Such language seems to me quite unscriptural, and very dangerous. Should there be such persons present, let me invite them to study well St. Paul's writings, and especially this Epistle to the Philippians. Let me point out to them, that up to the end of his labours St. Paul looked upon himself as a man who might after all be rejected; and, when he had preached to others, become himself a castaway. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus! Secondly. The passage before us forbids any one to despair. Its cheering words are-forgetting the past-those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before. And this too, as I have said, is a most useful lesson, and much needed by us. Lay it to heart, brethren; God has called you with a holy calling, God has set before you in His Son the hope of immortality—of happiness, as the sure reward of holiness. In spite of the past, He would not have you despair of reaching it. And so He says, by the example and word of His Apostle,-Look not back. You have done ill in time past, but now do well. Redeem the time-make up by a more zealous service for N wasted hours. Go, though at the eleventh hour, into the vineyard and work! And if in spite of this a man still holds back, and says, I am all too unworthy-I cannot run as I am, tied and bound with the chain of my sins, weighed down to the ground with an overwhelming sense of mine unworthiness-God, in His great mercy, meets that man with this further word of cheer,-" Son, there is a way open to thee for thy deliverance, and for all who are in misery like thee-thou hast with me an Advocate, ever pleading on thy behalf, Jesus Christ the righteous, and He is the propitiation for thy sins!" Yes, in that great name-in the name of Jesus-and in what that name means—there is cheer and encouragement for the most desponding, most mistrustful soul ! Our Church again on this Sunday brings it before us, in the Gospel for our meditation, in a very marked manner,- Thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins! - Let us, then, be of good heart. Let us run with patience our race-what yet remains of it; forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before! Let us run, looking unto Jesus! Taking courage from the thought, that He has gone before us in all our trials-that He knows all our infirmities-that He was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin-and assured of this, that He is able to save us to the uttermost-to save us: yea, though we ourselves despair of ourselves—seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for us! SERMON XXVIII. THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. THE BLESSING OF OBSERVING THE SABBATH. ISA. lvi. 2. Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. THESE words are from the first lesson for this Sunday afternoon, and they supply us with a subject that, I trust, may be turned to our edification. They contain God's word of approval, His blessing, upon those who observe His Sabbath. Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it. Observe this expressionthat layeth hold on it; that masters and makes his own God's teaching about the Sabbath. There are, you know, many loose theories afloat concerning the Sabbath; many attempts made in these days to shake off its wholesome restraint, and to weaken its observance amongst us. It is good then, right, and necessary, that against such attempts, we should have fixed in our hearts the words of God in the Bible regarding it,-Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it. Whatever may be our own view and practice about the Sabbath, whatever difference of opinion there may be as to the best way of spending it, there can, I think, be no question that, in the books of the Old Testament, a very great solemnity attaches to it. There can be no doubt that no commandment of God is more strongly, more frequently urged, than His fourth commandment -Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy! For listen to the words in Exod. xxxi. 12, &c.— And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed. And there are the words of Ezekiel, xx.- And I gave them my statutes, and showed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them. More |