not said in our heart, Why should my father grudge me that +nice thing when he takes it himself?</p> +<p>He wants to keep it all to himself. Why should not I have a +share of it? He says it will hurt me. How does he know that? +It does not hurt him. I must be the best judge of whether it will +hurt me. I do not believe that it will: but at least it is but +fair that I should try. I will try for myself. I will run +the chance. Why should I be kept like a baby, as if I had no sense +or will of my own? I will know the right and the wrong of it for +myself. I will know the good and evil of it myself.</p> +<p>Have we not said that, every one of us, in our hearts, when we were +young? - And is not that just what the Bible says Adam and Eve said?</p> +<p>And then, because we were Adam’s children, with his fallen +nature in us, and original sin, which we inherited from him, we could +not help longing more and more after what our parents had forbidden; +we could think, perhaps, of nothing else; cared for no pleasure, no +pay, because we could not get that one thing which our parents had told +us not to touch. And at last we fell, and sinned, and took the +thing on the sly.</p> +<p>And then?</p> +<p>Did it not happen to us, as it did to Adam, that a feeling of shame +and guiltiness came over us at once? Yes; of shame. We intended +to feed our own pride: but instead of pride came shame and fear too; +so instead of rising, we had fallen and felt that we had fallen. +Just so it was with Adam. Instead of feeling all the prouder and +grander when he had sinned, he became ashamed of himself at once, he +hardly knew why. We had intended to set ourselves up against our +parents; but instead, we became afraid of them. We were always +fancying that they would find us out. We were afraid of looking +them in the face. Just so it was with Adam. He heard the +word of the Lord God, Jesus Christ, walking in the garden. Did +he go to meet him; thank him for that pleasant life, pleasant earth, +for the mere blessing of existence? No. He hid himself among +the trees of the garden. But why hide himself? Even if he +had given up being thankful to God; even if he had learned from the +devil to believe that God grudged him, envied him, had deceived him, +about that fruit, why run away and hide? He wanted to be as God, +wise, knowing good and evil for himself. Why did he not stand +out boldly when he heard the voice of the Lord God and say, I am wise +now; I am as a God now, knowing good and evil; I am no longer to be +led like a child, and kept strictly by rules which I do not understand; +I have a right to judge for myself, and choose for myself; and I have +done it, and you have no right to complain of me?</p> +<p>Perhaps Adam had intended, when he ate the fruit, to stand up for +himself, with some such fine words; as children intend when they disobey.</p> +<p>But when it came to the point, away went all Adam’s self-confidence, +all Adam’s pride, all Adam’s fine notions of what he had +a right to do; and he hides himself miserably, like a naughty and disobedient +child. And then, like a mean and cowardly one, when he is called +out and forced to answer for himself, he begins to make pitiful excuses. +He has not a word to say for himself. He throws the blame on his +wife; it was all the woman’s fault now - indeed, God’s fault. +‘The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the +tree, and I did eat.’</p> +<p>My dear friends, if we want a proof that the Bible is a true, divine, +inspired book, we need go no further than this one story. For, +my friends, have we never said the same? When we felt that we +had done wrong; when the voice of God and of Christ in our hearts was +rebuking us and convincing us of sin, have we never tried to shift the +blame off our own shoulders, and lay it on God himself, and the blessings +which he has given us? on one’s wife - on one’s family - +on money - on one’s youth, and health, and high spirits? - in +a word, on the good things which God has given us?</p> +<p>Ah, my friends, we are indeed Adam’s children; and have learned +his lesson, and inherited his nature only too fearfully well. +For what Adam did but once, we have done a hundred times; and the mean +excuse which Adam made but once, we make again and again.</p> +<p>But the loving Lord has patience with us, as he had with Adam, and +does not take us at our word. He did not say to Adam, You lay +the blame upon your wife; then I will take her from you, and you shall +see then where the blame lies. Ungrateful to me! you shall live +henceforth alone. And he does not say to us, You make all the +blessings which I have given you an excuse for sinning! Then I +will take them from you, and leave you miserable, and pour out my wrath +upon you to the uttermost!</p> +<p>Not so. Our God is not such a God as that. He is full +of compassion and long-suffering, and of tender mercy. He knows +our frame, and remembers that we are but dust. He sends us out +into the world, as he sent Adam, to learn experience by hard lessons; +to eat our bread in the sweat of our brow, till we have found out our +own weakness and ignorance, and have learned that we cannot stand alone, +that pride and self-dependence will only lead us to guilt, and misery, +and shame, and meanness; and that there is no other name under heaven +by which we can be saved from them, but only the name of our Lord Jesus +Christ.</p> +<p>He is the woman’s seed, who, so God promised, was to bruise +the head of the serpent. And he has bruised it. He is the +woman’s seed - a man, as we are men, with a human nature, but +one without spot of sin, to make us free from sin.</p> +<p>Let us look up to him as often as we find our nature dragging us +down, making us proud and self-willed, greedy and discontented, longing +after this and that. Let us trust in him, ask him, for his grace +day by day; ask him to shape and change us into his likeness, that we +may become daily more and more free; free from sin; free from this miserable +longing after one thing and another; free from our bad habits, and the +sin which does so easily beset us; free from guilty fear, and coward +dread of God. Let us ask him, I say, to change, and purify, and +renew us day by day, till we come to his likeness; to the stature of +perfect men, free men, men who are not slaves to their own nature, slaves +to their own pride, slaves to their own vanity, slaves of their own +bad tempers, slaves to their own greediness and foul lusts: but free, +as the Lord Christ was free; able to keep their bodies in subjection, +and rise above nature by the eternal grace of God; able to use this +world without abusing it; able to thank God for all the <i>blessings</i> +of this life, and learn from them precious lessons; able to thank God +for all the <i>sorrows</i> of this life, and learn from them wholesome +discipline: but yet able to rise above them all, and say, ‘As +long as I hold fast to Christ the King of men, this world cannot harm +me. My life, my real human life, does not depend on my being comfortable +or uncomfortable here below for a few short years. My real life +is hid in God with Jesus Christ, who, after he had redeemed human nature +by his perfect obedience, and washed it pure again in the blood of his +cross, for ever sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; that +so, being lifted up, he might draw all men unto himself - even as many +as will come to him, that they may have eternal life.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XXXVII. THE WORTHY COMMUNICANT</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>LUKE xviii. 14.</p> +<p>I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than +the other.</p> +<p>Which of these two men was the more fit to come to the Communion? +Most of you will answer, The publican: for he was more justified, our +Lord himself says, than the Pharisee. True: but would you have +said so of your own accord, if the Lord had not said so? Which +of the two men do you really think was the better man, the Pharisee +or the publican? Which of the two do you think had his soul in +the safer state? Which of the two would you rather be, if you +were going to die? Which of the two would you rather be, if you +were going to the Communion? For mind, one could not have <i>refused</i> +the Pharisee, if he had come to the Communion. He was in no open +sin: I may say, no outward sin at all. You must not fancy that +he was a hypocrite, in the sense in which we usually employ that word. +I mean, he was not a man who was leading a wicked life secretly, while +he kept up a show of religion. He was really a religious man in +his own way, scrupulous, and over-scrupulous to perform every duty to +the letter. He went to his church to worship; and he was no lip-worshipper, +repeating a form of words by rote, but prayed there honestly, concerning +the things which were in his heart. He did not say, either, that +he had made himself good. If he was wrong on some points, he was +not on that. He knew where his goodness, such as it was, came +from. ‘God, I thank thee,’ he says, ‘that I +am what I am.’ What have we in this man? one would ask at +first sight. What reason for him to stay away from the Sacrament? +He would not have thought himself that there was any reason. He +would, probably, have thought - ‘If I am not fit, who is? +Repent me truly of my former sins? Certainly. If I have +done the least harm to any one, I shall be happy to restore it fourfold. +If I have neglected one, the least of God’s services, I shall +be only too glad to keep it all the more strictly for the future.</p> +<p>‘Intend to lead a new life? I am leading one, and trying +to lead one more and more every day. I shall be thankful to any +one who will show me any new service which I can offer to God, any new +act of reverence, any new duty.</p> +<p>‘I must go in love and charity with all men? I do so. +I have not a grudge against any human being. Of course, I know +the world too well to be satisfied with it. I cannot shut my eyes +to the fact that millions are living very sinful, shocking lives - extortioners, +unjust, adulterers; and that three people out of four are going straight +to hell. I pity them, and forgive them any wrong which they have +done to me. What more can I do?’</p> +<p>This is what the Pharisee would have said. Is this man fit +to come to the Communion? At least he himself thinks so.</p> +<p>On the other hand, was the publican fit? That is a serious +question; one which we cannot answer, without knowing more about him +than our Lord has chosen to tell us. Many a person is ready enough, +in these days, to cry ‘God be merciful to me a sinner!’ +who is fit, I fear, neither to come to the Communion, nor to stay away +either.</p> +<p>It was not so, I suppose, with the old Jews in our Lord’s time. +The Pharisees then were hard legalists, who stood all on works; and, +therefore, if a man broke off from them, and threw himself on God’s +grace and mercy, he did it in a simple, honest, effectual way, like +this publican.</p> +<p>But now, I am sorry to say, our Pharisees have contrived to make +themselves as proud and self-righteous about their own faith and repentance, +as the Jewish Pharisees did about their own works and observances; and +there has risen up in England and elsewhere a very ugly new hypocrisy. +People now-a-days are too apt to pride themselves on their own convictions +of sin, and their own repentance, till they trust in their repentance +to save them, and not in Christ, just as the Pharisee trusted in his +works to save him, and not in Christ; and when they pray, I cannot help +fearing (for I am sure many of their religious books teach them it) +that they pray very much like that Pharisee, ‘God, I thank thee +that I am not as other men are, carnal, unconverted, unconvinced of +sin, nor even as that plain, moral, respectable man. I am convinced +of sin; I am converted; I have the right frames, and the right feelings, +and the right experiences.’ Oh, of all the cunning snares +of the devil, that I think is the cunningest. Well says the old +proverb - ‘The devil is old, and therefore he knows many things.’</p> +<p>In old times he made men trust in their own righteousness: and that +was snare enough; now he has learnt how to make men actually trust in +their own sinfulness, and so turn the grace of God into a cloak of pride, +and contempt of their fellow-creatures</p> +<p>My friends, do you think that if the publican, after he had said, +‘God be merciful to me a sinner!’ had said to himself, ‘There +- how beautifully I have repented - how honest I have been to God - +I am all right now’ - he would have gone down to his house justified +at all? Not he. No more will you and I, my friends. +If we have sinned, what should we be but ashamed of it? Ay, utterly +ashamed. And if we really know what sin is - if we really see +the sinfulness of sin - if we really see ourselves as God sees us - +we shall be too much shocked at the sight of our own hearts to have +time to boast of our being able to see our own hearts. We shall +be too full of loathing and hatred for our sins, too full of longing +to get rid of our sins, and to become righteous and holy, even as God +is righteous and holy, to give way to any pride in our own frames and +feelings; and, instead of thinking ourselves better men than our neighbours +because we see our sins, and fancy they do not see theirs, we shall +be almost ready to think ourselves worse than our neighbours, to think +that they cannot have so much to repent of as we; and as we grow in +grace, we shall see more and more sin in ourselves, till we actually +fancy at times that no one can be as bad as we are, and in lowliness +of mind esteem others better than ourselves. We may carry that +too far, too. Certainly there is no use in accusing ourselves +of sins which we have not committed; we have all quite enough real sins +to answer for without inventing more. But still that is a better +frame of mind than the other; for no man can be too humble, while any +man can be too proud.</p> +<p>But let us all ask God to open our eyes, that we may see ourselves +just as we are, let our sins be many or few. Let us ask God to +convince us really of sin by his Holy Spirit, and show us what sin is, +and its exceeding sinfulness; how ugly and foul sin is, how foolish +and absurd, how mean and ungrateful toward that good God who wishes +us nothing but good, and wishes us, therefore, to be good, because goodness +is the only path to life and happiness; and then we shall be so ashamed +of ourselves, so afraid of our own weakness, so shocked at the difference +between ourselves and the spotless Lord Jesus, that we shall have no +time to despise others, no time to admire our own frames, and feelings, +and repentances. All we shall think of is our own sinfulness, +and God’s mercy; and we shall come eagerly, if not boldly, to +the throne of grace, to find grace and mercy to help us in the time +of need; crying, ‘Purge thou me, O Lord, or I shall never be pure; +wash thou me, and then alone shall I be clean. For thou requirest, +not frames or feelings, not pride and self-conceit, but truth in the +inward parts; and wilt make me to understand wisdom secretly.’</p> +<p>Then, indeed, we shall be fit to come to the Holy Communion; for +then we shall be so ashamed of ourselves that we shall truly repent +of our sins - so ashamed of ourselves that we shall long and determine +to lead a new life - so ashamed of ourselves that we shall have no heart +to look down on any of our neighbours, or pass hard judgments on them, +but be in love and charity with all men; and so, in spite of all our +past sins, come to partake worthily of the body and blood of Him who +died for our sins, whose blood will wash them out of our hearts, whose +body will strengthen and refresh us, body and soul, to a new and everlasting +life of humbleness and thankfulness, honesty and justice, usefulness +and love.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XXXVIII. OUR DESERTS</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>LUKE vi. 36-38.</p> +<p>Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. +Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not +be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. Give, and it +shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, +and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the +same measure that ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you again.</p> +<p>One often hears complaints against this world, and against mankind; +one hears it said that people are unjust, unfair, cruel; that in this +world no man can expect to get what he deserves. And, of course, +there are great excuses for saying so. There are bad men in the +world in plenty, who do villanous and cruel things enough; and besides, +there is a great deal of dreadful misery in the world, which does not +seem to come through any fault of the poor creatures who suffer it; +misery of which we can only say, ‘Neither did this man sin, nor +his parents: but that the glory of God may be made manifest in him.’</p> +<p>But still our Lord tells us in the text, that, on the whole, there +is order lying under all the disorder, justice under all the injustice, +right under all the wrong; and that on the whole we get what we deserve. +‘Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. +Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not +be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. Give, and it +shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, +and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the +same measure that ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you again.’</p> +<p>Of course, as I said just now, it is not always so. None knew +that better than the blessed Lord: else why did he come to seek and +save that which was lost? But still the more we look into our +own lives, the more we shall find our Lord’s words true; the more +we shall find that on the whole, in the long run, men will be just and +fair to us, and give us, sooner or later, what we deserve.</p> +<p>Now, to deserve a thing, properly means to serve for it, to work +for it and earn it, as a natural consequence. If a man puts his +hand into the fire, he <i>deserves</i> to burn it, because it is the +nature of fire to burn, and therefore it burns him, and so he gets his +deserts; and if a man does wrong, he deserves to be unhappy, because +it is the nature of sin to make the sinner unhappy, and so he gets his +deserts. God has not to go out of his way to punish sin; sin punishes +itself; and so if a man does right, he becomes in the long run happy. +God has not to go out of his way to reward him and make him happy; his +own good deeds make him happy; he earns happiness in the comfort of +a good conscience, and the love and respect of those about him; and +so he gets his deserts. For our Lord says, ‘People in the +long run will treat you as you treat them. If they feel and see +by experience that you are loving and kind to them, they will be loving +and kind to you; as you do to them, they will, in the long run, do to +you.’ They may mistake you at first, even dislike you at +first. Did they not mistake, hate, crucify the Lord himself? and +yet his own rule came true of him. A few crucified him; but now +all civilized nations worship him as God. Be sure, then, that +his rule will come true of you, though not at first, yet in God’s +good time. Therefore hold still in the Lord, and abide patiently; +and he shall make thy righteousness as clear as the light, and thy just +dealing as the noon-day.</p> +<p>Now this is a very blessed and comfortable thought. Would to +God that all of us, young people especially, would lay it to heart. +How are we to get comfortably through this life? Or, if we are +to have sorrows (as we all must), how can we make those sorrows as light +as possible? How can we make friends who will comfort us in those +sorrows, instead of leaving us to bear our burden alone, and turning +their backs on us just when our poor hearts are longing for a kind look +and a kind word from our neighbours? Our Lord tells us now. +The same measure that you mete withal, it shall be measured to you again.</p> +<p>There is his plan. It is a very simple one. It goes on +the same principle as ‘He that saveth his life shall lose it, +and he that loseth his life shall save it.’ If we are selfish, +and take care only of ourselves, the day will come when our neighbours +will leave us alone in our selfishness to shift for ourselves. +If we set out determining through life to care about other people rather +than ourselves, then they will care for themselves more than for us, +and measure their love to us by our measure of love to them. But +if we care for others, they will learn to care for us; if we befriend +others, they will befriend us. If we show forth the Spirit of +God to them, in kindliness, generosity, patience, self-sacrifice, the +day will surely come when we shall find that the Spirit of God is in +our neighbours as well as in ourselves; that on the whole they will +be just to us, and pay us what we have deserved and earned. Blessed +and comfortable thought, that no kind word, kind action, not even the +cup of cold water given in Christ’s name, can lose its reward. +Blessed thought, that after all our neighbours are our brothers, and +that if we remember that steadily, and treat them as brothers now, they +will recollect it too some day, and treat us as brothers in return. +Blessed thought, that there is in the heart of every man a spark of +God’s light, a grain of God’s justice, which may grow up +in him hereafter, and bear good fruit to eternal life.</p> +<p>Yes; it is a pleasant thing to find men better than we fancied them. +A pleasant thing; for first, it makes us love them the more, and there +is nothing so pleasant as loving. And more; it does this - it +makes us more inclined to trust God’s justice. We say to +ourselves, Men are, we find, really more just and fair than they seem +to us at times; surely God must be more just and fair than he seems +to us at times. For there are times when it does seem a hard thing +to believe that God is just; times when the devil tempts poor suffering +creatures sorely, and tries to make them doubt their heavenly Father, +and say with David, What am I the better for having done right? +Surely in vain have I cleansed my heart; in vain have I washed my hands +in innocency. All the day long have I been punished, and chastened +every morning. Yes; when some poor woman, working in the field, +with all the cares of a family on her, looks up at great people in their +carriages, she is tempted, she must be tempted to say at times, ‘Why +am I to be so much worse off than they? Is God just in making +me so poor and them so rich?’ It is a foolish thought. +I do believe it is a temptation of the devil, a deceit of the devil; +for rich people are not really one whit happier or lighter-hearted than +poor ones, and all the devil wishes is to make poor people envy their +neighbours, and mistrust God. But still one cannot wonder at their +faith failing them at times. I do not judge them, still less condemn +them; for the text forbids me. Or again, when some poor creature, +crippled from his youth, looks upon others strong and active, cheerful +and happy. Think of a deformed child watching healthy children +at play; and then think, must it not be hard at times for that child +not to repine, and cry to God, ‘Why hast thou made me thus?’</p> +<p>Yes. I will not go on giving fresh instances. The world +is but too full of them.</p> +<p>But when such thoughts trouble us, here is one comfort - ay, here +is our only comfort - God must be more just than man. Whatsoever +appearances may seem to make against it, he must be. For where +did all the justice in the world come from, but from God? Who +put the feeling of justice into every man’s heart, but God himself? +He is the glorious sun, perfectly bright, perfectly pure; and all the +other goodness in the world is but rays and beams of light sent forth +from his great light. So we may be certain that God is not only +as just as man, but millions of times <i>more</i> just; more just, and +righteous, and good than all the just men on earth put together. +We can believe that. We must believe it. Thousands have +believed it already. Thousands of holy sufferers, in prisons and +on scaffolds, in poverty and destitution, on sick-beds of lingering +torture, have believed still that God was just and righteous in all +his dealings with them; and have cried in the hour of their bitterest +agony, ‘Though thou slay me, O Lord, yet will I trust in thee!’</p> +<p>Yes. God is just. He has revealed that in the person +of his Son Jesus Christ. There is God’s likeness. +There is proof enough that God is not one who afflicts willingly, or +grieves the children of men out of any neglect or spite, or respecteth +one person more than another. It may seem hard to be sure of that: +unless we believe that Jesus is the Christ, the co-equal and co-eternal +Son of the Father, we never shall be sure of it. Believing in +the message of the ever-blessed Trinity, we shall be sure; for we shall +be sure that, ‘Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such +is the Holy Ghost’ - perfect love, perfect justice, perfect mercy; +and therefore we can be sure that in the world beyond the grave the +balance will be made even, again, and for ever; and every mourner be +comforted, and every sufferer be refreshed, and every one receive his +due reward - if they will only now in this life take the lesson of the +text, ‘Judge not, and you shall not be judged: condemn not, and +you shall not be condemned: forgive, and you shall be forgiven; for +if you forgive every one his brother their trespasses, in like wise +will your heavenly Father forgive you.’ Do that; and then +you will get your <i>deserts</i> in the life to come, and by forgiving, +and helping, and blessing others, <i>deserve</i> to be forgiven, and +comforted, and blessed yourselves, for the sake of that Saviour who +is day and night presenting all your good works to his Father and your +Father, as a precious and fragrant offering - a sacrifice with which +the God of love is well pleased, because it is, like himself, made up +of love.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<h2>SERMON XXXIX. THE LOFTINESS OF GOD</h2> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>ISAIAH lvii. 15.</p> +<p>For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose +name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place; with him also that +is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, +and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.</p> +<p>This is a grand text; one of the grandest in the whole Old Testament; +one of those the nearest to the spirit of the New. It is full +of Gospel - of good news: but it is not the whole Gospel. It does +not tell us the whole character of God. We can only get that in +the New. We can get it there; we can get it in that most awful +and glorious chapter which we read for the second lesson - the twenty-seventh +chapter of St. Matthew. Seen in the light of that - seen in the +light of Christ’s cross and what it tells us, all is clear, and +all is bright, and all is full of good news - at least to those who +are humble and contrite, crushed down by sorrow, and by the feeling +of their own infirmities.</p> +<p>But what does the text tell us?</p> +<p>Of a high and lofty One, who inhabits eternity.</p> +<p>Of a lofty God, Almighty, incomprehensible; so far above us, so different +from us, that we cannot picture him to ourselves; of a glory and majesty +utterly beyond all human fancy or imagination.</p> +<p>Of a holy God, in whom is no sin, nor taint of sin; who is of purer +eyes than to behold iniquity; who is so perfect, that he cannot be content +with anything which is not as perfect as himself; who looks with horror +and disgust on evil of every shape; who cannot endure it, will at last +destroy it.</p> +<p>Of a God who abides in eternity - who cannot change - cannot alter +his own decrees and laws, because his decrees and laws are right and +necessary, and proceed out of his own character. If he has said +a thing, that thing must be; because it is the thing which ought to +be.</p> +<p>How, then, shall we think of this lofty, holy, unchangeable God - +we who are low, unholy, changing with every wind that blows?</p> +<p>Shall we say, ‘He is so far above us, that he cannot feel for +us? He is so holy that he must hate us, and will our punishment, +and our damnation for all our sins?’</p> +<p>‘He is eternal, and cannot change his will; and, therefore, +if he wills us to perish, perish we must.’</p> +<p>We may think so of God, and dread God, and cry ‘Whither shall +I flee from thy Spirit, and whither shall I go from thy presence?’ +We may call to the mountains to fall on us, and to the hills to cover +us, till we try to forget at all risks the thought of God: and if we +do not, there are plenty who will do it for us. The devil, who +slanders and curses God to men, and men to God, and to each other - +he will talk to us of God in this way.</p> +<p>And men who preach the devil’s doctrine, will talk to us likewise, +and say, ‘Yes, God is very dreadful, and very angry with you. +God certainly intends to damn you. But <i>I</i> have a plan for +delivering you out of God’s hands; <i>I</i> know what you must +do to be saved from God - join <i>my</i> sect or party, and believe +and work with me, and then you will escape God.’</p> +<p>But, after all, would it not be wiser, my friends, to hold your own +tongues, and let God himself speak?</p> +<p>If he had not spoken in the first place, what should we have known +of him? Can man by searching find out God? We should not +have known that there was a high and lofty One, who inhabits eternity, +if he had not told us. Had we not better hear the rest of his +message, and let God finish his own character of himself?</p> +<p>And what does he say?</p> +<p>‘I dwell - I, the high and lofty One, who inhabit eternity +- with him also, who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the +spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.’</p> +<p>Oh, my friends, is not this news? good news and unexpected news, +perhaps, but still as true as what went before it? God hath said +the one, and we believe it: and now he says the other; and shall we +not believe it too?</p> +<p>Come, then, thou humble soul; thou crushed and contrite soul; thou +who fearest that thou art not worthy of God’s care; thou from +whom God has taken so much, that thou fearest that he will take all +- come and hear the Lord’s message to thee - God’s own message; +no devil’s message, or man’s message, but God’s own.</p> +<p>‘I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth; +for then the spirit would fail before me, and the souls which I have +made. I have seen thy ways, and will heal thee. I will lead +thee, also, and restore comforts to thee and to thy mourners. +I create the fruit of the lips. I give men cause to thank me, +and delight in giving. Peace, peace to him that is near, and to +him that is far off, saith the Lord. If thou art near me, thou +art safe; for if I were to take all else from thee, I should not take +myself from thee. Though thou walkest through the valley of the +shadow of death, I will be with thee. And if thou art far off +from me, wandering in folly and sin, I cry peace to thee still. +Why should I wish to be at war with any of my creatures? saith the Lord. +My will is, that thou shouldst be at peace. I am at peace myself, +and I wish to make all my creatures at peace also, and thee among the +rest. I am whole and perfect myself, and I wish to heal all my +creatures, and make them whole and perfect also, and thee among the +rest.</p> +<p>‘But the wicked? Ay, this is their very misery, that +there is no peace to them. I want them to enter into my peace, +and they will not. I am at peace with them, saith the Lord. +I owe them no grudge, poor wretches. But they will not be at peace +with themselves. They are like the troubled sea, which casts up +mire and dirt, and fouls itself. I cast up no mire nor dirt. +I foul nothing. I tempt no man. I, the good God, create +no evil. If the troubled sea fouls itself, so do the wicked make +themselves miserable, and punish themselves by their own lusts, which +war in their members. But they cannot alter <i>me</i>, saith the +Lord; they cannot change my temper, my character, my everlasting name. +I am that I am, who inhabit eternity; and no creature, and no creature’s +sin, can make me other than I am.</p> +<p>And what is that? What is the name, what is the character, +what is the temper of him who inhabits eternity? Look on the cross, +and see.</p> +<p>The cross, at least, will tell you what kind of a God your God is. +A good God; a God of love; a God of boundless forbearance and long-suffering. +Good God! The folly and madness of men’s hearts, who look +on God dying on the cross for them, and begin forthwith puzzling their +brains as to <i>how</i> he died for them; how Christ’s blood washes +away their sins; how it is applied, and to whom; puzzling their brains +with theories of the atonement, and with predestination, and satisfaction, +and forensic justification, and particular redemption, and long words +which (four out of five of them) are not in the Bible, but are spun +out of men’s own minds, as spiders’ webs are from spiders +- and, like them, mostly fit to hamper poor harmless flies.</p> +<p>How Christ’s death takes away thy sins, thou wilt never know +on earth - perhaps not in heaven. It is a mystery which thou must +believe and adore. But why he died, thou canst see at the first +glance - if thou hast a human heart, and wilt look at what God means +thee to look at - Christ upon his cross. He died because he was +<i>love</i> - love itself - love boundless, unconquerable, unchangeable +- love which inhabits eternity, and therefore could not be hardened +or foiled by any sin or rebellion of man, but must love men still; must +go out to seek and save them; must dare, suffer any misery, shame, death +itself, for their sake; just because it is absolute and perfect love, +which inhabits eternity.</p> +<p>Look at that - look at the sight of God’s character, which +the cross gives thee; and then, instead of being terrified at God’s +will and decree being unchangeable and eternal, it will be the greatest +possible comfort to thee that God’s will is unchangeable and eternal, +because thou wilt see from the cross that it is a <i>good</i> will - +a will of mercy, forbearance, long-suffering towards thee and all mankind, +eternal in the heavens as God himself.</p> +<p>Then let those be afraid who are not afraid; and let those who are +afraid, take heart. Let those who think they stand, take heed +lest they fall. Let those who think they see, take care that they +be not blind. Let those be afraid who fancy themselves right and +above all mistakes, lest they should be full of ugly sins when they +fancy themselves most religious and devout. Let those be afraid +who are fond of advising others, lest they should be in more need of +their own medicine than their patients are. Let those fear who +pride themselves on their cunning, lest with all their cunning they +only lead themselves into their own trap.</p> +<p>But those who are afraid, let them take heart. For what says +the high and holy One, who inhabits eternity? ‘I dwell with +him that is of a humble and contrite heart, to revive the spirit of +the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.’</p> +<p>Let them take heart. Do you feel that you have lost your way +in life? Then God himself will show you your way. Are you +utterly helpless, worn out, body and soul? Then God’s eternal +love is ready and willing to help you up, and revive you. Are +you wearied with doubts and terrors? Then God’s eternal +light is ready to show you your way; God’s eternal peace ready +to give you peace. Do you feel yourself full of sins and faults? +Then take heart; for God’s unchangeable will is, to take away +those sins and purge you from those faults.</p> +<p>Are you tormented as Job was, over and above all your sorrows, by +mistaken kindness, and comforters in whom is no comfort; who break the +bruised reed and quench the smoking flax; who tell you that you must +be wicked, and God must be angry with you, or all this would not have +come upon you? Job’s comforters did so, and spoke very righteous-sounding +words, and took great pains to justify God and to break poor Job’s +heart, and made him say many wild and foolish words in answer, for which +he was sorry afterwards; but after all, the Lord’s answer was, +‘My wrath is kindled against you three, for you have not spoken +of me the thing which was right, as my servant Job hath. Therefore +my servant Job shall pray for you, for him will I accept;’ as +he will accept every humble and contrite soul who clings, amid all its +doubts, and fears, and sorrows, to the faith that God is just and not +unjust, merciful and not cruel, condescending and not proud - that his +will is a good will, and not a bad will - that he hateth nothing that +he hath made, and willeth the death of no man; and in that faith casts +itself down like Job, in dust and ashes before the majesty of God, content +not to understand his ways and its own sorrows; but simply submitting +itself and resigning itself to the good will of that God who so loved +the world that he spared not his only begotten Son, but freely gave +him for us.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines2"><br /><br /></div> +<p>Footnotes:</p> +<p><a name="footnote75"></a><a href="#citation75">{75}</a> Compare +Rom. iii. 23 with I Cor. xi. 7. Let me entreat all young students +to consider carefully and honestly the radical meaning of the words +αμαρτια and αμαρτανειν. +It will explain to them many seemingly dark passages of St. Paul, and +perhaps deliver them from more than one really dark superstition.</p> +<p><a name="footnote151"></a><a href="#citation151">{151}</a> +I do not quote the Crishna Legends, because they seem to be of post-Christian +date; and also worthless from the notion of a real human babe being +utterly lost in the ascription to Crishna of unlimited magical powers.</p> +<p><a name="footnote162"></a><a href="#citation162">{162}</a> +See, as a counterpart to every detail of Joel’s, the admirable +description of locust-swarms in Kohl’s <i>Russia</i>.</p> +<div class="GutenbergBlankLines3"><br /><br /><br /></div> +<p>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD ***</p> +<pre> + +******This file should be named gdng10h.htm or gdng10h.zip****** +Corrected EDITIONS of our EBooks get a new NUMBER, gdng11h.htm +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, gdng10ah.htm + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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