Three miles from our village was an old church, a favorite and memorable resort of the villagers on special occasions. Built of blue limestone, blackened by the pencil of time, with a steep stairway to the gallery outside on the front, crowning the summit of a beautiful knoll, and peering out from a dense grove of majestic old oaks, it was the very beau ideal of an ancient rural house of God. For many years it was under the same pastoral charge with our village congregation; and after this connection was severed, it was customary for our minister to assist the pastor on ‘Sacrament days,’ and for many of his people to resort thither.
We read in scripture of those who believe the word of God, and yet are not saved, as in Luke 8:13: “They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away,” or in Acts 26:27–28: “King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” Or James 2:19: “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” Faith of a certain kind, constrained by evidence, will be found even in those who hate the truth with which they are confronted. Gardiner Spring comments, “We receive, compound, and compare ideas, whether we wish to or not. When we see the evidence of a religious doctrine to be clear and convincing, we cannot withhold our assent from it, while at the same time we may hate what we believe and love what we reject.”
On the way to the ruler’s house, where Jesus raised the dead Maiden to life, an unusual interruption occurred. This tried the anxious father’s spirit by his child’s death during the delay. We have now to take up the case of the Sufferer whose urgency occasioned it. But first of all it is to be observed, that the interruption itself is of a most remarkable character; there being nothing similar to it in the New Testament. Jesus, though hindered, was not stopped by the crowd, nor by an importunate petitioner that would not be denied, but simply by the change that passed on his own spirit. Virtue has gone out of him; a portion of the Spirit within him has entered into some one else. He has undertaken a great work which he goes to perform, and there is a pressing throng around him; but he instantly marks the alteration that has occurred within himself, and will not proceed till it is accounted for; although he possesses the Spirit without measure, and that is not lost by him which is gained by another.
Thus I have shortly shewed what are the effects or works of the law, when managed by the Spirit of God for this end, to bring an elect vessel to become dead to the law. The man, I say, getting a discovery of these things, must now conclude that there is no hope or expectation of life for him by the works of the law; and therefore he must turn his back upon that and seek relief from some other airth, and row to another shore. For clearing of this matter, let us speak a little to some few questions.
None of the Evangelists or Apostles speak so much of the Father as John, who knew most of his Son Jesus Christ, and leant upon his bosom. The reason is, John felt that the mind of the Father and the mind of the Son were the same—entirely the same. He was, therefore, engaged in the same topic when he unfolded the Father’s love.
It can hardly have escaped the observation of anyone who has read the Bible with attention, that in all the communications which the Almighty has been pleased to make to his rebellious subjects, he has employed language the best calculated to make its way to the heart and affections of mankind—that, while his remonstrances with the impenitent present a lamentable picture of the most unreasonable hostility, and unprovoked aggression on their part, they bear testimony, at the same time, to the most compassionate forbearance on his—and that, as often as he directly addresses the penitent and believing, whether it be in the way of reproof or of consolation, it is still in terms that breathe all the affectionate tenderness of a father’s love.
The general sound of heaven, eternal life, salvation, the love of God in Christ, is pleasing to the ears of men. There are few to be met with who suspect themselves to have any dislike at the things expressed by these terms; much less that they are in danger of being eternally damned on account of an obstinate refusal of such blessings. Every man thinks himself fond of heaven, and that his desires of eternal life are not only sincere, but sufficiently strong, to bring him, at one time or other, to go through whatever may be required that he may obtain that blessedness. Why do men entertain such flattering thoughts of themselves? It is because they know not the plague of their hearts, and because they consider not the true nature of the salvation and happiness which are brought to light by the gospel.
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30). The apostle had been, a few verses before this, observing the sovereign and wise manner in which God had dispensed his grace, with regard to the calling of sinful men, as verse 26, “Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called,” or are made the instruments of the calling of grace, “but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.” The wise purpose and design is, as in verse 29, “that no flesh should glory in his presence,” as if his own endowments or the advantages of his condition had entitled him to divine grace. In the next following words, which are those of my text, the apostle shows what is the true matter of glorying to a Christian: “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus.”
The greatest lesson to learn in life is how to die well. To die well is to pass from this sad and fallen world into paradise, and so to bid farewell to all our pains and cares and sorrows, into the glorious presence of Almighty God. To enjoy this great and blessed change, we must all in this life prepare.
Were the believer asked, What is the ground of your faith and hope? He would instantly reply, with David, “I hope in his Word,” but this general answer implies several distinct truths, as, first, that the Scriptures are the Word of God; and secondly, that this Word contains a warrant of hope. We may regard the Word as the immediate warrant of a hope which rests on God himself as its supreme object, or in other words, the proximate ground of hope is God’s testimony, while its ultimate ground is God’s character. Persuaded that the Scriptures are the Word of God, the believer hopes, because he finds a warrant for hope there; and this Word he deems a sufficient warrant, because it comes to him on the authority of One who can neither err nor deceive, whose faithfulness is pledged in every promise, and his honour concerned in every declaration which it contains.
