Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

tion, they seemed unmoved by their fault until they. were in trouble; and, though they might before have felt uneasiness of mind on account of their crime, it remained for affliction to give poignancy to their conviction: the moment they were in trouble, they thought of sin as the cause of it. The Psalmist says, "Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now have I kept thy law." How often do we realize the same beneficial effects from affliction, such as sickness, loss of fortune, or of friends?

Again, afflictions are useful as evidences of our sincerity and of the power of godliness, inasmuch as by them alone our faith is tried, and we are encouraged to bear patiently, and to labour earnestly and perseveringly after perfect love and eternal glory. To imitate the religion of the Gospel in some points, is not so very difficult in certain conditions of life. For instance, we can easily exercise resignation to the will of God, when he pours in upon us a floodtide of prosperity: but to obey God and be resigned to his will when he crosses our inclinations, this is religion indeed-this is the trial which Abraham's faith endured, and which proved it genuine; and he was called the "friend of God." But wherefore did God thus try him? Did he not know before, that he was sincere? No doubt he did. But perhaps Abraham might not have been so well satisfied of his own fidelity before, as he was afterward; nor had he made so full proof of the power of grace, as he ther made. What was the result? His consolation increased, his faith was confirmed, he was thenceforth

prepared to exercise faith and patience under similar trials, and the virtue of God's never-failing grace was tested. The trial of Job was somewhat similar. The Almighty did not believe the lies of Satan, when he said, "Touch him, and he will curse thee to thy face;" but he gave Satan liberty to do his worst, only to spare his life. After a series of severe afflictions Job came out, like gold tried in the furnace and thoroughly purified; and he no doubt enjoyed more consolation afterward, and God's name was more glorified by Satan's malice on this occasion, than in all Job's life beside.

From a view of the utility of affliction in this respect, the apostle represents the Almighty as speaking to his children: "My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth," &c. And St. James, immediately after the text, saith, "Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”—As if he had said, why should you not count it joy to fall into temptation, when it is so well calculated to try your faith, and give the satisfactory evidence that it is sincere; and at the same time to bring glory to God, and promote patience. And then he speaks of the necessity of patience,-"Let patience have her perfect work," or its full reward. A man who puts his money on interest, has no right to receive it unless he wait the proper time; and so of tilling the ground, and of the reward of labour. He speaks of this, as the way to attain perfection,

254 HARRIS'S SERMons on important subjects.

"That you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing:" that is, that you may be skilled in all the mysteries of true godliness.

We are assured, by our own experience, that those who have suffered the greatest afflictions, and sustained them best, are the happiest Christians. As the old soldier perceives a degree of delight in speaking of his wound, so the faithful Christian rejoices in enumerating the afflictions he has endured for Christ's sake, while fighting under his banner: and like Paul in his confidence, he saith, "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," we take spoils from our enemies.

Brethren, it must afford a man great comfort, while he is surrounded with distresses, to reflect that he is walking in the way in which all have travelled who are now in heaven, and who once were men. For could we hear them tell their travels in this life, I have no doubt that they would speak with raptures of their former temptations. Christian whatever your troubles may be, if you do not run, but fall into them, however numerous they may be, you have a right to rejoice in them. But, sinner, your afflictions are but the prelude to everlasting pain.

SERMON XXV.

He that, being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. Prov. xxix. 1.

THE book of Proverbs was written, it is commonly believed, by Solomon, who, through his great age, great talents, and great experience, had attained as much knowledge of human nature as was ever possessed by any man upon earth.

[ocr errors]

We are not, however, to ascribe to his talents, his age, or experience, that body of useful matter found in the book of Proverbs; but we are to include these proverbs with those other scriptures, of which by St. Paul it is said, that they were given by inspiration of God. The preacher, however, who selects his text from the book of Proverbs, does not give a view of his subject by the context; inasmuch as these proverbs are written in the way of aphorisms, or in a sententious manner.

We may, however, observe, in the introduction of this discourse, that the words of the text give us an excellent opportunity to correct a false notion that has obtained in the world, relative to the long suffering and mercy of God, which the sinner would represent as without bounds, and establish at the expense of the other attributes of Deity, which are of equal importance. We are willing that the attribute of mercy should stand foremost in the list.-It is to this, that the guilty sinner makes his appeal; it is in this, as a sanctuary, that he finally takes shelter, when pursued by the avenger of blood. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that there are bounds which mercy cannot pass? Wilt thou know, that man's salvation includes, not only repentance and faith on our part, but the harmony of the divine attributes on the part of Deity? For, says the Psalmist, "Justice and mercy have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other;" and without this divine harmony, the sinner cannot be saved.

Away then, with the soul-destroying error and vain thought, that God will govern his creatures by laws, under the influence of which, in a temporal point of view, no honest man would like to live. Who would like to live under a government, which conferred the same favours on the virtuous and vicious? And who, but the guilty, could wish the Almighty to save a guilty and unrenewed sinner? However terrible, then, the destruction of the wicked may seem, be you well assured, that it is a penalty only proportioned to the holy law of God, as given

« AnteriorContinuar »