Part 7

Suspend thy judgment, poor partial observer! reason not from appearances. Inward darkness, and distress, and anguish, are the proper inlets through which the CHRIST OF GOD is received into the heavy-laden soul. A sensibility of its burden makes it groan for relief: and the very moment that "patience hath done its perfect work," and the human will is thereby brought to yield itself with implicit resignation to its GOD, the burden drops, and sweet peace and tranquillity of soul succeed. GOD never willingly afflicts his children; he deals with them as a most indulgent parent. Sin must be known and felt, before it can be shunned and conquered. And it is by repeated strokes, that the wayward child is taught to avoid what may prove injurious and destructive to its happiness.

To conclude with the apt similitude of my text: the real Christian is "like a tree planted by the rivers of water;" they afford it all the nourishment that is necessary. The stormy wind and the beating rain, while they try its strength, increase it; they make it cling closer to the kindly soil, take deeper root, and bear fruit in greater abundance. Thus, "all things work together for good, to them that love GOD;" and "whatsoever they do," notwithstanding the many apparent disappointments and disquietudes they meet with, "shall finally prosper," and terminate in never-fading bliss.

DISCOURSE X. The Cause and Cure of the Disorders of Human Nature.

St. MARK, CHAP. vii. VER. 34.

"AND LOOKING UP TO HEAVEN, HE SIGHED; AND SAITH UNTO HIM, EPHPHATHA! THAT IS, BE OPENED."

A serious and philosophical mind, contemplating the innumerable evils, physical and moral, to which men are exposed during their short continuance in this world, would very naturally conclude, that the present state could not be that for which the ALMIGHTY originally intended them. Storms and tempests, sickness and pain, darkness and disorder, in the natural world; and the various and destructive effects of pride, envy, covetousness, and wrath, in the moral world; are so contrary to the Divine Nature, which is Life, Light, and Love, eternal and unchangeable, that it would be almost blasphemy to say, that such a system was the original finished workmanship of his adorable hand.

To such contemplations as these, philosophy might lead her sober votary--But Divine Revelation alone can carry him back to the origin of things, and give him the true information with respect to their present appearances. By this we learn, that the beautiful order and harmony of creation were marred by the creature's transgression; who turning his will from the source of infinite GOODNESS, lost that first gate in which his Maker had placed him, and wherein all was light and joy; and found himself in subjection to an evil nature within, and a world of darkness and distress without. By this Revelation also we are informed, that nothing less than a return to his Original Source, could reinstate him in his original bliss; that this return could be rendered possible in no other way, than by a ray, a spark, a seed, an earnest, a taste or touch of his first life, imparted or inspoken into his fallen nature by the GOD OF LOVE, to be gradually opened and unfolded by such a Redeeming Process, as, with the co-operation of his own will, would effectually restore him to his primeval felicity; and that this was undertaken, and only could be undertaken and accomplished, by that ETERNAL SON OF THE FATHER, in and by whom man was originally created, and in and by whom alone he could be redeemed.

Accordingly we find, that when this Express Image of the Hidden Deity appeared on earth, cloathed in our fallen flesh and blood, he was invested with an absolute and uncontroulable power and authority over the whole system of temporary nature. His wonder-working Fiat was sufficient to calm, in an instant, the most aggravated fury of the winds and seas; and, as proceeding from the same wrathful source, to assuage the violence of raging fevers; to heal, by a mere touch, by a word, the most inveterate diseases; and to restore every organ of sense, which had been injured or destroyed, to its true state, and proper use and function. And as all outward disorders primarily proceed from a wrong state of the human spirit, his influence pervaded the inmost recesses of the soul, and awakened and called forth that precious spark of his own Heavenly Fire, which had lain buried under the ashes of sin; and bade it enlighten, invigorate, and restore health and peace to, the whole man.

The gospel for the day presents us with a very remarkable instance of the amazing effects of these redeeming powers--"JESUS, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis: and they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit and touched his tongue: and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha! that is, Be opened!"

There are three circumstances in this miraculous cure worthy of our serious attention, viz. the looking up to heaven, the sigh, and the Ephphatha.

I. The looking up to heaven, was beautifully expressive of the real situation, in which this great Restorer of human nature stood before his Heavenly Father. It was intended, no doubt, to communicate to every attentive observer, this great lesson of instruction; that all the powers and virtues of which he was possessed, came down from above; that they were communicated to him "without measure;" and that he could have no authority over the evils of human life, so as either to mitigate or remove them, but by standing continually in the Heavenly World, inspiring its air, receiving its beams of light and love, and sending them forth into every human heart, that was truly desirous of their salutary influence; and that it was by such a communication alone, that he should be enabled to restore hearing and speech to the unhappy patient they had brought before him.

II. This look was accompanied with a sigh. A sigh seems to indicate distress. An anxious oppressed and afflicted heart is sometimes so full, as to deprive the tongue of the power of utterance; it vents itself, therefore, in a sigh. But what could oppress or afflict the heart of the Meek and Innocent JESUS? His body, though a fallen one, does not seem to have been sick or in pain; his soul was sweetly attempered to Divine Love, and could have felt nothing but inward peace and serenity--and yet, he sighs!--The poor deaf and dumb sinner, who stood before him, had reason enough to sigh: but he was insensible of his misery, and therefore sought not for relief. The truth is this: The BLESSED JESUS, as the Second Adam, the Father and Regenerator of our whole lapsed race, voluntarily assumed our nature, and became as intimately united to it, as the head to the members of the body. In consequence of this union, "he knows whereof we are made, he remembers that we are but dust." His sympathetic heart is sensible of every want and distress of every son and daughter of Adam. He is persecuted with the church that Saul persecuteth; and who--"so toucheth his children, toucheth the apple of his eye." Yea, he feels for those, who feel not for themselves; and sighs over the sad state of those, who are blind to their true happiness; "who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness."

It was from such a tender sensibility of human woe, that our Lord sighed; whilst he was preparing to perform this miracle of love. This look, this sigh, seem to have uttered some such language as this: "O Heavenly Father! I am come into this world to fulfil thy blessed will, in the restoration of fallen men to their primeval light and glory. My desire of accomplishing this great work, which is continually called forth by a general view of their complicated misery, as well as by the particular wants and distresses of individuals, now solicits, in favour of the poor mortal that stands before me, the application of those healing powers, which I have received from thee!" This expression of our LORD'S desire, coinciding with the Eternal Will to All Goodness, immediately produced the Divine Ephphatha.

III. "And he saith unto him, Ephphatha! that is, Be opened." Whatever salutary efficacy there may be in medicine, it must proceed from that Heavenly virtue, which rises from the re-union of divided properties. This re-union is the source of health, and the restoration of aught that may be impaired in any of our outward organs, or inward faculties. To him, who had all nature under his controul, who knew how to bring together and unite, in an instant, those properties which have been separated, a single word, the mere motion of his will, was sufficient to produce the desired effect. The same Majesty that said, "Let there be light!" when "darkness was upon the face of the deep," now uttered the authoritative cure, "Be opened!" The injured organs were instantly renewed; "his ears were opened, the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain."

The same Supernatural Powers, which the BLESSED JESUS displayed upon this occasion, he still continues to exercise in the hearts of his redeemed offspring. This look, this sigh, this Ephphatha, is spiritually fulfilled in the relief of every one, who is convinced of his spiritual disorders, and applies to CHRIST for a cure.

Deaf and dumb with respect to our inward and spiritual senses, we all are by nature. We can hear and speak, in deed, of worldly things, with a quickness and facility, which manifests, in innumerable instances, the strong attraction by which they hold our attention and affections. The calls of business and of pleasure, we are ever ready to answer: our earthly senses are continually open; but our heavenly faculties are closed by a thousand obstructions, which we suffer the world, the flesh, and the devil, to form in our hearts.

The great Shepherd of Israel, who is perpetually employed in "seeking and saving that which was lost," makes use of a variety of means and methods to bring the soul to a conviction of its loss. The efficacy of these depends, indeed, upon the concurrence of the human will; because nothing can come into the soul, but what itself wills or desires. The different dispensations of Providence are wisely and affectionately adapted to the different circumstances of individuals: the end and design of them all is one and the same, viz. to bring the wandering creature to a sense of his deviations, and "to guide his feet into the ways of peace."

By whatever means this conviction is wrought, the soul soon becomes sensible of its mistaken choice, and soon determines to withhold its attention from the calls of earthly objects. In vain does the Syren sing her delusive song; it ceases now to charm; for the finger of GOD stops the outward ear, that the inward ear may be opened to a sweeter note. The awakened sinner "looks up and lifts up his head, for his redemption draweth nigh"--looks up to Heaven--For what? for the healing hand of his Redeemer to interpose, and remove every remaining obstruction--looks up, and sighs--No desire of deliverance, without a previous sensibility of distress--a sigh is the true language of desire; it is more effectual than long prayer; it is prayer itself, in its true spirit: words do frequently render it less spiritual. The sigh of a contrite sinner brings down Heaven into his heart. JESUS often sighed. He loves a sigh; it invites him into his own Temple; and "Ephphatha, Be opened!" is the blessed voice that precedes his salutary entrance.

Be opened!--Opened, to what?--To the Harmony of Heaven; to the symphonies of angels; to "the Voice of the Bridegroom." "The marriage of the Lamb" is come; the Bride is prepared; the silver chord is tried; the blessed union is completed! The soul is now all eye, all ear, all heart, all tongue; and eye, and ear, and heart, and tongue, are all employed in receiving the gifts and graces, and celebrating the beauties and perfections of him, who is "fairest among ten thousand, who is altogether lovely."

O BLESSED JESUS! vouchsafe, we beseech thee, so to manifest thy power in opening our ears, and loosing our tongues, that we may henceforth hear no voice but thine, and offer up our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to none but thee, who, with the FATHER and the HOLY SPIRIT, art ONE GOD, blessed for evermore!

DISCOURSE XI. The Riches and Glory of the Christian.

1 COR. CHAP. iii. VER. 21, 22, 23.

"THEREFORE, LET NO MAN GLORY IN MEN. FOR ALL THINGS ARE YOURS; WHETHER PAUL, OR APOLLOS, OR CEPHAS, OR THE WORLD, OR LIFE, OR DEATH, OR THINGS PRESENT, OR THINGS TO COME; ALL ARE YOURS, AND YE ARE CHRIST'S, AND CHRIST IS GOD'S."

These words contain a complete and beautiful enumeration of those distinguishing privileges to which human nature is exalted, by virtue of that glorious plan of Redemption, which JESUS CHRIST THE SON OF GOD hath accomplished for our whole fallen race. They were occasioned by some little jealousies and envyings, which had broken out among the Corinthians, in consequence of an undue attachment to particular apostles and preachers of the gospel; some declaring themselves publickly in favour of one, and some of another; some saying they were of Paul, others of Apollos, and others of Cephas. Upon this occasion the blessed Apostle, in the true spirit of Christian Love, and free disinterested impartial Charity, reminds them of this grand and important truth, "that no man can lay any other foundation, than that is laid, even JESUS CHRIST;" that whatever difference there might be in the particular gifts and talents of their different preachers, yet no preference was to be given on this account, but their attention was solely to be directed to those fundamental principles, which all were labouring to inculcate, though all were not equally agreeable and captivating in their modes of communication and address. These differences were to be considered as accidental and external, and by no means sufficient to warrant any partial personal distinctions. He makes use of a variety of the most sensible and cogent arguments, to dissuade them from a conduct so illiberal and unchristian; and in order most effectually to silence such a spirit of contention, he reminds them, in my text, of the high and exalted privileges to which they themselves were called in CHRIST JESUS--"Therefore let no man glory in men." As if he had said:

Let none of you value yourselves upon your personal attachment to this or that favourite Apostle; let none of you boast of the superior spiritual excellencies of those particular teachers, to whom you have fondly surrendered your affections; or look upon the spiritual knowledge you have acquired, as proceeding from any powers or virtues in them, superior to those of their brethren: for let me assure you, such vain distinctions are beneath the character of those, who are themselves united to that very Source and Fountain, from whence the living streams of real knowledge, holiness, and happiness, do alone proceed: "For all things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours, and ye are CHRIST'S, and CHRIST is GOD'S."

What a glorious inheritance is here! the whole universe of things declared to belong to the Redeemed Race of Adam! No prophecy is of private interpretation. From the beginning to the end of the Bible, every prediction, every promise, every truth therein delivered, equally belongs to every individual of the human race: they are addressed to all without exception. What a senseless distinction then is that, which some narrow minds have adopted, and are fond of propagating, that the promises of Scripture are made to none but believers? Whereas, these promises are the very foundation of every one's faith, and the ground upon which every one's hope of Salvation rests.

No son of fallen Adam can apply for pardon upon any other ground, than that the promises of Scripture, which are founded upon the Universal and Impartial Love of God, are made to him, and every other person in the like circumstances. His faith in these promises makes a glorious change, with respect to himself; but, on the part of GOD, who is "the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever," they were made to him before he believed, or thought any thing about them: "We love him, because he first loved us." He hath elected all mankind to salvation, in his Son JESUS CHRIST. An immortal inheritance is secured to all, by the Merits of this BLESSED MEDIATOR; and if any fall short of this salvation, or lose their inheritance, the blame must lie at their own door: "They would not come to CHRIST, that they might have life."

Should an affectionate parent, with the utmost care and anxiety, make such an ample provision for the sober and virtuous education of his children, as, if accepted and improved by them, would secure to them knowledge, esteem, and happiness in this world; would not such a parent be thought to have done all that love and tenderness could do in this respect, for the future welfare of his offspring? The provision is equally secured to all; and yet, if any thoughtless, perverse, disobedient child, should refuse to avail himself of these paternal blessings, and prefer an idle, dissolute, and abandoned life, to all the advantages which the father had taken care he should be furnished with, he might justly be told, as the Apostle tells the Corinthians--"All these things are yours." Your Father hath made you equal with the rest of his children--knowledge, esteem, and happiness, is as much in your power as in theirs; your falling short of them, therefore, is owing to nothing but your own perverse disposition--"they are yours," but you will not enjoy them.

The same might be said of a temporal inheritance equally divided among a family of children; each has an equal portion: and yet if any child should be so weak and silly, as to chuse to forego the enjoyment of his share, and prefer penury and contempt to opulence and honour, he might still be told, that the portion was his, though he was so foolish as to neglect and forsake it.

Even so, "an inheritance incorruptible, immortal, and that fadeth not away," is secured, in CHRIST JESUS, to every individual of our fallen race: "All things are ours," by virtue of that Heavenly nature, which we inherit from JESUS CHRIST the second Adam. Upon the birth, growth, and maturity of this Heavenly Nature, depends our possession of this Eternal Inheritance; and this birth, growth, and maturity again depend upon the co-operation of our wills, which are eternally and essentially free, with the Divine Will.

What I have here asserted, is fully consonant to the very letter of Scripture: "GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." But if GOD is willing to save all, Why are not all saved? Why do not all men come immediately to repentance?--The reason is obvious: it depends not, as some vainly assert, upon a Secret Will of GOD, distinct from his Revealed Will. Such an idea of the GOD OF TRUTH AND LOVE, is unscriptural, and even blasphemous--No, it depends wholly upon the co-operation of our wills, with the unchangeable Will of GOD. The promise is made to all; the inheritance is secured to all; but the possession and enjoyment can never come, till the will of the creature is united to the will of the Creator; till from a deep conviction of his own nothingness by nature, he freely opens his heart to the influences of Grace--and then he finds, by a blessed experience, that, "having nothing, he possesseth all things."

When a minister of CHRIST, therefore, addresses himself to a sinner, insensible of his fallen condition, and strongly attached to that earthly life, which he inherits from fallen Adam, he cannot use a more effectual argument, than that which the Apostle in my text presses upon the divided and contentious Corinthians--For so far as these jealousies and disputes prevailed among them, they were doubtless under the evil influences of the same corrupt nature, to which the unregenerate are in bondage.

Why, vain mortal, why, alas! art thou so strangely blind to thy best interests, so amazingly neglectful of thy real happiness? Thou fleest from the substance, and embracest a shadow; thou pursuest the vanity of time, and despisest the riches of eternity; thou preferrest the life of a beast to the life of an angel; thou art content to feed upon husks among swine, whilst in "thy Father's house there is bread enough, and to spare."--Thou art in search of a false and delusive happiness in this world, whilst, if thou wouldst but attend to and "know the things that belong to thy peace," thou wouldst soon discover, that "all things are thine." For poor, wretched, sinful, polluted as thou art in thine outward nature, thou hast, within thee, a Seed of Eternal Life, a Birth of the TRIUNE GOD, a Son of the Second Adam, a Reconception of the Light and Love of GOD, an Angel near its birth. To this seed, this birth, this son, this reconception, this angel in thy breast, belongs the Kingdom of Heaven, the pure element of Life, and Light, and Love. JESUS CHRIST, thy Ever Blessed Redeemer, hath sown in thy heart, and in the hearts of all thy fellow-sinners, this Seed of his own Heavenly Nature, by means of which, he affectionately purposes to redeem thee from the bondage of corruption, and exalt thee to a glorious state of life and liberty. As he is invested with "all power both in heaven and in earth," so this offspring of his, which is within thee, will become a partaker of his Power, in proportion as it becomes a partaker of his Life and Spirit, in proportion as it increases in Heavenly Wisdom and Stature.

If thou shouldst ask, how this growth and increase is to be obtained, and how all things are thine?--I could answer thee, that as the earth-born babe could never grow and increase in bodily strength, without a perpetual supply of the light, and air, and food, which this outward world affords; so it is as really and physically true, that the Heaven-born offspring of the Second Adam, can never grow or increase in spiritual strength, without the light, and air, and food of the heavenly world, imparted by its tender and affectionate parent, JESUS CHRIST: and as nothing disposes the earthly infant to receive that nourishment which is suited to its nature, but the hunger of that nature, earnestly crying for a supply; so nothing can dispose the Heavenly babe within, to receive the precious influences of Divine Life and Grace, which alone can satisfy its nature, but an hunger and earnest desire of this Heavenly Food; or, in other words, the spirit of the will turning to CHRIST, loathing all other nourishment, and desiring only to be fed with his Bread of Eternal Life.

Thus fed, supported, and strengthened, by a Vital Union with thine adorable REDEEMER, thou standest not in thine own strength, but in his; not in thine own righteousness, but the Righteousness of CHRIST within thee; not in thine outward and perishing nature, but in thy inward, Angelical, and Divine Nature. In this nature, sweetly mingling with its own kindred element, thou art safe, firm and collected; all temporal objects are beneath thy feet; like Adam in his paradisiacal state, the earth, and all that is therein, is subject to thy will. Health and sickness, prosperity and adversity, storms and calms, spiritual comforts or spiritual distresses, the vicissitudes of life, the horrors of death, the vanity of time, and the riches of eternity, are all at thy command, and thou makest them all subservient to thy spiritual growth and consolation.