Sermons on Various Important Subjects Part 9

Doct. S. Clark views him, as "desirous of suffering the calamities to which his people were doomed for rejecting and crucifying the Savior, so that, could they all centre in one person, he wished to be the person, that he might thereby procure salvation for them!"

Grotius and Pool understand him, as "wishing to be separated from the church of Christ for the sake of the Jews!" Which differs little from Doct. Hunter's sense of the pa.s.sage--to which Doct. Guyse adds, "a desire of every indignity of man, and to be cut off from communion with Christ, for the sake of Israel;" whom he strangely considers as prejudiced against Christianity in consequence of their prejudices against Paul!

But why should the apostle wish evil to himself for their sakes? What possible advantage could his sufferings have been to his nation? Is it possible that those learned expositors should conceive that pains and penalties inflicted on him could have made atonement for their sins, and expiated their guilt! They must never have read Paul's epistles or never have entered into the spirit of them, who could entertain such views as these; or even suspect that aught, save the blood of Christ, can atone for human guilt. It is strange, therefore, that they could have imagined that he wished to suffer with this view. And it is no less so, that it should be thought that prejudices against Paul could have occasioned Jewish prejudices against Christianity, when it is so evident that their prejudices against Paul were wholly occasioned by his attachment to Christianity--he having been high in their esteem till he became a Christian.

David once asked to suffer in Israel's stead; but the circ.u.mstances of the case were then totally different from those of the case now before us. Israel were suffering _for his sin_ in numbering the people; "I have sinned and done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done?

Let thine hand, I pray thee be against me."--But Paul had not sinned, to bring evil on his people--the guilt was all their own.

Expositors having mistaken Moses' prayer "to be bloated out of G.o.d's book," seem generally to have had that prayer in their eye when they have attempted to explain the text; and supposing that Moses prayed to be made sacrifice for Israel, have thought that Paul had the same spirit, and here followed his example! But that neither of them ever entertained the thought of suffering to expiate the sin of their people, and that the two pa.s.sages bear no kind of relation to each other, we conceive indubitably certain.

But let us consider the text and judge for ourselves the meaning.

Perhaps the difficulties which have perplexed it may have chiefly arisen from the translation. The silence of expositors on this head, while puzzled with the pa.s.sage, is strange, if the difficulty might have been obviated by amending to the original. The translation is plausible solely from this consideration.

Mr. Pool is the only expositor we have ever seen, who hath noted the difference between the translation and the original; and he labors hard to bring them together, but, in our apprehension, labors it in vain.

The pa.s.sage literally translated stands thus? _For I myself boasted that I was a curse from Christ, above my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh_. *

* _Euxoman gar autos ego anathema einai apo tou xristou uper tou adelphon mou suggenon mou kata sarxa_.

_Euxoman_, rendered in translation by _I could wish_ forms in the imperfect of the indicative mood, in the Auic dialect. Mr. Pool was too accurate a scholar not to observe the disagreement of the translation with the original. Some read it as in the indicative; but it is generally considered as in the optative, and altered by a figure which takes on _iota_ from the middle, and cuts an _an_ end of the word forming _Euxoman_, instead of _auxoiman an_. +

But what warrant have we for these alterations? They only serve to darken a difficult text.

The most natural and common construction of _euxoman_, derives, is, to glory or boast. _Gloriar_ is the first word used to express the meaning of it in Schrevelius' Lexicon; and the meaning _euxos_, the theme of this verb justifies the construction, in preference to that used by the translators. And the Greek preposition _uper_, which is rendered for, is often used to signify above, or more than.

+ Vid. Pool in loc.

For the justice of the criticisms we appeal to the learned. If they are just, our sense of the text will be admitted.

If we consider the context, and the part which had been formerly acted by the apostle, it will not be difficult to ascertain his meaning, nor strange that he should express himself as in the text. He begins the chapter with strong expressions of concern for his nation, who had rejected him "whose name alone is given under heaven," for the salvation of men. If they continued to neglect the grace offered them in the gospel, he knew that they could not escape. And when he looked on them and mourned over them, the dangers which a few years before had hung over himself, rose up before him. He had been an unbeliever, a blasphemer, and a persecutor of the church of Christ; had boasted his enmity to Christ and opposition to the gospel; in which he had even exceeded the body of his nation--he had taken the lead against Christianity--been unrivalled in zeal against the cause, and rancour against the followers of the Lamb. When warned of his danger, and admonished to consider what would be his portion, should Jesus prove to be the Messias, he seems to have derided the friendly warnings, and imprecated on himself the vengeance of the Nazerene!--to have defied him to do his worst! to pour his curse upon him!

It is not strange that witnessing the temper of his nation, should call these things to his remembrance--that the consideration should affect him--that he should shudder at the prospect of the destruction which hung over them, and at the recollection of that from which himself had been "scarcely saved"--that he should exclaim, "G.o.d and my conscience witness my great heaviness and continual sorrow, when I look on my brethren the Jews, and consider the ruin coming upon them, from which I have been saved, _so as by fire_! Lately I was even more the enemy of Christ than they, and boasted greater enmity.. against him! And should have brought on myself a more intolerable doom, had not a miracle of power and mercy arrested me in my course!" That such considerations and a recollection of the share which he had formerly taken in strengthening the prejudices of his nation against the truth, should deeply affect him, and draw such expression from him as we find in the text and context, is not strange. They appear natural for a person circ.u.mstanced as he was at that time; and especially to one divinely forewarned of the devastation then coming on his place and nation.

These we conceive to be the feelings and views expressed by the apostle in the beginning of this chapter--but that he should wish to be put into the place of Christ; or madly with evil to himself, from which n.o.body could be benefited, cannot be suspected; unless with Festus, we suppose him to have been "beside himself," and not to have known what he wrote, when he expressed himself as in the text.

REFLECTIONS

I. In Paul's conversion how wonderfully apparent are the wisdom and power of G.o.d? When we view Saul of Tarsus making havoc of the church in Judea, and soliciting permission to pursue its scattered members even into exile, we consider him as a determined enemy of Christ. Who then would suspect that he should be made to feel the power of divine grace? That he would become a Christian? Yea, a prime minister of Immanuel! But lo! For this cause did G.o.d raise him up! For this work was he training while drinking at the fount of Science, and learning the Jews' religion in the school of Gamaliel! While unsanctified he was a destroyer; but when melted by divine influence into the temper of the gospel, all his powers and all his acquisitions were consecrated to the service of G.o.d and the Redeemer.

To affect this change in Paul, however unexpected, was not beyond the power of G.o.d; and it was done of G.o.d! Neither was it delayed till Paul had spent his best days in the service of Satan. At setting out to destroy, he was met of the ascended Savior, transformed by the renewing of his mind, and from that time devoted to the service of G.o.d; and continued faithful unto death. Many were his trials--severe his sufferings for the gospel which he preached; but "none of these things moved him; neither did he count his life dear to himself, that he might finish his course with joy, and the ministry which he had received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of G.o.d."

II. The temper manifested by St. Paul when contemplating the state of his nation, how worthy of imitation? Like his divine Lord, "when he beheld them he wept over them." Neither was the view unprofitable.

It served to remind him of his own past guilt and danger, and the mercy which had been exercised toward him. His guilt and danger had been great. In high handed opposition to heaven, he had even exceeded "his kinsmen according to the flesh." Witnessing their state brought these again to his remembrance, and the grace of G.o.d which had stopt him in his course, and saved him from destruction, causing him at once, to rejoice and tremble!

Many of the children of G.o.d when they witness the security of sinners; how they neglect the great salvation, and harden themselves in sin, may remember when they did the same themselves and some of them, in a higher degree than most of those who appear to be walking the downward road.

Those who have found mercy cannot refrain from mourning over those whom they see hardening themselves in sin; nor should they cease to warn them from their way, and to cry to G.o.d in their behalf. But their attention is not wholly taken up from home; it often reverts thither, and stirs them up to grateful acknowledgments of divine goodness to themselves. WHO is he that maketh me to differ from the thoughtless sinner? is a consideration which often rises in the good man's mind, while looking on the careless and secure. It is a proper and a profitable consideration--tends to keep him humble and mindful of his dependence.

Sense of past dangers serve to enhance the value of present safety.

The greater dangers we have escaped, and the more wonderful our deliverances have been, the greater should be our love to our deliverer, and the greater our care to make him suitable returns. If we entertain just views of these things, such will be the effect.

Those to whom most is forgiven love the most.

By reflecting on the riches of divine mercy, we should stir up our souls to love the Lord. If witnessing the unconcern of others, while in the broad road, serves to excite us to grat.i.tude for divine goodness shown to us, "the wrath of man is thereby made to praise the Lord." Such was the effect which a view of Israel's hardness had on Paul--May all Christ's disciples cultivate the same temper.

III. In Paul's conversion we see G.o.d distinguishing among his enemies, and calling one into his kingdom who was, from principle, a destroyer of his saints. Paul was a Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee. No sect among the Jews was more bitter against Christ--no other so eager and active in their endeavors to crush his cause and subvert his kingdom.

Yet numbers of that sect obtained mercy. The same did not happen respecting the Saducees. No instance of a Saducee brought to repentance, can be adduced. Why this discrimination?

There may be reasons not revealed; but some are discernible.

The Pharisees "had a zeal for G.o.d, though not according to knowledge."

Saul, the Pharisee, "verily thought, that he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus"--he did not sin against the light of his own mind. The same was doubtless the case with many others of that sect. The Saducees were devoid of principle--had rejected first principles--those taught by the light of nature. While first principles are retained, such was the belief of a divine existence--a difference between good and evil--a future state, in which men will receive the deeds done in the body, and the like, there remains a foundation on which religion may rest; but where these are rejected, the foundation is destroyed. Of the former who have erred in lesser matters of faith, and been thereby seduced into practical errors, many have been reclaimed, and brought to repentance: Not so the latter.

"One among a thousand have we not found." And those whose sentiments border on atheism, or infidelity, are seldom called of G.o.d.

There is a certain point of error in opinion, from which a return is rare. Those who reach it are commonly given up to strong delusions, which lead to destruction.

And practical errors, especially those which are opposed to conviction, are highly criminal, and exceedingly dangerous--they fear the conscience, and provoke G.o.d to leave sinners to themselves--"My spirit shall not always strive with man--the times of ignorance G.o.d winked at, but now commands all men every where to repent."

Saul of Tarsus speaks of himself as a chief of sinners "because he persecuted the church of G.o.d;" yet he obtained mercy! But those who sin against the light of their own minds, can draw little encouragement from thence. He hath declared the reason of the distinguishing mercy shown to him--"because I did it ignorantly in unbelief." * No sooner was he convinced of his mistake, than he returned with, "Lord what will thou have me to do?"--So do not those "who know their master's will and do it not." WOULD we share the blessedness of believing Saul, we must share his repentance; so shall we find mercy with G.o.d. "For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek; for the same Lord over all, is rich unto all that call upon him." +

* 1 Timothy i. 13. + Romans x. 12.

SERMON X.

David's Sin in the Matter of Uriah.

2 Samuel xii, 13.

"And David said unto Nathan, 'I have sinned against the Lord.' And Nathan said unto David, 'The lord also hath put away thy sin; then shalt not die.'"

The sin here referred to is that of David in the matter of Uriah. A strange and sad event--taken in all its circ.u.mstances and connections, it is without a parallel. But the circ.u.mstance most to be lamented, is that mentioned by the prophet, in the close of his message--"By this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme."

The justness of this remark, doubtless appeared at that day, in the triumph of sinners and exultations of scoffers; and the story brought down to us, "on whom the ends of the world are come" is still abused to keep vice in countenance.

"Look to David, your man of religion! Your man after G.o.d's own heart!

and witness his complicated crimes! and his long continued security and unconcern under guilt, which cannot be charged on us, who view religion as a dream!"--So the infidel.

While people of another description, wound G.o.d's cause yet more deeply, by the argument which they draw from this fall of David; namely, those who are allowedly vicious, yet call themselves "of the household of faith--who are pure in their own eyes, though not cleansed from their filthiness." These, when reproved, especially if their piety is called in question, often recur to David for support --tell us, that "though eminent for piety, he was guilty of greater sins than theirs, and long continued in them--that he remained impenitent till visited by Nathan, after the birth of his child by Bathsheba. If, say they, be could continue so long secure and unconcerned, why not longer? And why may not others fall into sins and continue in them months and years after having received the grace of G.o.d, and after they are numbered among the saints?"