i T il K FREE CHURCH PULPIT CONSISTING OF DISCOURSES BY THE MOST EMINENT DIVINES £xti (Hl)urcl) of Scotia n 5. VOL. III. NEW-YORK: ROBERT CARTER, 5 8, CANAL-STREET. PITTSBURG: 56, MARKET-ST. 1848. CONTENTS. Paga Lecture I.— By the Rev. Alexander W. Brown, of Free St Bernard's, Edinburgh, .... 1 II.— The Epistle of Christ. By the Rev. James C. Burns, Kirkliston, 13 Sermon CVIII. — A Witnessing Church — a Church Baptized with the Holy Ghost. By the Rev. George Smeaton, Auchterarder, .... 3 Lecture III. — By the Rev. John C. Fairburn, Allanton, . 34 IV. — By the Rev. John Montgomery, Innerleithen, 44 V. — The Security and Character of them who are in Christ Jesus. By the Rev. R. Wil- liamson, Dunkeld, CI VI. — Christ the only Sufficient Sacrifice. By the Rev. George Innes, Canobie, . . 74 VII. — Regeneration. By the Rev. James Walker, Carnwatb, 85 VIII.— By the Rev. Samuel Martin, Bathgate, . 94 IX.— By the Rev. J. R. Omond, Monzie, . .109 X. — Glorying in the Cross of Christ. By the Rev. John Philp, Fordoun, ... 119 XI. — Glimpses and Foretastes of Canaan. By the Rev. Islay Burns, Dundee, . . 129 XII. — The Doctrine of Election. By the Rev. Donald Fergusson, Liverpool, . . 143 XIII.— None like Christ. By the Rev. Thomas Wa- ters, Lauder, ...... 157 VI CONTENTS. Pago Sermon CIX. — Communion with God. By the Rev. Alexan- der Hislop, Arbroath, .... 169 CX. — Importunate Prayer. By the Rev. Robert Smith, D.D., Lochwinnocb, ... . 18© Lecture XIV. — The Raising of the "Widow's Son at Nain. By the Rev. James Dodds, Belhaven, . 191 Sermon CXI. — Believers Citizens of Heaven. By the Rev. Alexander Cobban, Rathen, . . 201 CXII. — The Choice and Conduct of Felix a Warning to Anxious Souls. By the Rev. Walter Smith, Half-Morton, .... 210 CXIII. — Dying unto the Lord. By the Rev. Samuel Smith, Borgue, ..... 217 CXIV. — The Parable of the barren Fig-Tree. By the Rev. Robert Inglis, Edzell, . . . 229 CXV.— Christ Destroys the Believer's Fears. By the Rev. G. Philip, Stonehaven, . . 239 CXVI. — The Universal Dominion of Christ, the Foun- dation of the Commission which His Mi- nisters RECEIVE, AND HlS PROMISED PRE- SENCE their Encouragement in Fulfill- ing it. By the Rev. Robert M'Indoe, Gal- ston (late of Kirkaldy), . . . 247 Lecture XV. — By the Rev. John M'Farlan, Monkton, . 257 XVI. — The Translation of Elijah. By the Rev. Thomas Doig, A M., Torryburn, . . 265 XVII. — By the Rev. Horatius Bonar, Kelso, . . 276 Sermon CXVII. — The Trials and Safety of Christ's Peo- ple. By the Rev. Peter HorE, B.D., Wam- phray, 289 CXVIII. — Sanctification by Blood. By the Re\\ Thomas Hastings, Wanlockhead, . , . 302 LhctureXVIII. — The Cleansing of the Temple. By the Rev. Thomas Dymock, Perth, . . . 314 XIX.^-The Sins of the Scribes and Pharisees. By the Rev. William Wilson, Carmylie, . 325 . . XX. — By the Rev. John Edmondstone, Ashkirk, 349 XXI. — By the Rev. John Ferguson, Bridge of Allan, 361 CONTENTS. Page /* Vecture XXII.— Jesus Annointed by a Weeping Penitent in the house of slmon the pharisee: much Love shown where much Sin has been forgiven. By the llev. James Grierson, Errol, 373 XXIIL— God's Expostulation with Jonah. By the Rev. David Couper, Burntisland, . . 38U XXIV.— By the Rev. Macadam Grigor, Kettle and Cults, 398 XXV.— Conversion of Paul. By the Rev. James Ferguson, John Knox Church, Stepney, Lon- don, 409 XXVI.— The Day of Pentecost. By the Rev. M. F. Parker, Brechin, 421 XXVII.— By the Rev. Charles C. Stewart, Dunning, 434 XXVIII.— The Trial and Triumph and Reward of Faith. By the Rev. George Lewis, Dun- dee, 445 XXIX.— The Leper Drawing Forth the Saviour's Grace. By the Rev. Andrew A. Bonar, Collace, 454 XXX.— By the Rev. A. J. Campbell, Melrose, . 462 XXXI.— The Transfiguration. By the Rev. J. W. Taylor, Flisk and Creich, . . • 472 XXXII.— Daniel's Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks. By the Rev. Selby Ord Dodds, Maybole, 401 Sermon CXIX. — Precept, Promise, and Prayer : an Illus- tration of the Harmony between Divine Sovereignty and Human Agency. By the Rev. Hugh Martin, Panbride, . . 493 CXX.— The Pillar Cloud of Israel— Christ the Leader of his Church. By the Rev. Joseph Patrick, A. M., Ochiltree, . 510 Lecture XXXIII.— The Believer's Love to the Saviour. By the Rev. B. Franklin Gueig, Kinfauns, . 517 Sermon CXXI.— Believers, the Sons of God —their Present Dignity and Future Blessedness. By the Rev. William Gilston, Carnock, . . 529 CXXIL— Walking with God. By the Rev. William Andson, Kirkmahoe, ..... 544 /Ill CONTENTS. Pago Sermon CXXIIL— Regeneration. By the late Rev. James Somer- ville, D.D., Drummelzier, . . . 453 CXXIV. — The Sinner Married to the Law — the Ee- liever Married to the Lord. By the Rev. John Lyon, Broughty Ferry, . . . 563 CXXV. — The Old and the New Testament Dispensa- tions COMPARED WITH RESPECT TO THE DIF- FERENT WAYS IN WHICH THE WlLL OF GOD was Revealed in each. By the Rev. Alex- ander Grierson, A.M., Irongray, . . 577 CXXVI.— Presence of Christ in the Meetings cf His People. By the Rev. William Wilson, Carmylie, 5C4 Lecture XXXIV.— By the Rev. Andrew Peebles, Colliston, 606 ERRATA. In Vol. I. Page 142, line 9,. for conversion, read conversation, -v. 531, line 9, for all, all the inhabitants, read all the inhabitants. In Vol. II. Page 91, line 19, for creation, read creature. 94, line 24, for mortifying, read mollifying. In Vol. III. Page 268, line 9, for honours, read honour. m 269, line lti, for But, read But if. »w 272, line 18, for departure as that of one who had been the glory of the prophet, read departure of the prophet as thit of one who had been the glory. FREE CHURCH PULPIT LECTURE I. BY THE REV. ALEXANDER W. BROWN, OF FREE ST BERNARD'S, EDINBURGH. Luke vi. 12-19. Our Lord, during his brief stay on earth, was actively engaged in working the work of Him that sent him. He preached the Gospel of the kingdom — gave unquestionable proofs of his Divine power — corrected the erroneous ideas that prevailed regarding his person and the nature of that dispensation which he came to introduce — brought life and im- mortality to light — and, at length, by his death upon the cross, accom- plished the redemption of his people. But, as he could not be bodily present in every place at the same time, as, especially, the day would come when he would be removed from the earth and ascend to the right hand of his Father in the heavens, provision must be made for continu- ing the ministry of the word — for proclaiming the Gospel to all nations, and for thus gathering into his church, from age to age, all those for whom he suffered and died. In order that this might be done, he se- lected twelve of those who had, for some time, been constant attendants upon his ministry — who had witnessed proofs of his divinity — and who were to behold his glory in his transfiguration and ascension, and or- dained them to the apostolic office, that they might declare to others " that which they had heard, which they had seen with their eyes, which they had looked upon, and their hands had handled of the word of life." The ordination of these men was gone about in the most deliberate and solemn way. It was preceded by a season of secret prayer on the part of Christ, in reference, no doubt, to the very important appoint- ment about to be made. As those whom he was now to invest with the sacred functions of the apostleship would be exposed to no ordinary No. 105. — Lec. 1. VOL. III. 2 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. difficulties and trials, and would require no ordinary qualifications, it is likely that his prayer for them would be, that they might be furnished with gifts and graces suited to the nature of their work — that they might have wisdom to guide them and strength to support them in executing that work — that God might accompany their labours with his blessing, and make them the honoured and successful instruments of spreading abroad the knowledge of Divine truth — of turning sinners from dark- ness to light — and of building up saints in holiness and comfort through faith unto salvation. In this, Christ has left us an example that we should follow in his steps — that we should not only " enter into our closet, and shut to the door, and pray to our Father which seeth in secret" — that we should not only be " instant in prayer — pray without ceasing," and " in all things, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, make our requests known unto God," but that we should, in our approaches to the throne of Divine grace, make the interests of Christ's church, and the advancement of Christ's cause, the subject of our prayers, beseeching God to countenance and bless the labours of those who occupy a place in his vineyard, and to raise up, qualify, and send forth others who may work successfully in his service. In Mark's account of this transaction, we read that Christ " called whom heVould," ^Mark iii. 13.) He selected those who, he knew, would best accomplish the design which he had in view — men neither high in rank nor eminent for learning, just that it might be seen and acknowledged that the establishment and spread of the Gospel were owing not to human power and wisdom, but to the agency of God himself. It is not our intention to enter, at present, into a minute detail of the life and character of the individuals here mentioned. We may just state generally, that, with one exception, they were good and holy men — partakers of the grace of God — devoted to the service of Christ — zealous and persevering in their honourable but arduous work — and martyrs, it is believed, in the glorious cause to which they were called. We do not say that they were perfect men. They laboured long under misapprehensions in regard to the spiritual nature of Christ's kingdom. They were of like passions with ourselves, betrayed infirmities of temper, and were sometimes even overtaken in sin. Look at Peter, whose zeal, on more than one occasion, degene- rated into rashness and into a want of respectful submission to our Lord, and who, notwithstanding his expressed resolution to stand by him to the last and to share with him the worst, soon after denied with an oath that he belonged to his company or that he ever knew who he was. Look at James and John, proposing, under the impulse of vindictive feeling, to call down fire from heaven upon those who would not receive REV. ALEXANDER W. BROWN. 3 and entertain Christ — and at Thomas, manifesting a sinful incredulity, and making the most unreasonable demands, before he would admit the reality of Christ's resurrection from the dead. In these and in similar instances, they are proposed as warnings to us, and teach these two im- portant lessons — that we are to follow them only in so far as they fol- lowed Christ, and that " he that thinketh be standeth should take heed lest he fall." There is one of these twelve, however, whose character was of the most revolting description, presenting no one feature to command our respect or secure our love. He, too, was a follower of Christ — like his brethren, owned and professed him before the world — and, for some time, doubtless, was, as far as external appearance went, a consistent disciple. He was called to fill one of the highest offices in the church of Christ, and, in all likelihood, possessed the requisite qualifications in point of knowledge, authority, and miraculous gifts. And yet he was an unbeliever, a stranger to the grace of God ; he was a hypocrite, a selfish, covetous, hollow-hearted character. All his godliness consisted in gain. He was full of lies and deceit. He was, moreover, a traitor. He did not desert Christ. He did not become his open and avowed enemy. He retained his office — he kept up his apparent friendship for his Master ; and yet he basely covenanted for his life — he sold him for thirty pieces of silver. He reached this climax in his career of iniquity not by a sudden impulse — he made the bargain deliberately and coolly, and with the symbol of love and friendship perpetrated the awful deed. He ter- minated his course in the most appalling circumstances. He hanged himself, and went to his own place. Now, the question may be asked, Why he was numbered among the Apostles ? — why Christ, who knew what he really was, permitted him to take his place among them. Our Lord did nothing in vain, and we may rest assured that he had a wise design in view in allowing this abandoned man to be one of the few whom he chose to this high office. You will remember what Peter said in regard to him when his place was about to be filled up — " Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost, by the mouth of David, spake before concerning Judas, who was guide to them that took Jesus ; for it is written in the book of Psalms, ' Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein, and his bishopric let another take.' " You will remember also what is said in the book of Zechariah — " And I said unto them, If ye think it good, give me my price ; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver ; and the Lord said unto me, Cast it into the potter, a goodly price that I was prized at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter. 4 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. in the house of the Lord." In the history of Judas we have a fulfilment of these predictions, and a strong proof, therefore, of the truth of Chris- tianity. We have, in its support, the testimony, not of a friend, but of an enemy. If Christ had been palming an imposture upon the world, here was a man who could have easily exposed the whole. He was on terms of the most intimate familiarity with Christ and with his brethren in office — he was present at their private deliberations ; and yet what do we find ? — not a single insinuation tending to bring their character into suspicion — not a single charge of insincerity or artifice preferred against them. On the contrary, after perpetrating his deed of treachery, he bore open testimony to Christ's innocence ; and, stung by the agonies of remorse, laid violent hands on himself. Nothing is more common than for men to be prejudiced against Chris- tianity, when they see those who make a profession of it fall into grievous sin. The history of Judas should teach us a different lesson — not to be greatly surprised, namely, if there should be occasionally, in the pre- sent enlarged condition of the Church, instances of defection resembling that which took place when it was yet only in its infancy. To all the people of God, these will be matter of sadness and of sorrow. They will grieve when they see the Redeemer wounded in the house of his friends ; but knowing, as they do, the deceitfulness of their own hearts, and their own tendency to go astray and to fall, they will, instead of being discouraged in their course, only exercise all the greater watch- fulness over themselves, and all the more implicit dependence upon th& grace of Him who alone can enable them to stand fast in the faith. All the members of the visible Church should take warning from the case of Judas. Here was an individual, one of twelve — a companion, a disciple, and an apostle of Christ — and yet an unbeliever — a traitor. Are there no such individuals in the Church now — persons numbering themselves among his friends, observing his ordinances, and yet belying their profession, despising his authority, and thus, to all intents and pur- poses, acting the part of Judas — betraying Christ ? Let every one put the question to his own heart, as the Apostles did, " Lord, is it I ?" Let this be done, especially, in the prospect of again sitting down at the Lord's table. It was at that very table, we believe, that Judas meditated his wicked deed ; it was after rising from that table that he proceeded to put it in execu- tion. We may shudder at his conduct — we may reprobate it. But let us look to ourselves. Have none of us once and again observed that holy ordinance, and by so doing avowed ourselves to be his disciples and friends, who yet have gone forth to the world, and, by our conduct there, have crucified him afresh, and put him to an open shame ? Have w& s. ;ver, by our inconsistent walk, caused the way of truth to be evil spoken REV. ALEXANDER \V. BROWN. 5 against —thrown a stumbling-block before those who were anxious to find a pretext for their indifference and irreligion, and weakened the hands and grieved the hearts of the people of God ? Let us examine; ourselves, brethren, in this matter ; and, if our hearts condemn us, let us repair anew to Him whom we have thus dishonoured, humble our- selves before him, and implore his pardoning mercy, and his grace to preserve us henceforward in a course of holy obedience and of growing conformity to his image. The remaining verses present a very impressive scene. After a night of watching and prayer, our blessed Redeemer enters upon a day of labour. He comes down from the mountain to the plain. There were congregated vast multitudes from places near and remote, anxious to listen to his preaching, and to receive instruction in the way of life — many of them to'.be healed of the diseases with which they were afflicted ; and he healed them all. Every form of distress yielded to that virtue which went out of him. The weak and wasted frame was endued with strength — the sightless eyeball opened to the light of heaven — the closed ear was unstopped — the demoniac was composed and restored to his right mind. Many a grateful heart, many a joyful lip, was there that day in the assembled throng. And have we not here, brethren, a strik- ingly emblematic representation of the spiritual condition of man, and of the fitness of the gospel to meet all the necessities of that condition < The maladies which sin has brought upon the soul are of various kinds. It has caused blindness ; for " the natural man discerneth not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them, for they are spiritually discerned." It has caused deafness; for though he has ears to hear, he will not "listen to the voice of the charmer, charm he ever so wisely." It has weakened and prostrated the whole man ; for he is without strength to do anything that is good. It has ri vetted upon him bonds from which he cannot, by his own efforts, set himself free ; for he is led captive by the devil at his will — the world exercises dominion over him — he is the servant, the slave, of his own imperious lusts. It has spread defilement over all the members of his body, all the powers of his mind, and all the affections of his heart, and rendered him altogether "as an unclean thing." The gospel of Christ is wonderfully adapted to all these exigencies. It is a universal remedy, — that is to say, there is not a form of evil for which those who are labouring under it will not, on receiving and sub- mitting to its gracious message, find an effectual cure. It reveals even to the chief of sinners a fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness, and promises unspeakable blessedness to all who repair to its cleansing waters. It offers light to those who are in darkness, and strength to those who are weak. It proclaims liberty to the captive, and the open- 6 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. ing of the prison to them that are bound. And, although it does not hold out the promise of the miraeulous removal of temporal distress, its pro- visions extend, in a certain sense, even to that. All who are oppressed in this way will find, on coming to Christ, that virtue goes out of him. The believer who is in poverty may not have his burden removed or even lessened ; but then he has grace given him to enable him to sustain it ; and, in the possession and enjoyment of a better substance, even the unsearchable riches of Christ, he can say, " I have all, and abound." He may be called to mourn the loss of friends, and one stroke of bereave- ment may follow another till he is well nigh left alone ; but, believing in Christ, he knows he has a brother born for adversity — one who, in all his afflictions, is himself afflicted, and who can heal his broken heart, and tenderly bind up his wounds. Such is the power of the gospel — such is the virtue that goes out of Christ. But observe, my friends, that, just as the diseased multitudes were healed by touching him, there must be contact, if we may so speak, between him and the soul, before the soul can be saved — there must be union to him by faith. Noah was not safe from the waters of the de- luge, until he entered the ark and until God shut him in. The manslayer was not safe from the avenger of blood, until he got within the gate of the city of refuge. And no sinner is delivered from condemnation until he be in Christ, the only refuge from the storm, the only covert from the tempest. It is not being within the reach of Christ's call merely — it is not seeing him through the medium of ordinances — it is not a temporary devotional frame of spirit — it is not a mingling with his people — it is not a zeal, however ardent, for the prosperity of his cause. These things of themselves will not do. They may all exist in the man who is yet out of Christ, who has not been brought into spiritual contact with him, and in regard to whom no virtue has gone out of Cl.rist for his healing. We believe that many pass from the world, whose religion is without this one thing needful — who find, when they enter the next world, that the vital connexion between Christ and them has not been formed — that, while they were attentive in cultivat- ing the outward marks of that connexion, they neglected the only thing that was worth the caring for, and that all their pains are unprofitable, that all their labour is lost. This certainly should serve to arouse one and all to reflection. There may be some present who have entered the sanctuary, labouring under the disease of sin, just as those who were gathered together in the plain before our Lord were afflicted with bodily distempers, and who are longing for deliverance just as that diseased multitude sought to touch Christ. Now, what have we to say to you but just this, that while you should labour to have right and REV. ALEXANDER W. BROWN. 7 impressive views of your condition and danger, and of the suitableness and all-sufficiency of Christ, you should beware of stopping short and of resting satisfied with these. Any distance between you and Christ, however narrow and imperceptible, is ruinous, fatal. You must not only come near to him, you must touch him, for where there is no con- tact, there can be no forthgoing of virtue ; where there is no faith, there can be no salvation. We say no faith, for this is the bond of union, this is the hand that touches Christ. And however feeble that faith may be, though it be but as a grain of mustard seed, though it reach only to the hem of his garment, virtue will be felt, the cure will be effected, sin will be forgiven, the heart will be changed. And Christ is waiting to be gracious to you. Not one of those who now thronged around him was forbidden to touch him or rudely repulsed from his presence. He was there for the very purpose that all who needed him might come to him — he invited them to approach. How- ever offensive, and defiling, and loathsome their diseases, they were all equally welcome ; however inveterate their complaints, his touch removed them all. And, with regard to you, the case is precisely the same. The same free invitation is addressed to you — the same liberty of access is afforded to you — the same assurance of relief is held out to you. His language still is, " Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." Come with your sins, and though they be numerous as the sands upon the sea-shore, though they be like scarlet and crimson, I will pardon them. Come with your polluted hearts, and, though they be dark and noisome as the grave, I will cleanse them. Come with your broken spirits, and, however deeply they be wounded, I will heal them. Come with your fears, and, however oppressive the burden, I will remove it. Come with your hopes, and, however faint and glimmering, I will make them strong and bright as the light of the sun. Come with your penitential tears, and, though they be like rivers of water, I will wipe them all away. Suffer a word or two here in regard to the nature of that faith, with- out which no virtue can come out of Christ. In the 11th chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, it is called " the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen," that is, a cordial assent to the Divine testimony, an implicit relianco on the truth of all that God has stated in his word, and a persuasion that he will accomplish all the promises he has been pleased to make. It is conversant with objects which lie beyond the cognisance of the senses, and which are un discoverable by the exercise of reason. These objects are exclusively matters of reve- lation ; they make no impression upon the bodily orgaus ; no process of argument can convince us of their existence — thoy are believed simply 8 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. because God has declared them. The representations of saving faith, however, given by the sacred writers, are uniformly connected with Christ. It embraces, indeed, all that God has revealed, and, in this sense, is common to us with all holy beings ; but it regards especially Christ as Mediator, and, in this light, is peculiar to us as sinful beings, who, without this remedial arrangement, cannot be readmitted into the enjoyment of the divine favour. Throughout the New Testament, ac- cordingly, we find that the confessions and descriptions of faith consist in this. Peter, in the name of his brethren, made such a confession in these memorable words, " Thou art the Christ, tho Son of the living God." " Dost thou believe ?" Christ asked the blind man whom he restored to sight — " dost thou believe on the Son of God ?" " Lord," he replied, " I believe." {rBelievest thou this ?" he asked"Martha — the declaration, namely, which he had made regarding himself as " the re- surrection and the life." "Yea, Lord," she answered, "I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God which should come into the world/' When the Ethiopian eunuch was questioned by Philip regarding his faith, previously to his being baptized, he made this declaration, " I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." And when the Philippian jailor rushed with trembling anxiety into the presence of the Apostles, and enquired what he should do to be saved, the Apostles answered, " Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." But be- lieving in Christ is something more than the bare acknowledgment of the truth that he is the Son of God and the Saviour of the world. It is not only an act of the understanding, as some maintain — the simple assent of the mind to the gospel, on perceiving the evidence of its truth — but an act of the will also, an exercise of the heart, embracing the truth, because it is seen to be intimately connected with our own best interests, and trusting in the object revealed from a clear perception of the suitableness and perfect sufficiency of that object. Hence it is called a fleeing to Christ, a coming to him, a looking to him, a receiving him, eating his flesh and drinking his blood — expressions denoting not merely the knowledge of him as the divinely appointed propitiation for sin, but a personal appli- cation to him under a conviction of our unworthiness and guilt — a re- nunciation of all self-righteousness, and an exclusive dependence on his mediation and intercession, as the only way whereby we can be delivered from the wrath to come. To be sound in the faith, we must not only know that, through him and him alone, pardon and acceptance can flow to the guilty, for the devils believe this and tremble. To be sound in the faith, we must do something more than admit that Christ poured out his soul unto the death for sinners — we must do something more than indulge the hope that we shall, or the wish that we may, be saved by REV. ALEXANDER W. BROWN. V him, for multitudes have thus assented and hoped and wished, who have gone into eternity with a lie in their right hand. We must feel that we stand in need of the salvation which he offers — we must be brought to perceive that he is a Saviour suited in all respects to our ruined circum- stances, and that in him there is treasured up a fulness from which alone all our spiritual wants can be supplied. We must see that there is utter inefficacy in every other means for our deliverance ; that, with- out the shedding of his blood, there can be no remission of sin ; that, except in the infinitely meritorious sacrifice which he presented to his Father in the room of his people, there is no refuge from the storm, and no covert from the tempest of the divine wrath to which we are exposed. We must be divested of all trust in ourselves, and receive and rest upon his righteousness, as revealed in the Gospel, for the pardon of our sins and for the acceptance of our persons as righteous in the sight of God for salvation. This faith is the gift of God. No man can come to Christ except the Father draw him. No man can call Christ Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. The arm of the Lord must be revealed before a sinner will believe his report or set his seal to the truth of the record which he has given of his Son. If the heart be opened to receive him, it is God who by his Spirit opens the heart — if the withered hand be stretched out to lay hold of him, it is divine strength that enables it to make the effort — if the eye perceive his excellence and glory, it is the light of heaven that has purged the spiritual vision. God, in the cove- nant entered into with Christ, promises that a seed shall be given to him. But how can he perform this promise unless he be Lord and master of the human will, and have power to turn it whithersoever he pleases. Those who say that man has power to believe in Christ when he will turn this covenant into mockery, and virtually say that the pro- mise made by the Father is one which he has no power to fulfil. To say that, by this covenant, Christ was to lay down his life for sinners, and to give his life a ransom for many, and to leave all the success of his mighty undertaking dependant on the sinner's will — that he was to lay down the complete price for the redemption of the slaves of Satan and sin, and that yet the slaves were to be left to follow or abandon at pleasure their former master — what is this but to cast a sinful reflection on the wisdom and power of both parties in the covenant, and to invest feeble and sinful man with power to defeat the purposes of God. Let those present, who have been made partakers of the gift of faith in Christ, who have by grace become the subjects of his healing power, seek, in the exercise of faith, to cleave closely to him. For remember, bre- thren, that without the distinct and vigorous acting of this holy principle, 10 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. you will find yourselves in a languid sickly condition. This is the power which sets and keeps in motion all the other graces of the Chris- tian character. Just as the spring in a watch moves the wheels within and the hands on the dial-plate without — just as, if the spring he "broken, there can be no motion at all, or, if it lose aught of its elasticity, the motion must be irregular and defective, so, when faith is strong, it will infuse vigour and earnestness into all we do ; while, on the contrary, if it be weak, we will be dull and spiritless in the service of God. Man must act in religion either by faith or fancy. The strength of the latter may make some start toward heaven, and impart a kind of relish for its enjoyments, but nothing can enable them to hold on save this one thing — to believe. And the experience of all who have known anything of this new and living way of salvation goes to prove, that, according as their faith increased or diminished, there was a corresponding increase or diminution in their spiritual progress, comfort, and joy. There can- not but be, when our faith is weak, a perpetual languishing and sickness of soul. All our life is to be obtained from the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom it is treasured up as light in the sun or as water in the plenteous spring. But what avails such fulness in him, if we have not access to it ; and there is no access without faith. It is faith alone which conveys all vital influences from him to us. If these, which faith alone can bring; come not down, we can no more grow and flourish than the choicest vine without the warmth of the sun or the gentle showers of the teeming cloud. It is the best friend of the saint in all his dark and dismal hours, assur- ing him of his way, restoring him when he turns aside, and, when ready to faint by the length of his journey or the roughness of the road, imparting strength to enable him to surmount all obstacles and to hold on his way rejoicing. It is singularly useful when afflictions abound — when our souls are overwhelmed and in perplexity — and whenhorrors encompass us on every side. When the tempest rages — when the ocean seems blended with the sky — and when every billow of our sea of troubles threatens to bury us in its bosom, faith is the star to guide us to the fair haven — -. to the port of peace. Just as the stcrm-tossed mariners, when a certain constellation gleams through the dark clouds, are encouraged to hope that the raging elements will soon subside into a calm, so does faith bear up our hearts when the waves of affliction roll over us, till we are brought to a safe retreat — till our feet be firmly planted on the Rock of Ages. It proves a shield for repelling the temptations by which we are assailed. It can quench the flames of nature's lust, and extinguish the poisoned darts of hell. The soul, under its influence, can rise above the world — pierce the vault of heaven — with mysterious search discover more surpassing glories beyond the starry sphere — drink of the pure REV. ALEXANDER \V. BROWN. 11 river of the water of life that issues from beneath the eternal throne, and join, in anticipation, in those deep songs of joy that make glad the Jeru- salem above, the city of the great King. And look to yourselves, ye who have been in Christ's presence, and have heard Christ's gracious voice, but who have not yet pressed forward to touch him, because you have been insensible to your disease, and have had no desire to be made whole. If you perish, it will be because you would not come to him that you might have life. And, in the day of final reckoning, there^will be many that will rise up against you. The Jew may say, " I was burdened with a legal yoke, which neither I nor my fathers were able to bear." He may complain that, in the best of their sacrifices, the smoke filled their temple, provoking the worshippers to weep for a clearer mani- festation. He may say, we could but grope after Christ, your eyes were dazzled with his unclouded brightness — we had but an old edition of the covenant of grace written in characters which we could with diffi- culty decipher ; you had that covenant in its clearest form, and our re- jection of it as a lesson to you to close with its gracious offers. Had one of your days of the Son of Man been granted to us, we would not have neglected so great salvation." " And I," the poor heathen may say, "I perish without hope of reconciliation, and have sinned only against the covenant of works. I never heard of a gospel covenant, nor of the way of life through Christ. Had I heard but once such tidings as those to which you have listened, had mercy been but once pressed upon ray ac- ceptance, I should not have been here. But, alas ! I never had so much as one offer of grace." " Such has not been the case with us," you must re- ply. We were favoured with these privileges — we were faithfully warned of the danger of sin — our guilt was forced upon our consciences — the necessity of fleeing to Christ was urged upon us ; but we wilfully per- sisted in sin — we resolved to have nothing to do with Christ. We could not endure to hear his gospel ; and all the hell we had on earth was that we could not sin in peace." Satan himself may say, " it is true, that, ever since my fall, I have been rebelling with a high hand against God, and seeking to defeat his purposes of mercy, and to involve mankind in the same guilt and misery with myself. But, when he drove me from his glorious presence, he said there would be no salvation for me. I have lived during various dispensations of grace — I have seen sacrifices offered for sin — I have beheld Christ himself in the flesh — I have heard his gospel preached ; but what effect could all this have, save to increase my malice and inflame my rage ? I had no interest in his merciful ar- rangements— I heard him, as it were, saying to me, "Look here, ac- cursed spirit ! I have provided a remedy for sin, but not for your's — I will pity and save some of those whom you hare sought to ruin, but on 12 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. you I will have no mercy, you are reserved in chains of darkness to the judgment of the great day." " Woe is us," you will reply. " We had a remnant of the covenant of works as well as the heathen — we had all the discoveries of God in the law which the Jews ever had — we were placed under a better dispensation than were accursed spirits before their fall. The gospel of the grace of God was presented to us and urged upon us; and, therefore, O poor Jew ! whatever may be said against your breach of the covenant, a thousand-fold more may be said against ours. What- ever, O wretched pagan ! may be said against your sins, much more against ours. Whatever, O hopeless outcasts from the divine mercy ! whatever aggravations attend your apostacy, they are white as snow compared with those which characterize ours. We are the most infatu- ated rebels that ever waged war against the grace of God. ' "Turn ye, then, turn ye, for why will ye die?" God is love. He has no pleasure in your death. Christ is waiting to be gracious. He calls upon you to come to him. " The Spirit and the bride say come, and let him that heareth say come ; and let him that is athirst come ; and whosoever will, let him come and take of the wster of life freely.' And now, as " ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you, in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled unto God."' ( 13 ) <:» \ OGIC, LECTURE II. THE EPISTLE OF CHRIST. BY THE REV. JAMES C. BURNS, KIRKLISTON. " Te are our Epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men : Forasmuch as ye arp manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink-, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart."— 2 Cor. iii. 2-3. (Preached after a Communion.) "Ye are the Epistle of Christ." It is not said ye ought to be, or ye profess to be, but " ye are." This is your name, your distinction, your privilege. If ye truly belong to Christ, if ye are his, ye are his " epistle." Christ himself is " the Word," who was " with God, and was God," and is with God again; the Revealer of the Father, his image; and Christ's people, now that he is absent, are his " epistle'''' — by whom " the Word" speaks, by whom, in his absence, he is represented ; who form the me- dium of communication between him and the rest of mankind, " the world" that knows him not. The title thus conferred on them is very descriptive, full of truth and beauty, and, as illustrated in the passage we have read, may suggest some interesting views both of Christian privilege and practice. An epistle or letter, when you receive or get a sight of one, instantly fixes your attention, and raises a variety of questions respecting it — such, e. g. as the following: — Who is the letter from? Who is the writer of it — the same hand or another ? What is it written upon, and how ? What does the letter say ? To whom is it addressed ? For whose use is it intended ? Now, to each of these epiestions the Apostle here supplies an answer, in reference to " the Epistle of Christ." I. The Authorship of the Epistle, " Ye are the epistle of Christy Christ is the author of the epistle — it emanates from him — it is his pro- duction— it is his. " Ye are our epistle, forasmuch as ye are the epistle of Christ," as if he had said, " any interest we may have in you — any relation in which we may stand toward you, arises out of, and is subordinate to, the interest ye have in the Lord Jesus, and the rela- tion in which ye stand to him !" No. 106. — Lect. 2. vol. in. 14 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. Thus we are reminded how close and endearing that relationship is, which connects Christ and his people mutually together. Each of them is as nearly connected with him, as a letter is with the person whose letter it is — so nearly that you can scarcely imagine anything nearer — that you cannot even in idea separate between the one and the other ! A man's letters are just himself — -his missives — his representatives, by which, though absent, he is virtually present — by which, though distant, he is brought near — by which, "being dead, he yet speaketh !" — by which he may be present in many places at one and the same time, and by which his life may be prolonged for generations after he is gone ! There are letters now extant in the world which have been circulating for nearly 2000 years — the letters of Pliny the younger — the " Epistles of Paul ;" and by means of them their authors are living still. Pliny lives as a companion to the scholar, Paul as a companion to the saint ; and with him survive his elder, nor less honoured brethren, Peter, James, and John, all of whom we know — with whom we are privileged, if we choose, to hold daily converse. So, in his believing people, as his " epis- tle," Christ lives ; though absent, distant, dead, he still speaks and acts, and hither and thither circulates himself, so to speak, through the world. " He asked life of the Father, and it was given him. even length of days for ever and ever !" " The King's life has been j>rolonged, and his years for many generations." His people are himself, for he lives in them! He lived in those Corinthians who are here addressed, who, from being the slaves of sensuality and sin, the very " epistle" of the wicked one, became his humble, holy, happy disciples, for they were washed, sancti- fied, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." He lived, too, in those disciples of his at Damascus, for whose safety he interposed, when he said, " Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ?" — He lived, nor only lived, but laboured, and suffered, and triumphed in that same Saul himself, " who also was called Paul," for, says he, " To me to live is Christ," i. e. " to me to live, is Christ to live'" — '; Christ liveth in me." And in writing to the Colossians, the same apos- tle further affirms it to be experimentally the very sum of gospel truth, the grand comprehensive theme of the gospel ministry everywhere, that Christ lives, not only for his people, representing them, but in his people, they representing him — " the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, is now made manifest to his saints. To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is, Christ in you.1' (Col. i. 26-27.) Dear brethren, do ye understand this " mystery ?" do ye know any thing by experience of this blessed union — this double union, you in PWUt, Christ in you ? " Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith, REV. JAMES C. E'JRNS. 15 prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates ?" It might here be noticed also, that the expression before us indicates not only the close relation between Christ and his people, but the close relation subsisting amongst them mutually towards one another ; they are not the " epistles of Christ," as if many, but " the epistle," only one ; " of him the whole family in heaven and earth is named !" And there is not only here the unity of the Church of Christ, its unity in him, but its perpetuity also, for the epistle of Christ is one which dates as far back as the beginning of the world's history, and shall never be sealed up till it close ! II. But who is the writer of this Epistle ? Sometimes, you know, the writer of a letter is a different person from the author of it. Paul says, at the close of his Epistle to the Galatians, "Ye see how large a letter I have written with mine own hand,''' — implying, that he had frequently employed a substitute— an amanuensis ; but implying also, that the let- ter was equally his, whether it was in his hand- writing or not — that he was still the author of it. So, " the epistle," of which Christ is the au- thor, is here said to be written with or by " the Spirit of the living God." He is the agent by whom the work is clone — it being his pecu- liar function, in the economy of grace, to speak, to write, to act, under the guidance, at the dictation of another — " to proceed from the Father and the Son." This was what Jesus intimated to the disciples before he left them, when he said, referring to " the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost," (John xvi. 13), " He shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak. He shall glorify me : for he shall receive of mine, and show it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine : therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you." And their experience corresponded with this inti- mation. So long as Jesus was in the world, he might be said to write all his letters himself. " The Holy Ghost was not then given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified." The work of conversion, so far as it visibly proceeded under the Saviour's ministry, was his own immediate work. Every one of the disciples received his call from him. The " five hun- dred brethren," to whom he showed himself alive after his passion, were those to whom he had spiritually revealed himself before it ; and " last of all," says Paul, " he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time" — while the Author was present, his deputy was unseen. But, when Jesus went away, the Comforter came, and ever since the work of enlightening and converting human souls has been peculiarly, pre-eminently his. " The epistle" is in his hand-writing — every line, 16 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. every letter of it is inscribed by him. It is a living epistle, and the life is breathed into it by him — for he is the " Spirit of the living God." It is He who quickens the dead soul at first, and who preserves it alive af- terwards. Its animation, its warmth, its growth, its energy, its useful- ness are all derived from him. " He begins the good work, and he per- forms it, until the day of Jesus Christ." All the real living religion that is now abroad in the world is the Holy Spirit's work. Where he is present, in a church, among a people, in a soul, there is life. Where he is absent, though there may be every thing else that bears the sem- blance or the name of religion, there is only death. To illustrate this truth, and show the preciousness of it, is the apos- tle's design, in the remaining part of this chapter — to show what a pri- vilege it is for us that we have been placed under " the ministration of the Spirit." The ministry of Moses was glorious — the ministry of Christ was more glorious ; but the ministry of the Spirit is the most glorious of all. It is " the glory that excelleth." III. But hoiv does the Spirit work ? What materials — what imple- ments does he use ? Every epistle implies the use of three things — paper, ink, and pen, and reference is here made to each. 1. "Ye are the epistle of Christ, written not" on paper, nor "on tables of stone," as the epistle of Moses was, the law, " the ministration of death," but " in fleshy tables of the heart." The religion of the New Testament is a spiritual religion. Its seat and its centre of influence is in the heart, deep among its warmest affections. It is there that its power is felt, and its pleasures are enjoyed ; and it is because the in- scription of its blessed truths is written there, that " the epistle of Christ" is at once so perfect and so durable. It is perfect, or rather only it is complete — complete at once — complete in every copy of it — com- plete in all its parts, though perfect in none — for it is " the whole man" that receives the Divine impress ; and it is durable — durable as the soul itself — " the tables of the heart" are imperishable. 2. The ink. " Ye are written," says the apostle, " not with ink" as other epistles are — not with ink merely, for ink merely touches and traces the surface — "but with the Spirit of the living God." It is the truth of the Gospel — the truth that relates to Christ, by which sinners are con- verted and saints edified — by which the work of inscription is done. But that truth of itself is powerless to reach farther than the understanding or the conscience of those to whom it is addressed. It has no power to reach below the surface — to touch " the fleshy tables of the heart." It not only does not itself convey life ; its tendency rather is to con- REV. JAMES C. BURNS. 17 firm and deepen the slumber of spiritual death — " the letter kil- Icth ; but the Spirit giveth life," (v. 6) : when he takes the Word and applies it, he makes it" quick," that is, living ; and so it becomes " powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." The truth of the Gospel, then, having become a living truth, and the tables of the heart prepared for it being " fleshy," warm, susceptible, living too, the inscription of the one upon the other becomes an easy thing, and, once written, as with ink of the Spirit's own manufacture, the writing remains, distinct, all-pervading, indelible. 3. The pen. To this the apostle alludes, when he says, " Ye are the epistle of Christ ministered by us," by us who have preached the gospel to you, whom " God hath made able ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter, but of the Spirit, for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life," (v. 6). It was to the ordinance of a gospel ministry that the Corinthians instrumental^ owed their conversion ; and thus we are reminded how precious an ordinance that is, and how much we ought to prize it ! " The Spirit of God maketh the reading, but especially the preaching of the word, an effectual means of convincing and converting sinners, and of building them up in holiness and comfort through faith unto salvation." " It pleases God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." Yet how valueless and fruitless a thing is it, when unaccompanied by his blessing ! How entirely dependent the ablest minister of Christ is ! Paul here alludes to his own labours, and his own success ; yet though he could speak with such confidence of the souls that he had won — of the " living epistles that had been ministered by him" — mark at the same time his deep humility. He reminds his believing brethren, that though he had been employed in the work of inscribing those epistles, oftener employed and more honoured than any other man before or since, it was not as the author of one of them, nor yet as the amanuensis, but simply as the instrument — the pen ! " Not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to thinh any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God," (verse 5.) IV. Having thus traced the process by which " the epistle of Christ" is produced — the process of its composition — the question next arises, What is the subject matter of the epistle ? What does the letter say 'i That which you expect to find in a letter, is the mind of its author — what he thinks, how he feels ; not his mind only, but his heart. It is as a substitute for congenial personal converse that you value it ; if it wants 18 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. the ease and affability of such converse, it is of little value — if it wants the truthfulness and sincerity, it is of no value at all. Now, Christ's people maybe called his " epistle'" for both these rea- sons. They represent to their fellow-men both the mind and the heart of Christ — both what he thinks, and how he feels. He thinks and feels through them. 1. Says the Apostle, " we have the mind of Christ" — we know it, he has revealed it to us. It is our mind because it is his ! Nor was this privi- lege peculiar to him and his inspired fellow-apostles. It is the common privilege of all " who believe on Jesus through their Word." "Henceforth, I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth" — he is not accustomed to be admitted to his Master's confidence — " but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you." " He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit" — there is but one mind as it were between them. " Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things." Christ's mind is in his word — his whole mind, at least as much of it as he designs at present to make known. And Christ's word is the Christian's rule — his only rule, — "He cannot go beyond the Word of the Lord, to do less or more !" Christ's word is the law of his house- hold, to which all its members, from the youngest to the oldest, have been taught to submit — which all, likewise, in its substance at least, have been taught to understand. And so it comes to pass, there is but one mind pervading the entire body, " one Lord," and, therefore, " one faith" — and because one faith, therefore " one baptism !" Christ lives in his people, when "his words abide in them." Does he then, dear brethren, live in you ? Do his words abide in you ? Do ye think like him ? Ye do, if ye are "his epistle." Ye think as he did, for example, about sin — ye think as he did, also, about salva- tion— ye think as he did about the world, for ye know what the world thinks of him — ye think as he did about time — ye think as he did about eternity ! Do ye indeed, yea or nay ? But, 2. Christ's people feel as he does. They are of one heart with him ; and in as far as they are so, they are of one heart with one another. His heart has been in some measure transfused into them, so that what he loves, they love — what he hates, they hate — what honours him, they rejoice in. There is a mutual sympathy between him and them — be- tween them and him. " He is formed in them," and " he dwells in their hearts by faith." This is a trying test of our Christianity, but it is a true one ; for being written on " the fleshy tables" as we have seen, Christianity is essen- tially a thing of the affections. Its light is warm as well as clear — it REV. JAMES C. BURNS. 19 pervades the head and the heart together. And its heat as well as its light comes from Jesus by reflection, by emanation from "the sun." True, indeed, in respect of degree — of intensity — the distance between Chrrt and his people — between the feeling of his heart and theirs — is immense is immeasurable. But still, so far as they do feel, their affections flow in the same channel — the same heart throbs within them ; and however faint or indiscernable at times its pulsations, that heart always beats true. Is it so, brethren, with you ? It was love which filled the heart of Jesus — love to God and love to men — love to his Father — and love to those " whom he was not ashamed to call his brethren" — love to saints — love to sinners — love especially, and tenderness, gentleness, graci- ousness, to convinced sinners, the bruised, the broken-hearted, the heavy laden, the weary ! " Love is the fulfilling of the law." Thus he ful- filled it — "it was written within his heart.'' Has it been written in yours ? " Every one that loveth is born of God." Every one loveth that is born of God. Love is " the perfect bond" that assimilates and unites the whole family of God. The sentiment, the very soul of the living epistle of Christ, is love." V. The destination of this Epistle. To whom is it addressed ? For whose use is it specially intended ? Every letter is addressed to some one by the sender of it — it is de- signed to convey the sentiments of the one mind into the other — it is a communication, and sometimes the communication is of such a nature that, besides its original and private purpose, it is meant for the public eye — for wide and general perusal. Such is the double address or des- tination of the epistle spoken of here. It is intended, first, for the benefit of the Church, and next, for the instruction of the world. 1. " Ye are our Epistle written in our hearts." The Apostle speaks here in the name of his fellow-labourers as well as in his own, and what he says is, that they, the believing Corinthians, were to them, instead of all other credentials — instead of all other " letters of commendation" (verse 1), either to them or from them — they were living proofs of the efficacy of a preached gospel — living witnesses to " the excellency of that power which is of God," which conveys the gospel " treasure" into empty perishing souls, albeit the vessels, the instruments of its conveyance, are so unworthy and mean. Thus we are reminded, that the strength, the glory, the beauty, of any Church of Christ, consists in the number of living members that stand on its roll of communion ; and when a minister of Christ can reckon many of them, or any of them, as having been " ministered by him," they are the rich reward of his labour — they are his "glory and joy !" Thus 20 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. also we are reminded that the honour of Christ, and so the reputation of his Church, is entrusted to the keeping of each individual member of it. Each copy of the epistle is designed to represent the fair original, and it is just by the multiplication of such copies that the original be- comes more widely known — that the " sweet savour of his knowledge is made manifest in every place." See that this consideration be ever pre- sent with you, " brethren, beloved in the Lord," as characteristic of your Christian calling. " The edifying and the increase of the body depends on the effectual working in the measure of every part — it is fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplieth." Each member is connected with every other, and all are mutually dependent. " Now, ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular !" But, 2. This " Epistle" is designed for other eyes than those of friends and brethren. " Ye are our epistle, known and read of all men, forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ;" intimating that the people of Christ have a special mission, not only in relation to the Church, but also in relation to the world. The epistle is meant for universal perusal — to be looked at, to be studied, to be scrutinized, to be copied, to be written over again ! Ye are " in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation ;" they are, so to speak, your next door neighbours, and among them ye are to " shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life." Those who know Christ are to make him known. " Let him who heareth say, Come !'' Now, a letter which is to be generally read must be both legible and intelligible — the hand- writing must be distinct, and the language must be explicit, requiring neither translation nor commentary — level to the capacity of all. Just such ought to be the Christianity of the peopk of Christ ; not only a secret, but a visible thing ; " the writing in th< heart" having its index and its exhibition in the history. Your life must be like Christ's outwardly, as well as your sentiments and feelings inwardly, if ye would be " manifestly declared" to be the epistle of Christ, and for this obvious reason, that there is nothing else which men see — there is nothing else which " the world knoweth ;" or, whatever else they see, they invariably judge of and estimate everything else by that. Our Christianity will be accounted of, whether we will or no, not by what we think or say, but by what we do — not from what we seem in the sanctuary, or on the Sabbath, or at the sacrament, but from what we are in the transaction of our worldly business, in the every-day inter- course of life. It is not the seal upon the letter that men judge by, nor yet by the sentiment or the style of it, but by its substance — by its real, practical utility. And they are right in so judging. " By their fruits," said Jesus himself, " ye shall know them." " Herein is my Fa- REV. JAMES C. BURNS. 21 ther glorified that ye bear much fruit, so shall ye be,:' so shall ye be proved, " manifestly declared to be my disciples," " known and read of all men," as such. This is a language which needs no translation, no interpretation ; men of every tongue can understand it — it is the only true universal language. The epistle of Jesus Christ is just Christianity adapted, made plain to the intelligence of the world. Dear brethren, what say ye now to this delineation of what " ye are." 1. Does it stagger some of you, and stir within you the uncomfortable doubt, whether, if this be true, ye may not have been hitherto mistaken altogether in supposing that you are Christians ? It were well if it did, for unquestionably there are many who labour under such a delu- sion, in respect to whom there can be no doubt at all ; and it is very possible that case may be yours. You cannot make the discovery too soon — you cannot cherish the doubt too anxiously. A man can never suffer in the end from being undeceived : however painful the process in the meantime ; truth is always safe, however grievous. The safety of a sinner may he said to turn on his being really convinced that he is in danger — on the discovery of his being lost. But this test, while it is fitted to help to that discovery, may help also to another, viz., to the discovery of the way by which your mistake may be rectified, by which ye may become what hitherto ye have only seemed ! for it tells you of "the Spirit of the living God," who quickeneth the dead, and maketh those things that be not as though they were — who abideth in the Church for ever ; it tells you that this Spirit is in the gift, at the disposal of the Lord Jesus, who is the friend of sinners — it tells you that it is " through the word which by the gospel is preached unto you'' that the Spirit works — that Christ draws sinners to himself — and so it tells you, that you have but to receive the word, as did the Corin- thians, into your heart — you have but to submit yourselves, as they did, to its moulding and transforming influence ; you have but to close with Christ, from whom the Spirit comes, as he offers himself to you in the gospel, in order to pass through their experience, and to attain their distinction, to be " washed, and so justified," — and if justified, then also " sanctified," conformed to the image of God's dear Son! "the genuine epistle of Christ !" 2. Or, perhaps, there are some of you, who, though not so much alarm- ed, yet cannot but feel ashamed and humbled in listening to such a re- presentation— ashamed and humbled in the thought, that at the very best it is so partially true, that though you do desire to be like Christ, you are yet so very, very far from having reached that attainment, your progress is so very slow. It may be, that besides, you have to lament 22 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. manifold blots and blemishes, as having disfigured you in times past, mating the copy so unfaithful to the original, that the resemblance has often been indiscernible — that the more you become acquainted with the original, you seem the farther away from it, and assimilation to it becomes the more hopeless, — that however beautiful in theory the representation of the text may be, you cannot help feeling, as often as you look into that dark, foul heart of yours, which Satan is so busy in seeking to inscribe with the features of his own dark and hateful image, the actual realization of it is a thing well-nigh impossible. It is well, again, if such be the effect of it. You cannot be too deeply humbled — too thoroughly self-emptied and abased. Doubtless, those very Corinthians, who were commended by the Apostle, who held so high a place in his esteem, held quite as low a place in their own, their humility being in very proportion to their advancement in the know- ledge and imitation of Jesus Christ. It is always so, and it ma3r be so, peradventure, in regard to some of you ; but at all events this text again supplies matter of encouragement, no less than of humiliation. If it shews you how far you still are from resemblance to Christ, it shews you also how that distance may be lessened — how you may most surely advance. If there is really union between Christ and you, let there be communion also — let there be much — let there be more of if: and if there be communion, there will be resemblance — ihe resemblance will grow and brighten by every new act of contemplation — by every new act of comparison between the copy and the original — between " the living epistle," and the living " Word." And the blessed process once begun will never be suspended, at least it will never be stopped ; it will advance and grow, till, in the presence of the living Word himself, and " seeing Him as He is," ye are made to reflect the very image of his excellency, and "are satisfied with his likeness." "We all, with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (v. 18). ( 23 ) weS8*^ PE SERMON CVIII. A WITNESSING CHURCH A CHURCH BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY GHOST. BY THE REV. GEORGE SMEATON, AUCHTERARDER. " For John trul.v baptised with water ; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many davs hence." When they therefore were come together, they asked of him savin},'. Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel ;and he said unto them.it is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power. But ve shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you : and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."— Acts i. 5-8. ( Preached before the Free Synod of Perth, 21st April 1843, and published in compliance with their request.) The last interview with, a dear friend, and his last words, are wont to be embalmed in fragrant remembrance ; and when Jesus, about to enter on his glory, stands before our eye, promising the Spirit, with his last recorded words, should not his holy image be indelibly pourtrayed on our hearts, and ever recur, in the multitude of our thoughts within us, to delight our souls ? The baptism of the Spirit was not alone for early times, nor confined to miraculous gifts, but is as lasting and ex- tends as widely as the duty of bearing witness unto Christ. Omitting the question raised by the disciples in the 6th verse, a com- parison is made between the baptism with the Holy Ghost, and John's baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Such as truly turned from sin to God, whose hearts were prepared as a dwelling for the Spi- rit, were, at a later day, baptized with the Holy Ghost as with fire. The first repentance from dead works went before — the new unction from above came after — and this is not to be explained away. Notice also the time — not many days hence. God is sovereign in fix- ing a fulness of time, and we may not ask why that time was appointed to reveal his arm. But on our part, also, it is necessary to know our want of the Spirit, and to feel it, that we may welcome him with the more delight to testify of Jesus. Had the disciples not continued with one accord in prayer and supplication till the Spirit came — or had they begun to testify of Jesus without child-like compliance with his word and will — this labour would have been in vain. And, in like manner nothing but bitter disappointment can await us, if we go forth to pro- 24 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. claim the tidings of great joy, not clothed with power from on High — wi.h lips not touched with a live coal from the altar of our God. Of- ten, alas ! have we returned with nothing but the toil for our pains, because we did not wait to pray down the Spirit. How often do we run in vain, and labour in vain, when we presume on a sufficient mes- sage, and a sufficient preparation to declare it, though not glowing with the love of Jesus, nor with the savour of the heavenly things we testify? The doctrine then we shall examine is, a church is only so far a witness- ing church as it is baptized with the Holy Ghost. For while no fitness can be found in any instrument to procure the Spirit by intrinsic excel- lence, or to move the sovereign Lord to reveal his arm, neither does God pour out his Spirit to any large extent without fitting for the work the instruments whom it shall please him mainly to employ. In open- ing up the doctrine, consider — I. The nature of this Baptism, its mark, and on what occasions it is conferred. That somewhat more is meant than renewing in the spirit of our minds, is plain from this, that the disciples were already found in Christ. The baptism of the Spirit is the great promise of New Testa- ment times to all the Israel of God. Before Pentecost, God's children were not wholly exempt from the spirit of bondage, nor were the saints of old ; but in the days of the Apostles the saints in general seem to have enjoyed the promise of the Spirit through faith. The Holy Ghost is the first fruits of glory ; and the complete inheritance, when sin shall be found no more, is just a fulness of the spirit. Let us take whatever measure of the Spirit we enjoy below as but a foretaste of those joys, a spark of that glory, a part of that fulness of holiness, a drop of that ocean of bliss. To undervalue this baptism of the Spirit, is the begin- ning of all declension. Are we baptized with the Holy Ghost ? — then not only condemnation ceases in the conscience, but also the refreshing from the presence of the Lord, for which we longed, is in good part rea- lized. Are we baptised with the Holy Ghost ? — then, forgiven much, we love much, and give ourselves to him who gave himself for us, heart for heart, surrender for surrender. Thus, being ravished with the ex- cellency of our Lord, and with a high esteem for him, our heart is full of love, and our mouth of praise. It is the nature of fire to send forth light; and when the Spirit comes to baptize us as with fire, truth is shed abroad upon our hearts as part of ourselves, and Christ is set before our eye in the bright image of his dying obedience and of his glorious reign. It is of the nature of fire to warm us; and when the Spirit comes in this fiery baptism, he comes to kindle our cold souls into a flame of love to God and man. The approach of this genial spring to the barren winter REV. GEORGE SMEATON. 25 of our hearts, opens the blossoms of new life, of humility, and godliness. Not only does he confer the Divine seal of a peace that passeth under- standing, but he leads us to yield ourselves for evermore to the Re- deemer as his dear-bought property, and to walk with God. It might be thought that the heavenly joy of this baptism would make a man se- cure ; but, on the contrary, ho now renounces all claim to himself. A believer, anew baptized by the Spirit, is like the springing fields glis- tening under the rains of heaven ; he revives as the corn, and grows as the vine ; and, feeling that he is not his own, he lives alone for his Re- deemer. They who are content without this boon are just content with- out partaking of God's holiness. It is the nature of fire, moreover, to 6pread abroad. I am come, said Jesus, to send fire upon the earth, and what will I if it be already kindled ? And, when the Spirit comes in this fiery baptism, the words of Jesus spread like a conflagration from mouth to mouth. In the early days, when the Apostles were under this fresh baptism, and also in the days of the Reformers, the burning words spread from home to home, from land to land. If we would know to what extent we share in this heavenly baptism, let us ask, how far does the unction of heavenly knowledge, the self-de- nied humility, the boldness, the decision of the first disciples, imbue our minds ? The comparison will furnish matter for deep humiliation. I said the unction of heavenly knowledge, whereby we know all things — for no sooner did the Spirit come upon them, than they penetrated into the inmost nature of the revelation of God. They who a few days before scarcely understood the Saviour, whom he often reproved as slow of understanding, who had well-nigh forgotten what they learned for three years in his companj^, came, in the twinkling of an eye, to a clear, vivid understanding of the things of God. Every faint remem- brance of the words of Jesus and of his office stood fresh before their eye, as if bathed in light, and they spoke with an authority no less over- powering than had been stamped on the burning words of prophets. Would we learn how far this baptism with fire is ours ? Let us ask, is the word as a fire shut up in our bones, opened up to us with living power, with spirit and life ? The Spirit, in his blessed errand, comes only in the word which he inspired at first. Is the truth, then, shed abroad with such brightness, with such an overpowering flood of light, that every promise is joyously sealed upon the soul, and the word is taken up into the heart as part of ourselves ? In so far only is this baptism ours. I said their self-denied humility : for however envy and a proud thirst for honour held possession of their minds before, they now discover a single eye to the Redeemer's glory. They were only awed by what they saw of Christ's humility, in whose soul no self-seeking wish found place, Xo. 107.— Ser. 108. vol. in. 26 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. but now they no more seek the highest place. They no more be- tray a restless craving for sitting, one upon the right hand, and the other on the left. Nor do they make Christ a servant to their wish for pre- eminence ; but they longed to decrease that Christ might increase. Tn- fiamed by a different spirit, their previous desire to stand forth as the greatest was laid in the dust. Would we learn how far this spiritual baptism has been shed upon our Church, our ministers, our people ? If tilled with self-complacency, as if we stood in need of nothing — if we cannot bear to be wholly laid in the dust, we have not seen the Spirit, neither known him. No church in Christendom is more exposed than ours to self-complacency for its sacrifices, its devotedness, its self-denial — more liable to be elated with unexpected success — more prone to glory in its ministers, its means, its numbers, in its contributions, in its schemes, in its prominent position before the world's eye. Let us watch and pray against the snare, and learn to glory in the Lord. Are we still full of self-complacency — of the fond opinion that we possess pecu- liar claims on God for self-denial in his service ? Do we squander time, talents, reading, speaking upon self, while Christ's honour is not ha- bitually our highest aim — while our absorbing desire is to enjoy distinc- tion above others ? Do we betray our self-sufficiency by censorious judgments upon other saints instead of thinking others better than our- selves ? Do we betray our pride by embittered feeling against such as thwart us, as neglect our own or our Church's fancied merits, not trem- bling like Paul, lest men should think of us above what they see us to be, or that they hear of us. The disciples would be great, and the Re- deemer tells them, that they must be as humble as the little child he placed among them ; and are we still as they before Pentecost ? The Lord will not give his glory to another, and severely visited this sin upon a Nebuchadnezzar, a Herod, and even on his own beloved Moses ; and are we still over- weening, self-seeking, proud ? To that extent we have sinned away the Holy Ghost, and want this fiery baptism. I said their boldness : for however timid before, the disciples no sooner receive the Spirit than they come forth like different men, to speak the word without fear. They who durst not speak aword for Christ, became of a sudden so undaunted, that they charged home their heinous sin upon the Jews ; and he who, but a little while before, had trembled in the pre- sence of a servant maid, could not but tell thousands to their face, that Jesus whom they crucified with wicked hands, is now Lord and Christ ; and as far as we too are baptized with the Holy Ghost as with fire, we shall summon the world to submit to Christ as Lord of all. But do we sit side by side with the impenitent, and not quit ourselves as witnesses for God, as living epistles of Christ, as the salt of the earth ? Are we a REV. GEORGE SMEATON. 27 comfort to the world by conforming to its ways ? Are we the cause of evil to unconverted men by our worldly spirit, by our nattering words ? Does the fear of man prevent us from openly walking in Christ and Christ in us, so that he may be set in us for the fall and rising again of many ? So far as we sink into inaction, content to live in friendly neighbourhood to a world lying in the wicked one, content without further aggression, do we shew we want that fiery baptism that made the dis- ciples feel they could not without blood-guiltiness let men alone. 0, if we can sit as a church or as individuals, in easy fellowship with sinners, not seeking to save souls, not daring to encounter the adversary face to face, we shew that we are not baptized as with fire ! I said their decision : for however the disciples might be diverted from prayer and the work of Christ before, no sooner did the Spirit come upon them than they gave themselves wholly to these things. They who vacillated to and fro, who changed like the tide, had now one all-absorbing motive, and were borne along in the work of Christ, turn- ing neither to the right or to the left ; they continued daily with one accord in the temple. How can we then have received the heavenly baptism, if we are without the habit of religion, if our earnest efforts are but fitful, if we neglect present duty, and yet cherish the romantic hope of future service in a post which God has not required us to fill ? If slothful in seeking God in prayer, in cultivating a holy relish for the things of God, if we never pray unless peculiarly helped, if we never put forth any ac- tivity in holiness unless God give victorious aid, can we have this fiery baptism ? So intensely occupied in one pursuit were the Apostles, that public business was handed over to others, that they might give them- selves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. If, as a church, or as individuals, we can afford time for work of a distracting nature, to lead us from prayer and from the word — if business of a public nature holds a loftier place in our esteem, so far we shew that we have not the dis- ciples' baptism. I might mention other things in the disciples, as a will- ingness to suffer for the Lord, their cordial love, and unanimity ; but How shall we obtain this baptism, and on what occasions is it given ? I do not say that a gracious God has bound himself by any promise to the impenitent in all the scriptures of heaven — that means employed by them has power with a sovereign God or prevails ; but I do say, from the Word, that such as already enjoy the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, may obtain supplies of the Spirit a thousand-fold greater than any they have ever known. Are we faithful in a little ? God's rule is, To him that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundantly. Small at first were the faith, the hope, the love of the apostles ; but yet a little while and the 28 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. spark became a flame — the mustard seed became a tree. We, to©, may yet bave small delight in holiness, in prayer, in tbe Word — we, too, may yet be of little faith, of wavering love, of flickering hope ; but be faithful in a little, and a larger measure shall be given. The least breathing of the Spirit is worth a thousand worlds ; and only as we are faithful in a little is this fiery baptism shed upon a church, a minister, a follower of Christ. This heavenly unction is conferred when we keep the Lord's word, and shew a humble, penitent compliance with his will. Behold this in the hundred and twenty disciples who were enjoined by their Lord to tarry in Jerusalem till the Spirit came — who were neither to return home to Galilee, nor to distract their minds with worldly cares. They continued through those fifty days to wait as they were told. And if we would receive the Spirit's special presence to enlighten what is dark, to inflame what is cold, to strengthen what is weak and ready to perish, we must emerge from cold indifference to a simple compliance with the Lord's word and will. The world cannot receive him, cannot see him, neither know him. But, said the Saviour, If a man keep my words, we — that is, my Father and I, by the baptism of the Spirit — will come to him and make our abode with him. Repent, said Peter, again, to the awakened multi- tudes, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost. And we, too, shall be filled with the Spirit, if we discover their godly sorrow and contrition — their penitent compliance with the will of Christ. Let him who was addicted to the lusts of the flesh — who could not receive the Spirit or become his temple — daily learn more and more to abandon all fellowship with darkness, and he shall receive the Holy Ghost. Let him who was addicted to the lust of the eye, daily learn farther to give up hi3 world- liness, his covetousness, his unmerciful hard-heartedness to others, and he shall receive the Holy Ghost. Let him who was addicted to the pride of life, learn daily to think more meanly of himself, and to take the lowest place, and he shall receive the Holy Ghost. Another occasion is, when some heavy trial, some arduous duty, is laid on us for the sake of Christ. Witness John in the spirit amid the wilds of Patmos, or Paul glowing with the love of Christ, and singing praises in the inner prison. A special presence of the Lord, a better and more ample unction from on high, awaits us as a gracious reward for every dutiful compliance with suffering for Jesus. For the honour of the Lord, it becomes us to bear in mind that, in the history of this Free Church we have felt, and our brethren in Switzerland seem to ex- perience at this hour, that a fresh baptism of the Spirit follows every step of faithfulness to our Lord. This is a new gale to fill our sails, and sent by him who is not forgetful of our labour of love — to waft u» REV. GEORGE SMEATON. 29 forward to fresh devotedness, spirituality, and success. Let us seek, then, new fields of self-denial ; for we know that there is laid up for us on High the Spirit's rich communications — the full supplies of the gra_ cious Saviour as a present reward. But, as a solemn warning to tale heed lest we fall, how seldom, if ever, do we see a Church rising abovo its first tone — how common for all Churches to fall far below it ? Another occasion, and a rule with God in reference to this baptism, is our unceasing prayer of faith. Ten days had the disciples continued with one accord in prayer, when, of a sudden, the Spirit came to give spiritual eyes, and a joy which no man could take from them. But the prayer which brings down the Holy Ghost, is not that which ceases if not heard at once, or if the heart is out of tune — that is content to stop with praying out some little savour or enjoyment of God's presence. The prayer which prevails with him who gives the Holy Spirit to them that ask him, is that which will not let him go without a blessing. Might not every day be a Pentecost — might not we receive the Spirit daily — if, using what we have in all faithfulness, and pleading in faith for what we have not, we feared to grieve him by unholy passions, or by slighting his presence ? Every day would be a Pentecost if we prayed like a Cor- nelius— if we heard the word like the three thousand, and prized it like the eunuch. II. A Church is only so far a witnessing Church as it is thus bap- tized with the Holy Ghost. The connection between the two is plainly pointed out in the text : "Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be ivitnesses unto me. The Re- deemer does not send skilful orators, but witnesses, such as have seen with spiritual eyes and heard with spiritual ears. A witness must know what he testifies, and he has little liberty to speak of what the Lord has not wrought in him ; he believes, and therefore speaks. Witnesses shall testify, while the world stands, of the love of God in Christ — of redemption through his blood, and of the forgiveness of sins accord- ing to the riches of his grace. Their sound must go into all the earth ; but they do not testify what they have heard, or read, or thought out upon the things of God, for the Holy Ghost gives them a savoury experience of the tidings of great joy which they proclaim to others. Many called ministers have nothing they can testify; for can he be a witness unto Christ, whose heart is not filled with the presence, the love, the life, the Spirit of Christ ? Can he be a witness of the cross of Christ, who does not daily look to the dying Lamb for pardon, peace and cleansing ? Can he be a witness of the Lord's abiding with his people to the end of the world, who knows not in his heart a daily in- 30 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. tercourse with Jesus — who has not the witness of the Spirit that he is a child of God ? They who have Christ in them, therefore, can alone bring men into living contact with God. Christ makes it plain that a new unction must visit his followers before the blessing spreads to the impenitent ; and to look for an awakening, therefore, before we ourselves receive that baptism as with fire, is to expect the end without the means. A Church cannot long continue to display a living testimony, unless this fresh holy baptism is repeatedly renewed ; and to hold forth, like many declining Churches of the Reformation, a form of sound words, when the Spirit ie sinned away, is but like a remove d sign-post carried down a swollen river. For it is not protests, or creeds, or formularies, but living souls under the baptism of the Spirit, that make a witnessing Church. How- ever, not apostles alone, but every believer waited for the Spirit before Pentecost. And nothing, it seems to me, will strike the heart of this callous age,, but new holiness in believers' lives — the awe-inspiring spec- tacle of men glowing with love to their Lord, openly separating from the world. But can those believers be witnesses for Christ, who trifle with the Spirit's presence — who tremble not at decays in holy com- munion with God — who do not hourly rekindle their torch in God's own presence ? Can those believers be really witnesses for Christ, whose life savours of the spirit of the world more than of God — who lie in doubts and fears, with no peace within and no zeal for God ? May they not tremble to see how many, by their worldliness, they keep at ease on the brink of an eternal hell ? Why do we so seldom see a Pentecost, a day of the Lord's right hand, when Jesus still lives as Lord, and the Spirit is waiting to descend ? Times there are, indeed, when believers are anew baptized with glowing first love, and continue pleading for the salvation of the Christless, as if this were their only work, when breathless assemblies are hushed in death-like stillness before the felt presence of the Lord Jesus ; and the awe on every soul is only chccqueredby the bright joy of reconciled coun- tenances. Times there are, when the sharp arrows of the King pierce many hearts — when heaven and bell seem to open before our face, com- pelling many to decide amid all men's overwhelming earnestness — when the general feeling is, the Lord is here, and a wide-spread fear prevails lest others should be taken and they be left. But why, O why, are such times so rare ? Is it because our desires are so slender, our expectations so narrow ? Is it because we too much select the post in which we choose to serve ? Is it that, without being hourly led by Jesus as a child is led — without waiting for the Lord's direction — without following his guidance and complying with his Spirit, we trust to our own wisdom and REV. GEORGE SMEATON. 31 to our own powjer — alas ! found unavailing in the kingdom of God ? "Awake, awake, 0 arm of the Lord" — awake as in the ancient days, for our toil and study end in nothing. We may yet be far from testify- ing with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, but who, in reviewing the past, will not exclaim, Had I given the same proportion of my days and nights to prayer which I gave to toil, to other pursuits, or even to study — had I fallen down at the feet of Jesus, pleading for the Holy Ghost, till my lips were touched with fire, and my heart with love — till he shewed me how to do his work, it might have pleased him to make use of me. Had I not run without this unction from on high — had pre- vailing prayer for the Spirit gone before all my work and followed it, I should not have spent my strength for nought. The review of the past shews what our present course should be ; but let us not faint or be dis- couraged. The disciples were not to testify at all before they were anointed. They would not have succeeded in awakening a soul had they not waited for the shower from heaven. And can we succeed with- out the precious method that the Saviour has enjoined ? Without this fiery unction the disciples were not to go forth ; and with child-like de- pendance on Christ's grace and power, we too are to follow the same rule. 0 if we would take him at his word, and let him act ! If we waited for the Spirit, should we toil in vain ? They only who are chosen vessels, themselves baptized with the Spirit, can preach the gospel with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven — can be unto God a sweet savour of Jesus Christ in them tbat are saved, and in them that perish. This coming of the Spirit with unction and power, with light and life, made the word quick and powerful, piercing to the dividing of soul and spirit, and discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart. No sooner were the dis- ciples replenished, than others, yea thousands, were inflamed. It was said by the holy Livingston, "There is sometime somewhat in preaching that cannot be ascribed either to the matter or expression, and cannot be described what it is, or from whence it cometh, but with a sweet violence it pierceth into the heart and affections, and cometh immedi- ately from the Lord. But if there be any way to attain to any such thing, it is by the heavenly disposition of the speaker." To the same purpose said the heavenly-minded Brainerd, " When ministers feel these special gracious influences on their hearts, it wonder- fully assists them to come at the consciences of men, and as it were to handle them. Whereas without them, whatever reason or oratory we make use of, we do but make use of stumps and not of hands." Fathers and Brethren, in fulfilling our testimony, this church is in special danger of settling down upon its lees. Is their no danger lest we take the wonderful prosperity of this Church as a compensation for 32 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. the spiritual glory of a church? Is there no temptation to be less depen- dent upon God amidst success — to say my mountain standeth strong — than when apprehensions of unknown evil beset us on every side ? The Lord breathes over Israel the affecting complaint, " I remember thee the kindness of thy love, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness ; what iniquity have your fathers found in me that they are gone far from me ?" And is there no danger lest we too sur- render ourselves to carnal slumber, content with past exertions, and en- joying an inglorious repose before the rest of eternity arrive ? Is there no risk of beginning in the Spirit, but seeking to be perfect in the flesh ? If not watchful unto prayer, may we not ere long be surprised with sleep, and grow weary of well-doing, or give way to a reaction ? The eminent Hooker, on embarking to New England with the pilgrim fathers, thus expressed his apprehensions, destined too soon to be realized : " Farewell, England, I expect now no more to see that religious zeal and power of godliness which I have seen among professors in that land. Adversity has slain its thousands, but prosperity its ten thousands. I fear that those who have been zealous Christians in the fire of persecu- tion, will become cold in the lap of peace." May the Lord keep this Free Church awake at whatever cost ! But another temptation, no less perilous, is the expenditure of time and energy on thankless schemes and delusive enterprizes. Should it not be the answer of this Church to every such allurement, I am engaged in a great work and cannot come down ? Perhaps the most powerful temptation with which the enemy can ply this Church, is to cast our- selves down from the pinnacle of the temple, in the presumptuous hope, that, because protected in positions which our Master chose for us, we shall be equally protected in those chosen by ourselves. May we be kept from the seductive idea that we could render better service in some other post than in that which the Omniscient Saviour bids us occupy. It is a blessed discharge from every kind of work that forces us back on this land for which we are especially responsible, till we see the reception of our message. Let schemes be as bright and captivating as they may which divert us from our post, which draw us off, I suspect them, and the quarter whence they come ; and while we confess our readiness to fall a sleep at our post, or to be seduced from it, let us at every interval afresh resume our work — let us ever and anon encourage one another to greater love, and zeal, and faith, and prayer — let us fall back afresh on the humiliation, the devotedness, the vows of other days, when we were most sensibly baptised with the Holy Ghost as with fire. In sending forth this discourse, let me briefly add, that all who have REV. GEORGE SMEATON. 33 the Spirit of Christ, ought equally with ministers to stand forth as wit- nesses, and feel that they are kept for a season on the earth to do a work for God, after their title to the heavenly joys is secured. Would not God's people tremble, if they saw how many their lukewarm lives em- bolden to abide in sin ? God will be with us while we are with him, nor will he withdraw the Spirit till we sin him away. And what if God's own people themselves mar his glorious displays of grace and power in this dark age, because the salt is losing its savour when the land needs it most, and their love is waxing cold through abounding iniquity, when, if ever, it should burn most brightly ? Say not, 0 that a dead world were quickened ; but, 0 that I myself were quickened. Do not many grow weary and faint in their minds, because the example of those most eminent for gifts and graces tends not to encourage, but to dishearten them. Nor can I omit a call to prayer. When an ardent desire is cherished for the Holy Ghost — when the spirit of extraordinary supplication is poured out from on High — the time to favour Zion, the set time, is come. But the prayer that breaks through the clouds, and opens heaven, asks on a scale no lower than according to God's riches in glory, and expects, with joyous confidence, such great things as Christ's great merits can procure, and as it is God-like and worthy of God to bestow. For all the persons of the Godhead are the more highly honoured by the greatness of the benefits conferred. While God's glory is the highest end in prayer, let us, with believing hearts, hold up the one-prevailing name of Jesus, neither expecting an answer for the inward peace, the enlargement, the fervour of the holiest frame ; nor apprehending a de- nial for an uncomfortable frame, for the merits of that name that pre- vails with God is evermore the same. Let us look at the prayers in Scripture, and we find that God's glory, the Church's growth and wel- fare, her holiness and progress, were ever highest in the thoughts and breathings of the saints of God. And if we are animated with any other frame — if that weighs lightly with us that weighs most with God — if our aim does not harmonize with God's in seeking the glory of his name — neither can it be prayer taught by the Spirit, nor prayer oifered up in the name of the Son. For the prayer which is of God maketh inter- cession according to the will of God. (Rom. viii. 27.) The greatest work, perhaps, that some can do for God — and who does not long to do something for him ? — is to give him no rest, and never to keep silence, till the Spirit is sent like floods upon the dry ground. ( 34 ) LECTURE III. BY THE REV. JOHN C. FAIRBAIRN, ALLANTON. " The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. lie maketh me to lie down in green pas- tures : he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul : he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil : for thou art with me ; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.— Psalm xxiii. 1-4. The Redeemer's liking, love, and relationship to his people, are re- presented under manifold striking and comfortable figures. Art thou one of Christ's people ? There is no end to thy felicity. Consider well if thou canst lack any good thing. With Christ pledged and wedded to thy soul, what can be wanting to thee ? If thou art his, and he thine, thou hast all that can ever be desired. Thou art as precious to him as he is to thee. Art thou blessed in receiving ? Christ counts himself as blessed in bestowing. Christ is thy prophet, priest, and king. The functions of each of these offices of his mediatorial character he exer- cises on thy behalf, and that unceasingly. With the Lord Jesus Christ to instruct thee by his word and spirit — to make intercession for thee at the mercy seat — to rule over and defend thee — to subdue thy spiritual enemies under thee — thy portion is a good one. Thou mayest, and must complain of the treachery of thine own heart, but never of him who has redeemed thy soul. Christ thy head — thou a member of his mystical body — he will care for thee. No man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it. Christ is more careful of the members of his body than a man is of his own flesh. Christ is the true vine, thou a branch of it, thou shalt have thy share of nourishment. See that thou art a true, a fruit-bearing branch. Such branches the Father purgeth that they may bring forth more fruit. The barren branches are cut off and cast aside to be burned. There are many such always hanging about the true vine, but never truly grafted in — dead branches — professing Christians. If thou art such thou shalt perish, unless thou gettest thy- self truly grafted in. If a living, fruit-bearing branch, thou shalt be cared for, and have a due portion of nourishment from the root and stem REV. JOHN C. FAIRI5AIRN. 35 on which thou growest. Christ is thy elder brother. He sticketh closer than a brother. He is a faster friend than any brother can be to thee. He is an elder brother, who has at heart the interests of all his brethren. He divides the inheritance amongst them. He purchased it with his precious blood for his brethren. Each shall have his portion — thou thine, if thou art his. What an inheritance Christ shares amongst his brethren ! Whatever blessings God has to bestow, and thy soul is capable of receiving. Not now, for thou canst not now get the inherit- ance in all its fulness. A part of it now — the fulness of it when thou comest to the stature of a perfect man in Christ Jesus — when he has perfected his own image upon thee, and infinitely enlarged the spiritual desires and capabilities of thy soul. Christ is your advocate with the Father. In the heavenly places he is a prevailing intercessor. His plea cannot be resisted. What he gets for his people he gets not of grace, but of right. He has purchased for them, whatever he gets for them. The inheritance is Christ's by right of purchase. He gives it to his people out of mere grace, but he obtained it for them by the bitter travail of his soul. Art thou on© of his ? he pleads for thee day and night without ceasing : when thou art awake, when thou art asleep, when thou thinkest of him, when thou thinkest not of him. Manifold are the relationships in which Christ stands to his people. All of them full of comfort. Wells in the wilderness overflowing with living water. Drink deep, the well cannot be exhausted. Though the whole world were to drink, the spring would still overflow with living water. In this psalm, Christ is shewn as a shepherd. Why speak at large on the duties of a shepherd ? Most know what these are. He must care for the flock. In calm, and in tempest, by night and by day, in summer and in winter, he must care for it, feed it, protect it, keep it from wandering, keep it from famine, keep it from the paw of the wolf and the lion. Even in this country a shepherd's work is arduous ; much more arduous in many other countries. In no country is it an idle, dreamy, sentimental life. Christ is the shepherd of Israel. " Give ear, 0 shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph as a flock, thou that dwellest between the Cherubims, shine forth." He is the good and watchful shepherd. "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young." " I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine." He gathers the flock when it has been scarred and scattered. " Hear the word of the Lord, 0 ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off", and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.'' 36 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. The fact that Christ is the shepherd of Israel, the good and faithful shepherd, continually watching over his people, is not enough for the Psalmist. He gets much nearer to Christ than that. No true comfort, no sure peace with God, is to be had from a distant, unrealizing view of Christ. We must be personally interested in Christ, if we would know him in the power of his salvation. Many have had, and any one may have, a distant view of Christ, and of the glory and excellency of his work, without having a personal interest in him. They have beheld, wondered, and perished. Balaam could see the glory and Divine beauty of " the Star of Jacob." He could see the glory of Christ, and of Christ's work, and the blessed portion of Christ's people. Seeing it he was constrained to admire it and commend it. "How goodly are thy tents, 0 Jacob, and thy tabernacles, 0 Israel. As the vallies are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side. He couched, he lay down as a lion, as a great lion ; who shall stir him up ? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee." The preaching of the gospel, of the excellency of Christ and his salvation, was pleasant to the ears of the stony-ground hearers. They could have sat all day to listen to it. Their ears were ravished, and their eyes were dazzled. They heard the word, and rejoiced in it. Nothing was half so pleasant to their hearing as the blessings unfolded in the Gospel — nothing so ravishing to their sight as the beauty of Christ. Balaam and the stony- ground hearers rested there. They got a far off view of Christ, but not a personal interest in him. Even the lost souls, if they can get a glimpse of paradise, as the rich man did, cannot but discern its excellence and admire it, but only to the increasing of their torment. Rest not con- tent with such far off views of Christ — rest content with nothing short of a personal interest in him. The Psalmist invokes the Lord as the shepherd of Israel ; also as his shepherd — there the comfort lay. " The Lord is my shepherd." You must get as near to Christ, or you can have no comfort, no saving benefit from him. The Psalmist concludes, from the Lord being his shepherd, that he would not want. ,s The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." Being sure of Christ, he could come to no other conclusion. A soul thoroughly converted — strong in the faith — assured that God will abide by his word, must be shut up to this comfortable conclusion. Is there any good thing that the Lord has not included in his promises ? Has he power to do as he has promised ? Is he faithful to do as he has pro- mised? If these conditions hold — to what other conclusion can a ran- somed soul come ? With Christ promising — almighty, faithful — the be- liever cannot well sail for any other port. What promises has God made ! Surely each promise contains abundant blessings. Far more REV. JOHN C, FAIRBAIRN. 37 ■copiousness of blessing than any one is aware of, till put upon the trial. The believer can exhaust none of the promises here. The utmost com- fort he gets of any of them here is but a small portion compared with the inexhaustible fulness of it. Each promise contains much. All the promises taken together contain whatsoever the regenerated soul -can fancy or desire of spiritual good. The believer cannot name a, blessing which is not wrapped up in some one promise, or in the full bosom of all the promises. If any one thinks that his case in some one aspect of it is not provided for in the promises, let him attentively ex- amine the matter. Lot him make inquiry about all his wants, that no want escape notice, so far as it may be known. Let him take the Word of God, and examine the promises, and see if his wants arc not all anticipated there. They are much more than anticipated. Do they not bring many blessings you never thought of, and. quicken many desires that lay quiet within you ? No believer has at any moment of his life a full perception of all he stands in need of. He sees but a little way. His wants are discovered to him one by one, as the dispen- sations of Providenoe shift his circumstances, and place him in new and unimagined positions. He will find every want as it arises provided for in the abounding fulness of the promises. He will discover that Christ has been beforehand with him — considering all his case, and ar- ranging for it. If there is not in the promises the specific blessing which at the time you stand in need of, your case differs from that of all the other children of God. Granting that you cannot discover, specifically set down, the precise blessing you need, do not conclude that it is not in the mind of the Lord to bestow it upon you. If you cannot find it at the moment, yet remember it is there. You will discover it at an- other time. Meanwhile support your soul with this — " All things are yours ; for you are Christ's, and Christ is God's. " He maketh me to lie down in green pastures ; he leadeth me beside the still waters." The word, ordinances, and providence of God — all by which he graciously reveals himself to his people — are to be esteemed as green pastures and still waters. All believers have found them such. Through these Christ reveals his loveliness to them, and fills their souls with ardent longings after him. It should be much of our con- cern to watch and mark what improvement we make in divine ordi- nances— whether we are growing in grace, getting more of the spirit" of holiness, and truly enjoying God in his ordinances. All events in Providence are so devised, shaped, and brought about by the infinite wisdom, and in the abounding love of Christ, as to minister to the good of his people. The good is often not apparent to them : it often lies hidden from them ; it often appears evil to them. Often they cannot No. 108. — Lect. 3. vol. in. 38 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. see how good should accrue to them out of such and such dispensations ; they cannot see one beam of light in them, nor feel one glow of warmth : they see nothing but darkness, and can conjecture nothing but evil. Every thing, so far as man's eye can reach, and man's reason compre- hend, is arrayed against them in fierce, uncompromising battle order. i£ All these things are against us," is their language, and it comes from the heart. It requires strong faith on the part of God's people to believe that every thing is ordered for their good. When faith is required to witness against feeling, much of it is needful. And it is often necessi- tated so to witness. As faith has always to combat with sense, so it has often to combat with feeling. With sense faith has always to maintain a conflict — " We walk by faith, not by sight." Were we to walk by sense, to be guided to our conclusions by its dictates, we would abandon faith, which looks to, and walks by, what is above sense. The world walks by sight, and the things of faith are incomprehensible mysteries to it. Sense concludes against all that cannot be seen, tasted, handled, demonstrated, &c. — against all which to its nature is impal- pable and inappreciable. Faith leaves sense to its own narrow sphere of measurable things, and goes beyond it into far other regions. Its life and enjoyment lie in the apprehension and cleaving to things which are quite beyond the range of sense, and to whose existence, or the remotest traces of it, sense is blind, dead, impervious. At a death- bed sense sees nothing, hears nothing, but the decay of the body, the subsiding of the jjulse of life, the sighs and moanings of departing animation. It sees nothing of the soul departing uninjured from the body ; has no glimpses of the future world ; the dawning of eternity upon the black night of our mortal life pierces not its dusky eye-sight : it beholds not the presence of God, the glories or terrors of his judgment seat ; feels little of appreciable difference between the death of a man and the death of a beast. Faith beholds these things. These are its realities. It sinks the sensible, and fixes upon the super-sensible. The rea- lities of sense are to faith a vapour of smoke intervening between it and the real and actual, dimming them, but affecting them in no other respect. As faith has to maintain a conflict with sense, so often also with feeling. A believer cast down, as the Psalmist often was, into darkness and great depths, having the great billows of terror, anguish, and divine judgment tossing round his soul, and breaking over it, requires much faith to be- lieve against present feeling and experience, that all is well-ordered, all for his good, his real and permanent advantage. Yet it is so. When brought to the point where all the dealings of God with his soul meet and converge, he will admire the beauty and order of them all, see a hun- REV. JOHN C. FAIRBAIRN. 39 dred mysteries unravelled, and be satisfied that he was walking in the sunlight when, at the time, it was all darkness to him. Faith and experience should walk hand in hand, not crossing and thwarting each other, but side by side. It is uncomfortable walking to a child of God when it is not so. The believer's salvation rests not on his own experience, but in Christ's work, and his interest in it. God looks not to the believer's experience. He looks to the believer as he is in Christ Jesus. This should comfort believers in seasons of trial, when doubts and fears arise and prevail for a season. But it should not make them slack or negligent in striving and seeking for more and more of a gracious experience. It should strengthen their confidence in Christ, but render them no whit less jealous of themselves. A gra- cious experience of the presence and favour of God is of unspeakable importance. Believers under trial of darkness and perplexity have been thrown into great alarm, and cried out to God that they cannot live without the sense of his presence with them, and that they must have it. Where Christ is in the soul the hope of glory, there will be manifestations and tokens of his being there. Christ dwelling by his Spirit within the soul cannot but make his indwelling in it manifest to the soul. It will often happen that this manifestation 'will be in the way >f troubling the soul for sin, spiritual sloth, unfaithfulness, moving great struggles of conscience on account of these ; yet not always so. There will be seasons of deep, inexpressible communings of love between the soul and Christ — shinings out of the glory of Christ upon the soul, to its ineffable comfort and joy — possession of the peace of God which passes understanding. The holier, tenderer, and more God-ward the walk, the more of such gracious experience. In such seasons, the care of Christ will very plainly be seen, and deeply felt ; the soul will distinctly know that the Shepherd of Israel is leading it in green pastures, and beside the still waters. " He restoreth my soul." He goes out after it when it has wandered from the fold and pasture into the wilderness. The wandering habit-; of sheep are well known — a fitting emblem of believers. They often wander in vain ways — out of the richest pasture the Lord has provided for them, into the desert where there is no pasture, and no rest for the sole of the foot, into the wilderness of vain thoughts, of wicked, doubt- ing, unbelieving thoughts, from thicket to thicket, still farther astray. The world allures them, and they draw after it. It spreads a magic scene before them, making its dross to shine and sparkle as if it were gold and precious gems. And they are taken in the snare like foolish insects in a spider's web. It will often happen to the traveller, that, after the falling rains have bemired all the ways, and sloughed them 40 FREE CHURCH PUI.PIT. over with clay anrl mud pools, the whole path before him glistens ancJ shines as if it were spangled with innumerable lustrous gems. Behind lie sees it bedaubed in mire, but before it is all a blaze with radiance. Ten thousand mimic sunbeams brandish and interweave their light. A like art has the god of this world to deck out the world's vanities. We pursue them, and grasp at them, and fill our bosom with them, and behold they are vanity. Still the path glistens before us, and we push on for farther trial to secure a booty — on and on, till, awakened to our lolly by some warning sent home to us from the Scriptures, or some sharp stroke of Providence, we bemoan ourselves, observing how we have despised God's mercies, and thrust out so far from his presence. The prodigal son, when he came to himself, resolved to return to his father's house, and cast himself on his father's mercy. It was death to remain where he was ; to return could, at the worst, be death ; we know what reception he had. It is to teach sinners to return to God, and to encourage them to return with the assurance of a gracious reception. God's love exceeds that of the father in the parable. God not only waits to be gracious — he sends out into the wilderness, the far country, after his wandering children. If he does so to invite unbelieving sinners to ccme to him, much more does Christ, when any of his people stray from the fold, hasten out after them to fetch them back. He will chastise and afflict them for their sins, but he will not forsake them. They are too precious to him. He purchased them at too dear a price to part with them. He restoreth their souls. The provision made by Christ for his people is so full and complete, and he is always so ready to bestow his blessing upon them, that, but for their own carelessness, sloth, and sin, they need at no time be in straits. To exhort believers to rejoice in the Lord, and to set before them the grounds of thoir joy, is of good use for many ends, and chiefly to stir them up to seek after greater advances in holy walking and com- muning with God; but to insinuate that believers shall have nothing but joy and comfort here below, were vain talk, and wide of all Chris- tian experience. Our Lord exhorts his people to be of good cheer, for he has overcome the world ; but at the same time certifies them that in tho world they shall have tribulation. There is no record in Scripture of any believer having had uninterrupted spiritual comfort here below. Often in great joy, but not in continual, uninterrupted joy. In what confusion and perplexity of spirit do we often find believers — thrust down into what dismal and death-like places? How often was the Psalmist at hi3 wits' end, through fear and trembling? How often plunged, as it were, to the lowest bottom of the deep, kept down there- with the terrors of the Almighty passing over him ? " O Lord, rebuke REV. JOHN C. FAIRBAIRN. 41 me not in thy wrath, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger, neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin." " Innumerable evils have com- passed me about ; mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up ; they are more than the hairs of my head, there- fore my heart faileth me." And so in many other passages. And as with the Psalmist, so with others of God's servants whose experience Scripture records. Out of such fearful troubles and depression of soul there was none to deliver the Psalmist. Man's help was of no avail. As well try to draw out Leviathan with a hook. He could no more deliver himself, than if he had been lying under weight of the moun- tains. Beyond the reach of all other help, the Lord remembers him, stretches down his hand, lifts him, restores his soul. The Lord's people are often called upon to praise him in the words of Jonah, " The waters compassed me about, even to the soul : the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains ; the earth with her bars was about me for ever, yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God !" Having restored the souls of his people, Christ leads them in the paths of righteousness — in the statutes, ordinances, and commandments of God. Except in these, there is no safe walking. All other paths are confused, and lead to confusion. Even godless sinners may know this, if they would consult their own experience. They have no true peace in the ways where they walk. They can have none. These are paths of destruction — they lead to death — they take hold of hell. In the fourth verse, the Psalmist comforts himself still more in his Redeemer. The believer, walking in the fear of God, and doing his utmost to keep his heart and steps from the ways of temptation, cannot make too great demands upon the grace and favour of God. All that he has to ask is short of what God has promised. The Psalmist now com- forts himself not only from the review of God's merciful dealing with him hitherto, but looks forward with confidence for the time to come. Whilst he has any being, he expects to be praising the Lord for his mercies. He here anticipates and tries to realize the time when he should be called on to depart this life. This Paul also did, who declares concerning himself, that he died daily. He speaks of the valley of the shadow of death, and of his passing through it. If we could follow his thoughts whither they have now gone, and get a glimpse, by anti- cipation, of our own walking through this valley of the shadow of death, we might see our need of having Christ for our guide and comforter there. It is a dark and dismal place — to the mere natural apprehen- 42 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. sion the most terrible place except hell. It is overshadowed with fears, and haunted with innumerable horrors — full of snares and plagues. We then come into frightful terrors and bewilderment, where there is no peace, and can be none, except Christ be with us. We have come within the shadow of eternity. We are going, breath by breath, step by step, out of this state of things, so familiar to us and so fondly cherished. The sun has gone down beneath the horizon, the light of this world is fading from our eye. We have gotten shoaled and shelved, cast up out of this our native element upon the shore of an unexplored world. Our senses, which brought us into contact with terrestrial things, have no occupation here. They bring us no intimations. They cannot lay their hands upon the objects of the eter- nal world. The objects of time are left behind. They have, to our seeming, changed their nature. They have become shadows. Many other things make death terrible. Sin and Satan lurk and work in the shadow of death. The sins of men's lives start up to scar them and increase and intensify their fearful apprehensions. They had forgot- ten their sins, had supposed they were dead and buried, no more to be seen or heard of. They had only gone before them to judgment, to meet them again in this evil place, to haunt their steps and pur- sue them to the judgment seat. This sudden onset of sin has driven many to despair in passing through the valley of the shadow of death ; and occasioned even to many a redeemed soul, whose sins were all pardoned, a season of inexpressible anguish of spirit, though before their departure the cloud has passed away, and the sunshine and calm returned. Satan is busy with his temptations here — nowhere busier, shooting his bolts on every side, wounding the soul, and making it pass through a shower of fire. God often lets loose all his terrors here against the wicked, so that they are utterly confounded. It is all horror, and darkness, and conflict, and struggle. To the awakened but uncon- verted sinner, death is ineffably dreadful. The believer would sink helpless were he left to himself. The Psalmist could contemplate the terrors of death. All passed before nis mind. He left none of them out. He looked not with a careless eye — not with a kind of glance which men will now and then throw sidelong at some evil in their path, which must one day be met, but which being yet at some distance, they are glad to look more sparingly at its dark, than at its hopeful side. He knew what was to be met, en- countered, struggled with, in death. In the face of all death's terrors, he concludes, "I shall fear no evil." His reason is, " for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." Christ goes with his people through the whole journey of life, and does not forsake them at REV. JOHN C. FAIRBAIRN. 43 death. He draws near them then. Whatever the sinner trusted in, leaves them here — whatever the sinner feared, meets him here — what- ever the believer feared, by and by, leaves him here. Christ takes him by the hand and leads him through — Christ has conquered the terrors of death and hell. They stand in awe of Christ. They crouch down before him, content if he pass without lifting his staff against them. In his hand the believer is safe, and shall be brought in peace to his ex- pected end. ( 44 ) LECTURE IV. BY THE REV. JOHN MONTGOMERY, INNERLEITHEN. " Rear my prayer, O Lord ; give ear to my supplications : in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness. And enter not into judgment with thy servant ; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul ; he hath smitten my life down to the ground : he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead. Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me ; my heart within me is desolate. I remember the days of old ; I meditate on all thy works : I muse on the work of thy hands. I stretch forth my hands unto thee : my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah. Hear me speedily, O Lord ; my spirit faileth : hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. Cause me to hear thy loving kindness in the morning ; for in thee do I trust ; cause me to know the way wherein I should walk ; for I lift up my soul unto thee. Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me. Teach me to do thy will ; for thou art my God : thy spirit is good ; lead me into the land of upright- ness. Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name's sake : for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble. 4nd of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul ; for I am thy servant." — Psalm cxliii. This Psalm is adapted to a time of trial. Believers have joys un- known to other men ; and although they share with other men in common sorrows and calamities, they have also disti'esses peculiar to themselves, " The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us." But the present time is a time of many sufferings. " Blessed is the man that endureth temptation ;" but it is no strange thing that happens to us when we are tried with a fiery trial. "All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." " To die is gain." Per- haps it is sometimes more difficult, and requires a greater exercise of faith to assure ourselves, concerning some of the trials of life, that they work for good to us, than to assure ourselves of this concerning death — more difficult to look with resignation and complacency on some of God's providential dispensations, than to look forward with complacency and hope to the hour of death. And there are trials more fiery than even the losses and bereavements which Christians so keenly feel, and by which they are made practically acquainted with the preciousness of Christ, the riches of his grace, the greatness of his promises, the bliss- fulness of his fellowship, and the abundant consolations of the Holy Ghost — more fiery than even losses and bereavements such as often drive REV. JOHN MONTGOMERY. 45 the unchastened spirits of ungodly men to the madness of despair. " All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." Christ's people are hated by the wicked ; and which of them has never felt it hard to bear the calumny and scorn wherewith their enemies have per- secuted them when hatred had no other way to vent itself, no other means by which to persecute ; and when they knew that the rack and the dungeon, the stake and the gibbet, were not at present to be feared —when, it may be, even their worldly fortunes seemed secure against all the assaults of unbelieving malignity ? Nay, it seems as if our Lord intimated that this must often be felt by' his followers to be one of the most intolerable forms of persecution — apart from others, itself a fiery trial — conjoined with others, an aggravation of their worst intensity — a trial in which there is especial need of heavenly consolation — when he said in his Sermon on the Mount, "Blessed are ye when men shall re- vile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven : for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you." But torment of conscience is worse than all the calamities of life — worse than all the suffering that the hands of the persecutor can inflict — worse than all the pain that backbitings and whisperings can cause. " The spirit of a man will sustain his infir- mity, but a wounded spirit who can bear ? David strongly expresses this in the thirty-second Psalm, where he says, "When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me ; my moisture is turned into the drought of summer." And in many other places of the Book of Psalms, he describes in like manner the anguish of his soul ; for instance, in the fifty-first Psalm, when he speaks of the bones which God hath broken. And with less explicit reference to affliction of his conscience, or to his transgressions as the cause of that spiritual anguish which he endures, he often expresses himself in language otherwise very similar, and appa- rently proceeding from avery similar distress. For instance, in the forty- second Psalm — " As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me, while they say daily unto me, Where is thvGod ?" And in the Psalm now under our consideration, verses three and four — "For the enemy hath per- secuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground ; hehath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead. Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me ; my heart within me is desolate." Let it not be imagined that distress of conscience is felt by unbelievers alone. David was a believer when he endured it ; he had experienced and escaped from it, and yet he fell into it again. You are not safe 46 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. from all danger of this distress till beyond the reach of temptation, and beyond all possibility of transgression. We must also reflect, that wicked men are not the only persecutors of the saints of God. Wicked men are slaves and minions of the devil. He himself is the great persecutor — our adversary, who, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour — the accuser of the brethren, who accuseth them before God day and night. And wicked men are not the only agents whom he employs to carry on his work. He has other legions at least as malignant as they. " We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." The victory is promised to the believer, yet there may be many temporary reverses in that protracted warfare, many a fall in that incessant conflict, ere we shall be made more than conquerors through him that loved us, and shall rise to an eternal triumph, or ra- ther, shall be raised by him who is for us, and who is greater than all they that can be against us, and who will place us where we can be as- sailed no more. There may be many hours of gloom and fear even after the first dawn of heavenly light has gladdened the soul, even after the rays of the Sun of Righteousness have kindled it to raptures of holy joy — much walking in darkness after God has shined in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Jesus Christ. Clouds may interpose : our beloved may withdraw himself and be gone, and we may be constrained to exclaim — Oh, that I knew where I might find him ! It may seem as though sin had for ever separated between us and our God. David was not unlike all other believers in his experience when he cried, "How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord ? for ever ? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me ?" Trouble of conscience may arise (as we see from the thirty- second psalm) upon commission of sin ; the Lord may hide his face from us, and seem to forget us, when we have for a while forgotten him ; he may deal with us as with the Israelites of old, when he said to them (as we read in the tenth chapter of the Book of Judges), " Go, and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen ; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation." Or he may graciously appoint to try us in this way with interruption of his sensible fellow- ship, in order that we may be excited to seek him with increased ear- nestness, and so attain to a higher spirituality, and enjoy his fellowship more perfectly than before ; or in order that we may be brought to ac- knowledge with more perfect cordiality our absolute dependence on his sovereign grace. Or distress may be caused by temptation, whilst yet this, with all things, shall work for good to us under God's control and REV. JOHN MONTGOMERY. 47 by his fatherly care ; wicked men and devils may be permitted to assail us, and so far to prevail, as much to distress us by temptations to ab- horred iniquity, and to cast us into doubt by false accusations, so that we know not well what to say, or what to think, when they cry against us, Where is thy God? It would seem that the psalm now before us was composed in a time of trial. It is suited to such a time. Perhaps it was the utterance at once of David's piety and of his distress, when he fled from the face of his own son Absalom, in midst of afflictions strangly multiplied and aggravated ; when his prosperity was changed all at once into adversity ; when his heart was lacerated by the conduct of Absalom ; when he was an exile from Jerusalem, and could no longer go up with the multitude that kept holiday into the house of God, whose courts he loved ; when every circumstance reminded him of his own worst offences now visited with chastisement ; and when (as may well be supposed,) Satan took advantage of all these distresses, and seized the opportunity to cast in a flood of atheistical suggestions, and to fill the soul with darkness, and doubt, and fear. Nothing is more certain than that believers may attain to an assur- ance of their own salvation ; and yet, it is evident that believers may have very many anxieties, and very many doubts and fears. Nay, even those who have attained to an assurance of their own salvation, may be caused to pass through old trials again ; and doubt and fear and anxiety may return after they have been gone, and, as we fancied, gone for ever. We cannot stay at present to investigate the causes by which the soul's assurance is thus disturbed, nor the variety of condi- tions under which such disturbance may take place ; but let us observe how impossible it is to affix any meaning to the expressions of the Psalmist in the psalm before us, unless it be admitted that a peaceful, joyful assurance of salvation is attainable, and that, after it has been attained, doubts and fears may yet arise in the soul of the be- liever. With respect to this assurance, there are two extremes of opinion both to be avoided. On the one hand, it is imagined by some, that a man is not in a state of salvation, unless the assurance of that salvation be enjoyed — that there is no real faith in his soul unless he be ready to say, " I know that I believe in Christ ; I know that I am accepted by God; I know that I am on the way to heaven." On the other hand, there are some who, perceiving this notion to be unscriptural, and to be fraught with very dangerous consequences, fall into an error which perhaps is not less dangerous, and either take for granted, that an 48 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. assurance of salvation is unattainable, or that it is presumption in ordinary Christians to think of attaining it. These are important errors — much evil perpetually flows from each of them. If it be asserted that there is no saving faith without the present knowledge and assur- ance of salvation, then Christians, already weak and weary, are still further distressed ; even those who have been borne up till they felt that they were really in heavenly places, mounting as on eagle's wings, and singing praises in holy ecstacy as they arose into the serene pure air, where for a while they have enjoyed the beatific sunshine of the Saviour's countenance, may be troubled by such doctrine, for they have a sweet remembrance still of these heavenly joys ; yet now, it is not with them as it was with them in such favoured moments — their wings have flagged, and their soaring spirits have sunk again — and now again they are tossed about by the stormy winds of earthly passion, full of disquietudes and cares, from which, for a while, they were exempt, and which, in midst of their joy, they had forgotten, and compelled to cry, like Paul, " 0, wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this death ?" And, scarcely able to add, like him, " I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord,'' — they are still more enfeebled and distressed by this doctrine, which tempts them to think that their former experience of joy and peace may have been all a delusion. It tends to sink them deeper in the dark waters in which they are now struggling ; whilst on others, perhaps weaker in the faith than they, who have never experienced such joy, its effect is, if possible, even more deadly, and the hope which had begun to spring up in their hearts is rudely quenched. Satan comes in disguise as a messenger of God, and, professing nothing but anxiety for their salvation, more effectually troubles their souls by his feigned voice of kindness than he could by all the bellowings of hell. Nor is the injury less serious which results to those who look with greatest contempt upon that weak, trembling, flickering hope which seems so easily put out. This doctrine disheartens many a true believer, but it also encourages many a vain pretender. And I know few sj:>ectacles more melancholy than that of the man who, supposing faith in Christ to be an easy thing, gives his heartless assent to a statement of doctrine, which it pleases him to designate the gospel, and forthwith concluding himself to be in a state of salvation, boasts of his faith, and speaks as if he were unquestionably on the road to heaven, whilst there is nothing heaven-like about his character, and no evidence of faith whatever except that boastful profession and the supercilious air with which he compassionates those who dare not boast like himself. I know not what delusion is more hopeless and desperate ; when such a case is cured, it is REV. JOHN MONTGOMERY. 49 in truth a marvellous illustration of the sovereignty of grace, and the power of God. But if, on the other hand, men take it for granted that assurance is not attainable, or at least that the attainment of it is not to be expected on their part, the result is very deplorable. For, if the man who falls into such error be a Christian, he is debarred from many of the highest en- joyments of the Christian life, from enjoyments with which great attain- ments in holiness are connected, and which, in some measure, are even indispensable to such attainments; many of the Christian's privileges are known to him only in name ; he is prevented from rendering proper obedience to the commandment, " Rejoice in the Lord ;" he is withheld from glorifying God as he might and as he ought ; he is kept walking in darkness when he might walk in light. His influence for good amongst his fellow men is grievously diminished. Indeed, it is hard to see how such a notion can consist with much zeal in the cause of Christ; most probably the Christian who entertains it is but a very worldly Christian still, and worldly men are encouraged by what they hear from his lips, in their own opinion, that it is not necessary to be at much trouble about religion — they are encouraged to think that they have done enough and gone far enough when they have got the length of say- ing without dishonesty that they hope Jesus Christ will be their Saviour, and that they shall go to heaven. The devil will not readily disturb them in such peace, nor quench such hope ; such peace and hope are really the works of the devil. And surely there is every reason to doubt the religion of those men who are contented to want assurance of their own salvation; nay, if they are quite contented, their Christianity may very safely be denied. What, if perhaps some Christians are very car- nal and lethargic ; and if perhaps some man so carnal and lethargic that you see no more than some faint sign of spiritual life, may, after all, be in a state of grace — are you to be contented to be as the worst and as the weakest ? Are you to comfort yourselves with the thought of your re- semblance to them ? You think it possible that one may be a Christian who is sunk in a certain wretched lethargy — but oh ! how worthless is the hope you found upon such an imagined possibility ! You are like those who flatter themselves with the expectation of a death-bed repent- ance. When men seem contented to want assurance of their own salva- tion, may we not think it is because they do not even believe heaven and hell to be realities ? How can we suppose that they have any proper sense of sin, or that the cross of Christ and the Day of Judg- ment have any considerable place in their thoughts, or any consider- able influence over their hearts ? No, my friends, the man may be No. 109. — Lect. 4. VOL. III. 50 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. a Christian who still has much doubt, and anxiety, and fear ; but there is the greatest reason to conclude favourably of the real Christianity of him who is most desirous to obtain assurance, most distressed for the want of it, and most unremitting in the use of all the means of grace in order that it may be obtained. Suppose not that it is unattainable — suppose not that only apostles, and prophets, and martyrs, and men of distinction in the Church of Christ, have attained it — suppose not that it is a gift so rare and peculiar that it is not to be sought in the use of any ordinary means of grace, but comes unexpected, like the gift of prophecy, and visions, and revelations, which came suddenly to holy men of old ; but suppose that every step onward in the Christian course is a step towards its most perfect attainment. To you it is said, " Give diligence to make your calling and election sure." Press toward the mark, like Paul, and think not of jmusing till you can say, like him, " I know in whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." Nor will you think of pausing then — certainly not then ; you will then be less apt than now to be con- tented with attainments made, or to imagine that you have attained as much as is attainable — you will be more earnest than now instill pressing on and seeking the way to Zion with your faces thitherward. But observe now, brethren, how the Psalmist in this psalm speaks to God as his God. Even when he is much depressed — much tempted to doubt and to despond — he resists the devil — he refuses to yield — he strives to banish doubt and despondency — he resolutely says, " 1 will not despair;" and he looks up to God as he makes, and piously utters the resolution. There is many a common error on the subject of assurance, to which we have not time at present to attend, but one which is very common is forced upon our notice, by the striking contrast of the Psalmist's conducted as exhibited in this psalm. How often do we see that when temptations come, and doubts arise in the soul, men yield at once, they prostrate themselves on the ground, andean hardly be roused to any exertion ? It is well that the hope which is in believers cannot die; for when Satan's temptations are powerful, and he presses them hard with arguments, they sometimes seem to be themselves determined that it shall not live. Now it is positively sinful to give way to despon- dency ; and what is despair but rebellion against God ? See what David did when he was assailed with temptations of this nature : he cried out of the depths, he stretched out his hands unto God, he laid hold of the covenant, he laid hold of God as Ma God. Remember Jacob, how he wrestled all night with the angel of the Lord, how "he wept and made supplication unto him." It is a grievous complaint, indeed, which REV. JOHN MONTGOMERY. 51 the eighty-eighth Psalm contains, but it is a complaint to God, and it begins with the words, " O Lord, God of my salvation." Consider the forty- second Psalm ; hear how David says "Omy God." Consider how he strives to encourage himself in the Lord, even when he seems to find it very difficult : " Why art thou cast down, 0 my soul ? And why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God." And now look into this psalm before us : consider particularly the tenth verse, "Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God ;" or the twelfth verse, " 1 am thy servant ;" or the eighth verse, " In thee do I trust." Or consider the first verse — it really illustrates this point as well as any verse in the psalm, though to perceive it a little more attention may be necessary. Consider the appeal to faithfulness and righteousness, " Hear my prayer, 0 Lord ; give ear to my supplications ; in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness." What appeal can be made to the righteousness or to the faithfulness of God, unless we confess him as our God? But, again, consider what it is to confess God as our God. There is no other way of confessing him at all. This is not necessarily the lan- guage of assurance. I mean that it is not necessarily the language of a man having assurance of his own salvation. It is rather the language of appropriating faith. It is the language of a man putting in his claim, uttering forth his desire, and endeavouring to give effect to that desire, stretching out his hand to grasp the hand that is stretched out for his salvation. It is fit language, indeed, for one to use who enjoys assur- ance ; but of itself it is not sufficient to show that assurance is enjoyed ; and it must be borne in mind that assurance of salvation is never en- joyed when faith is not in exercise: it requires that assurance of faith which is often confounded with it, but which is really a very different thing ; and the language of assured salvation is still the language of ap- propriation, of appropriating faith. But there is a great difference, my friends, betwixt saying to Gcd, " Thou art my God," and saying to men that we know him to be our God. I need no previous assurance of salvation to warrant me in saying to God, " Thou art my God" — nay, 1 need no previous remembered faith ; but, on the mere warrant of God's word addressed to me, I may go to him now in faith, and going to him in faith, I may, and in reality I must, call upon him as ray God : for in the act of calling upon him, I must take him to be my God ; without this there is no calling upon him at all ; until I do this I still refuse to sub- mit myself to him, and am a resolute rebel. With my heart I must call upon him as my God, even if thoughts arise within me which check the 52 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. utterance of the words as they come to my lips ; and I am bound also without delay to confess God before men, and thus also before men I must say that he is my God, intending by this to tell them that 1 now seek him, devote myself to him, and renounce all idols which I have worshipped The humble believer is often very bold in doing this, whilst still most anxious and uncertain about his own salvation. But it is quite a dif- ferent thing to say to men that I know God to be my God, and im- plies an assurance of my acceptance and of my salvation. And many a one who, like David, says to God, " Thou art my God" — thus with his heart receiving Christ as he is offered in the gospel, and giving himself to Christ without reserve — may yet be far from feeling himself warranted to say to his fellow-men that he knows God to be his God in- deed. But the expressions used by David in the Psalm before us are not all capable of being regarded as the mere expressions of appropriating faith. There is an evident reflection upon the past, and a struggle not only against the temptation to doubt the present favour of God, but also against the temptation to doubt the reality of former spiritual peace and joy. It is true, however, that in the soul's struggle against despondency, and against the temptation to despair, the exercise of faith is indeed that in which it is chiefly employed. Perhaps the first verse of this Psalm may be regarded as indicative of the depth of that distress into which David was sunk at this time, and of the strength of those temptations of unbelief with which he was as- sailed. He seems as if he felt some difficulty in bringing himself to think that God would hear him, or in bringing his heart tu a state of feeling accordant with this just judgment of his mind. Knowing that God is truly near and ready to hear, he yet feels as if God were far away, as if sin had completely separated betwixt him and his God ; and therefore he calls urgently upon the Lord to hear his prayer, and to give ear to his supplications, ere he goes on to make his appeal to the faithfulness and to the righteousness of the Lord. " Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my supplications : in I by faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness." If your distress be deep, you will see such deep distress exhibited in the Psalms of David, and you will see how he found relief. I do not suppose this appeal to the faithfulness and to the righteous- ness of God to be made with reference merely to David's human ene- mies, and the justice of his cause in his strife with them, though this explanation, which has been sometimes given, may be no otherwise in- correct than as it is imperfect. No doubt David might well plead thus, REV. JOHN MONTGOMERY. 53 and entreat God to arise and plead his own cause — for the cause of God's people is God's own cause— and the church may use such language now, and plead thus with God in the midst of her contend- in gs. It is true that in the next verse David confesses himself a sinner, who cannot stand in his own righteousness. And even so must we. Every man is guilty, and the church is guilty : except as by the blood of Christ that guilt is washed away, and, the righteousness of Christ being imputed, God seeth no iniquity in Jacob nor perverseness in Israel. But in our contendings with our fellow-men our cause may still be a righteous cause. Our sins may have been great and many ; there may be much corruption in our hearts ; but their accusations are not the less malevolent and false. And even when their rage is made to accomplish God's purpose of grace in the chastisement of his people's sins, their rage is still wicked, and the cause of God's people is still, as it respects them, a righteous cause. But if the Psalmist thus prayed with reference to his human enemies, not less properly may such prayer be made with reference to spiritual enemies ; and surely spiritual enemies distressed him most, and the voice of Shimei, which David heard as he fled from Absalom, was not the most afflictive in its accusations. Many may rise up against us, and seek to destroy us, but how delightful to think that we may flee unto God to hide us— that we may pray to him for help, and may appeal to his faithfulness and righteousness ! How precious is that truth, and how necessary as a foundation for all assurance of salvation, that God's faithfulness consists not with the destruction of any whom he has called in his grace — of any who have truly called upon his name ! What comfort could we have even in the contempla- tion of mercy and grace — or what could we know of mercy and grace — unless we were assured that " if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness ?" But, knowing this, we may compare the multitude of God's mercies with the multitude of our sins, and still rejoice in hope. Very humbly does the Psalmist speak in the second verse of this psalm — " Enter not into judgment with thy servant ; for in thy sight shall no man living be jus- tified." I think this second verse leads us to a more complete view of the meaning of the first. It is not merely with reference to the rage of any enemies whatsoever that David appeals to the faithfulness and righteousness of God — it is not merely with reference to the falsehood of their accusations ; but when he pleads against the hosts of earth and hell, he derives his confidence, or his hope, from a view of God's righteousness and God's faithfulness as glorified in Christ, and there- fore glorified in his salvation. If enemies were out of the question alto- 54 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. gether, there would still be an undiminished necessity for looting io these attributes of God. It is with reference to himself, only as in him self considered, that the Psalmist uses the language of the second verse. If he had not known of a perfect satisfaction to justice, and a perfect justification of sinners sueh as he, what would an appeal to God's righteousness have been but a daring insult, an invocation of wrath, a petition that he might instantly be east into hell ? But David looked to him for whose righteousness' sake God is well pleased, the Lord our Righteousness. We must think of Christ that we may re- concile these petitions with one another. " In thy faithfulness answer me and in thy righteousness ; and enter not into judgment with thy servant." This verse shows how vain all expectation must be of working out a righteousness by the deeds of the law, or of contributing anything to- wards our own justification. If we look to our own works, there is no- thing reasonable but despair ; looking to Christ and to his work, we have hope. For the least sin that we have committed we can never make atonement, but the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin. Even if there were no depravity inherent in the transgressor — no temptation to more transgression — nothing but one sin committed — the most perfect obedience, however long continued, could not atone for it, and nothing could be superadded which should serve the purpose any better. The demands of the law — unchanging and unrelaxing — would still press at every moment for all which could then be rendered — not a moment's intermission possible, not a moment which could be made available to counterbalance the transgression of a moment that is past. But the confidence of believers is this : " Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us," and by his obedience and suffer- ings "hath magnified the law and made it honourable." Think of him as G0d — think of him as man —think of him as God and man in two dis- tinct natures and one person — think of the covenant of grace, and of the Church's union with Christ, and of his bearing the iniquities of many, his being delivered for their offences and raised again for their justifi- cation— and you will see how David, whilst he deprecated God's wrath, humbling himself as a sinner who deserved that wrath, was able to ap- peal to the faithfulness and righteousness of God. And mark, ray friends, how closely this is connected with the subject of assurance already under our consideration. I have adverted to the difference betwixt the assurance of faith and the assurance of salvation, so often confounded with one another. But observe again, that without assurance of faith there can be no assurance of salvation. That is the REV. JOHN MONTGOMERY. 55 foundation upon which it rests. How indispensable, therefore, are clear views of Christ ? Without clear views of what he is and of what he haa done, we cannot confidently trust in him. Unless we see how God's faithfulness and righteousness are glorified in the cross, the thought of these attributes must produce terror. And thus, whatever be the use- fulness of self-examination, and however necessary it is to attend to marks of grace, there is no peace to the soul, no assurance of God's love, nor feeling of salvation, unless we be actually looking to Christ — looking to him not (if that be possible) in mere uninterested contempla- tion, nor in mere uninterested admiration, but looking to him for sal- vation. I shall dwell no longer on the second verse, and as for the third and fourth, the remarks already made concerning the occasion of this psalm, and the distress of soul to which the believer may be reduced, must suf- fice. Only in the last clause of the third verse, "He hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead ;" and in the seventh verse, which you may compare with it, " Hear me speedily, O Lord, my spirit faileth, hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit ;" you may see what the believer may become like, but what he can never become. His soul may cleave unto the dust — he may dwell in darkness as those that have been long dead — he may be- come like unto those that go down into the pit — but down into the pit he cannot go, he "shall never die." I know not how death-like his con- dition may become, nor how desperate his case may seem, how far it is possible that a believer may be led into sin, nor how far it is possible that Satan may prevail to obscure his views, to quench his hope, to fill his soul with doubt and with dismay ; but the word of God assures us of this, " he shall never die." I know not how desolate a believer's heart may be- come, nor how long he may remain desolate, in deprivation of the sen- sible fellowship of God ; but God " will not cast off for ever" — " though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies." And if the contemplation of those great distresses from which the Psalmist obtained deliverance be very encouraging to those who are themselves involved in trials somewhat similar, as some of you may be, no less is it calculated to produce humility in those on whom the light of God's countenance now shines, and to make them sensible of their entire dependence on the grace of God. It were easy to enlarge upon this point, and to shew you that the study of such a psalm as this is not less likely to be profitable in a time of joy than in a time when the spirit is, like the Psalmist's, overwhelmed and 56 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. the heart desolate. But we must proceed to consider the remaining verses. The fifth verse describes an exercise in which the Psalmist found com- fort— " I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works ; I muse on the work of thy hands." Some rays from heaven now began to pierce the clouds and to illuminate the darkness. The thought of what God had done encouraged hope again. For many reasons, it is good to meditate on all the works of God ; his attributes are exhibited in his works, and there is noneof them all, nothing in creation nor in providence, which a pious man may not piously contemplate. The frequent refe- rences made in Scripture to these works of God, may serve to show us both how profitable it is to contemplate them piously, and how they maj be piously contemplated. To look upon the grandeur or the beauty of creation may move to reverence, or to holy enthusiasm of gratitude and love. Most pleasing discoveries of God's wisdom and goodness may be made in watching the habits of an insect, or examining the structure of a flower. Thus, the soul may be strengthened against atheistical suggestions, and may delight itself in the Lord ; and amidst the troubles of life, the bustle of affairs, and the tumults of the people, the glorious spectacle of the starry firmament, in its perfect serenity, may tranquillise the heart. And ought not hope to be reanimated in the Christian by every rainbow that appears in the cloud, and tells of a covenant-keeping God ? But, above all, God's works of grace are great, and his people seek them out, and take pleasure in thein. David reflected on the ancient covenant and promises, on the calling of Abraham, on the deliverance from Egypt, on the parted waters of the Red Sea. on the manna of the wilderness, on the conquest and secure possession of the promised land. David "encouraged himself in the Lord his God" by reflecting on these things, and on such things as these. Let us follow his example — these are proper themes of meditation for us likewise ; and, above all, the work of Christ now finished, his decease which he accomplished at Jerusalem, his resurrection from the dead, and his ascension into heaven. It is good to study the history of the Church, to mark God's faithfulness in the fulfilment of his promises, and to behold the unceasing diffusion of the riches of his grace. It is good also to inquire how individuals have found him faithful in their personal experience, and how his grace has abounded to the chief of sinners. No enlightened Christian can be in- different about the success of missions, or about revivals of religion, and such works of grace as have lately been wrought in some parts of our own land, and likewise in other lands. Especially, it behoves the Chris- tian to consider well all God's dealings with himself, and all that God REV. JOHN MONTGOMERY. 57 has done for his own soul. If at any time we have sensibly enjoyed the fellowship of God, let us keep it in remembrance, and earnestly recal the thought in times of trouble. Such a thought is not by itself enough — we must not rest on feelings present nor remembered ; but such a thought may greatly cheer us when out of the depths we cry unto the Lord — when through darkness we strain the eyes in looking to Christ. It was thus that David encouraged himself — thus that he made use of his recollections of the past ; for, see how he says in the verse which follows, "I stretch forth my hands unto thee, my soul thirsteth after thee as a thirsty land." " Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." " When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them." " Wa- ters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert ! The desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose !" To the seventh verse I have already adverted, and will only further call your attention to the earnestness which it exhibits, and the impor- tunity with which the Psalmist prays. 0, if we were as earnest as he, we too would be importunate ! If we knew the value and sweetness of God's fellowship, we would be more sensible of desolateness when his countenance does not shine on us. We would cry, like the Psalmist, not only for his return, but for his speedy return. (Verse eighth.) ' ' Cause me to hear thy loving-kindness in the morning, for in thee do I trust." " Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." It is morning when the light of the Sun of Righteousness is seen, when God's countenance shines again. I am not sure whether there is any reference here made to that morning when God wrought wonders at the Red Sea, as he brought his people out of Egypt. But it is obvious that here the Psalmist prays with earnestness for spiritual deliverance, and for the restored sense of God's favour. Nor did he ask one spiritual blessing alone : " Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk;" he immediately says, " for I lift up my soul unto thee." The man that trusts in God will certainly lift up his soul unto God to ask this blessing. In a time of trouble he may be moved to earnest importunity by the sense of spiritual danger, as well as by the sense of spiritual misery and want ; but it is thus also that the believer runs on his way rejoicing — he is God's servant, whom the Lord himself has made willing in the day of his power— he is willing to serve God — he desiresand delights to do the will of God — he prays, and is heard. The Psalmist expresses de- sires in which every pious heart partakes, when, after entreating God to speak to him with the voice of lovingkindness, he asks instruction as 58 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. to the way in which he should walk, that he may advance to closer communion with God, may walk in the light of the Lord, and may shew forth the praises of Him who has called him out of darkness into his mar- vellous light. My friends, do you long for this? Do you ask this? Do you implore God to guide you, to uphold 37ou, to keep you from sin ? Or would you be Letter pleased to obtain justification without sanctifica- tion, if it were possible ? Would you be contented to walk all the way to hell, if, at the last moment, you were to' be plucked up thence and placed in heaven ? God's people would not. The Psalmist prays again for deliverance from his enemies. (Verse ninth.) " Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies ; I flee unto thee to hide me.'' It may be comment enough on this verse, and our time scarcely permits more, to quote the first verse of the forty-sixth Psalm : " God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.'' In God himse! is our only refuge, in God is our only safety. Even when distressec by the thought of your sins, flee not from God, but flee to God ; even when transgression is recent, flee at once to God, to the throne of grace ; God will receive you graciously ; Jesus will not cast out any who come unto God through him. And the way to that hiding place of perfect safety is free and open ; all enemies, all devils, cannot stop it up ; God is a very present help — your hiding place is near. The prayer for instruction and guidance is repeated in the tenth verse. You see how earnest the Psalmist was in this prayer : " Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God ; thy spirit is good, lead me into the land of uprightness." God alone can teach us the will of God ; it is learned only by those who sit at the feet of Jesus, and who contemplate him in order to behold it illustrated in his life. And you see how David depended on the Holy Spirit. That Spirit is promised and sent forth by Christ to guide his disciples into all truth. We have encouragement even bej'ond David, in making such prayers as this, under the present ministration of the Spirit. " Thy spirit is good, lead me into the land of uprightness." Nor must we think that the Spirit merely teaches, or that consolation is his only other Mork. He is Almighty, and his power sustains the sons of God. He leads them, helping all their in- firmities ; leads them so as to bring them through every difficulty, through every trial, to a wealthy place, to a land of uprightness, to a place of enlargement and of joy, nay, often thus time after time emanci- pating them and making them victorious, and certainly bringing them at last to the better country — the heavenly Canaan. The reference to the Spirit and his work is not less manifest in the eleventh verse than in the teuth, though he is not mentioned by name. REV. JOHN MONTGOMERY 59 It is he who quickens. He quickens those who are dead in tres- passes and sins, and they become living men, alive unto God. lie quickens these living men also, these believers, when their life seems ebbing and decaying fast away, when they seem ready to die or have become like the dead. Thus the Psalmist, a man alive unto God, a man living by faith, prays in the 119th Psalm (v. 25), "My soul cleaveth unto the dust, quicken thou me according to thy word." Thus here, " Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name's sake ; for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble." It is a prayer for the health and strength and joy of the spiritual life. And observe the plea — " for thy name's sake"—*' for thy righteousness' sake" — unto the glory of all thine attributes, especially unto the glory of thy righteousness. All the glory of our salvation must be ascribed to God. His is the power, and in himself is the end of its exercise ; and the more cordially that we ascribe all the glory to him, the more perfectly is salvation enjoyed. And observe again, how, as in the first verse, the righteousness of God is brought prominently into view as an attribute especially glorified in our salvation. O for what a perfect assurance of salvation is the way prepared, when, even in midst of spiritual trouble, a believer is enabled to plead with God on the ground of God's own glory, and God's own righteousness ! Trouble cannot be prolonged when it is opposed to God's glory and to God's righteousness. The last verse of this Psalm would require a whole discourse for its elucidation, and only a few sentences can be given to it at present. You see how David, who takes hold of God by faith as his God, gives himself to God at the same time, saying, " I am thy servant." This is just, in fact, to renew the former appeal to God's righteousness and God's faith- fulness, and all that belongs to the glory of God's name. You see also how terrible is the fate of the enemies of God's servants ? How can they escape ? for, being enemies of God's servants, they must needs be enemies of Gcd. God will recompence tribulation unto them that now trouble his Church, but unto them that are now troubled, rest. Neither men nor devils shall escape his vengeance. His mercy towards his people appears along with his justice when he judgeth in the earth, and when the persecutor and the oppressor are swept away. He ariseth for judgment to save all the meek of the earth. Let the people of the Lord be comforted ; let the meek, the humble, the contrite, the prayer- ful be comforted. Let them look beyond the world, onward and upward to heaven. But ye who believe not, who harden your hearts against Christ's warnings and invitations — ye who hate the Church of Christ although ye may be its professed members — ye who mock at the godli- 60 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. ness of saints and vex and harass them in their heavenward journey — ■ ye who cast stumbling-blocks before them, and assiduously put tempta- tions in their way, and cannot be contented unless you can persuade them to take part with you in what you feel well-nigh intolerable, that they both by speech and by example should condemn — I bid you listen to this prayer of the Psalmist, and tremble as you listen, " Of thy mercy cut oif mine enemies and destroy all them that afflict my soul, for I am thy servant." May God give you grace to repent. — Amen. ( 61 ) LECTURE V. THE SECURITY AND CHARACTER OF THEM WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS. BY THE REV. R. WILLIAMSON, DUNKELD. " There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."— Romans viii. 1-4. The first verse of this chapter is evidently an inference from some- thing going before. That it is, the word " therefore " in the passage sufficiently indicates. " There ia, therefore," says the apostle, " now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." It will be necessary, therefore, in order to see the grounds upon which the affirmation in the first verse rests, to ascertain its connection with the preceding context. In the preceding chapters, the apostle de- monstrates the sinfulness and guilt of man — his inability to erect for himself a platform of acceptance, and the sublime doctrine of justification by faith in the merits of Christ alone. In establishing the doctrine of justification by faith, he considers the change made in the sinner's legal position, when, by receiving and relying upon Christ as the Lord his righteousness, and the Lord his strength, the law ceases to have claims against him as a covenant of works, though still his standard as a rule of life. And the believer being no longer under the law, but under grace, in consequence of being invested with a right- eousness manifested without the law, yet, in all respects, conformable to its highest demands, is acquitted and accepted by the Divine Lawgiver. Hence, the apostle concludes, that "there is now" — that is, in these cir- cumstances, the claims of violated law having been satisfied by their surety — " no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus." But the opening verse of the chapter is not only a legitimate inference from the previous discussion ; it is also a distinct proposition, in proof of which the apostle adduces several arguments in the remaining verses of the chapter. The proposition is, " there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus ;" and the proof is, their being delivered from the No. 110. — Lect. 5. vol. iil 62 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. law as a covenant of works, its demands having been met and fulfilled by their Surety and covenant Head — the indwelling of the Spirit — the fact of their adoption — their predestination to eternal life, and the pro- vision made for their growth in grace — the mission of Christ on their behalf, and the immutability of God's love towards them, from which nothing shall be able to separate the believing soul. Having thus seen the precise relation in which the passage stands to the preceding and subsequent context, let us now proceed to a more particular examination of the verses which we have read as the subject of a few observations. " There is, therefore," says the apostle, " now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Here, then, we have three distinct topics of consideration — the parties spoken of ; them who are in Christ Jesus ; their distin- guishing characteristics — they walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit ; what is predicated regarding them — there is no condemnation to them. First, then, of the parties alluded to, it is said that they are in Christ Jesus. What, then, is implied in being in Christ Jesus ? It is to be savingly united to him as their covenant Head. It is, as the Apostle John states, to have fellowship with him — to be united to him as the branch to the vine — as the superstructure to the foundation — as the members to the body. The origin of this union is to be traced to the sovereign love of God. This is abundantly evident from the Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians, where the apostle says, " Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ ; according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world." We affirm, then, that the origin of this glorious relationship in which the believer stands to his exalted Head, is to be sought for in the sovereign love of God. Do you ask me the reason of it ? No reason can be assigned by any human being, but that so it seemed meet to the infinite Jehovah. We cannot find the reason of this distinguishing affection — this surpassing love in anything in the sinner, or done by him ; for he is vile and guilty, and therefore justly exposed to the righteous displeasure of Jehovah. It was when he lay in his blood, that God compassionated him. It was when he was guilty, that God pardoned him. It was when he was with- out help, that the everlasting arms of love encircled him. It was when he was diseased, that the life-giving influences of a spiritual renovation were breathed into his torpid soul. Ask the woman, notorious for mo- ral turpitude, who met with our Lord in Simon's house, and was drawn to him by the cords of love — what was the reason of this distinguish- ing affection ? and she will say, the great love wherewith he loved me. REV. R. WILLIAMSON. 63 Ask Manasseh, whose hands were red with the blood of God's own peo- ple, why he was brought unto union with the Redeemer ? and he will point to sovereign love, and tell you that God will have mercy upon whom he will have mercy. Ask Saul of Tarshish, the destroyer of God's heritage, why he was brought into the glorious relationship which sub- sists between Christ and his soul ? and he will reply, the sovereign love of God, that he might show forth the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus. The language of the re- deemed on this subject is one — " By the grace of God we are what we are." Brethren, the origin of this union is to be found in the free, so- vereign love of God alone — a love purely sovereign in it3 choice — abas- ing the proud, and exalting the humble — casting down the mighty from their seats, and elevating the lowly in heart — pouring the stream of life unto the polluted soul of the publican, and passing by the whited se- pulchre— " erecting its mercy-seat in the path of the outcast," and fill- ing the soul with holy amazement at the fulness, and freeness, and mu- ficence of its distributions. The origin, then, of this union is to be sought for iu the sovereign love of God. What, it may now be asked, is the efficient cause ? How is it brought about and consummated ? To these questions we reply, that the efficient cause of this glorious union is God the Holy Ghost, and that it is effected both passively and actively. And this view of the matter will enable us to see both the part which the Divine Spirit takes in the formation of this glorious union, and the part proper to the soul that is the subject of it. It is effected passively — that is, when in a day of power, the Divine Spirit convinces the soul of sin and of righteousness — gives it a perception of its own danger and of Christ's ableness and willingness to save, and thus unites Christ to the soul ; and it is effected actively — that is, when the sinner, thus con- vinced, and enlightened, and quickened, in the exercue of faith in- wrought by the Spirit, receives and accepts of the Redeemer now brought nigh, and exclaims, " Lord, I believe !" " My Lord and my God !" and thus the union is consummated by the mutual consent of both parties — 1st, by the Spirit on the part of Christ ; and, 2dly, in the exercise of a person- ally appropriating faith on the part of the sinner, so that Christ abides not only in the soul, but the believing soul also abides in him. There is a mutual union — Christ united to the soul by the Spirit, and the soul united to Christ by faith. Now, the union by faith on the part of the sinner is the effect and result of the previous union by the Spirit on the part of Christ — that is, the advances in the formation of this union are made by the Spirit on the part of Christ. He first comes to the soul — brings Christ nigh to it — convinces it of sin — enlightens it in the know- ledge of Christ, the glorious object now presented to it — works faith in 64 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. it, and the quickenod soul, in the exercise of this faith, apprehends and appropriates the Redeemer, exclaiming, " This God is my God ; He is all my salvation and all my desire." He is mine, and I am his ; so that the formation of the union is no less gracious than its origin is so- vereign. From these brief remarks, you will perceive how it is, that faith is the act of a living not of a dead soul — of a soul quickened by the energy of the Divine Spirit; and that, so far from there being any thing meritorious in the faith which apprehends Christ, it is in itself the pro- duct of the Spirit's operation in the soul. The union of the soul to Christ by its exercise, is the result of a pre- vious union on the part of Christ by the Spirit ; and the union being thus completed by the mutual consent and will of both parties — Christ being united to the soul and the soul to Christ — the believer can truly exclaim, " not only my beloved is mine, but also I am his." And hence it is, that, in reference to this mutual union, Christ is said to be in be- lievers, and believers to be in Christ — he to dwell in them, and they in him. And hence our Lord himself, in addressing his disciples, says, " Abide in me and I in you." And this view of the matter is in per- fect accordance with the declaration of the Apostle John, when he says, " We love him because that he first loved us, for our love is the effect of his being first shed abroad in the soul ; and his love is the originating cause and exciting motive of ours to him ; so that in every possible view of the matter, and at every step in the process, the believer may justly declare, " By the grace of God I am what I am." Doubtless, this view of the matter is highly offensive to those who prefer their virtues and amiabilities to the graces of the Spirit, and talk with complacency of the power and purity of a fallen nature. But it is no part of the design of God's revelation to pronounce panegyrics upon a heart which is the foul cage of every unclean bird — to induce a man to believe that he is something when he is nothing — that he is pure when he is vile — that he is rich and increased in goods, when he is poor, and miserable, and wretched, and polluted — to enable any puny worm of the dust, shivering in the rags of a polluted righteousness, to exclaim, " mine own hand hath got me the victory." It may, indeed, be ob- jected, and it has been objected by those who confide in the dignity and capabilities of a sinful nature, that this places man in a truly humiliat- ing position. We admit it. It is one great design of the gospel scheme of recovery that it should. It is to abase the carnality of unrenewed nature — to transform the wisdom of the world unto foolishness, and its might unto weaknesss — to bring down the pride of the unregenerate heart from the heights of its self-sufficiency, and cause it to exclaim with the publican, "God be merciful to me a sinner." It is to wither REV. R. WILLIAMSON. Cr> every gourd of creature confidence and creature strength, and render it eternally and infallibly true, that it is not by might nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts, that this great and marvellous work is begun, and sustained, carried on, and consummated. Having now seen the manner in which the union is effected, let us proceed to consider the character of those who are savingly united to Jesus. " They walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit." " If any man,'' says the apostle, " be iu Christ, he is a new creature." A com- plete and radical change has taken place upon them. They have passed from death unto life. New principles of action have been infused into their souls. The relish for sin has lost its power, and a relish for holiness has been implanted in its stead. They walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. The expression walking, as here employed, refers not to an isolated act, but to habitual conduct ; and, therefore, the meaning of the passage is, that those who are in Christ Jesus, regulate their lives and conversations, not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. What, then, are we to understand by the term flesh as here employed? And here we would remark, that by the term flesh, we are to understand unrenewed, and unsanctified nature, as opposed to regenerated and sanctified nature. By the expression Spirit, we are to understand the renewed heart, the sanctified soul, or, more properly speaking, the Spirit of God — God the Holy Ghost dwelling in the renewed heart as in a temple. " Know ye not," says the apostle, " that ye are the tem- ple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you." The meaning, therefore, of the passage is, that those who are in Christ Jesus do not regulate their walk and conversation according to the lusts and impulses of a corrupt nature, but according to the guidance and direction of the Spirit, that divine agent, whose office in the economy of the gospel it is, to apply the benefits of the redemption purchased by Christ, and carry on and consummate the work of sanctification in the soul. These, then, are the characteristics of the ransomed of the Lord, that they walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. Whence we affirm that regeneration and union to Christ are invariably connected — that there is both a change in nature, and a change in state — that when a man is regenerated and justified, there is also infallible provision made for his advancement in the divine life — that when he is united to Christ, he walks not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Now, you are not for a moment to suppose that the apostle affirms here that the believing soul never yields to the suggestions of the flesh. Such an affirmation would run counter to all experience. So far from that, he informs us in the preceding chapter, " that there was a law in his members warring against the law of his mind, and bringing him into 66 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. captivity to the law of sin which was in his members." The apostle, therefore, does not affirm that the believing soul never yields to the sug- gestions of the flesh, but he does affirm that the believing soul does not walk, does not habitually walk after the flesh ; and that walking after the Spirit is the general characteristic of his life, and the great end at which he constantly aims. Although, therefore, sin may still harass him, and cause him to halt in the paths of the new obedience, it has not the ascendancy in the soul — it has no longer dominion over him, and thus though he falls he shall rise again. How then, brethren, do you stand in reference to this matter? Are you walking after the flesh or after the Spirit ? Is your treasure on earth or in heaven ? Are your affections set on things above, or concentrated on the refuse of a perishing world ? Are you crucifying the flesh, or fulfilling its- lusts ? Are you walking after the flesh ? If so, you are not in Christ Jesus ; for if any man be in Christ, he is a new oraturc. God never united a soul to the Redeemer, and then left it to wallow unrestrainedly amid the impurities of sin and the lusts of a polluted nature. God never conferred a robe of justify- ing righteousness, without making provision for one of sanctifying purity. God never gives a new name, without a new heart and a now nature. We say then, that if you walk after the flesh, you are not in Christ Jesus ; for if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. He is yet an outcast — an alien — a slave of sin — a bondsman of Satan. If you possess not the characteristics of the Christian, you are not united to the Christian's Head; and if not united to him, you are under condemnation. We do not say that you will be under it, but that you are even now under it. A sentence of wrath has gone forth against you, and the Lord is not slack concerning his threatenings. A thou- sand years are but as one day to him, who is from everlasting : and delay in executing his purposes does not affect their infallible cer- tainty. Walking after the flesh, you are out of Christ, and out of Christ you are necessarily under condemnation. It is, indeed, true that you msy be altogether ignorant of your guilty and perilous condition, but that is one of the most melancholy features of your case. Yours is one of the most appalling and truly hopeless positions which an immortal or responsible being can occupy on this side the world of spirits. Better far be a homeless outcast upon earth, than wrapt in the insensibility of carnal security. Better far have the soul torn and dis- tracted by the throes and tumults of a pungent conviction, than immersed in the stagnation of spiritual death. Guilt and spiritual blindness go together. " Dim eyes and delusive perceptions" are characteristics of the unregenerate, as well as hard hearts and polluted souls. You feel not that you are under condemnation ! Was it ever otherwise ? REV. R. WILLIAMSON. ''7 Look to the vale of Siddim. Were the impious revellers, and the God- forgetting children of Belial, who lived there, conscious of the perilous nature of their condition ? They laughed Lot to scorn. They treated his warnings as the dreams of lunacy. They walked after the flesh, and were therefore under condemnation. But did their carnal security en- sure their safety? Did their insensibility to danger prove a preventive against it ? Let their destruction by fire and brimstone from heaven answer the question. The rich man in the parable did not feel that he was under condemnation ; but his insensibility was annihilated for ever, when in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments. Nothing can be more foolish than to imagine, that because you are insensible of your danger, all is well. It is the object of the god of this world to blind the soul — to cause it to walk securely on the borders of Tophet — to keep the scales on the eyes till they fall off mid the fire that is never quenched — to steal the heart till the first pang felt is inflicted by the gnawings of the worm that never dies. It is the master piece of his policy — the perfection of his stratagems — to send souls down to hell with a lie in their right hand. If you are walking after the flesh, you are under condem- nation, and your insensibility cannot affect in any way whatever the solemn declarations of God's word. But whilst those who are out of Christ walk after the flesh, those who are in Christ walk after the Spirit. Brethren, is this your charac- ter ? Do you walk after the Spirit ? Is the same mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus ? Have you put off the old man with his affec- tions and lusts which are corrupt, and put on the new man, which after Christ Jesus is renewed in knowledge and righteousness and true holiness? Do you press forward in the Christian race, panting after the beauty of holiness, and a greater conformity to your exalted Head ? If so, there is then no condemnation to you, for ye are Christ's. Christ's, by the free sovereign gift of God in the Covenant of Grace ; for he hath chosen you in him to the glory of his grace, that you might be conformed to his image — Christ's, by the ransom which he laid down for your redemp- tion in implementing the terms of the Covenant — Christ's, for you are even now the temples of the Holy Ghost, who is engaged in rendering you meet for the heavenly inheritance ; and Christ's by a soul-quieting recumbancy in the arms of his love, for in the exercise of a living faith, you have cast yourselves upon him soul, body, and spirit, for time and for eternity, for wisdom, for righteousness, for sanctification and com- plete redemption. Thus in Christ, to you there is no condemnation. But how, it may be asked, does union to Christ, or, in the language of the apostle, being " in Christ Jesus," deliver from condemnation ? The second and third verses assign the reason. For, says the apostle, " the 68 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit." What then are we to understand by the phrases in the second verse — " the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, and the law of sin and death ?" It is evident that the two expressions are here contrasted, and therefore " the meaning of the one necessarily deter- mines the meaning of the other." By the law of the spirit of life, we are to understand the power of spiritual principles in the regenerated soul, of which the Holy Spirit is the author and sustainer ; and by the law of sin and death, we are to understand the law of God, which, al- though perfectly holy, and just, and good, yet in consequence of the transgression of the creature, thunders forth his condemnation, gives " the knowledge of sin," and is thus " incidentally the cause of sin and death." So that, in the light of the reason assigned in the second verse, the meaning of the first is simply this. There is, therefore, now no con- demnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, because, in consequence of his interposition, they have been freed from the law as a covenant of works — that law which, although holy, and just, and good, is the dis- coverer of sin ; because, where there is no law there is no transgression, and where there is no trangression, death can have no existence as a moral penalty. Now, you will observe, that although the law is here spoken of as the law of sin and death, the apostle carefully guards against being supposed as affirming that there was any defect in the law. So far from that, he proceeds to show that the defect is not in the law, but in the sinner — not in the standard of obedience, but in the subject of obedience — not in the rule, but in the creature who was to walk according to the rule. The law is now weak, that is, it is inade- quate to the recovery of the sinner ; but then that is in consequence of no change in it, but in the creature. It is weak, but only through the flesh. The impotency of the law to justify is not through imperfection. On the other hand, it is in consequence of its perfection that it is weak through the flesh and cannot justify the sinner. For what was the po- sition which the creature originally occupied towards the law ? He was related to it as a covenant of works. His obedience was to be com- mensurate with its highest requirements, otherwise the conditions of the covenant could not be implemented. Now, so long as man continued to render perfect and unexceptionable obedience, the law was powerful to justify. Justification was quite competent to it, and the obedience of the creature was the ground of his acceptance. But when he ceased to REV. R. WILLIAMSON. 69 render that obedience — when his faculties were struck with a moral paralysis, and his soul prostrated in the dust of spiritual death, jus- tification by obedience to the law was altogether impossible. His obedience then ceased to be commensurate with its requirements, and not being commensurate, the law could no longer furnish a ground of ac- ceptance in the sight of the lawgiver. Justification was no longer com- petent to the law. But then how did this arise ? Not through any change in the law, but simply and solely through a change in the crea- ture who was to yield obedience to its demands. He fell from the high position in which his Creator had originally placed him. His energies were withered, and his efforts fell infinitely short of the height, and depth, and length, and breadth of the law's requirements. How then could he be accepted ? By bringing down the law to his wretched obe- dience, and thus by a compromise of its claims, bring them into corres- pondency ? That cannot be — God's law is perfect. It is immutable as the lawgiver. It fulminates its threatenings against all and every who obey not in all things, and will remain satisfied with nothing short of the eternal destruction of the sinner, or a full and perfect satisfaction tendered in his stead. Heaven and earth may pass away, but one jot or tittle of the law shall not be violated with impunity. Its claims remain altogether unaffected. The change is entirely on the part of the creature. He has fallen from his original position, but the law has not fallen in its demands. He has changed, but it remains the same. It claimed perfect obedience. It claims it still. It is now weak in re- ference to the sinner's justification, but that is its glory and excellence. For how is it weak ? Just because of its perfection. Just because it will not come down to the wretched efforts of the sinner — because it will not compromise matters with the transgressor — because it will " tolerate no platform of acceptance which has not an adequate satisfaction for its basis." In one word, it is weak, just because man is a sinner — it is weak through the flesh. And here, we may remark in passing, that this view of the matter demonstrates the absurdity and the dangerous nature of the opinion, that the moral impotency of the sinner affects his respon- sibility in the sight of God ; as if the loss, by wilful and deliberate transgression on the part of the creature, of his power to obey, should necessarily imply a corresponding loss of right on the part of the Creator to demand obedience. The change is altogether on the part of the sinner. The standard of obedience remains the same. The law has not changed — the Lawgiver has not changed ; and if the creature is now the victim of a moral impotency, it is of a moral impotency self- induced ; and therefore, so far from proving destructive of the claims of the law to his obedience, only serves to aggravate his criminality. The capa- 70 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. bilities of the creature, when he came originally from the hand of the Creator, were perfectly adequate to the fulfilment of the conditions of the covenant ; and if these capabilities have been impaired, it is by the wilful transgression of the creature alone ; and, therefore, not only is his responsibility to the Lawgiver altogether unaffected, but he is also re- sponsible for the loss of his original righteousness — for the enlisting of his powers in the service of Satan, and thus rivetting with his own hands the fetters of his bondage. Perfect obedience he is now utterly unable to render, and therefore the law is utterly unable to justify him. It is thus weak, but only through the flesh. The question, then, comes to be, How can he be accepted ? The law cannot do it. How then can he be reinstated into favour with the Lawgiver ? The third and fourth verses contain the answer. " For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh ; that the righteous- ness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit." The sinner could not tender satisfaction to the law, but the bright- ness of the Father's glory was manifested in the flesh for that purpose. He is the Father's gift. He appeared in the likeness of sinful flesh, and is therefore Emmanuel, God with us. He took upon him not the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham. He was sent in the like- ness of sinful flesh. Observe how guarded the apostle's language is. He does not say that he assumed sinful flesh, but that he came in the likeness of sinful flesh. The smallest conceivable blemish would have absolutely disqualified him for assuming the office, or performing the functions of Mediator ; "for such an High Priest became us, who was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners." He manifested himself, however, not in a sinful nature, but in a nature similar to that which had sinned ; and as sin originally formed no part of human na- ture, but was afterwards contracted by an overt act of transgression, the Mediator could be pure and unspotted, and yet possess all the essen- tial properties of humanity. He was sent in the likeness of sinful flesh, that being bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh, he might be a mer- ciful and faithful high priest, able to compassionate his people, and feel for man as for a brother. In the passage now under consideration, there is a distinct reference to the two natures of the Redeemer — that is, he is here brought before us in his entire character as Mediator — as truly and essentially God, as really and truly man. He is called by way of eminence, God's own Son, inasmuch as he is a partaker of his nature, and "co-existent with him in the unity of the Divine Essence ;" and he is said to have been sent in the likeness of sinful flesh, because he took REV. R, WILLIAMSON. 71 not on him the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham. " Forasmuch, then, as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil." In virtue of the union of the Divine and human natures in his mysterious person, he is a Days- man, able to stand betwixt the living and the dead — lay his hand upon both parties, and thus make peace. He is God's Son and our brother — possessed of infinite inherent dignity to entitle him to treat with the Lawgiver, and of infinite compassion to feel for the sinner. 4' He is ac- ceptable to God, he is suitable to man.*' Great is the mystery of god- liness, God manifested in the flesh. But not only did he come in the likeness of sinful flesh ; the special purpose for which he appeared is also stated. He came, says the apostle, for sin — that is, for a sin-offering. The phrase, for sin, is often used in this sense in Scripture. Thus, it is said of the Mediator, that " God made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin." Not that he was personally made or constituted a sinner, for he was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners ; but he was put forward as the sinner's substitute and surety — as a sacrificial victim, as an offering for sin. He made him to be an offering or sacrifice for sin, who knew no sin ; for when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. The special ob- ject, then, of his appearing in the likeness of sinful flesh was, that, as a sacrifice or offering for sin, he might redeem them that were under the law. As Mediator, he condemned sin in the flesh, removed its guilt in order to his people's justification ; and by satisfying the claims of in- finite justice, freed them from the law as a Covenant of Works; so that the believer's delivery from condemnation is a result of the media- tion of Christ. The great design of the atoning sacrifice offered up by Emmanuel, was to display the glory of God, in the redemption of the guilty — to cause mercy and truth to meet together in reference to the sinner's re- covery. And hence the apostle, in unfolding that design, declares it to be, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. The righteous- ness of Christ is here called the righteousness of the law, because it is a righteousness conformable to the law — a righteousness which meets its highest requirements, and magnifies and renders it honour- able. This righteousness is the only ground of a sinner's justification ; for being clothed upon with it, he is freed from the condemning power of the law of sin and death. It consists of the active and passive 72 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. obedience of the Mediator. It is a righteousness in which the eye of the Omniscient God can see nothing amiss — a righteousness wrought out and brought in for the express purpose of justifying the ungodly — a right- eousness offered unto you this day without money and without price ; for it is unto all, and upon all them that believe, for there is no difference. " That the righteousness of the law," says the apostle, " might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit/' Here the apostle carefully guards against two errors of an opposite, but equally fatal nature — the errors of Legalism and Antinomianism. The legalist would amalgamate his own wTretched efforts with the obedience of Christ; and thus introduce self-merit unto his ground of acceptance. The apostle lays the axe at the root of that heresy ; for he shews that the righteousness of Christ, to the exclusion of all merit in the part of the sinner, is the only ground of justification before God — that the law is weak through the flesh, and that by its deeds, no flesh living can be justified. The antinomian would look upon himself as relieved by the sufferings of the Mediator from the law, not only as a covenant of works, but also as a rule of life ; and therefore, sins wilfully and deli- berately because grace abounds. The apostle lays the axe at the root of that heresy ; for he declares that those who are in Christ Jesus, walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. He annihilates the hope of the legalist ; for he tells him, that by the deeds of the law shall no flesh living be justified. He annihilates the hope of the antinomian ; for he tells him, that the law, though not a covenant of works to the believer, is still a rule of life — that a man must be sanctified as well as justified — that without holiness, no man can see the Lord ; and that, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Brethren, have you received and accepted of this glorious righteous- ness ? Are you relying and building upon him who wrought it out ? Are you in Christ Jesus ? If so, you will walk, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. If ye have received the Lord Jesus, walk in him, breathe his Spirit, adorn his doctrine. Let your light so shine before men, that they may take knowledge of you, as having been with Jesus. Of those who have not fled for refuge to the hope set before them in the Gospel, we would ask, — Who will make intercession for you, when God riseth up in fearful majesty to take vengeance upon all that know him not ? Where will you find a sanctuary out of Christ. When the avenger of blood is following rapidly behind you, where is the days- man who can lay his hand upon you both, and satisfy him, and save you ? Can your hands be strong, or your heart endure in the day that God shall deal with you. Turn then to the strong hold, while prisoners of hope. There is mercy with God, that he may be feared. Harden REV. R. WILLIAM30N. 73 then not your hearts. Despise not his gracious invitations. Trample not under foot his overtures of reconciliation ; lest you be left in bit- terness of spirit to exclaim, — " The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and I am not saved." To those who are rejoicing in Emmanuel, as the Lord their righteous- ness, and the Lord their strength, we would say, — " Walk worthy of your high vocation. Be not high minded, but fear. Remember the rock, whence ye were hewn, and who it was that established your goings. And as you traverse the wilderness leaning upon your Beloved, be this your song in the land of your pilgrimage, ' I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful unto my God ; for he hath clothed me with garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteous- ness, he remembered me in my low estate, for his mercy endureth for ever.' " In Christ Jesus, to you there is no condemnation ; for he shall rest in his love. Having loved you from the beginning, he shall love you to the end. With what a dignity does this union invest the Christian ! What an ennobling relationship ! What are the pomp and pageantry of a passing world, to the transcendent dignity of being an heir of God — united to the Ancient of days — the Prince of the kings of the earth, whose goings forth have been of old from the days of eternity, possess- ing in himself all the plenitude of divine perfection ! Who is he that will harm you, leaning upon your Beloved ? He will shelter you be- neath the shadow of his wings. He will hide you in his own pavilion ; and who shall ever enter in there, to pluck you forth? Well might the apostle, in contemplating the indissoluble nature of this glorious union, challenge death and life, angels, principalities, and powers, to sever the members from their exalted Head. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ? — shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword ? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Xo. Ill, — Lect. 5. vol. m. ( 74 ) LECTURE V T. CHRIST THE ONLY SUFFICIENT SACRIFICE. BY THE REV. GEORGE INNES, CANNOBIE. i; Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire , mine ears hast thou opened : burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come : in the volume »f the book it is written of ir.e." — l's. xl. 6, 7. Among the many irrefragable proofs that we belong to a fallen race, is the misconstruction which men have put upon the clearest revelations of the Divine will. The eye that is in us is darkness, and no leading doctrine of Scripture can be mentioned, which the depraved intellect of man has not distorted into a thousand monstrous shapes of error. The Lord had appointed that, in their approaches to him, the Israelites should offer sacrifices as an acknowledgment that their sins could not be remitted without the shedding of blood, and as a declara- tion of their faith in the Lamb of God. which should take away the sins of the world. The sacrifices both made clear expression of the fearful guilt of sin, and foreshadowed the atonement Christ should make for the transgressions of his people. But the Jews, as a nation, were not impressed with horror of sin, neither were their thoughts led forward to the promised Redeemer. In their shameful misconceptions of the Divine character, they often impiously imagined that, if any of them committed a trespass, he had no more to do than to kill a bullock or a sheep, in sacrifice, and his guilt would be forgiven him. Just as among us, a deluding spirit is always creeping in to whisper false comfort in sin, by the assurance that we have only to ask and it will be forgiven, so did the spirit working in the disobedient children of Israel make use of the sacrifices to lead them on in sin, because grace abounded. There- fore did the Spirit of the Lord strive with them, saying, — " Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings as in obeying the voice of the Lord ? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken, than the fat of rams." As their history advances, the contendings with them on this point become innumerable. Often did God admonish them, that the sacrifice of the wicked was an abomination to him. " To what pur- pose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me, saith the Lord. I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts ; and I de- light not in the blood «f bullocks or of he-goats. Bring no more vain oblations ; they are a trouble to me; I am weary to bear them. Wash you; make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before REV. GEORGE INNES. 75 mine eyes ; cease to do evil ; learn to do well." While this intolerable perversion of the Divine Institution, which represented it as giving license to sin on certain easy conditions, was thus strongly reprehended, the other co-existing and intimately connected error, which looked on the typical sacrifices as possessed of a virtue in themselves to blot out transgressions, was also exposed and condemned. It is only by looking to the sacrifice of Christ, that the fearful nature of sin can be fully un- derstood. So long as the Jews fancied that it could be expiated by so trifling a remedy as the blood of bulls and of goats, they could not but think lightly of guilt. Therefore does Scripture endeavour to correct their pernicious mistake ; and in the words of our text, Jesus speaking by the mouth of the Psalmist, saith unto God, — " Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened : burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come : in the volume of the book it is written of me." The psalm from which these words are taken, is a devout expression of gratitude on the part of our Redeemer, as head of his elect people, for the deliverance vouchsafed to him when he was brought back again from the dead, and thus being delivered from the horrible pit of cor- ruption, and the miry clay of man's iniquities, had his goings in the course of his mission established, that he should bring many sons into glory. For this " is a new song put into his mouth ; even praise unto our God." As chief among his ten thousand brethren, casting his eye over the many wonderful works and thoughts of God, which have been to usward, and finding them more than can be numbered, he yet sees one thought — one work conspicuously pre-eminent above them all, as worthy to be praised — even the love wherewith God so loved the world, as to give him, the only begotten Son, to the death for sinners ; and he abruptly breaks out in praise of this : — " Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire ; mine ears hast thou opened : burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come : in the volume of the book it is written of me.'' The allusion in the words. " mine ears hast thou opened," is to the practice among the Isi-aelites of making an opening in the ears of a servant, who submitted to his master, pledging himself never to quit his service until released by death. When Christ undertook the work of our redemption, he took on him the form of a servant. " Though being in the form of God, and counting it not robbery to be equal with God, he made himself of no re- putation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in tie likeness of men ; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled him- self and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." (Phil. ii. 6-8.) In this assumption of the form of a servant, " a body was prepared him;" and so may the different translation of our text 76 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. adopted by the writer to the Hebrews, (Eph. x. 5) be explained. Both expressions refer to the same thing, and the one simply makes clear the meaning of the other. Both direct our attention to the assumption of human nature, by him of whom God saith, " Behold my servant whom I uphold ; mine elect in whom my soul delighteth ;" and who himself, in speaking to the Father of his work, saith, — " Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire ; mine ears hast thou opened : burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come : in the volume of the book it is written of me." In these words we find two things stated : first, that the Jewish sacri- fices were not sufficient to atone for sin ; and second, that therefore, Christ came, conscious of being a sufficient sacrifice. In the volume of the book of God's eternal decrees, it was written that the Lamb should be slain, and that his blood should cleanse those to whom it is applied from all sin. In the words here spoken, according to the inspired writer to the Hebrews, — "He takethaway the first" kind of sacrifice, " that he may establish the second." Let us then, who have been given to see this dispensation of God reverently enquire — I. What kind of atonement for sin was needed. — II. How all the qualities requisite for a sufficient atonement have met in Christ. I. What hind of atonement is required. — The ransom to be given must be costly, though men seem to set lightly by it, for the guilt to be re- mitted is unutterably great. Man, a creature made by God, and crowned by him with loving kindness and tender mercy, had set himself in opposition to his Creator. Let each of us reflect how we have given our hearts to be filled with ungodly and polluting imaginations, incapa- citating ourselves for the worship or service of the holy Lord of heaven and earth, razing out his image from our natures, banishing remembrance of him from our customary thoughts, removing ourselves as far off from him as we could, and selling ourselves as slaves to his and our most bitter enemy. And when, at times, conscience has spoken and rebuked us for our wickedness, reminding us of the justice and power of him against whom we have been offending, have not our hearts hardened themselves and been enmity against God ? Have we not resolved that, let him punish us as he may, we would not love him ; but even in the depth of misery, would find a secret pleasure in hating him who had wrought us this woe? Strip our miserable hearts of their subterfuges of lies, and they, the old man within us, will be found hating God, raising them- selves up in daring rebellion against his holiness and justice, treating his love and his goodness witl> neglect, and well-nigh with contempt, abusiughis long suffering, to encourage themselves in worldly mindedness and abominable licentiousness. For these things our lives are forfeited. REV. GEORGE IXNES. it and we are justly subject to the wrath of hiin who can destroy us soul and body in hell. It is graciously proposed that our guilt be remitted on the offering of an atonement. But of the nature of the atonement to be offered it is manifest, 1st, That it must be equivalent in value to the souls of the redeemed. In the acceptance of an atonement, it is indispensable that the majesty of the Divine holiness and justice be vindicated as completely as if judgment had been executed on man himself, and, therefore, any pro- pitiation of unequal value to the immortal souls of men, is inadmissible. This evidently excludes all atonements of man's devising. All attempts to expiate sin by liberal oblations of burnt-offering, including thousands of rams, or ten thousands of rivers of oil — by severe macerations of the flesh, or toilsome pilgrimages — by enlarged donations of charity, or by a carefully observed routine of lengthened devotions — must be vain. Redoubled zeal in the performance of rites — a giving of goods to feed the flames of the altar with multiplied sacrifices, or sweet cane from a far country — a turning after spending time in fulfilling the desires of vjthe flesh, to serve the living God — can never take awray sin. For, when all is done, the question still comes, breaking up peace of conscience, " What hast thou given that thou hast not received, and hast thou not received more ? Hast thou not a soul given thee by God ? All that thou hast is forfeited, and if thou art to appease God by thine own doings or givings — all that thou hast must be given — thy soul must be yielded to undergo the wrath it has provoked, even to the uttermost." Such is the stern doom of justice. Except man can find something which he has not received, and that something, too, equivalent in value to the soul, to give as his ransom, then he can never save himself from going down to the pit ; for it would be evidently beneath the Majesty of heaven to accept any other than a proportionable atonement. The justice of God had been insulted, his holiness had been treated with contumely ; he had said, " The soul which sinneth it shall die ;" and can it be proposed that he shall receive as an atonement, anything, the ac- ceptance of which would leave a stain on his holiness and his justice, not fully vindicated ? These attributes of the Divine character must be maintained unblemished and unchallengeable at whatever cost. If a ransom is to be accepted for the souls of men, it must be such as will leave the Divine government at least as august and great as if man him- self had been given over to wrath. 2d, There must be a connection between those for whom the atone- ment is ofl'ered and the party who suffers — there is a felt propriety in this requirement — the necessity of this ingredient being present in any effectual atonement, combined with their imparity of value, in ren- dering the sacrifice of animals obviously inadequate to take away sin. 78 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. What connection, it may be asked, is there between the sin of a man and the death of bulls and of goats ? The same reason would haTe made it plainly improper to visit for our iniquities any portion of the angelic hosts who never fell. Even if they had been willing to stand as our sureties, yet the absence of any connection, and the want of power on their part to ensure that their suffering would have its meet effect in bringing us back to God, would have rendered it manifestly unsatisfac- tory. In human affairs, where even very defective arrangements are ad- mitted— when a father becomes surety for his son, or one partner liable for the dealings of another — it is expected that he who is bound in the penalty will exercise some influence or control over the proceedings of him for whom he stands security. There may have been little connec- tion between the parties before, but that a bond of union should now be established between theni is anticipated and felt to be proper. And much more in matters appertaining to the Divine procedure, which must be perfect, is it fitting that there should be a marked and recognisable connection between him who was to make propitiation for sin, and those who were to reap the benefit of that propitiation. If he were of a dif- ferent race of being, not participating in the feelings and actions be- longing to humanity, it might be said, " What has he to do with man ? He stands on a different footing, and is altogether unconcerned in man's fate ; there is no connection or relationship betwixt them, and wherefore should the merit of his sufferings and his righteousness extend to man ? ' 3d, He who was to die for man must be innocent. In the typical sacrifices, to offer any victim halt or maimed was an abomination to the Lord. Such victims were rejected with most unbending scrupulousness. By this it was declared that, if there was to be an atonement offered for guilty man, it must be a victim without any blemish of sin, pure and un- stained— wholly innocent of transgression. As the two former requisites exclude all hopes of a man's saving his own soul by any exertions of his own, or of help coming from any other race of creatures, so does this preclude the possibility of any man redeeming his brother, or giving to God a ransom for him. If one soul is to be given in exchange for ano- ther, the soul to be accepted must be innocent. If it be guilty, and has sins of its own to ans^vcr for, then must it die for its own iniquity. "When the royal parent, grieved for the loss of his favourite son, and, horror-struck that he should have been cut off guilty and unannealed. exclaimed, "Oh Absalom! my son, my son ! would to God I had died for thee, Absalom, my son !" — he felt that he could not redeem his child from destruction, or give to God a ransom for him. He had sinned himself, and though, in the ecstacy of frantic grief, he exclaimed thus wildly, yet, at the same time, he could not but be conscious that his soul was no offering to be made for sin. All he had was forfeited for his REV. GEORGE INNES. 79 own transgressions, and he had nothing to give for another. When Paul, to express the fervour of his heart's prayer that Israel should be saved, says that he could wish himself " accursed from God for his brethren's sake," he plainly recognises the salvation of a soul as a work too great for man to accomplish. His words obviously declare the offer- ing of an atonement on the altar for another as a thing impossible with man. The victim to be offered must be an innocent soul, in which the Searcher of Hearts can see no blemish, and where was such an one to be found ? From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, where is the heart which never harboured a sinful thought ? — the son who never bent an unkind look on his parent ? — the daughter whose lip was never stained by falsehood ? — the man who has never lived as if there was no God ruling the world ? For four thousand years the Lord looked down from heaven — his eyes beheld the children of men. There was none righteous ; there was none fit to redeem his brother from destruction, much less to be a propitiation for the sins of the world. 4th, The victim to be offered must be willing. To punish an un- willing, resisting victim for the sins of the guilty, would be cruel ty- ranny. Say, then, that an innocent man had been found fit substi- tute for a guilty brother, would he willingly quit the position he occupied, with all its advantages of freedom from sin — its lines cast in pleasant places, and enjoyment of the light of God's countenance — to be dealt with as guilty — to have all Divine influences excluded from his soul, and no ray of heavenly light cheering the eye — to be plunged in the blackness of darkness, to lie there under the heavy weight of God's anger ? Or, say that a pure and happy spirit had disclosed to it the terrors of the Divine wrath in all their fearful power, rending and crush- ing the soul, and were he asked, " Are you ready to meet the doom de- served by that guilty man, and to die for him, having the curse coming about and enveloping you, reaching to your inmost soul ? Are you ready to undergo his sentence ?" Would he, think you, consent ? Yet such consent was given by the most blessed Son of God, and that not to bear the sins of one, but of many. II. Beholding that without him there was no salvation for our wretched and desperately wicked souls, he, taking on him, by most amazing condescension, our nature, in full consciousness of possessing all qualities requisite to make an atonement, announces his determination to come forth for that purpose, saying, " Mine ear hast thou opened; Lo, I come : in the volume of the book it is written of me." It is for us who profess to trust solely in his blood for pardon of our great guilt, to consider, not once and in a passing manner, but by constant and dailv meditation, the excellency of his sacrifice. Thus only can our faith in 80 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. it be strengthened and kept in lively and vigorous operation, and thus, too, will our love and reverence of God be heightened, as we admire the wonderful manner in which value, connection, innocence, willingness, all meet in Christ set forth as our propitiation. We cannot speak worthily of the theme, but let each of us consider it day by day more attentively in the Scriptures which testify of Jesus, for thus only can we be rooted and grounded in love. Meanwhile, 1st, We beseech you to note the sufficiency of his sacrifice in value. If it be required that the atonement on the altar be equal in value to the souls to be redeemed, shall it be said that the blood of God's only be- gotten Son, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself a sacrifice, the just for the unjust, is not sufficient expiation for the sins of all his people V Surely one pang or agony of him who, being in the form of God, counted it not robbery to be equal with God, is proof of the divine indignation against sin, passing what would been given had we all perished ! Assuredly the holiness and the justice of God never were so terribly illustrious as in its being seen that his own Son could obtain the redemption of his people only by bearing the iniquities of them all, and shedding his blood to atone for their guilt. What more awful manifestation of holiness can be conceived than the Lord God Almighty hiding his countenance from his own only begotten, because he hath taken on him the sins of his people, and unchangeably resolving that till justice should be satisfied to the uttermost of her demands, he would not turn away his wrath ; and though it might involve the giving his well beloved to the death, and the awaking his sword and bathing it in heaven to make it come down to the head of that victim full of grace and truth, God manifest in the flesh, he would not let the cup pass till it was drunk ! Amid the rending rocks and opening graves was the truth proclaimed with eternal strength, " Without shedding of blood there is no remission ; therefore, because justice must be satisfied, hath the Son of God purchased his church with his own blood." 2d, He had connection with those for whom he died. Though it was his divine nature which gave its unspeakable value to his blood, yet was he made in all points like as we are. Ere he said, " Lo I come," he de- clares, '•' Mine ears hast thou opened — a body hast thou prepared me." He " by whom, and to whom, and through whom are all things," took on him the seed of Abraham, and became man as well as God. " Great is the mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh." And not merely had he a human body, but also a human soul, capable of all the sinless feelings of our nature. He was linked in the tie of human friendship. There was a disciple " whom Jesus loved." He was touched with a feeling of our infirmities. At the tomb of Lazarus, " Jesus wept." And, more wondrous still, he in whom were " hid all REV. GEORGE INNES. 81 the treasures of wisdom," had a soul united to him which " grew in wis- dom." Therefore was he fit to stand as head and representative of our race before God, to make atonement for us. When the first Adam stood in innocence, he was our head. When he fell, we all derived from him a corrupt nature. " In him we all died." Now, here stands a second Adam, deriving his nature immediately from God, and free from every taint of sin, who oftereth himself to bear the iniquities of many, and to be dealt with as guilty and obnoxious to wrath, that, having life in himself, he should give life to as many as believe on his name. Much as we may marvel at the disinterested love which prompted this offer, we cannot but say that its acceptance was perfectly reasonable and just. It was accepted, and as in Adam all died, so in Christ are all believers made alive. His life is infused into their souls, renewing them in the spirit of their minds, and creating them anew unto good works. Their connection with Christ is, to believers, as much a matter of experience and actual operation as the connection between the natural man and the first Adam. As the life derived from Adam worketh to disobedience, so doth the life derived from Christ work to obedience and the purifying of the heart through faith. Therefore, by this connection, there is an admirable fitness, coherence, and propriety in the whole Scripture plan of atonement by Christ's blood, and justification through faith. Christ laid down his life for the sheep. They who are justified by his blood are his own, drawn to him by the cords of a man and the bands of a brother, having their souls knit to his, and living not in themselves, but by his Spirit living in them. (Gal. ii. 20.) Therefore, when he pre- sents them before the presence of his Father, does not this close and inti- mate connection between him and his people entitle him to ask that those of whom he is bone of their bone, and flesh of their flesh, and who have him formed in them the hope of glory, be with him where he is, and have with him eternal life in fulness of joy, and pleasures for evermore ? 3(7, Christ is supremely qualified to make propitiation for our sins, because of his own spotless innocence. The blood to make atonement on the altar must be that of a pure and holy victim. He who is sub- stituted for the guilty, to save their souls, must be perfect in his innocence. Where can such victim be found, except in the holy Jesus. He was without spot, and unrebukable in the midst of a perverse generation. His life was the fulfilling of the law, for love to God and love to man animated his whole career. Of his love to God who shall speak worthily ? We know not what passed in the communion ho had with his father, and if we did know it, we could not utter the fulness of that intense love which made him say, " I delight to do thy will, 0 God." There are times when even a poor and imperfect believer finds his heart so full with love to God, that he cannot utter one half of what he feels ; and 82 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. shall we dare for one moment to compare our love with his ? His love glowed with intensest, purest flame ; his zeal never flagged or remitted. He counted it no laborious taskwork, but his meat and drink, to fulfil the law. It was the native employment of his heart. " Thy law is within my heart." Though surrounded by tempta- tions, and being beset by enemies, studying to allure him to evil, yet they never could succeed in raising within him a single wish in the slightest degree sinful to indulge, or in making him deflect a hair's breath from the strict line of study. The commandments of God are ex- ceeding broad, and make man see an end of all perfection. Jesus kept them all. On his heart, sin, his deadly foe, could not succeed in throw- ing the slightest shadow of a stain. When the time came for offering himself up, if a vestige of sin could have been found in his heart, or of guilt on his lips, or of iniquity in his hands, his sacrifice must have been rejected as incompetent, the horror of his undertaking would have been trodden in the dust, and Satan would have triumphed to keep the world still under thraldom. Burning with eager desire thus to over- throw Christ, the prince of this world came, but neither in his past life could the accuser of the brethren find aught of which to arraign him, nor in him now could he find any hold by which to overturn his innocence. That innocence stood invulnerable, unassailable. It defied his most cun- ning wiles, his fiercest assaults. "The prince of this world cometh," said Jesus, "but he hath nothing in me." To evince the impotence of his malice, when Satan stirred up his slaves to take way the life of the Lamb of God, he could supply them with no slanderous charges against him, supported by even plausible testimony. The witnesses agreed not in their evidence. The charge on which, by the rulers of the Jews, our Redeemer was doomed to die, bore that he, being a man, made himself equal with God. Before Pilate he was accused of making himself a King. In these things his Father gave him witness that lie spoke the truth, by the resurrection from the dead, declaring him to be the Son of God with power, and exalting him far above all principality and power to be King of kings and Lord of lords. But on these accusations Jesus was condemned to die ; and was led forth bearing his cross. As if to render his innocence more conspicuous, slander was then constrained to be dumb, and the viperous tongue of calumny fettered in silence. Before wicked men had said, " Behold a man gluttonous and a wine bibber, a friend of publicans and sinner6," and "He casteth out devils by the ■ power of Beelzebub." Now the falsehood of these charges was too ap- parent for such to be hazarded ; and in that season it was manifest that he and the prince of this world had nothing in common. Satan's work- ings His enemies felt in their own hearts ; Jesus was holy, harmless, un- defiled, and separate from sinners. The speeches with which they re- REV. GEORGR INNES. 83 viled hira were such only as made more evident their blindness and cruelty of heart. " Thou savedst others, thyself thou canst not save." The innocency of the victim who was then bearing "our sins in his own body on the tree," which had been conspicuous through life, was at- tested in the hour of his departure, as bright and remarkable, by two singular witnesses. " We, indeed, receive the reward of our deeds," said the penitent malefactor to his companion, " but this man hath done nothing amiss." "And the centurion who watched him, glorified God, saying, certainly this was a righteous man." From the cross his in- nocence sent efficacious influence into the hearts of spectators, and al- ready Christ crucified drew souls to himself. (John xii. 32.) Yeriiy, an innocence which could thus, with all things against it, triumph in its sufferings and death over evil and idolatrous hearts, does make Jesus fit to be set forth as a propitiation for our sins. ith, Jesus was a willing victim. What needs there a laboured proof of his willingness ? Had he been unwilling, who could have ascended into heaven to bring Christ down ? Had he not been willing, could he not have returned on high any moment he chose ? Did he not show himself to be a willing victim when, though at his slight word, the men came out tc seize him, and fell to the ground as dead, yet he yielded himself up to be led by them to scourging and death ? But his willingness to be made " a curse for us, that he might redeem them who were under the curse," was not the consent of ignorance as to what was involved, on his part, in such an undertaking. When he said, " Lo I come," He went forth knowing all that should come upon him. He who dwelt in the bosom of the Father, from time everlasting, knew how evil and abominable sin is in his sight, and what tremendous infliction of wrath was due to the vin- dication of long despised and insulted justice. He knew well what tri- bulation and anguish he was undertaking to suffer, when he offered to make atonement to the uttermost for such as should come unto God by him. The sufferings inflicted by the hand of men he bore without ex- pression of grief. " The Lord God," he says, ''hath opened mine ear and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. I gave my back to the smiters, and my check to them that plucked off the hair. I hid not my face from shame or spitting." And when he came to be baptized with his baptism of fire, even to undergo the final sharp trial of his Father's wrath, which made him " exceeding sorrowful even unto death," and pressed him into such depth of agony, that " he did sweat as it were great drops of blood ;" we know that he submitted his will to his Father's, saying, " Not my will but thine be done." And when, on the cross, the extreme pang of his suffering was drawing nigh, and his Father hid his face from him, to the unutterable trouble of his spirit ; when that heavenly light which had been the comfort of his heart was 84 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. cut off, and he was left alone, as if guilty, bearing the weight of wrath due to his Church's guilt in darkness and sorrow, encompassed by the prince of this world and his legions, who, knowing that this was their hour and power, burned to destroy him, he upheld his will. They panted, they hoped for success. They said, " He is cut off — be shall no more see light." (Psalm xli. 5-8.) But still, in this frightful hour, Jesus went calmly on, willingly submitting himself to " bear our sins in his own body on the tree.'' He proved his willingness by con- summating the sacrifice. His enemies had assailed his life, but it was impregnable to their attacks. No man could take away his life. Death entered the world by sin ; but he had never sinned, and therefore on him death had no power. Herein is a difference, absolutely indispen- sable to be observed, between the death of all other men and that of Christ. " No man hath power over the Spirit to retain it in the hour of death." " We must needs die." But Christ's life none could take from him. He laid it down of himself. (John x. 18.) To complete the sacrifice, it was necessary that Christ should die. Death was there, exulting in the prospect of a victim coming under his power, such as he had never smitten before— even of the Prince of Life being slain by his dart. But it was in Christ's power to be obedient, or not obedient, to death as he chose. All that was implied in Jesus dying we cannot know ; but, from the strong dread expressed of it in the Psalms, and the earnest supplications not to be left in liades, or suffered to see corruption, we must suppose something fearful to have been involved; and that, as it was the last blow in our Redeemer's suffering, so it was the most awful. But, however great its terrors, looking both to the blow about to be struck, and to the effects which would result from it, and perceiving that, if he permitted death to bury his sting in him, that enemy would no more have power over those that should believe on his name, Christ, in the same spirit in which he had said, " Lo, I come," now " cried with a loud voice, It is finished, and gave up the ghost." Bowing his head, he made reconciliation for iniquity, and brought in an everlasting right- eousness. And now, my soul, who knowest that there is no sacrifice sufficient to make atonement for sin but Christ, and that the sacrifice of Christ is all sufficient, why art thou so perpetually turning away from the refuge God hath set before thee, and seeking rest in the midst of thine own iniqui- ties ? Thou wouldst wish to be saved without Christ if thou couldst, but it is clearly impossible. Yet even with this impossibility demonstrated, thou resistest invitations to salvation by faith, and strugglest against believing. 1 see no help for me but in him who was lifted up to make reconciliation drawing me to himself by his Spirit. " Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief." ( 35 ) LECTURE VII. REGENERATION. REV JAMES WALKER, CARNWATH. " Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto theev except a man b» born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said unto him, How can a man be born when he is old ? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and he born ? •Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, lixcept a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh ; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." — John iii. 3-6. This passage contains a great truth : the greatest of truths : of all truths, the most solemn and blessed in regard to fallen man. "When this truth is understood, felt, realized, man's soul has been the theatre of a mighty revolution. 1st, We are instructed here concerning the necessity of a thorough change in our spiritual being. Man is dead — " dead in trespasses and sins ;" he is essentially, in his nature, '•' enmity against Goi" — the holy Sovereign of the Bible. Before it can be well with him, he must be the subject of a change as complete as our minds can conceive of. He must get life — have enmity turned to love — be created anew. Without this there is no heaven for him — he shall not have a glimpse of it — there is before him an eternity of unmingled sorrow. When shall our stupid earth be brave and wise enough to hear that doctrine ? 2d, We are instructed farther concerning the origin of this change. It is of God the Holy Ghost. They in whom it is eifected are a class of persons of whom it is affirmed, that they are " born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." The " re- newing of the Holy Ghost" is not a metaphor — it is a plain reality ; it is not truth gifted like a God — it is not some dreamy influence floating round the soul — but the direct, personal, sovereign agency of the Spirit, which renews or regenerates. Christianity is shaken to its centre when this truth is spoken as if it were not meant. The Word is the " sword of the Spirit;" He must draw it out of its scabbard of letters and wield it, otherwise it is but a mighty weapon lying by. How K? wields it I oannot tell ; " it is the glory of God to conceal a thing" — why not to conceal this thing ? But if you go out of the range of the Word, you go beyond the sweep of the weapon of life. That is practical knowledge on the matter. No. 112.— Lect. 7. 56 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. 3d, We are not instructed concerning any definite method or form of operation in this change. While there is the same Spirit, there are diversities of operation. One man's change is swift, sudden, decisive ; another man's change is gradual and protracted. We speak after the manner of men, for, in reality, the change from death to life is instan- taneous ; but there is a meaning to us even in such phrases as " half- dead" or "half-alive." One man's change is more sharp, and another man's less so. How sharp was Paul's ! how comparatively easy that of the Ethiopian eunuch. One man's conflict is in his intellect ; another man's conflict is with some wretched habit. There is no all-embracing rule. What, then, is the change itself — the change accomplished ? To that I would now more specially direct your thoughts. I. In the first place, the change of regeneration means aversion from sin. Sin is now a reality for the soul. Sin is now a fearful reality. Sin is now one of the two realities of the universe. 1. In exposition of this thought, I would say more generally, that it is nature in the regenerate spirit to be tender and sensitive in its dis- like of sin. You see my meaning. There might be previously, in the unregenerate state, dislike to some sins — something like a wish to be rid of sin. It was not deep nor powerful — it was not as if there was an es- sential antagonism between the soul and iniquity. In the one case, the soul with sin could live in some peace — in tolerable enjoyment ; occa- sionally annoyed, perhaps, but far from being in deep trouble. In the other case, sin is sorrow, agony, death, to the soul. In the one case, there is at best the antagonism of circumstance ; in the other case, there is the antagonism of nature. As the chill breath of the sunless heaven, and the tall iceberg is to the plant of the tropical clime — as the gnawing ulcer or the sharp knife is to the sensitive frame of health — as the stain of dark dishonour is to the high and noble mind — so is sin to the regenerate character. There is peaceless hostility between them — they are known to each other only in the grapplings of fierce conflict — they meet but to flee from each other or to fight. Go down into the depths of this new nature ; carefully inquire. Ask what it fears most, and it will answer — sin ; what it hates most, and it will answer — sin ; what is most unlovely in its eyes, most offensive to its taste, and'it will answer — sin ; what, if within its power, it would most readily call down the fire of heaven to destroy, and forth from its fathomless recesses, the voice of earnestness would still have the answer — sin — the regenerate and the unregenerate, both sin. Mark the infinite diversity between them in their sins. Sin is committed; the unregenerate man thinks little of it, if there be no worldly trouble — the regenerate man sits and mourns, not unlikely, REV. JAMES WALKER. 87 amid the hell-cloud of despair ; the unregenerate man is ready to sin again ; the regenerate man shakes and trembles at the very thought — his bosom tosses in trouble as the wind-lashed sea. Nathan speaks to David, and he falls swiftly from the throne of peace and joy, into the pit of unutterable sorrow. Elijah speaks to Jezebel, and she un- leashes the hound* of death at him. We see what, in the new birth, is the soul's intense aversion from sin. This becomes, then, the sove- reign, practical law of our being. Let us lay it to heart. " Whoso- ever is born of God doth not commit sin" — it is against his nature to do so — it is the piercing of his heart with cold steel when this habit of its life is glaringly overthrown. 2. This aversion from sin on the part of the regenerate embraces all sin — sins of the heart as well as sins of the exterior life. The regenerate man is not a saint abroad and a sinner at home in the secrecy of his spirit — fair as the sun, beneath the sun — within the thick veil which hides his bosom, black and impure. His care is to burnish the inside as brightly as the outside, often more brightly. He is a lie otherwise — a wretched picture for the moths to eat. The living soul fears, hates, shrinks from sin within itself, known only to itself and God. It is theft, in the feeling of the living soul, not merely when the hand of flesh has stolen the literal guinea from the purse, but as well when the covetous aspiration is entertained ; it is murder, not merely when the knife has flashed in the death stroke, or the poison been given which sucks life away, but as well when ill will is cherished ; it is adultery when there is the look of lust — pride, when there is the self complacent and disdain- ful thought. Regeneration is a change of spirit, and it is with the move- ments of the spirit, the heart, that it has primarily to deal. To my eyes, there is now visible among you no sin — sin seems absent. Had I hea- ven's eye, I should possibly behold, among those of you who are saints, one soul crushing an incipient emotion — another soul wrestling with a painful thought. Why does that shadow rest a while upon a brother's countenance — a suggestion of evil has flashed upon his mind that grieves his new nature. It is in the very heart of the soul that re- generation shall manifest its true character ; it is there it has most to do. And yet, the outward, as we call it, the actual transgression of the holy law, is the greater sin, even because it implies a greater intensity of the sinful disposition. 3. The aversion of the regenerate from sin, is further an aversion, whether as to outward act or inward feeling, from whatever is sin in God's revealed declaration of the Word. The Scripture is the soul's lamp, discovering for it, and displaying what is good and what is evil — supremely felt as such. The holy Scripture is sight, touch, 88 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. taste, to the living soul ; according to the Scripture it sees — shrinks from or embraces — feels dislike or delight. In submission to the Scripture, the conscience affirms the sinfulness of a thing, and the nature of the new birth regards it with enmity. Thus in regeneration the list of sins is lengthened, such as those being added, pride, worldli- ness, self-righteous complacency, inattention or coldness in directly religious duties, and so forth ; from those, as well as from other sins more gross, there is the aversion we speak of. Thus too, that distinc- tion between great and little sins, which would make little sins no sins at all, is buried; for nought which God condescends to command a loving child of his dare fancy little, for when heaven's voice is heard it is felt that every faintest articulation should be reverently engraven on the heart. It is a happy sign of one when his conscience bows reverently before the word — having found practical reality and meaning in the warning, a if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the book of life, and from the holy city." This, then, is the law of regenerate nature — aversion from sin, from sin of the heart and soul, from sin as opposi- tion to God's revealed will. It is well with us when our souls feel sin to be a dark plague — most blessed when we weep for it, whether in our- selves or others ; it is man's true grandeur when, with the Psalmist, he can say, " mine eyes are rivers of waters because men keep not God's law ;" it is beauty, joy, greatness, this distaste of — this grief in all iniquity. II. In the second place, only putting what has been already said in another form, the change of regeneration means inclination towards God. Aversion from sin implies inclination to God ; the soul cannot hate sin and not love God : the one is involved in the other — the taste in the distaste, the love in the hatred. The subject, however, is pre- sented to our minds in greater completeness when it is regarded in both aspects : having given, then, a practical illustration of the new life in its aversion from and distaste of sin, let us briefly also give an illustra- tion of that life in its tastes and tendencies towards God. 1. The living God has hitherto been a dream; sometimes a dream faint as the faintest vision of the night, which flits across the mind and leaves no trace ; sometimes a dream of higher power and more definite form, as in the terrors of superstition — but still at best a dream. There has been no real earnest dealing with the living one — none ; the eye hath never pierced earth's starry canopy and truly seen the throne — the pure in heart alone see God. But a birth takes place within the soul ; a new nature is conceived and brought forth ; the Invisible becomes visible, and with Jesus this nature rises to His presence, and lives on His love. REV. JAMES WALKER. 89 Event of wonder — is it not? Joyously the cedar and the rose in the Bunshine and breezes of spring pour forth their nature, their life in buds ; joyously the lark expresses forth her nature as she flings wide her morning carols ; joyously the loving child gives nature vent in kind- nesses and caresses and fond words ; joyously, too, the nature of the regenerate is declared by its flight to the Mediator's feet, to enjoy the presence and love of a reconciled God ; there it is pleasant to abide, in meditation, praise, love, obedience — the soul honestly at times affirm- ing, '* I will not go clown, I will build me a tent ; here I will stay and be joyful in my God." Even when clouds are compassing it, when God seems away ; could you listen at the door of the heart of life you would hear such vehement longings as these, " O God thou art my God ; my soul thirsteth for thee." " My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God." " My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God, when shall I come and appear before God." As "pillars of smoke," so the hearts of the regenerate ascend. There is a something in them, which with a sovereign influence, bends them upwards to seek the bosom of Godhead — that is the glorified Jesus. 2. I present the fact of these tendencies of life in the soul in a more practical shape — the regenerate nature will love and long for the ordinary means of God's presence and enjoyment. These are what we call the ordinances — the reading of the word, the house of God, the Sabbath, prayer. To be regenerate and not to delight in these, is a contradiction — it is to live without bread and water. One's soul is not alive if it likes not the word ; life as instinctively loves the truth, as the child its mother's breast ; if it likes not the house of God where the Spirit of life is wont to be given, and life mingles with life, and warms and blazes — if it likes not the Sabbath, the foretaste, the preparation of eternity — if it likes not prayer, the strong arm of life, the key of life, more abundant. What we say is, that the soul which is regenerate loves these things, desires them, needs them. Such is its nature — its nature, as it is the nature of the fish to swim and the fowl to fly. Men mistake us in this matter. For example, in the case of the Sabbath : We affirm the regenerate love the Sabbath — the Sabbath is to them a delight — the Sabbath of the law is joy to them. We affirm this to one class and another. The world pretends to reply in the name of charity, " You mean by this to exclude from your Sabbath those mental and material relaxations, so much needed in this busy, unquiet world ; you mean to take from the wearied labourer his Sabbath party, and his Sabbath trip, and his Sabbath newspaper ; you mean to make the Sab- bath a dull, gloomy, miserable time. This is not love — this is not the spirit of the religion of goodness and love. We answer, that there is 90 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. part of truth and part of falsehood in this. We do mean — the Bible means — that the Sabbath be a day of direct and continued devotion to God ; but not that it be a weary, sad day — rather that, of all days, it be the happiest. Let it be understood, that it is sin to have a weary Sabbath, even as it is a sin to have a drunken one. It is nought but sin which makes a Sabbath's devotion dull ; it is nought but sin if a Sabbath's exercises afford not a noble gladness ; the devotion, the exercises of the Sabbath, afford suitable refreshment for those in whom there is the vic- tory over sin and the nature of God. Consider ; it may be very good for a child to amuse itself with the soap bubbles which glance for a mo- ment in the sunbeam and evanish, or to string the berries of the moun- tain-ash, and be as pleased as any queen with her necklace of pearls ; but for a grown-up man to engage for any length of time in such occu- pations is ridiculous. None but the idiot will do it. You mark the aptness ->f the illustration : if man be a poor creature of earth — his hopes and affections and joys shut up within a few years of time in a trou- blous world— -it may be becoming enough in him to console and divert his mind by a Sabbath of paltry amusement. But for man with eter- nity heaving in his bosom — with his hopes, and affections, and joys, and longings before God in heaven — it is childish a Sabbath of that sort. A day of rest and consolation for man regenerate — a Sabbath suited to him — is the institution of the Bible ; a day of earnest devotion — a Sabbath of high and cheering thoughts of his home hereafter. That is the relaxation he requires. That is the diversion he needs amid earth's din and toil. That is the amusement which gives new nerve and sinew to him. Not then as a drudgery — nor in pride and self-com- placent or superstitious formality — but as satisfying the prevailing dis- positions and instincts of the soul, these external ordinances are needed and sought for by the regenerate. God's presence is found in them — God's blessing is dispensed in them ; therefore the soul must love them if it be of God. How deeply have I felt the truth of these thoughts, when I have heard the hard-working man say he wearied for the Sabbath ! not to be then in physical repose, but to have repose of heart over his Bible and in the house of God, and in prayer, even when the Sabbath was his day of hardest labour by the length of his journey. The word, prayer, the church, the Sabbath, are wells of salvation the saintly heart demands. 3. Very briefly, I remark further, that the regenerate soul seeks to enjoy God through all the business and occupations of life, though not, of course, so vividly as in the ordinances of direct devotion. If it be not so, all a man's religious emotion is no better than unstamped coin. It is most certainly not regenerate emotion. It is flame upon the canvat. REV. JAMES WALKER. 91 The man that is truly born again would " glorify and enjoy " God in the kind word — the good turn — the humble demeanour — purity of thought, and speech, and action. The regenerate nature flows forth in fruits of " love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance ;" it guides, the heart, the hand, the tongue, the eye ; it rules our morning, noon, and night ; its influence is realized be- hind the team and the counter — in the closet and on the highway — among yon band of labourers and in the church — in every thing, in every place ; at any time it is its disposition to be near and to honour God. The saint would make the whole of life a sanctuary ; he is a poor saint otherwise. Is he a saint at all ? Brethren, believe it — re- member it ; when there is life in the heart, and health in the constitu- tion— life circles through every vein ; life plays through every hour and every act of your history. Life in the heart and death in the mem- bers is monstrous. Over the footsteps of Jesus Christ — over the path whose name is " continually doing good'' — the radiance of God's love is shed. There every living soul habitually would bask in it ; else all is vain. Averse from sin, the regenerate have found and delight in lov- ing God — delight in those divine ordinances in which he comes near — delight in the practical life of Jesus, which gleams with his glorious pre- sence— is the noblest temple thereof. The regenerate nature rises to God. That is its tendency — that is the bent of the saintly spirit. It rises sometimes more, sometimes less vigorously. It has many a vale be- tween it and the summit. It stumbles, falls, is wearied ; but still in- domitably its course is for " mount Zion, the city of the living God." III. In the third place, / at once impress and illustrate these truths by practical cases. What Scriptural ones shall we find ? — plenty of them. The two we select are those of Mary the Magdalene, and Saul the persecutor. The story of each tells, with great and beau- tiful power, the reality of the New Birth, and its meaning. Mary has been among the vilest of her race — among the dregs of a world of sin — impure, unclean, seven times a sinner. Shall she rise again ? Whose heart swells with tender and penitent affection at the tear- washed feet of Jesus ? — whose heart bids the eye not turn from yonder cross, but mournfully linger there eveu till and after the stars begin their evening hymn ? — whose waking spirit will not let the heavy eyelid fall, but with earliest dawn, amid the fresh odours of the lonely garden, breathes towards the rocky grave where one is lately buried? — who is she of love so singular to the blessed One — of Spirit so pure andetherial — clad in the snowy raiment of the skies ? It is of the Magdalene I speak — it is the regenerate Mary I describe. See there 92 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. one lifted from the lowest grave, shrinking from sin, which henceforth is to her only a dagger for the hosom of her dearest, having her joy in the Lord — his will, his word, his presence. That is the meaning of life. Saul, his character at once arises up before your minds — the merci- less zealot who aided at the martyrdom of the brave and holy Stephen — the iron persecutor who thirsted for blood — and had conscientiously ex- tracted from his bosom the milk of human kindness — the self-compla- cent, self-righteous Pharisee who fancied that he could bribe heaven ! This is Saul. Paul the Apostle of our Lord, your minds too are familiar with his character ; the humble man who called himself the " chief of sinners" — who gloried not in himself but in the cross ; the man of loving, earnest, pitiful soul, who became the servant of all to win them to Christ, whose spirit was filled with tears instead of curses for his ad- versaries ; the man who so shrunk back from the thought of offending Jesus of Nazareth, that he walked in weakness, and fear, and much trembling, " desiring to depart and be with him," for ever in pure un- broken fellowship. Paul the apostle is Saul regenerate ; Saul with a new nature in his bosom ; Saul with the heart of cold stone, removed by the grace of heaven, and a heart of flesh, soft, warm, pure, given in its room. Mary and Paul signify what it is to live again. Beyond the Scrip- ture striking illustrations teem. The wild, the profligate, the blasphem- ous Augustin, arrested in the full tide of his ungodliness, and then as a hoary saint mourning the sins of his childhood, while much of his life has now been spent in daily and nightly prayers ! John Bunyan beseeching rather that his soul should be lashed by the fire of an agony, than that sin should have peaceful supremacy, and beholding as with the literal eye the infinite " beauty of holiness !" Robert M'Cheyne, desiring to have the painful convictions of sin manifest in a smitten soul seeking comfort at his hands — feeling, not reasoning, his way to the thought, that in essence, holiness and happiness are one ! In these instances is not our truth spoken with awful eloquence and power? Are not sin and God the two realities of the earth of all worlds ? Is it not life and glory when the soul rushes from sin by the way of the cross to the Father ? Is there anything else great here, save this sovereign feeling of dislike to sin, and affection for God in Christ ? I draw to a conclusion with two explanatory observations : — 1st, Of course we have always supposed and spoken under the idea of the truth being clearly present to your minds, that the regenerate soul lies at the feet of Christ. There alone, with peaceful and penitent aver- sion from sin, it obtains the enjoyment of God. As, on the one hand, it is a dark and horrible delusion that the soul unborn, in the unchanged REV. JAMES WALKER. 93 enmity of its nature, ever draws near the cross to partake of life in God's love ; so on the other, it is a delusion as dark that the soul should ever as regenerate partake of the life it longs for, unless in Christ. Life, re- generate nature, is ever united to the Tree of Life ; on the branch then the sunshine and dews of Jehovah's affection descend. 2d, While we have said that the prevailing bent of the regenerate soul is away from sin and towards God, in his person, nature, will, and ordinances, we have not said that the soul has ceased to do with sin. Very far from it. The saint traverses a battle-field to his rest. Only with much conflict, many wounds, many stumbles, occasional overthrows, his course is for the most part that of a victor. Around the soul on earth there is a body of death, wisely left to try and purify it more thoroughly — it is there, however, by protest — it is not welcome. In reference to it there is ever the earnest exclamation of Paul, " O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from it." Brother, where is thy soul ? In the grave or on the Mediator's crown ? — among the worms of wrath, malice, lust, worldliness, unbelief, or before the throne of love in the world of life ? Have the vaults of heaven rung with music on thine account? Or does this whole matter cost thee little thought ? Of all possible communications a man can make to himself that is the most darkly impressive — Death is upon me ! One shrinks from making it even while there is the silent idea that it might be truly made. It is hard to have the courage to receive a thing about oneself so grievous and sad. Thus it is a mighty effort for the sinner to descend into his bosom — to search the awful secrets of its innermost chambers — to discover the heart there in death and corruption, kept as in a temporary vault for its deeper grave. "With many a shrewd suspicion he will do everything to keep himself from being assured that his suspicion is real. But is this wisdom ? Is it not a most miserable method of consolation ? Would it not be wiser and greater — happier for him to know all the truth, even though sharp sorrows should result. His sorrows shall wake up within him those cries for help which, rising higher than the highest star, even to the throne of grace — shall bring down the willing spirit. Already he lives. Better to pass through a valley of death into infinite life, than through a valley of bright life, could that be, into infinite death ! You live ? Then you have left the sepulchre — it can no more be your home. You have trodden the path of Christ — you have ascended in heart to the right hand of glory — your life is " hidden" there. Is it not •o ? Is it not your prayer to have it so more and more ? ( 9± ) LECTURE VIII. BY THE REV. SAMUEL MARTIN, BATHGATE. " And the Spirit and the hride say, Come ; and let him that heareth say, Come ; and let him that is athirst come ; and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."— Rit. xiii. 17. The Book of Revelation, intended to stand last in the canon of Scrip- ture, is fuller in its details respecting the judgments of the Lord, and the final results of conduct, whether good or bad, than any other part of the sacred volume. The greater part of it is a narrative of God's outward judgments — the index generally of future doom on the enemies of his church, and on certain corrupted forms of Christianity. Towards the close is presented first the final struggle which Christ's cause and people shall have to maintain with all the enemies of the church, confederate with all the powers of darkness in one desperate attempt for the over- throw of Christianity, and in which, cheered by the presence and aided by the might of the Captain of Salvation, the soldiers of the cross shall be triumphant. Then we have the judgments inflicted on these dis- comfited enemies of Christ : they shall be " cast into the lake of fire burning with brimstone." And in the twenty-first, and commencement of the twenty- second chapters, we have a magnificent and most attractive description of the blessed state to which the righteous shall yet be ad- vanced— a state in which they shall dwell with God, in which he shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain — a state in which the glory of the Lord shall lighten them, and there shall be no more curse, but of the river of the water of life they shall drink abundantly and be satisfied. To confirm all these assurances of doom on his enemies, and of blessing to his friends, and to make them tell with deeper emphasis on the thoughts and purposes of men, he that signified them to the church by his servant John, saith at the seventh verse of this chapter, " Behold, I come quickly." I come quickly to make good every word which hath been spoken, and to make all men know in their own experience that faithful and true are all the forewarnings, pro- mises, and threatenings that have thus been held out to them. " I come quickly ; therefore, blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book." And in 11-15, you will find how the strain of solemn REV. SAMUEL MARTIN. 95 warning and admonition is resumed and finally wound up. But while, in a manner so solemn and impressive, the great issues of life and death are thus brought finally before the readers of this book, and left to tell on their minds with their overwhelming weight — while life and death, blessing and cursing, are set before them — the Lord cannot, as it were, quit the children of men and close his addresses to them without making one more most earnest and affectionate appeal to sinners, not to harden their hearts and reject the blessings of salvation — without making one farther attempt to persuade them to come to God — without again holding up to their view the readiness with which they may have access to all the blessings of redemption, to all the joys of everlasting life. " The Spirit and the bride say, come ; and let him thatheareth say, come ; and let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." I. " The Spirit says, come." " When Christ ascended on higb, he received gifts for men." Chief of the gifts thus committed to him to bestow on the children of men, is the Holy Spirit, of whose coming and work he had abundantly spoken to his disciples. " Being by the right hand of God exalted, he received of the Father the promised Holy Ghost." (Acts ii. 33.) It is the great honour of his glorified state that he has the Spirit to give to men. (John vii. 39.) And the work on which the Spirit is sent forth is to testify of Christ, to declare to men his ful- ness, and to beseech them to receive his unsearchable riches. " He shall testify of me," said Christ, "he shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and show it unto you." (John xv. 26 ; xvi. 14, 8-11.) His work, as described by Christ, should be to set forth the Saviour to men's souls, to commend him to them, to persuade them to come to him, and, by destroying their false confidences, to persuade them effectually to put their trust in him, and to value and seek a part in the blessings of which he is the author. Such, accordingly, has been the object of the Spirit's operations amongst the children of men, saying to them in effect, if not in language, " Come." Even in regard to his influence and work, previous to Christ's appearance on earth, we know that this was the object which he ever had in view. For "the prophets," Peter writes, " who prophesied of the grace that should come to us, searched what and what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified before hand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow." The sufferings of Christ, and the glory connected with these, were the subject of the Spirit's testimony ere Christ came in the flesh. The Spirit lifted so far the veil which hung over God's purposes, and displayed to the faith and hope of the Old Testament saints, and to the 96 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. knowledge of those who were not saints, the Saviour to come. And in tracing so much as the Old Testament contains of the work of the pro- mised deliverer, his character, and the blessed results which should attend the humble believing reception of him, the Spirit was just as distinctly calling on men to come to that Saviour that they might share in the fruits of his work and the benefits he bestows, as when by the lips of the prophet he expressly cried, "Look unto him and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth." Such is the Spirit's call and invitation still. If " holy men of old spake," in the days of the Jewish dispensation, " as they were moved by the Holy Ghost," not less by him were those men guided who have recorded to us in the New Testament the life and doc- trines of our Lord. And what is the aspect which their whole writings bear to sinners ? Varied as are the forms in which the truth is set forth — now expostulation, now reproof, now threatening, now counsel or intreaty — sometimes simple statements of truth, sometimes close and af- fecting application of it to the heart — sometimes magnificent pictures of the glory to come, sometimes appalling glimpses of the misery which shall wrap the unconverted sinner's soul for ever — sometimes discourse of Christ's humiliation and sufferings, sometimes of the majesty in which he now sits enthroned to impart the irTfinite blessings of salvation to the souls of men, or of his coming with all his holy angels to judge the quick and the dead — what is the strain in which, through them all, the Spirit addresses the sinner, but just this, " Come, come out of your sinful death-like state ; come to the Saviour, shelter with him you shall have from the wrath which follows hard after sin, and with him you shall have freely and abundantly, without money and without price, all bless- ings and good for time and eternity. O come to him that your souls may live." While, by the written word, the Spirit hath ever said, and doth still say, " Come, come, ye weary and heavy laden, and Christ will give you rest ; come ye sick and wounded, and the great Physician will heal you," he has made provision for the continual utterance of that invitation in the ears of men. The silent word might be neglected, and the Spirit's call and invitation therein therefore unheard and unknown. But other pro- vision has the Spirit made for proclaiming his testimony, and carrying his call to the knowledge and conscience of men. By the ministers of the New Testament does the Spirit bear his testimony, and address his call unto men. "Tarry ye," said our Lord to his disciples, (Luke xxiv), "in the city of Jerusalem, till ye be endued with power from on high" — for what end ? — " that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in Christ's name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." "Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost RliV. SAMUEL MARTIN. 97 is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jeru- salem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth." (Acts i.) The promise in both these declarations was that the Spirit should rest upon them, should teach them to make known to sinners Christ and him crucified, and should use them to in- vite sinners in Christ's name to a full participation in all the blessings of his purchase. Accordingly so it was. When on the day of Pentecost the Spirit was sent forth upon the disciples in fulfilment, as Peter said, of the prophecy, " In those days I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh ; and on my servants and my handmaidens will I pour out my Spirit, and theyshall prophecy," we find that apostle, so timid before, so afraid to confess Christ, as even at the challenge of a servant maid, to deny with oaths that he knew him — we find him immediately preaching Christ to those who had despised and slain him : " Ye men of Israel," he broke forth, "hear these words ; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you, by miracles, and wonders, and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know, him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain ;" and so on, preaching Christ to them, and concluding with the earnest exhortation, " Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Christ, for the remission of sins?" (Acts ii. 22-33; see also, iv. 8-12 ; v. 10-12.) And what was the source of this preaching ? Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said, " We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged upon the tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him." In short, the assurance was fulfilled in them, " It is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost which speaketh in you." (Markxiii. 11.) And speaking "not with the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth," they bare testimony of Jesus who saves his people from their sins, made known the savour of his name in every place, and called on men to come to him and be blest in him. And still under the gospel, which is " the ministrationof the Spirit," doththe Spirit employ the ministers of the New Testament to bear his invitation to the souls of men. And however in- ferior in every thing that constitutes men, what Paul terms himself and his fellow-apostles, " able ministers of the Xew Testament," those who now all unworthily speak the words of eternal life unto men, do bear to them the Spirit's call, by them the Spirit doth now beseech men to be reconciled unto God. He commissions them to intreat men to " come" — to come to him who will in nowise cast them out, who will gladden them Xo. 113. — Lect. 8. vol. in. 98 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. with the assurance of his love, and introduce them into possession of all the privileges of the sons of God. II. " The bride saith, Come." The bride, who thus joins in the Spirit's invitation, is the same that we read of chap. xix. 6-8. The description there given of her apparel, " the righteousness of saints," teaches that this bride of the Lamb is the body of saints whom he has redeemed to himself with his precious blood — the Church, who, like the first bride on earth, was taken out of her husband's bleeding side. This bride, the Church, doth also say, " Come." The bride is conjoined with the Spirit in the same call ; " the Spirit and the bride say, Come." The reason of this has already appeared in our considering the invitation as pro- ceeding from the Spirit, viz. that it is chiefly through the instrumentality of the Church that the Spirit proclaims its invitation, and urges it upon men. The Spirit, who rested on Christ without measure, and anointed him for his office, spake of him, and commended him to men in all his public ministry. It spake for him, that is, it pointed him out to men, when, at his baptism, it descended upon him like a dove. It spake for him in his miracles, for which " he was anointed with the Holy Ghost, and with power'' — (Acts x. 38) — and in the voice which issued from the excellent glory, which proclaimed him God's well-beloved Son. But, at all times, the Spirit's testimony to Jesus hath been borne chiefly through the church, and now it is wholly by the church that it makes him known, and sets before sinners the riches of his grace. In the word which the Spirit has entrusted to the Church, " the pillar and ground of the truth," the Spirit exhibits the invitations of the Gospel. And the Church itself, which is " the temple of the Holy Ghost," speaks the mind of the Holy Ghost, and holds up to men the gracious words of God, the testimonies of his marvellous love and mercy through Jesus Christ. The church, then, being the instrument by which the Spirit fulfils its work of glori- fying Christ, one reason appears for the Spirit and the bride being joined in the same invitation. And there is this further reason for that junction, that it is only because the Spirit dwelleth in the church, and just so far as he doth dwell in it, that it bears testimony to Jesus, and shows forth his praise. What is the Church ? The body of believers taken out from amongst the apostate sinners of Adam's race. And what hath made them more sensible than the sinners, from whom they have been separated, of the glory of Christ, the excellence of his salvation, and the blessed fulness of God ? What but the Spirit's teaching ? Once they were just as blind, dull, dead to all these things, as the dullest and most insensible sinner that lives. But the Spirit taught and charged them. He that moved over the deep of old to bring order out of its REV. SAMUEL MARTIN. 99 confusion, and light in upon its darkness, hath gone forth on the dead waste of the sinner's heart, which he found void of every thing but evil, — hath dispelled its darkness about the things of God — destroyed its in- sensibility to them — and, showing to it the love and work of Christ, and the glory of God as revealed in his face, hath thoroughly changed the inner man, and brought forth a new creature in Christ Jesus. Were it not that the Spirit hath thus wrought upon every one of those who, in their collective capacity, constitute the Church the Lamb's bride, they never would have seen any thing of the'glory of Christ, or of those green pastures and still waters to which the good Shepherd introduces his sheep. And it is just so far as he hath taught them, that they un- derstand these things — just so far as he influences them that they prize them — and just so far as he dwells in the Church, and moves its acts and its utterances, that the bride joins in the invitation, "Come, come to taste the love of Christ — come to taste that God is gracious." And therefore is it that the Spirit and the bride are joined in the same invitation. The bride is the Spirit's great instrument in inviting mo.n to Gospel blessings ; and because the Spirit dwells in the bride, she proclaims the honour of Christ's name, and the glory of his grace. But not on this account only doth the bride press the invitation " to come." The Church hath come herself, and therefore would she have others to come. She hath come, and coming, she has been made partaker of all the blessings which Christ bought with his blood. She hath received the blessings of favour with God, protection from him, and all the joyful hopes of ever- lasting life. And when she contrasts her present state of assured peace and triumphant hope, with the fearful pit and miry clay out of which she was taken, 0 how does her heart glow with deepest and most constraining gratitude to him who hath redeemed her, and that at the unspeakable price of his own sufferings and death ; and, glowing with devout and fervent gratitude to him, the Church cannot but long that others should come to him to help her to acknowledge his grace, and to show forth his praise. And as the Church's gratitude is mingled with, and sustained by, most holy approval of Christ's character, and admiration of his glorious person, she longs that others should also behold his grace and be captivated therewith, and therefore calls on them to come, and see, and taste, that they may lend their voices to the joyful strains in which she celebrates her Lord as " fairer than the sons of men," and as " the chief among ten thousand, and altogether lovely." While the Church's views of Christ, and ardent love to him, cause her thus to echo the Spirit's invitation, she is moved and constrained, by her experience of the blessings which have attended her own obedience to the invitation, to desire earnestly that others may obey it also. Blessed 100 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. as she is with the safety, peace, and joy connected with receiving Christ — enabled to lift up her eyes to the lluler of all as her friend — embol- dened to pour out all her sorrows and distresses into the bosom of a Fa- ther in heaven, and compassed about with his everlasting arms — how devoutly does she long that those who remain in the miserable state out of which she has been redeemed, may come forth from it, and obtain part in the precions endowment of joy and blessing which has been con- ferred upon her ! Looking on them, slaves of sin and Satan, separated from God, the fountain of life and good, in all their fancied pleasures but feeding on ashes, or grasping at the grapes of Sodom, and hastening on to a full reaping of the miserable fruits of sin in the bitterness of the second death, Avith what eagerness does she thirst for their recovery — with what importunity and melting tenderness must she beseech them to return to God and live ! " Come — come to the Saviour ; he will in no wise cast you out. Oh, we have found his ' love better than wine,' his favour to be life, his loving-kindness to be better than life, his consola- tions to be most gladdening and satisfying. Come, and you shall share in them all. Delay not for your unworthiness. He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Delay not from your love of earthly good. O it is as the small dust of the balance when compared with his blessing. Come to him and he will give you his unsearchable riches. Come to him, he will bless you now, and make your interests sure for eternity."' III. " Let him that heareth say, come." To hear in Scripture usage, very often signifies to obey. Thus, "hear, ye children, the instruction of a father." The disobedient are described as " children that will not hear the law of the Lord." This very natural use of the word is quite common throughout Scripture. If this be the sense in which it is employ- ed here, then this clause of our text is an admonition to every one who obeys the voice of the Lord, and receives his invitation, to make that invitation known to others, aud press them to accept of it. It is an exhortation to each individual believer to do that which the whole Church, as a body, is described as doing — " the bride saith, come." And it must be remembered by all Christians, that though the Church, in its very existence, in the doctrines it holds, and in the praise of the Re- deemer which it holds forth, does bear continual testimony to Christ, and continually give utterance to the invitation "come," yet on each indi- vidual the obligation lies to shew forth in his own place, and by his own endeavours, the honour of his Lord, and to do what in him lies to win over others from the service of Satan. Xo one is released from this ob- gation by the general testimony of the bride. Each believer is bound REV. SAMUEL MARTIN. 101 for himself, by all the obligations of gratitude and duty, to declare the praises of him who hath redeemed him to himself. And every motive and every feeling, which in the Church generally move to an acknow- ledgment of Christ, and a calling of sinners to him, will be felt by each believer urging and stimulating him to show forth the praises of him who hath called him out of darkness into his marvellous light. This duty, then, in obedience to the Saviour's command, let each believer fulfil. " Let him that heareth say, come." Bear witness, ye who know Christ, and have received salvation in him, to the Redeemer's love, to the fulness of his salvation, and to the blessedness of all that put their trust in him. Call others to share in your joys, blessings, and pri- vileges. Win them, draw them, persuade them to come to Christ, that they too may participate in all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ Jesus, and may magnify him who hath done great things for them. It ought not to be omitted that the expression, " him that heareth," may have here just its ordinary meaning. It may be understood as a call upon every man to whom the tidings of mercy and salvation are addressed, to proclaim these tidings to others, and to help forward the universal publication of the grace and gospel of Christ. The bride gives continual utterance to the gospel invitation. But so desirous is the Spirit to bring men to the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, that he calls on every one to whom that truth is made known to send it on- ward to others, and to press on them the gospel's gracious call ; to be a preacher as it were of Christ, and of all his fulness, to the souls of men. And though to a believer such a charge may seem peculiarly appropriate, and will come home with peculiar power, yet well may it be laid on all. The charge comes from Christ, to whom hath been committed all power in heaven and in earth. Seated, therefore, on the throne of universal do- minion, he has right to give command to all, and to require from them immediate and unqualified obedience. The charge is to seek the honour, and make known the praise of the Sovereign Lord of all ; and this every one is bound most needfully and diligently to advance. It is a charge which calls on men to concur with the purposes of the one God, and to promote them ; and what creature is there that can plead exemp- tion from obligation to do his Maker's will, and to advance his purposes ? For no other end can creatures be conceived to have been made. And it is a charge which calls on those to whom it is addressed, to promote the chiefest good of their fellow-men ; and this every human being is bound to forward with his whole heart and might. And therefore, by the power of manifold considerations and unanswerable reasons, is every man without exception, who hears the gospel sound, bound to take part 102 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. in conveying it to others — in prolonging the strains of the everlasting gospel, till they reach with saving effect all the children of men. In the spirit of this charge sang the Christian poet, Salvation, oh salvation, The joyful sound proclaim, Till each remotest nation Has learnt Messiah's name. Waft, waft ye winds his story. And you, ye waters, roll, Till like a sea of glory, It spread from pole to pole. Till o'er our ransomed nature, The Lamb for sinners slain, Redeemer, King, Creator, In bliss return to reign. IV. " Let him that is athirst come." This is a special application of the general call to a certain class of persons — those that are athirst. Who are described by this expression ? To which we may reply, Who is there that is not described by it ? Of the mental emotion signified by tiiirst, that is, vehement desire after good, who is rot the subject? On very various objects may that desire be fixed ; but who is not ac- quainted with it ? Some thirst for the pardon of their sins. By the teaching of the word and Spirit, or by the rebukes of natural conscience, they have been aroused to a sense of their guilt in God's sight ; and, trembling with apprehension of his wrath, they feel that the blessing most needed and most precious in their case is the removal of their ini- quity. For this they thirst. Let them, then, as here invited, come to Christ. In him they shall find the blessing they need, the blessing for which they long with most intense desire, conscious that without it they must perish. He hath purchased for sinners the forgiveness of sins. Bearing sins in his own body on the tree, he " hath blotted out the hand- writing of ordinances that was contrary to us, and hath taken it out of the way, nailing it to his cross ;" and thus hath made peace for the guilty. And to him sinners shall not apply in vain for the taking away of sin. To him coming, they shall find their sin forgiven, and, justified freely by his grace, they shall have peace with God. To him then come ye who are heavy laden with sin. He will take the burden off your shoulders, and introduce you to the liberty and joy of the children of God. Some thirst for everlasting life. Won by the glorious glimpses which God's word gives of the honour and felicity of eternal life, or im- pressed by the worth of this blessing as clearly appearing to all who will deliberately ponder it, they earnestly long for an assured hope of REV. SAMUEL MARTIN. 103 everlasting life, and for security that theirs shall be the infinitely blessed inheritance which is reserved in heaven. And if in their earthly lot they have been sore tried — if affliction has attended them, and God's bil- lows gone over them — with how much more eager longing do they look away from earth, and its trials, and thirst for that bright land where "there is no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying," where " God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes," and where " the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and lead them to the living fountains of water !" 0 let such thirsty souls obey Christ's call, "If any man thirst, let him come to mo and drink." Come to him ! He has removed every barrier that stood in the sinner's way to the mansions of the blest. He has satisfied the law, and cancelled the sentence which would have consigned sinners over to everlasting death. He has purchased life and everlast- ing blessedness for men. And now, whoever takes hold of him by faith, shall have inheritance among them that are sanctified. Come, then, to him ye thirsty souls. Encouraged by the knowledge of his ability to grant you the desires of your heart, encouraged by his gracious promises and invitations, come to him. Come in faith and joy. He will bring you near to God now as your Father in heaven. He will seal to you the purchased inheritance. He will cause you to rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Without attempting farther to specify the objects for which dif- ferent men vehemently long, all thirst for happiness. In whatever object men may conceive happiness to be found — in whatever quarter they may look for it — all do desire it, all must desire and pursue it. Many have no distinct idea where happiness is to be found. They thirst for it, but they know not its dwelling place. Perhaps they have en- gaged in the world's business. But though the bustle, and the jostling with others who were pursuing the same path, might engross them for a time, they have felt that there were powers and desires which such oc- cupations, and all the gains which reward them, could not satisfy. And still, therefore, with longing eyes have they looked around for true and durable happiness. Or it may be that the objects on which they had fixed their hearts, have been taken from them. Their wealth may have been lost. Disappointment may have attended their toils. Their heart? may have been wounded by sorrow, " the desire of their eyes taken away with a stroke.'' And thus shaken out of their former joys, and made to feel on how insecure a foundation these had been built, they are oast loose to seek happiness somewhere else, perhaps with little hope now that they ever shall attain it. O let all such, and all others to whom real and abiding happiness is as yet an object of desire, and not of pos- session, hearken to the call which bids " him that is athirst, come." In 104 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. the Gospel, in Christ whose work and salvation it makes known, there is provision for securing and imparting happiness to the children of men. There the fountain of true blessedness is opened to the thirsty and miserable. There is " the river whose streams make glad the city of our God," and cheer even with everlasting consolation every thirsty down- cast soul which betakes itself to them. Come to these, and you shall be satisfied. Come to him who can gratify the earnest desires which you launch forth after some unknown good, which is continually escaping you. Come to him, he can " minister to a mind diseased, and pluck a rooted sorrow from the breast.'' He can fill you with " peace and joy in believing." " Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money ; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk, without money, and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satis- fieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness." (Is. lv. 1, 2.) V. " Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." The preceding invitations might seem abundantly sufficient in the generality of their form, to give every one the fullest assurance of his welcome to come, and of the readiness with which he shall, on coming, be received, and made partaker of all the blessings of which the Gospel brings the knowledge. And especially when it is said, "let him that is athirst come," there would seem to be an invitation held out, which not only warrants every one who desires his own happiness to come, but should bear down all those doubts, difficulties, and objections, which men, par- ticularly if oppressed with a sense of sin, and dread of wrath, are so in- genious in raising in their own way to forbid their approach. But even this an anxious soul would manage to get over, and would discover rea- sons for repelling from itself the comfort which it is fitted to impart. It might say to itself, " True, he that thirsteth is invited to come ; but I do not thirst in the right way ; or I do not thirst enough ;" or by some other such plea it might, and in many instances would, deny the application to itself of the invitation given, or deny that its case came within it, and so make void, as to any present comfort or future good, even this most general and encouraging assurance. And the Lord, who under- stands all the difficulties of a troubled spirit, who knows how the con- vinced sinner writes bitter things against himself, and can hardly be persuaded that there is any good, mercy, hope, or salvation for him, has very graciously consulted for our weakness, and our proneness to doubt or suspect his kindness to us sinners, and has, as it were, taken pains to remove every thing on which doubt could be built, or out of which an REV. SAMUEL MARTIN. LOB agonized spirit could bring an argument against itself, when he has pro- claimed in language of such unbounded, unconditional freeness, "whoso- ever will, let him take of the, water of life freely." It is not asked what the man's character is, to what class he belongs, or what predispo- sition he may have towards God, and his salvation. It is simply, What is his present wish ? Would he now have the water of life ? Here it is for him freely, without money, and without price. No difficulty in his way ; no particular preparation required, respecting his having or not having of which he might torment himself; but will he have it? Does he see its desirableness, and long to have it ? Let him then put forth his hand boldly to take of the water of life freely. While encouragement so ample is thus given him, he is called to a provision that does most seasonably meet his thirst, weakness, and weariness. It is the water of life, to the full fountain of which he is made welcome to come. Faint within such a sinner's soul ishope, droop- ing., dying. Languid are all the movements, feeble and low the tokens of life within him. Laden with iniquity, and smitten with the fears to which it gives birth, his " moisture is turned into the drought of sum- mer." " The arrows of the Almighty are within him, the poison whereof drinkethup his spirit." (Ps. xxxii. 4; Jobvi. 4.) The man, toiling through the sandy waste under Africa's burning sun, soon is oppressed with languor and thirst — weariness, weakness, faintness succeed. And the parching drought consumes him, till the pulse beats feebly in his veins, the springs of life are fast drying up, and life seems ready to ebb away. But if his tottering steps can reach the fountain of cold flowing water, the very first draught will be to him as life from the dead. It will re- vive his impaired strength, send the current of life with fresh impulse through his exhausted frame, and make him remember his fatigue no more. Even such is the experience of the man that is opprest, faint, and hopeless through sin. Hearing the call, " Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely," lifting languid eye to the help thus pointed out, yet turning to it, he shall drink living water — water that will give life, and recall departing vigour to his perishing soul. " Out of the throne of God and the Lamb there proceedeth a pure river of water of life." Of this, to which no barrier hinders his approach, and which he needs to undertake no long journey to reach, of this drinking his soul shall live. And the water which he draws from this river shall be within him as " a weli of water springing up to everlasting life." And this is offered to him on terms which suit his need — freely. Freely, without money or price, is the gift of God to the sinner. Were there any price demanded, any amount of righteousness or faithfulness of service required to fit or entitle the sinner to partake of the fountain of life, he 106 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. must for ever remain under the effects of sin, and die the everlasting death to which it conducts. But God, who tells the sinner that he is "poor," as well as " miserable, and naked, and wretched," holds up to him all the blessings of his salvation, unpurchased as undeserved, and welcomes him to all their fulness. Freely he may receive. And God is most honoured, and the sinner most surely blessed, when he comes as des- titute of every thing that can commend him to God, to acknowledge him- self a debtor to free mercy alone, and to take as the fruit of God's most marvellous grace all the blessings of salvation, the joy and quickening of the water of life. Such is the invitation addressed to the sinner — such the encourage- ment given him. The Spirit invites in every page of this blessed book, which was written by his inspiration, in the words of those who are set to proclaim the truths of that boak, and in the testimony of the whole Church, which is "the temple of the Holy Ghost." The bride re-echoes the invitation. She tells the excellency and glory of him whom she loves. And constrained bj deepest gratitude for his marvellous love towards her, and for all the blessings which that love hath conferred on her, she rejoices to declare his praise, and to call on unbelieving sinners to come in order to share in all the riches of his grace. And the invitation does not point out blessings, of which the attainment is desirable, but hope- less or even doubtful. The thirsty may come freely to drink and be satisfied. Whosoever will may come. No stern repulse need they fear. No harsh master is he with whom they have to do. He waits to be gracious. He delights in mercy. His joy is to open the treasures of his salvatian to the perishing. Yea, " There is more joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, than over ninety and nine just persons that need no rej>entance." How gracious an invitation is this ! What title had we to it ? Just such title as insult and provocation could procure. God spared not the angels that sinned. This showed what holiness and justice demanded. But man, a mere puny, feeble creature, dared to rebel. And to him God addresses the invitation of the text. How gracious is our God ! How full of grace his message to us ! How precious an invitation is this I How infinite the blessings to which it calls us ! No one can tell their full worth. But their freeness, suitableness, and fulness, proclaim how precious the invitation, which opens to us ready access to the complete enjoyment of them all. Hoiv absolutely necessary is it for its to attend to this invitation. A gracious invitation we could not neglect without sin. Still, if we could be happy through neglecting it, our conduct would not expose us to re- proach, so far as our own well-being was concerned. Our neglect of a REV. SAMUEL MARTIN. 107 2'jrccious invitation would involve sin too. Yet less culpable might we appear, if we could secure our own happiness without the blessings which it sets before us. But let us despise this invitation and it cannot be well with us. There is then nothing but " a fearful looking for of judgment and of fiery indignation to consume the adversaries." We may not think so. But if we will not " come" at God's own call, and enter into friendship with him on his own invitation, we must remain on the terms of enmity with him which sin has produced — we must remain in the " city of destruction," over which the wrath of God hangs, and on which it shall speedily descend in terrific storm. Xow, my friends, the call is to you, and to you the encouragement is offered. To you the Spirit and the bride are now saying, " Come." To you everyone that hears is commanded to say, " Come." On you, by every consideration of your need, by every desire you feel of good for time and eternity, by all the encouragements which the truth-loving and covenant-keeping God can give, is now urged obedience to the call. And shall all these be urged in vain ? Will any of you, besought of the Lord and his servants, compassed about on all hands with entreaties to turn to the Lord, besought, too, for your own everlasting good — will any one reject the call, and refuse the invitation ? 0 requite not so evilly the Saviour's grace, meet not with such madness the offer and assurance of gospel blessings ; but come to the Lord while he calls upon you, turn to him while he is near. Hear his invitation, and plead his own pro- mises with him. And then on you he will pour the full horn of his blessing. Though your sins were as scarlet, they shall be made white as wool. Recovered from the bondage of sin, and taken out of the num- ber of God's enemies, you shall be joined to his friends, and admitted to a full participation of the peace and inheritance of the children of God. Come — " Come, for all things are ready." There is a sacrifice to take away your guilt — an availing Mediator to plead for you — a fountain in which to wash away your sin — grace to sanctify you, and kindness to raise you to the high estate of being, " heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ." O come, then, " for all things are ready." Not with less acceptableness should the invitation fall on the ears of those who have already turned to Christ. True, you have known that all things are ready, and that the Lord would have you to come to him. You have known the assurance of welcome provided, and of blessing se- cured. And you have come to experience the welcome, and to receive the blessing. But surely this, so far from making you heedless of the invitation, will just make you more eager to obey it. If you have tasted that the Lord is gracious, you will be the more attracted towards him. If you have felt the comfort and joy of the Saviour's love, you will the 108 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. more earnestly long again to experience them in all fulness, and to have that love again sealed to you. If you have had Bethel visits, when God confirmed his covenant of peace with you. ratified to jou his exceeding great and precious promises, and admitted you to a participation of gos- pel blessings, so that you were " filled as with all the fulness of God," then will you the more joy to approach him again. And when the Spirit and the bride say, come ; and when Christ, in whom there is enough and to spare, says, "Come, eat 0 friends, drink, yea drink abundantly, 0 beloved," will you not reply, " Behold, we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God ;" we come unto thee, "For the Lord Jehovah is our strength and our song, he also is become our salvation." ( 109 ) LECTURE IX. BY THE REV, J. R. OMOND, MONZIE. ■* And it came to pass also on another Sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught; and there was a man whose right hand was withered. And the Scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the Sabbath-day; that they might find an accusation against him. But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Hise up, and stand forth in the midst; and he arose, and stood forth. Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing: is it lawful on the Sabbath-days to do good, or to do evil ; to save life, or to destroy it ? And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand, and he did so : and his hand was restored whole as the other. And they were filled with madness, and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.-' — Luke vi. 6-11. No attentive reader of the New Testament ean have failed to perceive, that the Pharisees were the most determined opponents of our Lord's doctrine, and his most bitter and relentless enemies. His most severe and pointed rebukes were pronounced against them. They are never mentioned but to be condemned, and are held up always as a sect whose mistaken and perverse views were to be regarded by the disciples as beacons, serving to warn them of the errors into which all men must fall, who cease to follow, in simplicity and godly sincerity, the instruc- tions given in the Scriptures. They are stijnatized by our Saviour as hypocrites, rejecters of the counsel of God — as serpents and vipers — as an evil and adulterous generation — and as painted sepulchres, which, though fair and pleasant when seen at a distance, are found, when more closely examined, to be the receptacles of that which is offensive and loathsome. His disciples were cautioned to let them alone, as they were but blind leaders of the blind. To beware of the leaven of the Pharisees was an advice and a command tendered more than once ; and the reason why this character was given them we cannot fail to dis- cover. We are told they made void the law of God by their vain tradi- tions. Not contented with adding to what had been delivered to their forefathers, they contrived so to modify and explain away the law, that it could be made to bear any meaning which they chose to put upon it ; and so daring had they become, that the plainest precept — as, honour thy father and thy mother — was by them set aside. They cared little how sinful they really were, provided only they could by any means as- No. 114. — Lect. 9. vol in. HO FREE CHURCH PULPIT. surae the appearance of great sanctity ; and, forgetting that God looks to the heart, and that his language is, "My son, give me thy heart,'' they rested satisfied in the observance of a burdensome and ostentatious ritual. They were ever making additions to the letter of the law, and every addition so made was accompanied by a proportionate departure from its spirit ; for the law, inall its parts, prefigured the sacrifice which Christ was to offer for the sins of the world ; they forgot this, and, looking not beyond their own ceremonial, the more complex and multiform it became, the less did they care to understand what it fore- shadowed. Neither can we fail to perceive why it was that they so hated the Lord Jesus. He not merely exposed to their followers their vain and hypocritical pretences, but he seems, by his pointed rebukes, to have satisfied themselves, that he had detected and saw through their pride ; and they had every reason to fear that, through his instrumen- tality, their conduct, as seen in their long prayers and their public alms-givings, their extended phylacteries, and the borders of their gar- ments when enlarged, would no longer be ascribed, as had hitherto been the case, to proper and praiseworthy motives, but would be universally recognised as the offspring of vanity and self-righteousness. Feeling thus towards the Saviour, and anxious to remove one whose influence with the people seemed increasing, and threatened to destroy their own, we find them, on various occasions — as in the instances recorded in Matthew chapter xxii, and in John, chapter viii, verses 1, 11 — attempt- ing to get the better of him by asking questions, which they vainly ima- gined he must answer in one of two ways, and in either way favourable to their purposes. Failing in this, they watched his conduct, hoping that they might in it find something whereof to accuse him ; and when they thought they had found him deficient in the due observance of the laws of Moses, in charging him therewith, they gratified at once their desire to be avenged on him and their pride, by the contrast which they affected to draw between his and their own behaviour. In the text, we have the particulars of one of those instances recorded, in which the Pharisees acted in the manner described. Our Saviour entered into one of their synagogues and taught the people; among those present, there was a man with a withered hand, and, as the sacred historian goes on to relate — " and the Scribes and Pharisees ivatched him, whether he would heal on the Sabbath day, that they might find an accusation against him." From various facts stated by the Evangelists, it is apparent that many of the traditions of the elders — to observe which, in all their punctilious rigour, was a favourite injunction of the Pharisees on their followers — related to the keeping of the Sabbath ; and when they dis- covered that the Lord disregarded these, they imagined that they had REV. J. R. OMOND. Ill found whereof to accuse him. Now this conduct of the Pharisees is not peculiar to them. Wicked men and hypocrites are at all times ready enough to lie in wait for the truly pious, and if they can find reason to blame them, they fail not to embrace the opportunity of doing so ; whereas, if there really be no just cause of complaint, they are not slack, to invent one. The Pharisees hated our Lord, not merely because of the opposition and exposure which they experienced from him, but also because, evil and given to this world, and alienated from purity and holiness, his conduct, when contrasted with their own, was a condem- nation of theirs ; and they hated him, too, because sinners always hate God, and those who resemble him. " If ye were of the world," says the Saviour to all his true disciples, "If ye were of the world, the world would love its own ; but because ye are not of the world, therefore the world hateth you." In order to bring down upon themselves the dislike and reproach of those whose thoughts are turned away from God, and are given entirely to the things of time, it is not necessary that Christians should oppose the men of the world ; the mere fact that they are not of the world is enough to call forth against them opposition and hatred, and, it may be, persecution. If, therefore, any of you who think yourselves Christians, have never experienced this opposition — if you are allowed to pass through life without encountering derision and con- tumel}'— see to it, and, by a careful examination of your own conduct, ascertain if the quiet which you are permitted to enjoy proceeds not rather from your failing at all times, and especially at the moment when opposition is most strong against you, to act up to your profession, than from any charge which the enemies of God and of all righteousness hnve undergone. It is not intended to be said, of course, that you should covet opposition ; that were both superfluous and foolish ; if you only act in the manner in which, as professing Christians, you are bound to act, you cannot avoid it ; for, all that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution. That persecution may assume, and actually does assume, a very different, and, blessed be God, a milder form now than it did in the days of the Apostles, but it is as active and as unavoid- able now as then. Let it not, however, deter you from keeping the commandments, and walking agreeably to the ordinances of your Divine Master; let it rather be a motive, urging you to be watchful and cir- cumspect in your walk and conversation, so that, when opposed, you may have the consolation of knowing that, had your Saviour been still on earth, and placed in circumstances similar to yours, he too, though holy and just, and most wise in all his ways, would also have been con- demned, and that all the more severely, because in lira all those graces and excellencies would have shone fully displayed — the faint re- 112 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. flection of which in you calls forth the opposition of a world lying in sin. In the days of his flesh, he was not deterred by the hard thoughts and unrighteous condemnation of men, from doing that which he knew to be right. When the Scribes and Pharisees, as we read in the text, watched him, he said to the man with the withered hand, " rise up and stand forth in the midst " He had a work given him to do and he proceeded to its accomplishment, notwithstanding all the malice of his enemies ; and in this also let us imitate his example. When the path of duty is distinctly marked, let us keep by it, and not deviate into stray ways, nor delay discharging what is manifestly a present duty, because there are circumstances which may lead us to think that the self-same duty may be performed at a future period, without calling forth so much hostility. No one can fail to perceive that our Lord ■might have desisted from effecting a cure till the departure of the Pharisees had taken place; but, had he done so, the disciples, in all ages, and we among the number, might have lost the benefit of the great rule which he forthwith proceeds to lay down, and which we shall now con- sider. In the ninth verse, we read that Jesus said unto the Pharisees " / will asJc you one thing, is it lawful on the Sabbath days to do good or to do evil ? To save life or to destroy it ? " In these words there are several particulars requiring attention ; and, first, as to the mere mode or manner of argument adopted by the Saviour — for he was here dis- tinctly arguing with his opponents. We are to regard his question, "Is it lawful to do good?" as equivalent to the affirmation, it is lawful to do good — it is lawful to save life on the Sabbath day. And, farther, we learn from the question, that, when we have it in our power to benefit a fellow-creature, and fail to do so, we are not merely guilty of a neglect of the law of God, but we are guilty of an infraction of it; we are not merely not innocent, we are culpable ; we are chargeable, not merely with failing to do that which is good, we are doing that which is positively evil. " To him," says the Apostle James, " To him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin." And this is the principle involved in the question of the Saviour, in so far as the contrast which he virtually draws between doing good and doing evil is concerned. Still farther : the affirmation of our Lord implies, that while it is lawful to do certain actions on the Sabbath day, it is not lawful to do certain others. It is lawful to do good, to save life, but we are not at liberty to employ that day in the performance of actions whose tendency and object are not directly and positively to conduce to that end ; much less are we, on that day, to do evil, or to destroy life. All this is contained in the words of our Saviour ; for the argument which he adduces to prove that actions of one kind are to be performed, and that legally, proceeds 11EV. J. R. OMOXD. 113 on the assumption that actions of another kind are not to be performed. The Pharisees do not seem, in reality, to have thought that the Saviour would, by performing an act of mercy, break the Sabbath ; they sought merely to lay hold of his doing so as a pretence to blame him ; and bis open affirmation, couched as it is in the form of a question, and there- fore requiring a reply, at once showed his acquaintance with their thoughts, and silenced them by its validity. They could not answer him, for they felt that he was right in asserting that it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath day ; and they could not deny that, to restore strength to a withered limb, was doing good. The Sabbath day seems to have been the occasion on which many of the merciful works of our Lord were performed ; and we too should, on that day, be ready to perform, and be more than ordinarily kind and attentive in the discharge of those acts of mercy which fall to be done on it. But, while we are care- ful not to neglect the performance of all those works which are property defined in the Standards of our Church to be works of necessity and mercy, let us not forget that the Sabbath is not to be profaned by idleness, or doing that which in itself is sinful, or by unnecessary t houghts, words, or works about our worldly employments or recrea- tions; but, on the contrary, is to be sanctified by a holy resting, even from such worldly employments and recreations as are lawful on other days, and is to be spent in the public and private exercises of God's worship. There is little danger now-a-days, if we may be allowed to predicate of what men'sa ctions are likely to be, by the sentiments which are unfortunately too prevalent in many places, and which seem to be regarded as right in quarters where better and wiser opinions ought to prevail ; there is little danger that men will ne- glect to do that which is necessary and merciful on the Sabbath day, merely because it is the Sabbath, however much they may be induced to neglect duties of the nature alluded to on other grounds. The tendency of public opinion now is, not merely that works of necessity and mercy may be performed, but that almost any work and every work may be executed on the Sabbath, provided only it be, in some way or other, different from the business of the other days of the week. The health of the body, we are gravely told, is to be consulted by recommending a change of employment, or even total abstinence from labour on one day in seven ; but the health of the soul, its progress in holiness, and its growing aptitude for entering heaven, are regarded by many as matters vastly too trifling to be at all deserving of a thought. Men are to be admonished, it would appear, to adopt every means whereby the strength of the constitution is to be preserved and increased, but the preservation of the soul's health, and its increasing sanctification and purity, are no 114 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. longer to be deemed objects worthy of the consecration of a separate and distinct day. Now, these things ought not so to be. God who made man, and who knows what is in him, who knows his proneness to live by sight rather than by faith, to be contented with the fleeting vanities of time, forgetful all the while of the great and enduring realities of the world to come, has, in manifest wisdom to our weakness, commanded us to desist for one day in each week, from our ordinary occupations, and to keep that day holy, and to devote it to his service. By obeying this commandment, which the experience of every man who has made the attempt to do so, will tell him is a most gracious one, the continuity of our thoughts is broken in upon, leisure is afforded us to think, the Sab- bath is a breathing time for the soul, on it the emotions which too often agitate, and the fears which too frequently harass the best and the wisest of men, are not unfrequently lulled asleep ; and would we only be persuaded to employ that day, which our merciful and gracious Fa- ther has provided for us, as we might and ought, our souls would be refreshed and strengthened, and fitted all the sooner to enter on the en- joyment of that unending rest which remaineth for the people of God, and of which the restof the Christian on the Sabbath of his Lord, is at once the foretaste and the type. We pause not to consider now the other advantages which flow from the observance of the Sabbath, but reminding you that we not merely are recommended, but are command- ed, are ealled on, under the most solemn sanctions, to reverence it and keep it holy, we proceed with the remaining verses of the text. Verse 10th, " And, looking round upon them all, he said unto the man, stretch forth thine hand : and he did so, and his hand was restored whole as the other." In the parallel passage, as recorded by Mark in the third chapter of his gospel, we read that, before addressing the cripple, Jesus looked round about them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts. When we remember who our Saviour was, though in the form of man, yet very God, and therefore able to mea- sure and guage the misery and wretchedness of those who rejected the salvation which he brought, and read that on this occasion he grieved for them, we may, in a measure, be better able to form some conception of the fearful! doom that awaits transgressors, by witnessing the effect thus produced by the contemplation of it on him. Will the stout- hearted among men be able to endure that punishment, to think of which as impending over them excited the compassion of the Saviour ? Will they be able to witness unmoved the fierceness of that wrath, and to bear those woes which God Almighty has denounced against those who will not have him to rule over them, the prospect of which called forth such emotions in the holy human soul of Christ ? It was a desire to save- REV. J. R. OMOND. 115 men from the punishment which their iniquity so richly merited, that actuated the Saviour to suffer and to die for them ; and it was the sight of them madly bent on their own destruction which, on the occasion re- lated in the text, as on other occasions, excited in him those feelings of compassion, which were not the less real, that we cannot enter into their depths nor conceive of their intensity. But in thinking of the wrath to be revealed, whether we regard it as a motive to stir us up to work out our own salvation, or as a reason why we should use every effort to tell the perishing sinners of this world that there is a Saviour, let us never forget, that the contemplation of that wrath called forth the compassion of him in whom dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And let us not conceive amiss, as we are too apt to do, of the Redeemer's tears wept over lost souls. We are ready to think less of thi3 sorrow than we ought to do, and that for this very palpable reason. When we hear a man lamenting and grieving because of misery which he has it in his power to relieve, but fails to do so, we at once conclude that his sorrow is not real ; and though few men, if any, would dare, in express terms, to say that Christ's sorrow was anything but real, still the thought will find harbouring in many a bosom ; he was God, very God, possessed of all power in heaven and on earth, and over the hard and obdurate hearts of sinners, and therefore he might, if he would, have saved them. Xow, if we apply this reasoning to the conduct of men, it is unanswer- able ; when they may relieve suffering and ward off misery, and do it not, their grief for that misery cannot be genuine — but God's ways are not as our ways, and his thoughts are not as our thoughts, and we are not to apply to his high and holy procedure the rules whereby we try the actions of our fellow- creatures. Christ, being God, might have saved all men, he might have softened and renewed the hearts of the Pharisees who watched him, as easily as he healed the withered arm, but he did it not. His compassion was excited when he saw their folly ; he was grieved for the hardness of their hearts, but are we, be- cause that compassion did not prompt him to exert a divine influence for their conversion, are we to think the less of its reality and its depth ? Xo, and that just because he was God. Being God and not man, he might have put forth a saving energy — being God and not man, we are not to think amiss of his compassion, because he did not put it forth. And, oh then, when tempted to fall into iniquity yourselves, or to continue yet a little longer without drawing nigh to that fountain which has been opened for sin and for uncleanness — when wearied with the contradiction of sinners, and dispirited by their refusal to follow your advice and ex- ample, to betake themselves to the Saviour — when hard set by tempta- tions on every side, and all but weighed down by the powerof indwelling 116 FREE CHURCH PULPIT, corruption ; then think that the Saviour, who knew what was in store for the impenitent and rebellious, could not contemplate their doom without feelings of acutest compassion — could not witness them stretching out their hands against God, and strengthening themselves against the Almighty, and running upon the thick bosses of his buckler, without deepest sor- row and commiseration — think of this, and strive manfully as they who contend for a crown of glory, and resist the devil till he flee from you, and till victory be yours. Another great lesson which we learn from the text is, the advan- tages derived from attendance on the public ordinances of religion. It was on the Sabbath day, and in the synagogue, that the Saviour met the man with the withered hand. It is probable that the same indi- vidual had seen the Lord on other occasions. He may even have wit- nessed the miraculous cures effected on others, but hitherto his limb had remained useless and inefficient ; on this day, however, he called forth the compassion of the great Physician, and his hand was restored whole unto him. Many, probably, can trace their first impressions of divine truth to what they heard in the house of God ; and all who have experienced a sa ving change at all, must be conscious of the bene- fits which have flowed to them from observing the command, not to neglect the assembling of themselves together. Where two or three are gathered together in Christ's name, he has promised to be in the midst of them, to bless them and to do them good ; and though he is not a God confined to places, or restricted to any particular ordinance in meeting those whom he has chosen to be his own, still it is his command that we come together to praise him for his wonderful love — to implore his forgiveness and his favour — to learn his will, and to take counsel with those who are walking towards Zion. And if, therefore, we heedlessly allow insufficient causes, or idle pretences, to detain us from his house and the meeting of his people, we have no right to expect that he will send forth his light and his truth, to lead us as it were by force to his holy hill and to his tabernacle. On the contrary, there is every reason to fear that we shall be left still more to the guidance of our own way- ward wills, and shall be permitted to wander still farther into the paths of error and iniquity. The experience of many will testify that they have sometimes entered the house of prayer disspirited and in sorrow, and have been enabled to go away rejoicing ; that when they came in per- plexity and bewildered in doubts, God has been pleased to dissipate those doubts, and to shew them what is truth, and to enable them to ad- here thereto. The Saviour of men, who entered their synagogues while he was yet a sojourner among them, and there instructed them in the knowledge of those things which pertain to the kingdom of God, still REV. J. R. OMOND. 117 meets his people while engaged in his worship, reveals himself to them, and fills their hearts with peace and love. And why will any deprive themselves of this unspeakable advantage ? Is it because they under- value the blessing ? Is it because they are already sufficiently happy ? Or is it not rather from a dread of really holding communion with the Father of their spirits, in the public services of the sanctuary, because they are conscious, that by so doing they would be brought nigh unto him in a manner which they have never yet experienced, and for which they have no relish ; and if this be so, are they not pronouncing on their own conduct the most fearful sentence of condemnation ? Having, then, thus attempted to direct your attention to the circum- stances attending the performance of the miracle related in the text, let us next, and very briefly, attend to the effect thereby produced on the Pharisees. In verse 11th, we read, that " They were filled with mad- ness, and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus." Maddened with the defeat which they had just sustained — silenced but not satisfied by the Saviour's reasoning, that to heal the poor sufferer was to do good, and was not therefore to break the law of the Sabbath — their rage knew no bounds, and they were tempted to consider how they could possibly remove one whose whole life was a condemnation of their vain and self-righteous pretensions. It is a common and just remark, that individuals who have had the benefit of early religious instruction, when they do overleap the barriers which education and their previous conduct have reared to preserve them from the contamination of vice, not unfrequently plunge deeper into guilt, and disgrace themselves by a more profligate course of life than do those persons who have never en- joyed the like advantages ; and the reason is, that before they can get the better of their early impressions, they must undergo such a process of hardening, and must contrive, in some one way or other, to silence the reproaches of conscience so effectually, that this inward monitor seldom or ever interferes with their downward career thereafter. The greater the struggle is at first, the less probability is there that it will ever be renewed at a future period. And in like manner, when they who are brought into contact with men eminent for their piety and Christian at- tainments, persist in withstanding the influence of these, and continue to oppose them, they do such violence to their whole moral nature, that the evil which is in them is permitted to rage more furiously than ever. And thus it happened with the Pharisees in the days of our Lord's ap- pearance among them. They would not imitate his example, and con- form their conduct to his, all pure and peaceable and holy as it was. They saw the miracles which he did — they never dreamt of questioning 118 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. their reality, but, bent on their own wicked course, they resisted the force of the argument which was thus afforded, that he was indeed a teacher sent from God, and was therefore one whom they should reve- rence and obey. The lesson which their mad infatuation reads to us, is a very important one. It tells us not merely that they are unreason- able and perverse who say, that had they sufficient evidence that Chris- tianity were indeed a revelation from heaven, they would then submit to its requirements ; but it shews us also how deep-seated — how malignant is the sin of the human heart, which can prompt men at once to resist, and withstand, and seek to destroy their best friend. Let this considera- tion, the remembrance that there dwells in the bosom of each one of us by nature, such an hostility to God, and to that holiness without which no man shall see him — enhance, as it well may, our love to the Redeemer, who, by his sufferings and death, has purchased for his people victory over this foe, and has promised to give them eventually complete and entire deliverance from its pollution. And let those who have never yet fled unto Christ for refuge, consider how great their peril must be, seeing they carry about with them at all times, and that too forming a part of their very nature, a principle which, if not checked, and kept under, and subdued by the grace of God, will ever be acquiring more strength, and a greater ascendency over them, and which completely unfits them for participating in the joys of heaven, and holding communion with God, ho is above all . ( 119 ) LECTURE X. GLORYING IN THE CllOSS OF CHRIST. BY THE REV. JOHN PHILIP, FORDOUN. " But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto mc, and I unto the world." — Galatians vi. 14. These, my brethren, may appear to many of you to be high-sounding words, suitable enough as coming from the great Apostle of the Gentiles, but by no means expressive of the feelings entertained by the majority of Christians now-a-days. True, brethren, if under the appellation of Christians, you embrace all those who assume to themselves that name, or who make a profession of Christianity, these words will indeed find a response but in few hearts. Taking that term, however, in its original and proper acceptation, viz., as applicable to those who are indeed Christ's — his, not in name but in reality — we affirm that every Christian must of necessity be ready, in substance at least, to adopt the language of the Apostle as his own, and that the refusal or felt incompetency on the part of any to do so just proves that this name does not properly belong to them, that they are as yet Christless, and therefore without God and without hope in the world. Brethren, how stands the matter with you? Does the language of the Apostle find a response in your breasts ? Is it in any degree ex- pressive of your feelings ? Is there one chord of your hearts that vibrates in unison with it ? Perhaps you will be better able to answer the above questions when once I have explained to you the meaning of the Apostle's language. In order to do this I shall first direct your attention to the cross of Christ as the subject of the Apostle's glorying ; secondly, to the nature and description of his feelings towards that cross, as implied in the words, " God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ;" and, thirdly and lastly, to some of the grounds of his glorying in the cross, and especially to the one which seems to be pointed at in the words, " by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world ;" or, as it might rather be rendered, by which, viz. by the cross, the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world. 120 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. I. Let us .look for a very little to the expression, " the cross of Christ.'' This, my brethren, has different meanings in Scripture ; some- times it signifies simply the wooden cross to which our Saviour was nail- ed— the accursed tree on which he hung. This is its most simple and literal meaning. Sometimes, again, it is used in a figurative sense, to signify those sufferings which our Saviour endured on the cross — the death which he died on it. In a wider sense still, it is employed to designate the whole of his sufferings both of his life and death, of which sufferings his death was the consummation. Lastly, the expression is not unfrequently used to denote the doctrine of Christ's cross ; in other words, the way of salvation through a crucified Saviour ; and it is in this sense chiefly that we are to understand it in the verse before us. It was not, you will perceive, the sufferings of Christ considered in them- selves that the Apostle gloried in ; the consideration of these we believe cost him many a tear ; but it was the end which these sufferings had answered — the opening up of a way for fallen man whereby he might return and find favour with God — the throwing down of the barrier which sin had erected between the holy God and the sinner — and the paving a channel for the free egress of God's mercy and love ; in short, it was the grand doctrine of the Atonement — the great plan of salvation through a crucified Saviour, in all its exceeding length and breadth, in all its fulness, in all its parts ; it was this that formed the subject of the Apostle's glorying. II. Let us consider the nature and description of Paul's feelings to wards the cross of Christ. "God forbid," he says, " that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." You all know, my brethren, what it is to glory in any object. It is just to have a very high esteem for it. For example, if we speak of a man glorying in his good name, his riches or his friends, we just mean that he esteems these things very highly, that he sets a great value upon them. The consequence is, that he thinks and talks continually about them, and nothing sooner excites his indignation than to hear them undervalued or dispraised. When Paul says, then, that he gloried in the cross of Christ, you are simply to understand him as meaning that he placed a high value upon it, that he prized it greatly. The consequence was, that that cross was the all- engrossing theme of his meditation, his conversation, and his preaching. Hence it was, that he determined to know nothing among the Corinthians, save Jesus Christ and him crucified. Hence it was that his epistles, which naturally took their colouring from his thoughts, were so much occupied with setting forth a crucified Saviour. Hence it was, that in all that he did and spoke, he was ever on his guard, lest the cross of Christ should be REV. JOHN PHILIP. 121 made of none effect. Hence also it was that he felt so keenly when he saw that cross despised or lightly esteemed by others. " Many,'' he says, when writing to the Philippians, " many walk of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.'' Observe, however, more closely the nature of the Apostle's glorying, as described in the text : " God forbid that I should glory, save in the the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." This shews his glorying in the cross to have bsen an exclusive glorying. The cross not only appeared to him as an object worthy of esteem, but it appeared to him as the only such object. We often see men taken up with several objects at once. No doubt there cannot well be more than one object on which the mind is supremely set, but there may be others on which a considerable share of attention is at the same time bestowed, and for which a strong attach- ment is also conceived. But with Paul the cross was his all in all. It was so estimable an object in his eyes that he could not afford to waste one affection or one thought upon anything else. It filled his whole 6oul; it displaced and shut out every lesser object. Some of the Judaiz- ing teachers among the Galatians, while professing Christianity, were yet glorying more in some of the institutions of the law, and in the proselytes they made, than in the grand doctrines of the cross ; and Paul, with special reference to these, says in the text, " God forbid that / should glory, save in the cross.'' Do not suppose by this that Paul meant to undervalue the Mosaic institutions, or that he saw no excellency or glory in them. He appreciated them highly, and speaks of the ministration to which they belonged as a glorious ministration. But seeing that these institutions were appointed but as shadows of good things to come, and that the substance itself was now before his eyes, he determined to glory in that and in that only. Even that which was made glorious, he says in one passage, had no glory in this respect by reason of the glory that ex- celleth ; for if that which is done away is glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. The glory of the cross appeared to him so great as to eclipse every other object. Although, as the Scriptures say, there is one glory in the sun, and another glory in the moon, and another glory in the stars, for one star differeth from another star in glory ; J et such is the superlative glory of the sun, that when once it has risen and attained its meridian splendour, all those lesser lights disappear. And so it was in the case of Paul ; he saw a glory in all the former institutions of the law — in all those luminaries which shed such lustre upon the Old Testament church ; but when the Sun of righteousness arose, and when on Calvary's cross that Sun attained its noon-tide splendour never more to set, then those luminaries disappeared, or became but as specks in the heavens. No. 115 — Lect. 10. vol. in. 122 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. But did Paul, you will perhaps say, glory in nothing but the cross of Christ? In nothing, my brethren, except so far as it was illustrated or irradiated by its glory. He gloried in his infirmities. " If I must needs glory'' he says, " I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities." But the reason why he did so was, as he tells us, that the power of Christ might rest upon him. He rejoiced in his sufferings, but it was because in them he was filling up what was behind of the afflictions of Christ for his body's sake the Church. He rejoiced in tribulations ; but it was because he felt that the greater the darkness and distress which surrounded him, the more sweetly and powerfully did the beams of his Saviour's glory pour in upon his soul. He likewise gloried in his converts ; for when writing to the Thessalonians he says, " Ye are our glory and our joy ;" but he did so because in them and all such, he saw the power of the cross of Christ illustriously displayed ; because he saw in them the trophies of redeeming love. Thus you will find, my brethren, that everything in which the Apostle gloried, had a special reference to and bearing upon the cross ; and that the attraction which any object did hold out to him, arose solely from the light which it borrowed from that source. We may well say, then, that his glorying was an exclusive glorying. Hear what he says in his epistle to the Philippians, "Doubtless, I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord ; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but duny that I may win Christ." What a mighty change was this which had come across the Apostle's feelings ! Once he gloried in the zeal which he had displayed in perse- cuting the church ; once he prided himself in the learning which he had acquired at the feet of Gamaliel ; once he boasted of his blameless con- duct, touching the righteousness of the law. Now all these things ap- peared to him not only as unworthy of being gloried in, but as constituting his greatest shame. The light which shone round about him on his way to Damascus, had revealed something to his soul which made the whole of his previous life wear an aspect of the most hideous character. That some- thing, brethren, was none other than the cross of Christ. From that moment his views and feelings became completely altered. Instead of glorying any longer in his persecuting zeal, he now took pleasure in being persecuted himself, as he tells us, for Christ's sake ; instead of vaunting himself on his superior attainments, he was content to become a fool, if so being he might attain to the knowledge of Christ; and instead of build- ing himself up any longer in his own fancied righteousness, he hesitated not to style himself the chief of sinners. How apparent were all these feelings both in his life and conversation ! His glorying in the cross REV. JOHN PHILIP. 123 was everywhere conspicuous. Whether in the market place or in the synagogue — whether before the promiscuous assembly or the learned sanhedrim — before magistrates, princes, or kings — he shrunk not from confessing Christ or from preaching his gospel. " I am not ashamed,' he says, "of the gospel of Christ." Wherever he went he carried with him the savour of Christ's name. His eye, you would think, had con- tinually been resting on Calvary's cross. Brethren, let me ask whether or not you are glorying in the cross of Christ ? Does that cross appear to you an object worthy of your supreme regard ? Does the plan of salvation through a crucified Saviour commend itself to you above every other ? And have you renounced every other ? Have you come out of yourselves and your own righteousness ; and do you esteem that righteousness as but a filthy rag ? Does the knowledge of Christ and of him crucified, possess a paramount excellency in your eyes, and would you rather possess that knowledge than all riches and honours? Are you ready to confess Christ before men, and do you re- joice when you find an opportunity of doing so ? Do you confess him among your enemies as well as among your friends ? Are you never ashamed of his cross, and do you esteem his reproach ? Are these your feelings, brethren ? or is this the direction in which they are all tending ? III. Let us now point out some of the grounds of the Apostle's glorying, especially the one which is stated in the text. " By whom (or rather, by which) the world is crucified to me and I unto the world. " We might state to you, my friends, many grounds which the Apostle, in common with all believers, had for glorying in the cross of Christ. Notwithstanding the ignominy and shame usually attached to the death of the cross, there was something transcendantly glorious in the death of Christ. Never were the divine perfections so conspicuously displayed as in that event. Never was the love of God so signally manifested as when he bruised the son of his love. Never were his holiness and justice arrayed in such terrible majesty as when he gave forth the summons, " Awake, O sword, against my Shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow." Never was the mercy of God clothed in such attractive garb as when he laid upon Christ the iniquity of us all. Mercy and truth did indeed meet together, righteousness and peace embraced each other. Never, my friends, was the universe of God the witness of such a glorious scene as was enacted on Calvary's cross. There did all the perfections and attributes of God meet, as if in one grand focus, in one harmonious con- cert. There was his holy and righteous law magnified and made hon- ourable ; there were its high claims satisfied. There was sin made an end of, and an everlasting righteousness brought in. There did 124 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. death receive its death ; there were the principalities and powers of hell spoiled. There were heaven and earth made friends ; there, at least, was the wall of separation between them broken down ; there an universal amnesty was proclaimed. Well, then, might the Apostle have gloried in the cross of Christ on these accounts, and we believe he did so glory. And we doubt not but he so glories still ; aye, glories with a transport and joy far greater than he could do upon earth, because now those mysteries of redemption are beheld by him, not through a glass darkly, but as it were with open face. But there were yet other reasons which might have led the Apostle to glory in the cross of Christ. The mighty changes which the preaching of that cross had produced, the wonderful effects which it had wrought on a dark and benighted world, might well have made him glory in its behalf. Was it not, my friends, a ground of glorying to see the most inveterate and deep-rooted enmity slain by it ? the most debasing lusts and passions eradicated by it ? the most abo- minable superstitions overthrown by it ? and the most lovely and attrac- tive graces made to grow and nourish in their stead ? Was it net a glorious sight to see one citadel of Satan after another crumbling into ruins ? to see one after another of his wretched slaves emancipated from his yoke ? to see one after another of the poor, perishing sons of Adam made the sons of the living God ? Was it not a glorious sight to see the wilderness and solitary place made glad, and the desert rejoicing and blossoming as the rose ? to see the parched ground becoming a pool, and the thirsty land turned into springs of water ? Yet such were some of the effects of the preaching of the cross, and such, we believe, were some of the grounds why the Apostle gloried in that cross. Nay, we not only believe, but we know that on these grounds he did glory. "I am not ashamed," he says in his Epistle to the Romans, "of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." And you remember we heard him saying to his converts among the Thessalonians, '• Ye are our glory and our joy." Also in the fifteenth chapter of Romans, when speaking of himself as the minister of the Gentiles, he says, " I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God." But while the Apostle thus gloried in the effects produced by the cross upon others, his glorying as mentioned in the text seems to have had especial reference to the effects it produced upon himself. " By which," he says, the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world." This language, brethren, is worthy of your most attentive consideration. Once the world was the Apostle's all ; once its gaudy pleasures, its tinselled joys, and its fawn- ing friendships, were all his boast and glory. Now it appeared to him as a poor, empty, shrivelled, dying thing. Now its pleasures had be- REV. JOHN PHILir. 125 come tasteless and insipid ; its friendships cold and uninviting, yea utterly repulsive. Its favours no longer allured, and its hatred no longer terrified him. Now it possessed no more attractions in his eyes than would the countenance of a crucified person, blackened and distorted by the agonies of death, in the eyes of the surrounding spectators ; or, if it did yet retain any, the least hold of his affections, that hold was daily loosening and would soon be snapt asunder for ever. But what was it that produced such a change as this upon the aspect of the world to him ? It was just, my brethren, the cross of Christ. No sooner was it beheld by him than the world lost its charms. The light which shone from the cross at once revealed to him the true nature of all earthly things ; it shewed him a hideousness and ugliness in them that he had never dis- cerned before. Many things you know appear smooth and beautiful in the dark, but once let in the light upon them, and they immediately wear a very different aspect. So it was in the case of Paul. He thought at one time that the world was all fair and lovely, because he viewed it through a thick and darkening medium, the vale of unbelief. But when that veil was taken away, and when the flood of light which streams from Calvary's cross was let in upon his soul, what a changed aspect did the once lovely scene begin to wear ? How many asperities then rose up to view ? how many filthy spots were then discerned ? how many recep- tacles of putrefaction were then laid open ? how many noxious vapours and exhalations were there seen rising up on every side ? It then ap- peared to him no better than a great charnel-house, a valley full of dead men's bones — a moral waste — a land of darkness, as darkness it- self. But this was not the only effect which the cross of Christ produced on him. It not only made the world dead to him, but him likewise dead to the world, "by which the world is crucified to me and I unto the world." Not only did the world become changed to him, but he became changed towards it. Not only did it lose its charms, but he lost his de- sires after it. He now viewed its pleasures, its joys, its amusements, with as little relish and delight as a man hanging on a cross would view the richest delicacies and most inviting fruits that might be spread out before him. The current of his affections was completely changed, and the direction they had taken was just the very reverse of that in which they had formerly been flowing. We have told you, my brethren, the reason of such a change. It was no sickening disappointment that had chagrined his spirit ; it was no canker-worm that had been preying upon his heart ; it was no fitful dream that had come across his soul. It was just the very same cause that had made the world changed to him ; it was just the light that had flashed on his soul from the cross on Calvary. Ob- 126 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. serve, however, how that light operated in both cases. In the one case, viz. in the case of the world, it operated in producing the change by the disclosure which it made of its hitherto concealed hut pregnant irapuri- • ties ; in the other, viz. in the case of the Apostle himself, it operated in producing the change by the disclosure which it made of something in- finitely more glorious than all that the world could give ; and that some- thing, brethren, was none other than Christ himself. The light which shone from the cross answered both these ends. It not only disclosed the utter worthlessness of the world, but it also revealed the exceeding preciousness of Christ. And it was this latter sight that made Paul dead to the world. Even after an object on which we have long set our hearts has been discovered to be unworthy of our affections, we are loath to give it up until we have found something better. At the very same moment, however, that Paul became sensible of the utter hollowness of the world, his eye was directed to something which he saw to be infi- nitely better than it had ever appeared to be. No wonder, then, that from that moment his affections should have been alienated from the world ; no wonder that he should have divorced it ; no wonder that he should say, " I am crucified to the world." You see then, my brethren, the effects which the cross of Christ pro- duced upon the Apostle, We have yet, however, to enquire how it was that he gloried in the cross because of those effects ; in other words, why did he glory in the cross of Christ, because by it " the world was cruci- fied to him and he unto the world ?" The answer to this enquiry may be stated in a single sentence. Paul longed to be like Christ, but at the same time he felt the world and his own corrupt heart to lie like insurmount- able objects in the way ; therefore he gloried in the cross because it cruci- fied them both, and, as it were, took them out of the way. While the flesh lusted against the spirit, he could not do the things that he would. He could not soar aloft to the regions of purity and peace. He gloried then in the cross, because it crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts. While the old man lived and reigned within him, he felt as if he were sold under sin. He rejoiced, then, in the cross because it cruci- fied this old man ; knowing, as he himself says, that " our old man is crucified with Christ, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that hence- forth we should not serve sin, for he that is dead is freed from sin." In short, my brethren, the Apostle gloried in the cross because of its sanctifying power. He longed to be holy, because it was thus, and thus only, that he could become like his Saviour ; and he felt the cross to be a most powerful engine, powerful through the working of the Spirit, for the producing of holiness. He not only desired that he might be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness, but that which is through REV. JOHN PHILIP. 127 the faith of him, the righteousness which is of God by faith ; but he also desired that he might know Christ, and the power of his resurrec- tion, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death. But thus conformable he could not be, so long as he was conformed unto this present evil world. He therefore gloried in the cross because it dissolved not only the attractions which the world pre- sented to him, but also the love which he entertained for it ; because it made the world dead to him and him dead to it. Oh the blessed effects which this death produced! "I am crucified with Christ," he says, " nevertheless I live ; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me ; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Having now, dear brethren, endeavoured to give you an idea of the Apostle's feelings as described in the text, let me ask you, can you appropriate any of these feelings as your own ? I already asked whether or not you could say with him that you gloried only in the cross of Christ ; 1 have now to ask you whether that cross has produced on you the effects which it produced on him ? Has it crucified the world to you and you to it ? Does the world now appear to you a poor, worthless, dying thing ? Has it lost the attractions it once possessed ? Are its simpering joys now distasteful to you, its soothing flatteries now a burden to your soul? Has it lost alike the power to allure and to terrify you ? Are you indifferent alike about its favour and its frown ? Put your hand upon your heart and say whether or not this be indeed the case ? Or is the world still your god — your all ? Are you still worshipping its pleasures or its riches ? Are you still paying court to its friendships, still revelling in its licentious joys ? Is its music still pleasant to your ear, its sweets still agreeable to j'our taste ? Brethren, remember they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its affec- tions and lusts ; they have escaped the corruptions that are in the world through lusts, " they are not of the world, even as Christ was not of the world." Again let me ask, have you been crucified to the world ? Are you dead, or at least are you dying, daily dying to it ? Does your heart no longer go out after its pleasures ? Are you sick of its pomp and parade ? Is your love for it eradicated, or at least is daily getting colder and colder? Brethren, remember " if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.'' " For all that is in the world, the lust of the«flesh, and the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, is not of the Father but of the world." Remember the character of Christ's people. " They are dead" (viz. to the world), " and their life is hid with Christ in God.'' They have put off the old man and put on the new — they are renewed in the spirit of their minds. They are crucified with Christ. 128 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. I have but one other question to put to you. If you say you are glorying in the cross of Christ, what, I would ask, is the ground of your glorying? Are you glorying merely because that cross brings pardon and eternal life ; because it delivers from wrath, because it raises to glory ? Are these your only or your chief grounds of glory- ing in it ? Or can you at the same time take up the ground on which the Apostle's glorying seems chiefly to have rested, and say that you glory in the cross of Christ because of the holiness which it brings ? Do you long to be holy, to be like Christ ? Do you long to shake off the body of sin ? And do you glory in the cross because of its sin-de- stroying, its holiness- giving power ? Believer, this we know is thy ground of rejoicing in it. Then gaze upon the cross and upon the bleeding Saviour. Drink in large measures of holiness, get ripening views of Christ. Oh the transforming power of the cross ! It gives the death-blow to sin and to the world ; it changes the believer from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. In conclusion, we have simply to say, that such glorying in the cross as we have been speaking of can never be separated from those effects which we said the cross produces. They go hand in hand together. Brethren, examine and see what is the ground of your glorying ; see whether or not you can adopt the language of the Apostle, in substance at least, as your own, and say, " God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world." For if you cannot, you have too good reason to fear, as we remarked in setting out, that as yet you are without an interest in Christ, and therefore still in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity. Should this be your sad condition, may He who commanded the light to shine out of darkness shine into your hearts, to give you the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ( 129 ) LECTURE XI. GLIMPSES AND FORETASTES OF THE BETTER LAND. BY THE REV. ISLAY BURNS, DUNDEE. " And the Lord spakeunto Moses, saying, Send thou men, that they may search the land Of Canaan, which 1 gave unto the children of Israel : of every tribe of their Fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them."— Numbers xiii, 1, 2, tie., to the end of chapter. The children of Israel are now on the very confines of the pro- mised land. Encamped at Kadesh-barnea, the last resting place in the desert, they are probably as near the country whither they are travelling as they possibly can be, without being actually with- in its bounds. Probably from the summits of the neighbouring hills they can already descry in the distance the vine-clad hills and shady valleys of " the land flowing with milk and honey," and can almost feel the fragrance of its spicy breezes wafted down into the desert. Their weary journeyings then seem well nigh done, and their hearts, wistfully following their eyes to the blue landscape before them, are already at home in the land of rest. Yet how far are they, after all, from the end of their pilgrimage ! How far have they yet to wander, how much to suffer, how much to learn, before they set foot on the wished for soil. Even from the confines of Canaan must they turn back to the desert, and not till nine and thirty summers and winters have passed over them, shall they step down at last into the dry bed of Jordan, and enter in and possess the land ! So is it, brethren, with the people of God in their eventful journey through grace to glory. At first — in the early days of fresh experience and warm first love — the believer shoots up like the palm tree, and in a little time seems almost ripe for glory. His joyful steps, " like hinds' feet," carry him swiftly on, and before he has almost entered on the heavenly pilgrimage, he seems already on the very confines of Canaan. He breathes after heaven. He longs to be with Jesus. Heaven, though still future, seems already begun within him. His peace is as a river — his joy unspeakable and full of glory. The fountain of life eternal gushes up within his heart. It is a very Beulah of holy peace, and 130 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. love, and gladness, and the breezes of heaven are around hiin. He is al- ready almost in glory ! — Thus he fondly dreams — but, alas ! it is but a dream. He is yet far from home. He is not " meet for the inheri- tance of the saints in light." His experience, joyful and blessed as it is, is yet superficial, in many points deceitful and unreal. His faith, though ardent and sanguine, is as yet little tried. His joy, so exulting and so full, is yet sadly mixed up with presumption and vain fleshly feeling. His love, though warm, is selfish — joying in the Lord for his gifts, rather than for himself. The old man is yet strong within him. There are un- lathomed depths of corruption within, of which he knows nothing. Self, that oldest and foulest idol, still lurks within, and hns scarce as yet got one deadly wound. He has, thus, much to learn, much to suffer, and much to do, before he can overcome and be crowned. Hence he must go back to the wilderness again, and, like the redeemed flock in every age, pass "through great tribulation" — that, being refined by the furnace, and moulded and fashioned under Jehovah's hand as a vessel of mercy, he maybe found at last unto praise, and honour, and glory, at the ap- pearing of Jesus Christ. Such is the general subject to which our attention is now called, in connection with the simple and touching narrative before us. It is an interesting and important passage in the experience of the saints, and of every gracious soul, and is well worthy of an attentive and prayer- ful consideration. May the great Shepherd himself direct us and lead us into all truth, while we thus try to trace out the footsteps of the flock, and to be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. There are two leading topics which manifestly lie on the surface of the narrative, and to which accordingly we shall successively direct your at- tention. These are — 1st, the Search; 2d, the Retreat. I. The Search. — The story is simple, and is soon told. " And the Lord spake unto Moses saying, send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan which I give unto the children of Israel ; of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them. And Moses, by the commandment of the Lord, sent them from the wilder- ness of Paran. And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said, get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain, and see the land what it is, and the people that dwell therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many ; and what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad, and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents or in strongholds. Now the time was the time of the first ripe grapes. So they went up, and searched the land REV. ISLAY BURNS. 131 from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come from Hamath And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron. And they came unto the brook of Eschol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff ; and they brought of the pomegranates and of the figs. And they returned after searching of the land after forty days." It is plain, then, from the above narrative, that the spies made a thorough search of the land of pro- mise. They traversed it in all its extent, from north to south, and from east to west ; and during a long survey of forty days, viewed that lovely and delightful land in all its length and breadth. This was of unspeak- able importance. Not only was it necessary in reference to the im- mediate object they had in view — in enabling them intelligently and successfully to lay their plans for going up and possessing the land, had it been the Lord's will that they should then " enter into his rest ;" but it was necessary, for another purpose of which they then knew nothing. It was the Lord's gracious plan thus to give the people a vivid idea of the glorious land itself, and thus prepare them for the toils and the conflicts that were yet before them. Hitherto their ideas of the pro- mised Canaan had been but vague and shadowy. They knew it only by hearsay. They scarce really believed in its existence. It was a sweet vision, indeed, often in the thoughts, and very near the hearts of the faithful, but still but a vision, and it had often proved but a poor coun- terpoise to the real toils and sufferings they had to contend with. They felt as though they were leaving behind them solid comforts, and passing through " a great fight" of real privations and sufferings, in search of a heritage they knew not of — which existed to them as yet only in the fancy, and which seemed to them often as but a dream. How different must it have been with them now — now that, through the medium of their own messengers, they had, as with their own eyes, seen the far-off country — traversed its length and breadth, wandered amidst its shady hills and valleys, and slept beneath its stately palms ! The whole land now was before their eyes and in their heart. It is now a living, blessed reality. They now know the country to which they are travelling. They have seen the heritage of which the Lord had said, " I will give it you ;" and they have found that all his words were true. — True, they did not then enter. That unbelieving and rebellious race were not judged then meet to enter into his rest. But that far off sight was not in vain. That lovely vision, once seen, could never be forgotten again. Its image lived in them ; and doubtless, when they returned again to the wild and desolate wilderness, their hearts would often recur to that goodly land which they had once almost entered ; and in times of despondency and sorrow, dur- ing the long nine and thirty years of their restless wanderings, would 132 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. its glory and beauty rise in vision before them, and rouse them to new ardour and activity and perseverance, in pressing on through faith and patience to inherit the promises. But for this, we need scarcely doubt, lhat that carnal and unbelieving people, who, notwithstanding Jeho- vah's constant presence with them, and the still recent memory of his stu- pendous deliverances, so soon became " discouraged because of the way," would have soon lost all hope, and sunk into utter forgetfulness of the home and the hope set before them, long before the destined years of their pilgrimage had run their course. Now, it is even thus that the Lord prepares his young disciples for the trials and difficulties of their wilderness journey. Their early days are usually a time of love. Their state is indeed very blessed. They have fairly escaped from Egypt, and bid that cursed land an eternal farewell. The sea is behind them — the sea of God's eternal wrath. Heaven is before them. With light and bounding step they begin their wilderness journey, singing by the way, " who shall separate us from the love of Christ." Nor does the road seem long. The journey is short and sweet between Egypt and Kadesh-barnea, and in a little while they are on the confines of Canaan. They have bright and trans- porting views of glory. The land that is yet a far off seems full in view. Resting on the blood and righteousness of the Lamb of God they have perfect peace. Their hearts are full of joy — their consciences broken, tender, watchful. The Holy Spirit, the earnest of the inherit- ance, witnesses with their spirits, and whispers sweetly of glory. Their sky is without a cloud, and the river of their peace flows unruffled on. All is calm and bright and blessed. The beloved one draws near and whispers, " Arise my love, my fair one, and come away, for lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth ; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in the land." Believer, do you not remember such a time ? — long past it may be, but fresh and sweet to the memory still. It may have been at your first communion feast, when for the first time he brought you into the banquetting house, and his love to you was better than wine; or on some evening walk to Emmaus, when Jesus joined you by the way, and made your heart to burn within you ; or when first you opened your heart to one like-minded with your- self, and you each told of all the Lord had done for your souls, and you prayed and wept together ; or when, having been honoured to bear shame for your Master's name, and borne with untold agony the cutting look and biting scorn for his sake, you escaped at last to your closet, and poured out your bursting heart into your Father's bosom, and then and there experienced a peace you never knew before ; or it REV. ISLAY BURKS. 133 may have been in the chamber of sickness, the prison-house of pain and sorrow, when Jesus filled it with his glory and made it a palace. Such are indeed memorable days — days which once known are never to be for- gotten again. After long years of faith and patience, they will remain in the believer's memory fresh and vivid as ever, and he will long for their return again. He often sighs, Where is the blessedness I knew. When Jirst I knew t!>e Lord, Where is the soul refreshing view Of Jesus and his word ? What peaceful hours I once enjoyed, IIow sweet their memory still, Hut they have left an aching void T!ie world can never fill ! But what after all was the value of all this blessedness ? What was the real character and design of that experience? Was you really holier and nearer heaven then than you hav» ever been ? Was sin then really dead, and the world beneath your feet ? Xo ! brethren. But you were just then setting out on your journey, and Jehovah brought you to Kadesh-barnea. And he gave you a glorious view of the promised land, and some heavy clustres of the living vine ; not because you were ready for home, but that, knowing what that home is, you might never forget it, and that, with your soul filled with the blessed vision, you might press toward the mark, patiently bearing all the will of God. and joyfully passing even though it were through fire and water, so you might safely reach that " wealthy place" at last ! But these messengers? — these swift forerunners, who were as eyes to the pilgrim host in surveying the goodly land, and who brought the glad tidings down to their encampment in the wilderness — to what in the kingdom of God shall we liken them ? Surely here the picture fails, for from that glorious land whither we are journeying, no traveller returns to tell what he hath seen. They enter in once into the holy place, and they go no more out for ever. And yet methinks we are not without our spies — swift couriers to explore the land, and maintain a quick in- telligence with the world unseen. For "faith is the substance of tilings hoped for and the evidence of tilings not seen.'' It brings distant thing9 near, and absent things present. It looks across the gulph of ages — it pierces the veil of eternity, and brings all heaven before our eyes. Its clear eye beholds the " King in his beauty, and the land that is yet afar off." Thus even while on the earth may the believer hold converse with heaven. Faith, hope, love, swift-winged desires and breathings after No. 116. — Lect. 11. vol in. 134 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. glory — far darting glances of the soul, to which time and distance are nothing — these run on hefore and pass the bounds of time, while the weary pilgrim, struggling with the flesh, and with the weight of this vile body, lingers far behind. Nor do they return empty handed ; but many a healing leaf do they bring from the tree of life, and many a clustre of the grapes of Eschol to refresh us by the way, and many a gracious mes- sage and token from the Lord. Dear believers, see in this the secret of the hidden life — of a holy and happy walk with God. Be much with Jesus in heart. Live within sight of eternity. Set your affections on things above. Refresh your fainting spirit, and invigorate your faith, your love, your hope with fresh surveys of the promised land, and by walk- ing up and down on the hills of immortality. So shall your peace be as a river ; you shall go on your way rejoicing ; you shall mount with wings as eagles, you shall run and not be weary, you shall walk and not faint. But let us now hasten on, in the second place, to consider briefly — II. The Retreat. — The Israelites did not remain long on the confines of Canaan. We do not indeed know how long their stay at Kadesh- barnea was, but we have every reason to think it was very brief. In a little while they are in the midst of the wilderness again, with Canaan behind and the wild and desolate desert before them. The distant view — the messengers — the glad tidings — the grapes of Eschol — all are now among the things that were, and they wander once more ")in the wilder- ness in a solitary way." Such alternations — such strange reverses of state and circumstances were not uncommon in the history of Israel. Thus no sconer had they chanted their triumphal song of deliverance on the shore of the Red Sea, and scarce had the joyful sound died away on the bosom of the deep, and they turned from gazing on the dark abyss where their worst enemies lay buried, than their toils and their trials began. Their first step towards Canaan was a step into a howling desert. " Then Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea ; and they went into the wilderness of Shur ; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water." So was it, too, at the rock of Horeb. The happy flock are resting in peace around the rock, and drinking with joy of the stream that gushed from its smitten side. A distant sound is heard — and a cloud appears on the horizon. An alarm, and a stir as of approaching danger runs through the camp. It is Amelek — Israel's deadly enemy, that is coming on ; and they must arise and fight as for their lives. So is it in the history and the experience of the redeemed in every age. Theirs is a chequered course — alternate cloud and sunshine — conflict and rest from beginning to end. The day that began in feasting may close in fighting. To-day RBV. ISLAY BULINS. 135 they are at Kadesh-barnea, within sight, and almost, as it seems, within a step of Canaan — to-morrow they are in the wilderness, amid dark mountains, and barren thirsty plains, as though their faces were towards Egypt and they had lost sight of their home for ever. The particulars of this retrogressive movement, and of the long train of sufferings and of wanderings that followed, form the subject of the sub- eequent narrative, and do not properly fall within the scope of the pro- sent lecture ; still we cannot consider the present happy and bright in- terval in the history, without noticing its speedy termination, and taking a look forward, and marking generally how it fared with the pilgrim band in that path of mingled judgment and mercy which succeeded it. In doing so we shall learn some further sweet lessons of the dealings of our God, and the experience of the redeemed in every age. 1st, Then, the children of Israel were sent bach to the wilderness on account of their sin. They were found utterly unfit and unable to enter in and possess the land, from their faint-hearted cowardice and God-dis- honouring unbelief. So is it with us. God has, doubtless, good and wise reasons for keeping us long in the wilderness, trying us with diffi- culties, and leadingus through clouds and darkness, fire and water. lie may even overrule our guilty backslidings, and melancholy declensions in grace for good, and make them all redound to his own glory at last. He may have work for us to do — he may have lessons for us to learn, which could be done and learned only in a world of tribulation and of sin ; and, therefore, he may leave us struggling on with temptation and sorrow, long after we had obtained the title to the inheritance, and the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. Great usefulness, doubtless, may be the reason of a long pilgrimage, and of a long and toilsome conflict, just as a faithful monarch may be loth to recall an illustrious and well-tried veteran from the scene of conflict, and may leave him toiling and suf- fering in a distant field long after he had amply earned his crown, while all the time he remembers his faithful service, and longs to call him home to be with him where he is. So was it with John — so was it with Paul — so with other illustrious names in every age of the Church of God. But alas, brethren, is there not reason to believe that in the case of most of us, another and a far different reason must be given for a pro- tracted and a weary pilgrimage. If one, like Caleb or Joshua, is sent back for greater usefulness, and as a reward of faithfulness, rather than a re- buke of sin, thousands more are kept back in judgment, because through unbelief " they could not enter in." We were so carnal — we were so un- ready. Our hearts were so chained to the dust, and so little in unison with our high destiny. We were such slow learners in the school of Christ, that we had to be sent back again, and to a sterner school than 136 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. ever, that we might learn it over again. It is because we are unripe that we stand in the field so long, exposed to the scorching suns and bleeching rains of a long and checquered year of sorrow. " When the fruit is ripe, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come." 2d, While the chosen people are sent bach in judgment, they go back of their own accord. Often the Lord afflicts and scourges his people, just bj giving them their own desire. Thus a little while before this, when the people lusted after the luxuries and pleasures of Egypt, and would fain even then have sold their birth-right for a mess of pottage, the Lord in holy displeasure answered their prayer to their own heart's desire. Clouds of quails (a kind of food common, and much prized in Egypt) fell over all the plain round about the camp, and the people fell greedily on the unblessed banquet, sent in anger, not in love. But while the flesh was in their mouths, the anger of the Lord was kindled, and the plague began. Thousands were swept away to an un- timely grave ; and the place, to commemorate the event of that fearful day, was called " the grave of lust." On the present occasion the people actually proposed to go back to Egypt again ; and from a statement in an- other passage, we have reason to believe that they had already commenced their preparations, and even made choice of a Captain with that view, This melancholy retreat, then, with all that train of ills and sufferings that followed it, was their own guilty act — the device and the choice of their own carnal, grovelling, and unbelieving hearts. And, oh ! brethren, is it not even so with us ? Is not the same evil heart of unbelief in us all — departing still from the living God, and turning away from our rest ? Are we not carnal, sensual, worldly ? And when in holy judgment he sent us back to wander here as exiles still, and abandoned us, it may be, to a low, selfish, and unspiritual life — was he not granting us the very wish and device of our hearts ? He brought us to Kadesh-barnea, and would have carried us by a short and rapid course to glory, but we could not — we luould not enter in because of unbelief. Ah ! let us never forget, that if we are low in grace, and far behind in the heavenly journey, it is our own sin and shame that we are so. We are lean, and faint, and unprofitable, and unhappy, because we desire to have it so. Yea, but for infinite mercy we had been infinitely worse. We would have gone back utterly and for ever to the land of death — back unto perdition — a thousand times, had not divine and sovereign grace kept us from falling, and given us to know the bitterness of backsliding, and not its deserved doom ! 3d, Though the fruit of sin, and the token of Jehovah's righteous dis- pleasure, all ivas overruled for their good. It was necessary that this REV. ISLAY BURNS. 137 broken, degraded, faint-hearted race, just newly rescued from the wither- ing yoke of iron despotism, and though now set free, retaining in great measure the hearts of slaves, should be sent back to the school of dis- cipline, that, amid privation, toil, and conflict, they might acquire the spirit and the soul of freemen. God will not havethese craven, crouch- ing cowards, who, with necks set free, seem yet to wear the fetters on their hearts — fretting at the least privation — trembling at every dan- ger— giving vent to ignoble and unmanly tears at the very naming of those enemies that stand between them and their rest — to enter into the glorious land. Besides, how much have they to learn of themselves and of their God — of his holiness, of his jealousy, of his faithfulness, of his grace, of his pure and spiritual worship, before they can be what he chose them for — a special people unto himself before all the nations of the earth. For this end were they sent back for thirty-nine long years to dwell in tents, and to wander from mountain to mountain, and from desert to desert, in the wide and pathless wilderness. It was their school, their gymnasium, where they were tutored and prepared for their high destiny. "He led them about, he instructed them." True, of the multitude that were now sent back in dishonour to the wil- derness, the great proportion never entered the promised land. Of those who had then reached the years of manhood, only Caleb and Joshua entered in. The rest whitened the desert with their bones — a melancholy and awful monument of the evil of unbelief. But as a people (and it is in this aspect that as a type we are to view them), they did outlive the period of their discipline, and come out of their great tribulation. They did pass the Jordan, and come to Zion with songs in God's good time. Nor was their long and fiery trial in vain ; for while the old race died gradually away, a new generation rose up better than their fathers, trained in God's own school, and under God's own eye, for the inheritance he had prepared for them ; and we read, that when they did enter in, they did not dishonour their training, for "Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the Lord, which he had done for Israel." Now, dear brethren, do ive not need a similar discipline, a similar training? Ah! are we not carnal, unbelieving, unthankful, fretted by every petty trial, and dismayed by every difficulty, like this ungrateful and hard hearted people ? Alas ! though free, are we not still slaves in heart, crouching before a poor world's frown, and trailing the heavy chain of carnality about with us ? How little holy liberty — how little strength — how little boldness, in the omnipotent might of Jesus — how unlike we are to our high rank and glorious destiny ! How little of the high bearing, and royal air of the 138 FREE CHURCH PULPIT. children of God ! — that spirit, and that demeanour, and that life, which becomes the sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty, and the expectants of an eternal weight of glory ! Ah ! is it not well that we are sent back into the cold and desolate world again, to humble us, to prove us, and know what is in our hearts ; that while he prepares the inheritance for us, he will prepare us for the inheritance ; and that he will never leave us, or withdraw us from the school of training, until he hath wrought in us a princely heart, and a princely bearing, worthy of the throne he is providing, and the crown he will put upon our heads ? 4:th, And finally, — Though chastened and afflicted of the Lord, they are not cast off. God never did cast off his people whom he foreknew. The Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel, and what he hath pro- mised he will assuredly bring to pass. Individuals may be cast off — multitudes may be cast off, for all are not Israel that are of Israel ; but as a people (and in this view alone are they a true type of the Church of God) they never shall. "Thouqh troubled on every side, they are not distressed ; they are perplexed, but not in despair ; persecuted, but not forsaken ; cast down, but not destroyed." Four things still distinguish this sinful, afBicted, yet still beloved people, and mark them out before all the nations of the earth as a people near unto God, and loved with a faithful changeless love. 1 . They are divinely delivered. Still from begin- ning to end the Lord " covers them all the day long," and delivers them from the hand of the enemy. The same God who was with them in the sea, and chained up its raging billows with his own hand, till the last of the ransomed flock had passed over, was with them to the end — in the stern battle field, amid the dark mountains, and in the gloomy, thirsty desert. " He found him in a desert land and in the waste howling wilderness. He led him about ; he instructed him ; he kept him as the apple of his eye. As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings, so the Lord alone did lead him, and there was no strange God with him." 2. They were a divinely sustained people. Jehovah fed them as it were with his o