Part 6
God's chosen ones are spoken of as "vessels of mercy." Now we know that a vessel is _nothing but a receiver_. A "vessel" is not a fountain, but only a container and holder of that which is poured out into it. Such are the redeemed of God; they are not fountains by nature, out of whom there springeth up anything which is good; they are simply receivers. At one time they are full of themselves, but grace empties them, and then as empty vessels they are set in the way of God's goodness; God fills them to the brim with His lovingkindness, and so they are proved to be the vessels of His mercy. They may as "vessels" afterwards give out to others, but they can only give out what God has put in them; they may work out their own salvation with fear and trembling, but they cannot work it out unless God worketh in them both to will and to do of His good pleasure. They may run over with gratitude, but it is only because God has filled them with grace; they may stream forth with holiness, but it is only because the Lord keeps the supply overflowing. They are receivers, and receivers only.
_Christian Diligence._
We find in the Scripture that most of the great appearances which were made to eminent saints were made when they were busy. Moses kept his father's flock when he saw the burning bush; Joshua is going round about the city of Jericho when he meets the angel of the Lord; Jacob is in prayer, and the angel of God appears to him; Gideon is threshing, and Elisha is ploughing, when the Lord calls them; Matthew is at the receipt of custom, when he is bidden to follow Jesus; and James and John are fishing. The Almighty Lover of the souls of men is not wont to manifest Himself to idle persons. He who is slothful and inactive, cannot expect to have the sweet company of his Saviour.
"_Comfort ye My People._"
God never gives His children a duty to do without giving them _the means to do it_; and when He tells us to "comfort" His people, we may be certain that there are means whereby they may be comforted. Child of God! art thou at a loss for a topic to comfort the aching heart? Tell of the ancient things of former days; whisper in the mourner's ear electing grace, and redeeming mercy, and Divine love. When thou findest a troubled one, tell him of the covenant, in all things ordered well; tell him what the Lord hath done in former days, how He cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon; tell him the wondrous story of God's dealings with His people; tell him that God, who divided the Red Sea, can make a highway for His people through the deep waters of affliction--that He who appeared in the burning bush, which was not consumed, will support him in the furnace of tribulation; tell him of the marvellous things which God has wrought for His chosen people: surely there is enough there to comfort him; tell him that God watcheth the furnace as the goldsmith the refining-pot. If that does not suffice, tell him of his present mercies; tell him that he has much left, though much is gone; tell him there is "now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus;" tell him that now he is accepted in the Beloved; tell him that he is now adopted, and that his standing is safe; tell him that Jesus is above, pleading his cause; tell him that though earth's pillars shake, God is a refuge for us; tell the mourner that the everlasting God faileth not, neither is weary. But if this is not enough, tell him of the future; whisper to him that there is a heaven with pearly gates, and golden streets; tell him that
"A few more rolling suns at most, Will land him on fair Canaan's coast,"
and therefore he may well bear his sorrows; tell him that Christ is coming, and that His sign is in the heavens, His advent is near, He will soon appear to judge the earth with equity, and His people in righteousness. And if that suffice not, tell him all about that Saviour who lived and died; take him to Calvary; picture to him the bleeding hands, and side, and feet; tell him of the thorn-crowned King of grief; tell him of the mighty Monarch of woe and blood, who wore the scarlet of mockery which was yet the purple of the empire of grief; tell him that He Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree. Thus, by God's blessing, thou shalt accomplish thy mission, and "comfort" one of His people. "Comfort ye My people, saith your God."
_Self._
Faith will never be weak if _self_ be weak, but when self is strong, faith cannot be strong; for "self" is very much like what the gardener calls the "sucker," at the bottom of the tree, which never bears fruit, but only draws away the nourishment from the tree itself. Now, self is that sucker which diverts the nourishment from faith, and you must cut it up, or else your faith will always be "little faith," and you will have difficulty in maintaining any comfort in your soul.
_Strength through Joy._
It is when the mind is happy that it can be laborious. "The joy of the Lord is your strength."
_The Refiner's Fire._
There is not an ingot of silver in heaven's treasury, which has not been in the furnace on earth, and been purified seven times; there is not a gem which the Divine Jeweller has not exposed to every sort of test; there is not an atom of gold in the Redeemer's crown which has not been molten among the hottest coals, so as to rid it of its alloy. It is universal to every child of God. If you are a servant of the Lord, you must be tried "as gold is tried."
_Heart-Learning._
We can learn nothing of the gospel except by feeling its truths. There are some sciences that may be learned by the head, but the science of Christ crucified can only be learned by the heart.
_The Hope of Heaven._
Believers are not only to be with Christ, and to behold His glory, but they are to be like Christ, and to be glorified with Him. Is He glorious? So shall they be. Is He enthroned? So shall they be. Does He wear a crown? So shall they. Is He a priest? So shall they be kings to share His dominion, and priests to offer acceptable sacrifices forever. Mark, that in all Christ has, believers participate. They are to reign with Christ, and have a portion of His joy; to be honored with Him, to be accepted in Him. This is heaven indeed! If you have this hope, I beseech you hold it fast, live on it, rejoice in it.
"A hope so much divine, May trials well endure; May purge your soul from sense and sin, As Christ the Lord is pure."
Live near your Master now, so shall your evidences be bright; and when you come to cross the flood, you shall see Him face to face, and what _that is_ only they can tell who enjoy it every hour. But if you have _not_ this bright hope, how is it that you can live content? You are going through a dark world to a darker eternity. I beseech you stop and pause. Consider for a moment whether it is worth while to lose heaven for this poor earth. What! pawn eternal glories for the pitiful pence of a few moments of the world's enjoyments? No, stop, I beseech you; weigh the bargain ere you accept it. What shall it profit you to gain the whole world and lose your soul? What wailing and gnashing of teeth shall there be over the carelessness or misadventure by which men lose _such a heaven as this_?
_Rejoice Always._
Whenever a Christian man yields to a mournful, desponding spirit, under his trials; when he does not seek grace from God to battle manfully and cheerfully with trouble; when he does not ask his heavenly Father to give him strength and consolation whereby he may be enabled to rejoice in the Lord at _all_ times, he does dishonor to the high, and mighty, and noble principles of Christianity, which are fitted to bear a man up, and make him happy even in times of the deepest affliction. It is the boast of the gospel that it lifts the heart above trouble; it is one of the glories of our religion that it makes us say, "Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vine, the labor of the olive shall fail, and the field shall yield no meat, _yet will I rejoice in the Lord_, I will joy in the God of my salvation."
_Religion a Present Concern._
Religion must be a thing of the present, because the _present has such intimate connections with the future_. We are told in Scripture that this life is a seed-time, and the future is the harvest, "he that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; he that soweth to the spirit, shall of the spirit reap life everlasting." As the seed generates the plant, even so doth this present life generate the eternal future. Heaven and hell are, after all, but the developments of our present character, for is it not written, "he that is holy, let him be holy still; he that is unjust, let him be unjust still?" Do we not know that in the heart of every sin condemnation slumbers? Is it not a fearful truth that the germ of everlasting torment sleeps in every vile wish, every unholy thought, every unclean act, so that hell is but a great breaking out of slumbering lava, which had been so quiet, that while the mountain was covered with fair verdure, even to its summit, death comes and bids that lava rise; and down the steeps of manhood's eternal existence, the fiery lava of eternal misery doth pour itself? Yet it was there before, for sin is hell, and rebellion against God is the prelude of misery. So is it with heaven; I know that heaven is a reward, not of debt but of grace; but still the Christian has that within him which forestalls for him a heaven. What did Christ say? "I _give_ unto my sheep eternal life." He did not say, "_I will give_," but "_I do give_." As soon as they believe in Me, I give them eternal life. "He that believeth on Him that sent Me hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation." The Christian hath within him the seed-beds of a paradise; in due time the light which is sown for the righteous, and the gladness which is sown for the upright in heart, shall spring up, and they shall reap the harvest. Is it not plain, then, that religion is a thing which we must have here? Is it not prominently revealed that religion is important for the present? For if this life be the seed-time of the future, how can I expect to reap in another world other harvests than I have been sowing here? How can I trust that I shall be saved then, unless I am saved now? How can I have hope that heaven shall be my eternal inheritance, unless the earnest be begun in my own soul on earth?
_Trouble Lightened_.
I am persuaded that if we looked more to Jesus, our troubles would not appear either so great or so grievous. In the darkest night of trial, looking to Christ will clear the ebon sky. When the darkness seems thick, like that of Egypt, "darkness that might be felt," even then, like a bright lightning flash, as vivid, but not so transient, will a look to Jesus prove. One glimpse of Him may well suffice for all our toils while on the road. Looking to Him will illuminate the most dreary way. Cheered by His voice, nerved by His strength, we are prepared to do and to suffer, even as he did, unto the end. O, weary and troubled Christians, "look unto Him, and be lightened!"
_The Gospel Requirement_.
The gospel is not a scheme of giving _to_ God, but of receiving _from_ God. It is taking of His fulness, drinking out of His "wells of salvation," receiving from His storehouse. Sinner! remember all that God asks of thee, in order to thy salvation, is, that thou wouldst be a _receiver_, and this He gives thee, even the power to receive. He asks thee not to do anything, but to hold out thine empty hand, and take all thou wantest. He does not bid thee store thy granaries and become rich, but he bids thee simply confess thy poverty, and open the doors of thine empty chambers, that He may pour thee out a blessing such as thou shalt scarcely find room to contain. Hast thou learnt this truth? Hast thou come to live as a receiver at the hand of God? Hast thou stood at Mercy's gate, humbly seeking salvation? For, if thou hast not--if thou hast never yet been willing to take the riches of grace from God instead of giving to Him of thine own worthless doings--if thou art not willing to be a recipient of His gratuitous goodness, thou art a total stranger to everything like the gospel of Christ.
"_Ye are Not Your Own._"
If you are a child of God, you belong wholly and entirely to Christ. Yet are there not many who seem to imagine that if they save a corner in their souls for their religion, all will be well? Satan may stalk across the broad acres of their judgment and their understanding, and he may reign over their thoughts and their imaginations; but if in some quiet nook there be preserved the appearance of religion, all will be right. Oh! be not deceived in this; Christ never went halves in a man yet. He will have the whole of you, or He will have none of you. He will be Lord paramount, Master supreme, absolute Monarch, or else He will have nothing to do with you. You may serve Satan, if you will, but when you serve Him, you shall not serve Christ too. If you are not wholly given up to God--if, in the intent and purpose of your souls, every thought, and wish, and power, and talent, and possession be not devoted and consecrated to Christ, you have no reason to believe that you have been redeemed by His precious blood. In His people, whom He has purchased for His own, He _will_ reign without a rival. Christ will not be part-proprietor of any man.
"_Continue in Prayer._"
Be much in prayer. God's plants grow faster in the warm atmosphere of the closet--it is a forcing-place for spiritual vegetation. He who would grow strong must often kneel at the throne of grace. Of all training practice for spiritual battles, _knee practice_ is the most healthful and strengthening.
_The Holy Saviour._
There is an expression used by the apostle Paul respecting the Lord Jesus, which is very beautiful and significant--"who _knew_ no sin." It does not merely say _did_ none, but _knew_ none. Sin was no acquaintance of His; He was acquainted with grief, but no acquaintance of sin. He had to walk in the midst of its most frequented haunts, but did not know it. Not that He was ignorant of its nature, or unaware of its penalty, but He did not _know_ it; He was a stranger to it; He never by word, by nod, or by smile, gave it the faintest recognition. Of course He knew what sin was, for He was very God, but with sin He had no communion, no fellowship, no brotherhood. He was a perfect stranger in the presence of sin; He was a foreigner; He was not an inhabitant of that land where sin is acknowledged. He passed through the wilderness of suffering, but into the wilderness of sin He could never go. "He _knew_ no sin:" mark that expression and treasure it up; and when you are thinking of your Substitute, and behold Him bleeding upon the cross, think that you see written in those lines of blood, "He knew no sin." Mingled with the redness of His blood--that Rose of Sharon--behold the purity of His nature--the Lily of the Valley--"He knew no sin."
_Christ our Example_.
_Remember the blessed example of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ_. This surely will teach you not to live to yourself! "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor, that we through His poverty might be rich." His heart is made of tenderness, His bowels melt with love. In all our afflictions He is afflicted. Since the day when He became flesh of our flesh, He hath never hidden Himself from our sufferings. Our glorious Head is moved with all the sorrows which distress the members. Crowned though He now is, He forgets not the thorns which once He wore; amid the splendors of His regal state in Paradise, He is not unmindful of His children here below. Still is He persecuted when Saul persecutes the saints; still are His brethren as the apple of His eye, and very near His heart. If ye can find in Christ a grain of selfishness, consecrate yourselves unto your lusts, and let Mammon be your God. If ye can find in Christ a solitary atom of hardness of heart and callousness of spirit, then justify yourselves, ye whose hearts are as stone to the wailing of the desolate. But if ye profess to be followers of the Man of Nazareth, be ye full of compassion; He feedeth the hungry lest they be faint by the way; He bindeth up the broken in heart and healeth all their wounds; He heareth the cry of the needy and ariseth to their help. If ye are His disciples, go and do likewise.
_God's Government._
There are still people to be found foolish enough to believe that events occur at hap-hazard, without divine predestination, and different calamities transpire without the overruling hand, or the direct agency of God. Alas! for us, if chance had aught to do with events of our life. We should be like poor mariners, put out to sea in an unsafe vessel, without a chart and without a helm; we should know nothing of the port to which we might ultimately come; we should only feel that we were now the sport of the winds, the captives of the tempest, and might soon be the victims of the all-devouring deep. Alas! poor orphans were we all, if we were indebted for food and clothing, for present comfort and future prospects, to nothing but chance. No father's care to watch over us, but left to the fickleness and fallibility of mortal things! What were all that we see about us, but a great sand-storm in the midst of a desert, blinding our eyes, preventing us from ever hoping to see the end through the darkness of the beginning? We should be pilgrims in a pathless waste, where there were no roads to direct us--travellers who might be overturned and overwhelmed at any moment, and our bleached bones left the victims of the tempest, unknown, or forgotten of all. Thank God, it is not so with us. We believe that everything which happens to us is ordered by the wise and tender will of Him who is our Father and our Friend; we see order in the midst of confusion; we see purposes accomplished where others discern nothing but void and vacancy. We believe that "He hath His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet."
_The Secret of Strength._
Art thou proud, believer, because thou hast been profitable to the Church, and done some little service to thy times? Who maketh thee to differ, and what hast thou which thou hast not received? Hast thou shed a little light upon the darkness? Ah! who lit thy candle--and who is it who keeps thee still shining, and prevents thee from being extinguished? Hast thou overcome temptation? Hang not up thy banner; do not decorate thine own bosom with the glory; for who made thee strong in the battle? Who made thy sword sharp, and nerved thine arm to strike the foe? Remember, thou hast done nothing whatever of thyself. If thou be this day a vessel unto honor, decorated and gilded--if now thou art a precious vase, filled with the sweetest perfume, yet thou didst not make thyself so. Thou art the clay, but _who_ is the potter? If thou be a vessel unto honor, yet not a vessel unto thine own honor, but a vessel unto the honor of Him who made thee. If thou standest among thy fellow-men as the angels stand above the fallen spirits--a chosen one, distinguished from them--yet remember, it was not any goodness in thyself which made thee to be chosen; nor has it been any of thine own efforts, or thine own power, which lifted thee out of the miry clay, set thy feet on the rock, and established thy goings. Off with the crown from thy proud head, and lay down thine honors at the feet of Him who gave them to thee. With cherubim and seraphim veil thy face, and cry, "Not unto us, not unto us, but unto His name be all the glory forever and ever."
And when thou art thus bowed down with humility, be thou prepared to learn this other lesson--_never depend on thyself again_. If thou hast aught to do, go not forth to do it leaning on an arm of flesh. First bow thy knee, and ask power of Him who makes thee strong, and then thou shalt come back from thy labor rejoicing. But if thou goest in thine own strength, thou shalt break thy ploughshare on the rock; thou shalt sow thy seed by the side of the salt sea upon the barren sand, and thou shalt look upon the naked acres in years to come, and they shall not yield thee so much as a single blade to make glad thine heart. "Trust ye in the Lord forever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength." That strength is not available to you so long as you repose in any strength of your own. He will help you if you confess your weakness; but if you are strong in yourself, He will take way his own power from you, and you will stumble and fall. Learn, then, the grace of depending daily upon God, so shalt thou be clothed with becoming humility.
_Nature and Grace._
You will never perceive God in nature, until you have learned to see God in grace. We have heard a great deal about going up from nature to nature's God. Impossible! A man might as well attempt to go from the top of the Alps to heaven. There is still a great gulf between nature and God to the natural mind. You must first of all perceive God incarnate in the person of Christ, before you will perceive God omnipotent in the creation which He has made. You have heard a great deal about men delighting to worship in the forest glades, who disdain to frequent the sanctuary of the saints. Ay; but there was little truth in it. There is often great sound where there is much emptiness; and you will frequently find that those men who talk most of this natural worship, are those who do not worship God at all. God's works are too gross a medium to allow the light. Rugged is the path and dark the atmosphere, if we go by way of the creatures to find out the Creator to perfection. But when I see Christ, I see God's new and living way between my soul and my God, most clear and pleasant. I come to my God at once, and finding Him in Christ, I find Him everywhere else besides.
_Look to Christ._
Would you be free from doubts? Would you rejoice in the Lord with faith unmoved, and confidence unshaken? Then _look to Jesus_! Certain I am that if we lived more _with_ Jesus, were more _like_ Jesus, and trusted more _to_ Jesus, doubts and fears would be very scarce and rare things.
_Love in Chastening._