Are you a living sacrifice?
XVI.
The Law and the Gospel.
The law is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. This is the route ordained of God, there is no other way. Both are necessary to our salvation. The law reveals to us our lost condition. We must be made to see our danger, before we will apply the remedy; the Gospel is the remedy. The law declares that we are diseased. “From the soul of the foot even unto the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores. They have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.” Isaiah 1:6.
The sight that God gives of our natural condition is not very flattering. The sinner is inclined to think himself pretty good, until God makes these revelations. Then, as the eye is turned inward, we are often overwhelmed as we gaze upon our own hearts when under the direct rays of the Holy Ghost. We loathe ourselves when God we see, and at the same time, we hear the law proclaiming, “That the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Now the sinner is burdened with his own guilt. There seems to be a mountain’s weight upon him, and from the very depths of his soul he cries out: “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Rom. 7:24. I, that speak in righteousness, mighty to save! I from Edom, the land of Bozra, with garments dyed in blood. The sinner hears the voice; he listens—he looks away to Calvary—to the cross; he sees the bleeding victim, he hears words of comfort. “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else.” Isaiah 45:22.
There must be harmony between the law and the gospel. If we deal in the law exclusively, we shall fail to get men saved to God. If we stop declaring the law, we shall fail to reach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. We must be made to know that we are sick, before we will apply the remedy. The servant of God must cry aloud, and spare not; lift up their voice like a trumpet and show the people their sins, and Israel their transgressions. The great mass of professors seem to ignore the law altogether. It has become very unpopular to tell the people that they are sinners, and on their way to hell, and unless they repent, they will surely perish. But on the other hand, they are made to believe, and that too, by preachers, that they are naturally very good, and that we almost confer a great favor on the Almighty, by letting Him bless us. A man will never give up his sins, until he becomes sick of them. Hence he should be made sick as soon as possible, and as sick as possible. Make him so, by declaring the law to him, that he will disgorge freely and fully,throwing up anything that caused a bilious state of soul. When this is accomplished, you can safely apply the gospel remedy, without much fear of a speedy relapse, or of healing slightly. There is not much danger of the disease returning, where the system has been thoroughly purged by law remedies. But to give the sweatmeats of the gospel to them that need the law, tends to aggravate the case, and make it worse. But, says one, does not the blood cleanse us from our sins? Yes, the blood is the foundation, if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness—Glory to God! But to illustrate: In passing a marble factory we see a large block of marble upon skids. The block upon which we look is about eight feet long, five thick, and four wide. A set of gang-saws, propelled by steam power, are cutting this huge piece of marble up into slabs, about two inches thick. Above this piece of marble is placed a conductor of water, conveying it the whole length of the marble, and to every saw. On the top of this marble is placed a bushel or two of sand. The water falling upon this, washes it down upon the saws, causing them to execute their design more rapidly upon the marble. Now, to the point: Our hearts are naturally hard, stony. We have to be squared by the law; these saws represent the law. Whatever the law condemns, must be abandoned. The water falling upon the marble, represents the gospel. We need to mix in a good deal of the gospel with the law. The sand falling upon the saw is repentance and confession. To make the law cut, we need to confess our sins; this brings us directly to the blood. O, glory to God! Its good to live where the blood is continually dropping upon our hearts. Bless God for the squaring process of the law, and the polishing touches of the gospel. Brother, please mix well your preparations with a proper amount of law and gospel. After dosing out law, until your hearers are in a state of despair, introduce them to the banqueting house of corn and wine, and oil; let them feast to their heart’s content, until “Old things have passed away, and all things become new.”
XVII.
Keep The Sabbath Day Holy.
The laws of God are not arbitrary. Every commandment is as reasonable as it is divine. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandments holy, and just, and good; having as much regard to the well-being of man, as to the honor and glory of God. Their tendency in every instance is evidently beneficial; and he who breaks them, not only sins against God, but wrongs his own soul. They enjoin nothing but what is conducive to man’s happiness, nor prohibit anything but what would ultimately injure him, so that the observance of every command of God, is as much our interest, as our duty.
The Sabbath is a great blessing to mankind. It is well adapted to his fallen condition. It gives him rest from labors, and anxiety, and affords him time to acquire a knowledge of his Author, and destination, and to prepare for that Eternal rest which is at God’s right hand. Therefore remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy: six days thou shalt labor and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man servant, nor thy maid servant, nor thy cattle, nor any stranger that is within thy gate.
There are many ways in which we may break the Sabbath. It is not confined to buying, or selling goods, running cars, or vessels, cheese factories, or patronizing any of these on God’s holy day; neither is it confined to blacking boots, shaving, getting up extra dinners, polishing stoves, or knives and forks. Truly in these God is dishonored, and his laws broken. We are not to visit on the Lord’s day, except in a real cause of mercy. If to help the sick, or to relieve the needy, it is right; but if we neglect the sick on week days, because we cannot afford the time, or practice a little self denial, and take the Sabbath for this purpose, we are guilty before God.
Many seem to think they can visit a brother or sister on the Sabbath, and spend one, two, or more hours, in religious conversation. Is not the Sabbath, a day of rest? Ought we not, after attending the usual means of grace, to spend the remaining part of the day, in reading God’s word, in meditation, and in prayer before Him. These hours, are sacred to every child of God, and should not be lost, or their sanctity destroyed, by thoughtless visitors. The day is often profaned, by visiting at church, before and after services. How painful, to see men and women, professedly saints, standing around the door, grouped together in the aisles, visiting on God’s holy day. Brother, sister, ought you not as soon as you enter the church, commence a prayer meeting, and let it continue until time for preaching. How much better to enter upon this solemn service, with hearts burning with the love of God, and a faith that brings conviction down upon the hearts of sinners, and holds up the preacher while he is proclaiming God’s eternal truth; where this is done the shouts of victory will be heard. Works of piety, may be done on the Sabbath, but we may not do our own works, or lean to our own ways. We are not to travel on the Lord’s day, except on works of mercy, or on works of piety, and this may be determined by the necessities of the case. If to relieve the sick, or help the needy, all right. But is it right for those that attend our quarterly meetings, general or otherwise, to remain until after the morning service, and then hitch up, and drive five, ten, twenty, or more miles, on Sabbath afternoon and evening, to reach their homes; is it not in opposition to the law, which says,Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. I think it is. I know some that practice this, claim that it is necessary. Not long since, a load of “Pilgrims,” (I think eight, or ten,) came to a general quarterly meeting, where I was stationed. Immediately after the morning service they commenced preparations for returning home Sabbath afternoon. They were urged to remain, and not break the Lord’s day; they thought it necessary, and so they started, but were caught in a snow storm, and detained just as long as they would have been had they kept the Sabbath and remained at the meeting. There are other cases of this kind, where disappointment, and loss resulted from this course of action. But if there is no pecuniary loss by such actions, there is great loss to the soul, and to the cause of Christ. Another reason why one should remain over the Sabbath, is, all the strength of the meeting is needed on Sabbath evening; the interest of the meeting has been on the increase, conviction on the hearts of the unsaved has become more intense, some have almost decided to say, “I yield, I yield.” God’s saving power is hovering over precious souls, but it still needs, a steady, unwavering faith in God. A mighty faith, a united faith, and the whole faith of the church, to bring the victory; and just when help is most needed, (I mean human, for God works by means) the laborers are scattered in various directions, wending their way home.