The case is similar, with respect to the love of God: whoever, from a sense of the relationship which he is privileged to bear to the almighty and gracious Creator; whoever, from a contemplation of the high and holy perfections of the Godhead; whoever, from a perception of the divine goodness and mercy, does truly love the great and glorious Lord of all, will constantly delight to serve Him; sensible indeed of his manifold weaknesses and deficiencies, and thereby brought to grieve, and rendered the more fearful to offend; but still entertaining no doubt, that his services, imperfect and unworthy as they are, are accepted at the throne of grace, through the merits of his Redeemer, and as the fruit of faith in His prevailing name. For no earthly consideration would he exchange this heavenly joy and satisfaction; and no earthly event or dispensation, however afflicting, can drive him even to distrust, much less to despair. Though nature feels her bereavements and her troubles, his faith is strong; and it assures him, that the very chastisements of the Lord are inflicted in mercy. “Who,” says the Apostle, “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 through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, 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 Christ Jesus our Lord.” [148]
In speaking, however, of the holy confidence, with which we are inspired by the sincere love of God, far would I be, as far as possible, from confounding it with that self-sufficient and presumptuous tone into which some persons have been unbecomingly betrayed, when describing their spiritual condition. Humility is the foundation of the Christian’s confidence: he trusts, only because he is “strong in the lord, and in the power of His might;” he is sufficient, only because “all his sufficiency is of God.” And the purer his love, and the higher his attainments, the more humbly and modestly does he speak of them: he talks not of certainty, “as if he had already attained,” but delights himself with “full assurance of faith,” [149a] with “full assurance of hope;” [149b] his is not an extravagant joy, proceeding from the arrogant assertion of an elective claim, but a holy tranquillity of soul, arising from faith in the Redeemer’s undeserved mercy; from unfeigned love to the most benevolent and perfect Being; and reposing itself upon the unchangeable promises of Jehovah.
We do not question, my brethren, the claims of Almighty God to our perfect love. Is He not our Creator? and could He have formed us with any other design, than to make us happy? If reason could have doubted this truth, revelation makes it clear. And are we not preserved, every moment of our lives, by His infinite wisdom and mercy and power? And though we are forgetful of His sustaining hand, still He feeds us with the bounties of nature; and invites us to partake of the riches of His grace. What are the greatest blessings, which a human being, which any creature could possibly desire? To be delivered from evil, and to enjoy everlasting good. And did not the adorable Son of God take upon him the infirmities and sufferings of our mortal state, to redeem us from misery, and exalt us even to glory? And does not the Holy Spirit condescend to dwell in our tabernacles of flesh, that He may cleanse us from every sinful defilement, “purify unto Himself a peculiar people zealous of good works,” [150a] and make us “meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light?” [150b] Could we, even if we had been worthy, have desired, have imagined for ourselves, blessings so great and favours so exalted, as those which the good and gracious God is showering down upon us? Shall we not then be inclined, from every consideration, shall we not be determined, by God’s grace, to love this heavenly benefactor with all our heart—from a principle of gratitude; from an admiration of divine perfection; from the inspiring hope and prospect of our eternal salvation? Yes, let us give unto Him, not that divided affection, which is the vain offering of a degenerate and degraded world; but the full and unreserved energies of the soul. If a portion of our heart be engrossed by any other object, we are not the true people of the Lord; we render Him not a reasonable or acceptable service; our love is embittered with fear; with a fear that has, and will have, torment. Lord, let our affections be altogether devoted unto Thee; pour Thy spirit of love into our hearts, for the sake of Him “who loved us and gave Himself for us;” we cannot love Thee here upon earth as we would do, but be pleased to accept what Thou enablest us to give, the tribute of a sincere heart; and let it be to us a never-failing source of humble confidence and holy comfort; so that we may anticipate the joyful hour, when we shall be removed, from this imperfect state of being, to a purer and happier world; where, with affections exalted and understandings enlarged, we shall render Thee a more delightful and laudable service; with angels and archangels, and all the company of heaven.
“God is love;” and when the veil of the flesh is laid aside, and we are admitted into His glorious presence, “we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is;” [152] then will our felicity be complete, complete for ever; then, in the fullest sense of the words, we shall be “made perfect in love.” Here then, without a question, our true happiness lies; here is our all: let us pray that we may never lose sight of it; that the desire, now kindled, may never be extinguished; that every “heart may there be fixed, where true joys are to be found, through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
SERMON IX.
HUMBLE YOURSELVES UNDER THE MIGHTY HAND OF GOD.
1 Peter v. 6.
Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.
There is nothing, which more peculiarly marks the character of the faithful Christian, than the manner in which he submits himself to the appointments and dispensations of his God. The worldly and carnal spirit either frets and repines under the visitations of misfortune, or is disconsolate and cast down; or, at the best, bears up with a mere animal fortitude against them: it finds no comfort to flee unto, but such as is afforded by the vain world, in which it has already met with vexation und disappointment; and if the world is unable to secure a continuance in prosperity, still less is it able to provide a refuge in the dismal days of sorrow.
So lamentably indeed has this truth been experienced by many, that they have been driven to the fallacious and fatal expedient of attempting at once to drown their cares in intemperance; they have found nothing in the world sufficient to satisfy their reason, or to soothe their irritated feelings; and therefore have destroyed their faculties, that they might not reflect; and cut short the thread of that life, which they imagined themselves unequal to support: and some indeed have had recourse to a more speedy and awful means of delivering themselves from the burden of mortification and grief; ill prepared as they were, their own hand of violence has hurried them into the presence of their Judge. And even they, who have been preserved from these most miserable extremities, have sufficiently testified by their conduct, that the world has nothing satisfactory to offer, for the healing of a wounded spirit, or the removal of a load of sorrow.
Religion, the religion of the gospel, is the only source from which true comfort or support can possibly be drawn; and we see her triumphs manifested in the most blessed and remarkable manner when the faithful servant of God is overwhelmed with trouble; we perceive his mind in a state of tranquillity, under a conviction, that the Lord “doeth all things well;” and remembereth mercy, no less in chastisement, than in the time of prosperity; his unquiet emotions are subdued into holy subjection to the divine will; his affections are set the more earnestly on things above; the vanities of earth have lost their hold; and there ariseth in the heart that “peace of God, which passeth all understanding.”
They who have been much conversant with scenes of sickness or of sorrow, cannot fail to have observed the truth of these remarks, to have been struck with the vast difference in the behaviour of men, in proportion as they have imbibed the true spirit and principle of the gospel. Some we have seen dismayed, disturbed, and restless; with nothing in their countenance, but vexation or anguish; others, cheerfully bearing up under the evils which have befallen them; and, by their expressions of joyful resignation, delighting and comforting the friends, who were shedding over them the tears of sympathy; the power of the word of God, the “joy of the Holy Ghost” has been visible in their very features. Those persons, who have beheld such an example, have been favoured with an instructive lesson, which they should “grave on the tablet of their heart;” a lesson teaching them, faithfully and forcibly, where to look for aid in the reverses and afflictions of life.