Εικόνες σελίδας
PDF
Ηλεκτρ. έκδοση

one day, and the next hanged upon a gibbet by the very man by whom he had been so caressed. How have we known a Menzikoff in our day the dread of Russia; this day fawned upon by high and low, rich and poor, supreme power seeming to sit upon his brow, and nod her commands, which none dare disobey; the next day an outcast and a slave, banished into Siberia by the very man who had thus elevated him. How have we not seen, with regard to our Lord and Master, the rabble one day crying out Hosanna to the Son of David, and the next day, with louder strains, "Crucify him, crucify him!"

But not so the peace of Jesus! No time, no place can take this from us. "For I am persuaded that neither life nor death, 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 Jesus our Lord." My peace, says Jesus, I give unto you.

4. But even supposing that this should not be the case; supposing the stream of your peace should not be diverted from its channel, yet the spring may run dry; the inability of that friend upon whom you rely may overcome his inclinations; or death may rob you of that treasure, and you thus lose the staff upon which you leaned and depended.

But you need not fear this with regard to Jesus; he is the King eternal as well as unchangeable; the source can never run dry. My peace, says Jesus, I give unto you.

5. But what peace can the world give in the hour of adversity? Jesus particularly contrasted his peace with that of the world at this juncture-the disciples were then filled with sorrow; what peace could the world give them? How often is the worldling left to himself in this extremity? To such he would say, "Miserable comforters are you all." See Voltaire dying. See a parent's heart bleeding from the loss of a child.

But the peace of Jesus will be the sweetener of life, the solace of death, and the cordial which will support you when passing through the dark valley; "in all time of our tribu

lation, in all time of our prosperity, in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment."

Application.

1. To penitent sinners; he gives this peace freely! 2. To believers; he leaves it with you!

And what is the peace of the wicked? Isaiah says, "It is as the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt!" Jude says, "Foaming out his own shame!" and if this be the peace he has, what is his tumult! When the diabolical principles which rage within begin to rise; when the steel of passion which has been so often hardened in the fire of hell is applied to his flinty heart; when struck by diabolical agency, how do the sparks fly around from every member of his miserable body: see his eyes, the windows! the flames of hell are already kindled within-his whole frame is convulsed.-Or, when the smallest breath of anger, disappointment, envy, or malice blows upon his soul, how is the filth which lies at the bottom of his heart excited and the whole sea of passion in a tumult! "There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked!"

But what is the peace which Jesus gives? Oh! what a change when His peace pervades the soul! when, being justified by faith, we have, after all this turmoil, "peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Jesus has spoken peace! the waves have ceased; the heart has vibrated to the sound: peace, peace from every string: the sweetest unison now prevails! "My peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

SERMON XVII.

THE BELIEVER'S HOPE.

1 Peter, i., 3-5.-Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time.

A SLIGHT glance at this epistle will convince any one that those to whom it was written were then in a suffering state. "Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations; that the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, being found unto praise, and honour, and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." (Some contend that it was a fiery trial-that they were literally called to burn.) "For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience towards God endure grief, suffering wrongfully."*"But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; having a good conscience, that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evil-doers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing."+

The apostle calls those whom he addresses strangers (1st verse); and though this may mean the dispersed Jews (as in James's epistle), who were strangers in those heathen countries in which they resided, yet in another sense they were strangers, even as all Christians should be while here.

The apostle of the Gentiles, when writing to the Hebrews, says, "Here we have no continuing city;" we are therefore strangers here: and in the same epistle, speaking

* 1 Pet., ii., 19. t Chap. iii., 14-17. See also chap. iv., 12, to the end.

of the worthies, he says, "They confessed they were strangers and pilgrims." St. Peter in this epistle says the same: "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims,' &c.-Chap. ii., 11. Jacob says he was a sojourner, as all his fathers were. Enlarge on this. Now the excellent of mankind have always considered themselves strangers in this point of view; and no true Christian should be ashamed of the title. How little does a pilgrim want! So the Christian. This, says he, is not Jerusalem; this is not my God. When wealth pours into a church ✶ ✶ ✶ John Nelson's opinion.*

Yet though in these circumstances, he does not repine, but breaks forth as in the text, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abun dant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you."

In our text we notice three particulars.

I. An expression of thanksgiving: "Blessed," &c. II. The privilege of all true believers. "They are according to his abundant mercy begotten again to a lively hope," &c.

III. This inheritance is reserved for them, and they are kept for it.

I. An expression of thanksgiving.

We before hinted that, painful as was their situation, the apostle rejoices in it; no sooner does he close his salutation (verse 2) than he seems anxious to break forth in praise to God. All the apostles were of the same mind: see Paul in Romans: "If so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together." James also: "Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations." St. John, when admitted to see the heavenly glory, was told, "These are they which come out of great tribulation." Now there is no soul

* John Nelson was one of the carly preachers in connexion with Mr. Wesley, and, in the language of Southey, "Had as high a spirit and as brave a heart as ever Englishman was blessed with."

of man but should join in this thanksgiving. Find out the vilest sinner, it would be his language: "Blessed be God, I am not in hell." Trace the cause of blessedness from the vilest sinner to the saint, and they heighten in proportion. (Wesley's hymn.)

In the Old Testament God is always called the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because with them the covenant was immediately made; and their children, by addressing God by that title, were reminded of that covenant, and by faith pleaded the fulfilment thereof. (Solomon's address.)

But in the New Testament this is laid aside, and he is called by a more endearing title, "God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," the mediator of the better covenant, established in all things and sure: and when they now address God by this title they are reminded of the covenant made with Jesus and ratified by his own blood. Thus imboldened, they plead with God that, having given his Son, he will with him give them all things. The believer therefore has a more endearing title by which to address God. God himself has now, by his Son, assumed human nature, and he can speak to him face to face, and yet live. (Enlarge.—2 Cor., i., 3. Eph., i., 3.)

II. Though all may join in general thanksgiving, yet now we come to that part in which believers only can join.— "According to his abundant mercy."-Every blessing to man flows through the stream of God's mercy.-Beautiful as the word mercy is, it is too mean to express the strength of the idea which the love of God should convey to us. Hence the apostles frequently add other words to heighten its signification; language is too barren; the term is too poor for that infinite, disinterested, causeless compassion in the mind of God towards abject worms. So Paul (Titus, iii., 5, 6) seems lost to strengthen the word mercy: "Which he shed on us abundantly." Again: "God who is rich in mercy;" and in our text, "abundant mercy." It is abundant beyond measure. Spontaneous, unasked for by

man.

A man once thought he had sinned too much to be forR

« ΠροηγούμενηΣυνέχεια »