The Wesleyan Methodist Pulpit in Malvern Part 3

You find the a.s.syrians round about Jerusalem, you see the angel of G.o.d going forth, and that mighty host is destroyed. Go through all the dealings of G.o.d with heathen nations, and you find these physical manifestations of G.o.d's power. In our day there are no such manifestations as these. In modern times the events of the divine government are not so authoritatively predicted, and the exceedingly foolish attempts of some people to interpret prophecy and to apply it arbitrarily to pa.s.sing events cannot be too severely condemned. They tend greatly to prejudice the proper interpretation of Scriptural prophecy before the world, and deserve severe reprehension, and should be altogether discountenanced by all men of sound mind. In our day we have not these authoritative predictions of events. But amid all this there is a tendency to ignore the action of G.o.d in the government of the world altogether. Instead of recognising his presence or acknowledging his power, the varied events--political, social, and otherwise--events like the one to which I have just referred, affecting the nation, are denied their true character; and the view that I have ventured to place before you in many places would be treated with ridicule. Men say, when they look at political events, that they are to be traced to the conclusions of well-directed political economy, or to the failure of the application of sound principles of government. I know very well that if the pestilence comes there are men who trace it to no higher than physical causes. I know very well that if great calamities happen in storm or tempest the physical cause is alone recognised. And with reference to the scourge of our cattle clever men look, as they ought, after the physical causes. They look, as I think they are bound, to the development of the evil influences leading to such a result. But if men now-a-days are Christian enough to recognise G.o.d in the parliament of this country there is no great response, unless it be a response of ill-concealed scorn; and even among people who profess more of Christianity there is a danger of leaving the stern, enlightened, and faithful recognition of G.o.d which distinguished our fathers, and of looking, in some fancied superiority of our intellect--which is but a fancy; for there were wise men before us--for explanation in something, in anything oft-times, rather than the recognition of G.o.d's power.

Remember this, however, brethren, that the principles of G.o.d's government in our day are the same which have inhered in that government in all ages--that, however human circ.u.mstances may differ, however the nations of this world may alter, however the powers of men may vary time after time, G.o.d's government is an immutable thing; it changes not. The perfect idea of a human government is this--I do not say it is realised--to have certain fixed principles that are to abide, and then in the application of those principles to find an elasticity which shall meet every conceivable alteration of circ.u.mstances about us. That is the idea of a perfect human government; but human governments do not attain to it. The government of G.o.d, however, is perfect. The great principle is love--"G.o.d is love;" its great end, the welfare of man; the purpose of that government, the spread of Christianity for the welfare of mankind.

There is no expediency in this government, as men understand it. The governments of this world are too much founded upon expediency--the government of this country for the last sixty or seventy years lamentably founded upon it. There was a time when there was less of it here, but the disciples of expediency increase, and it is now rather "What is convenient?" than "What is right?" There is an expediency taught in the Bible, but it is nothing more than the best way of doing the right thing.

It never truckles. The government of G.o.d knows nothing of our human expedients; it knows a great deal of Divine arrangements, and G.o.d as truly governs as though in his government of the nations He should work signs and wonders and divers miracles daily.

G.o.d has spoken in the history of our own country. Look at some of the startling events of the last two hundred years. You look at the act of our n.o.ble, intelligent, never-to-be-sufficiently-admired, firm old English ancestors, in driving James the Second from his throne, and working out the glorious Revolution of 1688. Well, if you look at all this politically, you speak of their wisdom, their fort.i.tude, and their indomitable spirit; you speak too of storm and tempest all working in their favour. Aye, aye, but the hand of G.o.d was there, as much in sending away that unworthy King as G.o.d's hand was in sending Nebuchadnezzar to feed among the oxen. G.o.d's hand may not appear in our modern times as in former days, but faith sees that hand in the common affairs of mankind. But because we do not see the operation, because the operation is not palpable to men's senses, the agency of G.o.d is forgotten. Depend upon it, it is a great mistake to imagine that if we could see, now and then, some great miracle wrought, we should get into the habit of recognising the power and wisdom of G.o.d. The Israelites were fed in the desert by miracle, and rebelled against G.o.d whilst they ate the food miraculously given to them. The wonder--the perfection of the Divine operation is this, that without disturbing in our little individual history any of the common affairs which arise in every-day life, without working any miracle at all, and whilst to the eyes of men all things continue as they were from the beginning, whilst there is nothing observable in the method, He works all things together for the good of them that love Him, combining opposing forces and blending together the elements of life and of death in one grand atmosphere of benediction for the welfare of the righteous, and all this without disturbing the ordinary course of cause and effect. The power of G.o.d impresses itself not merely through the lower links of the chain of providence--cause and effect, but upon the higher part of that chain which sends down its influence, its intelligence, its all-wise benevolence, to work out the welfare of those that are the objects of his love.

So it is with nations. You will see public events rising up in connection with ordinary causes, but we ought to acknowledge the great First-cause. The principles of divine government which operated in the old time are now as surely in operation as they were then. They are not antiquated: they are not at all supplanted; they operate in the same way, to the same ends; they operate to national and personal benefit, to national and personal reproof, or, in the neglect of such admonition, to national and personal punishment, showing us that G.o.d's government is now the government which it was in the ancient days, and that though we see no miracles in our day G.o.d is as much in the midst of unthinking mult.i.tudes as when men were startled by the visible interposition of his Almighty power.

Let us look, then, at the state of things about us now. Is there not sufficient cause in this land to lead us to humble ourselves, to improve the admonition of our G.o.d; that we should prepare to meet Him, in the only way in which we can meet Him to our profit, by our personal submission to a greater extent; and if we love our country, that we should put ourselves into a position to bring the nation out of any state of rebellion against G.o.d, to lead it back to a more perfect reconciliation with Him? What evils have we now to deplore? Why, a great number. It is a blessed land after all; and there is more of Christianity found in it than in any other in the world. There is doubtless more of the direct influence of Christianity in our population than you will find elsewhere, and certainly more of the indirect influence upon the const.i.tution of the nation, upon our legislation, upon our national--aye, and upon our domestic habits. There is a large amount of the indirect influence of Christianity in our midst, for which we have cause to be thankful. But then, on the other hand, how much is there of evil? There is great evil in our midst. There is first, what really our fathers had not so much to do with--there is the presence and power of a subtle, of a most ably-wrought and powerfully-patronised Popery, about which we have been asleep for too long a time, Popery, which is inimical to the welfare of any nation, and inconsistent with the political happiness, prosperity and security of any people. You have not far to go for the proof of this. You have only to go to the present miserable condition of Ireland to prove it. It is all very well for disclaimers to arise from the men who created the disloyal element of this mischief, but they must esteem the Protestants of this country more credulous than I hope they will prove if they expect them to believe their present protestations. What else have you? You have the presence of this Popery also where Protestantism alone ought to be known. You have it dishonestly intruded into the temples of Christian truth; and you have the pernicious nonsense of miserable and disgraceful antics obtruded into what men call divine worship, utterly beneath the dignity of sensible men. You have another thing. You have infidelity, and in the pulpit too--the pulpit in high places--infidelity in its worst form. You have all this, and no power, and very little inclination exists to correct it.

You have all this, and mult.i.tudes love to have it so. That is one form of evil, leading to many other forms, and causing all thoughtful men to deplore the condition of churches cursed with a schism like this, with a false doctrine and heresy so utterly opposed to the truth and to the salvation of men. Well, then, look, at the profanity of the people around us. Look at the unG.o.dliness of decent people. I am not here to-day to call your attention simply, as people sometimes do, to the lowest cla.s.ses of society. They are bad enough. They are a festering ma.s.s at the foundation of all the greatness of the nation; they are a ma.s.s which, if not corrected in their tendencies, may at any time be quickened into an activity that will utterly wreck the entire superstructure of all that as Christians and as Englishmen we hold dear.

But higher up, where there is no profaneness or criminality, or gross and disgusting visible intemperance, what other evils are there? There is decency, but there is an absence of the recognition of G.o.d. G.o.d is not in men's thoughts. And there is a fearful and fatal indifference as to the claims of religion that has come over the nations. Mult.i.tudes neglect public worship. I apprehend the least evidence that anybody can give of religious impression, or of recognition of the claims of religion, is that they should attend the public worship of Almighty G.o.d.

You find, however, hundreds of thousands in this nation who never attend divine service. If our churches and chapels in London were to be attended next Sunday by the usual number of persons, and those besides who ought to attend were disposed to try to gain admission at any one time during the day, we have not half churches and chapels enough to hold them; whilst, as it is, the room provided is not occupied. This indifference is a fearful thing. Paul yearned over his countrymen, but in some respects our countrymen are worse than Paul's. "I could wish,"

said that glorious, patriotic man--that grand old man, that most blessed and chief of all the Apostles, with heaven in his view, his career well-nigh ended, his work done, and Churches rising up around him of which he was the father--not churches built upon other men's foundations--"I could wish myself accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh." Yet "I bear them record, that they have a zeal of G.o.d, but not according to knowledge." In England, at this day, there are mult.i.tudes of whom it may be said, "G.o.d is not in all their thoughts." And the heathenism spread about us is as bad in its developments as in any other part of the world, and more aggravated in its character because of its immediate proximity with the light and truth of our blessed Christianity. There is in this land, too, an absorbing of men in worldliness: this, perhaps, comes nearer to us. In my time I have seen worldliness not only enthralling obviously and professedly worldly men. I have seen worldliness come into the Church--aye, among Methodists. How many young men have I seen, earnest, zealous, devoted, doing just that work for G.o.d which must be done by young men if the population of this land is to be won to Christ--they enter into business-life, by-and-bye G.o.d prospers their industry, and they begin to thrive in the world; and what then? Oh, then this fervour abates--they get immersed in earthly things. We lose their activities in the Church; the unG.o.dly part of the world lose the influence of a blessed example and of their Christian teaching. They are too busy to attend to the service of G.o.d at all on the week days, they say to their ministers: "We will find the money if you will send men to do the work among these poor people." Find money to do it! So they ought: but do they think they place the Church under obligation by doing that? Not a whit. They ought to be thankful to the Church, and to the G.o.d of the Church, that He will have their money, that G.o.d permits them gratefully to recognise in this way their stewardship; but I say to every such person, if you think you can purchase exemption from personal devotion to G.o.d, and from such devotion as shall lead you to spread the truth by your personal labour, to the utmost extent of your ability, you are greatly mistaken. We can have no such compositions of G.o.d's claim; you must not dream of them.

There is a feebleness, therefore, of the Church; oft-times arising from this cause, a feebleness we must seek to cure, as it only can be cured, by an increase of our own personal G.o.dliness.

But how do we stand just now? G.o.d has sometimes admonished this nation for its unG.o.dliness. I do not speak of the nation now as profane or criminal. Take the best view of it. And I remember that a great theologian has said, the true view of man's depravity is not that every man is profane or intemperate or mischievous--the great proof of the universal depravity of man is found in man's unG.o.dliness--in his not recognising the claims of G.o.d, and not bowing to his love. We have had admonition after admonition, within our own lives, most of us. Not long since G.o.d sent a pestilence into our midst--on two remarkable occasions.

Well do I remember the state of the people where I was labouring in one of the large towns of this country, with between three and four hundred deaths, from cholera, occurring every week. The people were alarmed.

There was a national day of humiliation and prayer; our places of worship were crowded. The people were alarmed, but they were not permanently impressed. G.o.d heard prayer; yes, he delights to hear prayer. G.o.d answered it; he delights to answer it. The evil pa.s.sed away; the concern pa.s.sed with it; and I shall never forget the contrast between the congregations on the day of humiliation, and when they were summoned to thank G.o.d for the removal of the scourge. "Were there not ten cleansed?

but where are the nine?"

It is only four years ago that another check came upon the nation--that one of our great branches of national industry became suddenly paralysed; and what mercy was there in that! There was the good hand of G.o.d in the administration of that chastis.e.m.e.nt, in the conduct of the people under such calamities, and in the absence of mischievous, designing men from among them. I have known the time when that population would have been inflamed by a calamity of far less consequence to acts of the greatest violence. G.o.d's hand was there. He chastised the nation; but He guided the chastis.e.m.e.nt. And now again, another evil has come upon us--a greater evil, perhaps, than people imagined at first--this plague among our herds. There will be great loss to individuals, and no doubt there will be great loss to all; for it is impossible for so much wealth or money's worth to be destroyed in any nation without all the people in the nation feeling it more or less. I think it right, therefore, that we have been called to recognise the hand of G.o.d therein--to look through all external causes to his hand. It is a very dangerous thing, a thing I have never done in my life, and never would do, to talk about the providence of G.o.d in its punitive power, to talk about retribution in the application of G.o.d's providence in individual cases. It is very unwise to do that, and sometimes it may be most uncharitable. It is different, however, in G.o.d's dealings with a nation. We are admonished, or punished, by a great national calamity that has stirred all cla.s.ses of men each in their own way, and has raised all their activities in order to see if evils of this kind may not be checked in their operation. This evil is present with us. And then, as to other evils that may arise. If you look abroad into the world, to the relations of this country to other nations, you have peace just now; but he would be a bold man who should predict the continuation of this peace for any length of time. No, your statesmen cannot keep the peace of nations; and the folly of our boasting about the peace-working power of our commercial relations has already be seen. We cannot give peace to the world. Who can tell how soon the calamity of war may afflict this country? Not I trust on its sh.o.r.es; but what is this land that it has any right to expect a perpetual immunity from the horrors of war in her midst? Do not say these things will pa.s.s away. Do not say these things are remote. They may quickly overtake us, and we should be careful that we do not provoke our G.o.d to hasten any of his judgments or to aggravate present ones. If you are delivered from calamity--if this great national calamity, for such it is, has not touched you, or at least not so touched you as to inconvenience you at all, remember to give sympathy to those that are suffering from it; and let thankfulness for your present mercies manifest itself in that G.o.dly amendment of life which shall prove your best contribution to the future safety and the prosperity of the nation. If we neglect this we place ourselves in opposition to G.o.d's government, and are in danger, by our opposition, of being told to prepare to meet G.o.d in conflict. Individual sinners do so who refuse repentance; nations do so that will not submit to G.o.d. You that are living without G.o.d, pray what prospect have you, what prospect of victory? The potsherd of the earth may strive with the potsherd, but woe to the man that strives with his Maker. The G.o.d whom you are called upon to meet is the "G.o.d that formeth the mountains, that createth the wind, that declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, the Lord, the G.o.d of hosts, is his name."

Let the unG.o.dliness of this land increase--and it will increase if we neglect the manifestation of G.o.dliness in opposition to it--and what then? There will be the culmination of national sin, and there will be the enactments of Parliament against the law of G.o.d, as on a former memorable occasion in France; let it come to that, and let a crisis arise; and though your statesmen should be the most sagacious, and have all the ability which has ever distinguished the foremost men of the Government of this land; let your Parliament be intelligent and patriotic; let your sons be as brave on flood or field as their fathers; let your commerce be ever so flourishing, your arts ever so perfect, your literature ever so exalted--none of these things would save the nation--none of these things would be an effectual shield against calamity; and upon the wreck of this grand old realm--wrecked by its unG.o.dliness, made rotten at its base by sin--upon the wreck of this nation which, had it been G.o.dly, would have borne the shock of all the earth, and dashed it back like foam--on the wreck of Britain shall be written, "The nation, the kingdom, that will not serve thee shall perish." That inscription has been often written upon empires as magnificent, as powerful, and as ill.u.s.trious as this.

What, then, is our duty? What have we to do with this? We who are gathered together in this chapel may say, can we arrest the course of the nation? Can we turn back the floods of unG.o.dliness? Can we go out and produce an influence that may avert these calamities? I do not say that you alone can do this; but I do say, that you are bound to contribute your utmost to the check of these evils, with as perfect a heart, and with as earnest a purpose, and as free a will, as though your hand could dash back the evil and rescue the nation from its danger.

Our immediate duty is repentance. That is the duty of the nation. But the word nation is a comprehensive one; we lose ourselves in it. We may do as we are in danger of doing with the word Church, lose sight of our own individual responsibility in confused ideas of what the Church collectively is to do. G.o.d cannot yield in this conflict; his righteousness forbids this. The nation must yield and become obedient, or the result indicated must follow. If then the nation is to repent, where is that repentance to begin? Why in this place to-day, so far as we are concerned. In whose hearts must this repentance commence? Why in the hearts of every one of you unconverted persons, that are rather contributing to the unG.o.dliness of the country than to the increase of its spiritual power. You may not be drunkards, you may not be profligate; but if you are living without the recognition of G.o.d's love and the enjoyment of his favour, you are unG.o.dly; and your first duty is to repent. There is no salvation without this repentance, let some modern preachers say what they will. The Master of all preachers sent the Apostles forth, and they preached everywhere that men should repent.

There is a fashionable preaching, I am told, that has no repentance in it. So much the worse for the people that listen to such error. There is no merit in repentance; the only meritorious cause of your salvation is the blood-shedding and the present and perfect atonement of Christ.

But "the law is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ." The old Puritans were right who said, that the soundest conversions were those with which the law had most to do. Mount Sinai exhibited proofs of G.o.d's love, and Christ, who died for us on Calvary, is the author and enforcer of the whole law. There must be the bowing down of your souls to the claims of the law, the struggle for amendment, the renunciation of sin, the recognition of your own hopelessness, and the cry, "What must I do to be saved?" "Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Then comes Christ, and peace, and joy; a partic.i.p.ation in the divine nature; and a power to contribute practically to the repentance of the nation.

This is your duty.

You Christian people, too, are called upon to repent. Depend upon it as we go through life an act of repentance, once for all, will not do: we shall need repentance daily. When a man is admitted to the favour of G.o.d it is that his mouth should be stopped, it is that he should entertain penitential feeling as long as he lives--not the penitence of guilt, but the penitence of grat.i.tude. The recollection, I am a sinner, will inspire and maintain such penitence; and a blessed end that man will make, who in the full meaning of the words, pours out the prayer at the last, "G.o.d be merciful to me a sinner." We need repentance--we all need it. Let us turn our attention to ourselves, and ascertain how much we have contributed to the existing evils of the nation. How much have we contributed to the present state of things which in the judgment of sober Christian concern may be held to have provoked the anger of G.o.d? We may have contributed to these evils, and I dare say we have, in two ways: first, by neglect of duty. There are sinners about you, you need not go far to find them--perhaps there are some unG.o.dly people in your own houses. What have you ever done to make them G.o.dly? What effort have you made, what kind of an example have you set them in your words, in your tempers, in your spiritual aspirations? Now tell yourselves honestly. You have been living with them up to this day, living with them during this day. What have you said to them? Do your conduct and your words condemn their sin, and invite them to reconciliation with G.o.d?

What does conscience say to this? What does the recollection of the past few hours say to this? There are wicked people about you: some of you have leisure; what have you done for your unG.o.dly neighbours? What poor man's house have you visited? What wretched sinner have you talked to?

You have pa.s.sed along the streets, and have seen sin abounding; have you ever tried to check it? Have you ever thought it worth while to follow some half dozen people deeply immersed in sin, and by patient, earnest, G.o.dly admonitions, counsels, and entreaties, have you sought the salvation of their souls? Have you done this? "Oh!" you busy men say, "we have not time." I know better; you must not tell practical men that; they know that all of us waste a great deal more time than we want for such a purpose. It is not a question of time at all, but a question of inclination. Have we done so? Are evils abating by our instrumentality?

Do not say, "I could do very little." Do what you can! "If I could move a mult.i.tude I would do it." No, that will not do. You good women, are you doing all the good you can in your families? Do you mothers give yourselves to the right training of your children? Fathers, are you practically anxious for the spiritual good of your families? Do you help your wives to bring up a G.o.dly family, which shall prove a blessing to the nation; and not such an one as Dr. Paley says, as shall turn out wild beasts upon society. You have little ability; well, if you have not ten talents, do not bury the one talent. Paul did one thing, and that was the secret of all his greatness--he did _his_ duty. Do you do _yours_?

There was a simplicity of purpose about him, an earnestness of endeavour, a thoroughness in the doing of it that made him what he was, the greatest of all apostles and the greatest man that the Christian Church has known.

Take that simple rule, you young people; strive to spread the influence of a G.o.dly example among all about you: do what you can, in a way consistent with your position in life, and in a way consistent altogether with modesty, humility, and a deep devotion to G.o.d, and you will not labour in vain. We are guilty of sins of omission, and we need repentance.

But how have we contributed to the evils of the nation by our activities?

Some of you were converted, perhaps, when you had lived to be twenty years of age, some of you thirty or forty, some perhaps were older; what kind of lives had you led before that time? How many of your former companions did you injure by a G.o.dless example? perhaps by foolish words, perhaps by unG.o.dly actions. G.o.d has rescued you; where are they? What has become of the seed you then planted in their minds? If G.o.d drew out the roots of vice by his grace from your hearts, the influence of this evil remains elsewhere. What mischief is often done by men prior to their conversion in their families! When you see there is so much wickedness in the land, then say, "What have I done to increase it?" And I think we shall all find great need to repent; great need to set an example of repentance to all about us.

The first thing, then, is this deep humiliation of heart that shall bring us all to bow before G.o.d, and cause us to join in the prayer, "Enter not into judgment with thy servants, O G.o.d, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified." But, then, you Christian professors must bestir yourselves. This repentance must not be a pa.s.sing emotion, not a temporary influence, however powerful; but there must be a correspondent continued effort to promote it amongst your families and neighbours, and to the utmost extent of your power in the world; engaging meanwhile in earnest prayer; and then consecrating yourselves more fully to this work under the influence of two things, a deep sense of personal responsibility and of the constraint of divine love. Submit, then, to this will of G.o.d. Know the rod, and Him that hath appointed it. If the mult.i.tudes about you do not know it you know it. If G.o.d be not recognised, let it be yours to recognise Him amid the surrounding worldliness, and depend upon it your purity of heart shall increase, and you will see G.o.d in all things, in all calamities, and in all joys. It is a strange thing that nations and individuals see G.o.d more readily in trouble than they do in their joys. Amid the immunities from ill which Christian people often enjoy how little they think of G.o.d. Trouble comes, calamity comes, and we owe the quickening of our religious feelings, strangely enough, more to our fears than we to our grat.i.tude.

And it will be well if we are so quickened by present calamity.

Thus let us prepare ourselves to promote that condition of feeling in the nation which shall lead us to meet G.o.d not in conflict but in the way of his judgments, to bow to his rule, to abate our unG.o.dliness, and to become as a nation wise and understanding.

One remark as to the popular interpretation of the text. You will have to meet G.o.d speedily in your death. You should prepare to meet Him, for you cannot resist; you cannot flee from Him. Let us prepare to meet Him by embracing the mercy which He offers, receiving the love which He communicates to us, and devoting the rest of our lives to his service and glory. You are called upon, then, and I think for these reasons properly called upon, to contribute to and to promote the humiliation of the nation. Whatever other people do, humble yourselves before G.o.d. And let not the impression be a temporary one, but in the future seek that practical love which const.i.tutes the repentance necessary to the nation, and necessary to you that you may prompt the repentance and reformation of those about you, and which can alone save the land of our fathers from calamity and make her more fully what she ought to be, "a praise in the earth." Amen!

THE PROPHETIC THEME.

REV. GERVASE SMITH.

"Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow."--1 PETER i. 10, 11.

There is a peculiar interest attaching to the writer of this epistle.

Although it was probably in old age, when a large experience of labour and sorrow had chastened his spirit, and in prospect of martyrdom, that he composed these chapters, they bear unmistakable proofs of his own vigour of thought, and suggest many reminiscences of his remarkable life.

Whether you regard him as a man, a Christian, or an apostle, he presents an ill.u.s.trious subject for the student of these modern times. His history puts before us many and serious defects; but there is much more to approve and admire: and while a feeling or sorrow lingers over the one, the other is so marked and prominent that it secures your sympathy, and you are drawn towards the man with an ineffable affection. There is a candour, and honesty, and generosity, and heroism, which gives to his character a most healthy tone. The qualities of his mind and heart, when sanctified by grace, become really n.o.ble; and if it were right, you would like to forget his failings in presence of so much that is both manly and good.

His two epistles are a precious legacy to the Church. The first is addressed to the "scattered strangers:" but whether this expression refer to Jews, or converted Gentiles, or both, or to the "dispersed" of the ten tribes, there is no satisfactory evidence. We are in similar doubt as to the place from which it was written. The _Church at Babylon_ is named in the last chapter; but there was a Babylon in Egypt, and another in a.s.syria, and Rome itself is thus figuratively designated.

The style of the apostle's writing is just what you would expect from the man himself. Vehemence, majesty, and, at the same time, ease and freedom, are manifest in every page.

The chief design of this epistle is to administer comfort to those already suffering; and to prepare others for the affliction they were about to endure. The first chapter adduces several considerations to uphold their constancy. One is that they are _the chosen of G.o.d_; "Elect according to the foreknowledge of G.o.d the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied." Then, as the elect of G.o.d, they had a _good hope of heaven_. "Blessed be the G.o.d 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 G.o.d through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time."

A third consideration is, that though in the midst of trial, their Saviour was with them, and the end of their faith was sure. "Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." And, finally, they were to remember that this subject of their salvation had been matter of earnest enquiry among the prophets, whose labours are now made to contribute to their comfort. "Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow."

I.--THE STUDENT, AND II.--HIS THEME.

I. "The prophets have _enquired and searched diligently_."

The term "prophet" is most properly applied to one who is divinely instructed as to future events, and divinely inspired to make them known.

In an accommodated sense it is given to the apostles and public teachers of the primitive Church. And now it is conventionally used to denote a somewhat less honourable cla.s.s. "The prophets of our day" are many.

From the positive style they have adopted, you would suppose that the gift of prescience had come upon them in a far more absolute form than upon the prophets of old. With more dogmatism and less authority do they p.r.o.nounce upon "the times and seasons." Though failure on failure happens, this seems rather to nerve their confidence; and every successive mistake is followed by another guess with increased a.s.surance.

1. _Who are the prophets referred to in the text_? They are the men to whom the term is strictly applicable. We do not forget such names as Moses and Samuel, and Elijah and Elisha, and others; but their prophecies are not given with the formality of those distinct books to which perhaps St. Peter refers. In point of time Jonah comes just with his message of woe to the city of Nineveh. Amos the herdman and Hosea his contemporary follow. Then Joel with his thunder, and Isaiah with his evangelism; Micah with his earnestness; Nahum with his sublimity; and Zephaniah with his severity, take their place in about equal succession. Jeremiah then appears with all his weightiness of matter and solemnity of manner.

Habakkuk in briefer form takes up the same subjects. Daniel with great grandeur of style dwells on the topics of the text. Obadiah stands between him and Ezekiel as though to make them both more prominent. At a later period come Haggai and Zechariah; and then Malachi closes the ill.u.s.trious train, taking the last pen from the wing of inspiration, or putting the signet upon the scroll of prophecy. Some of these may be especially referred to; but we include them all: for "to Him give all the prophets witness; that in his name whosoever believeth in Him shall have forgiveness of sins."

(i.) They were _men_; not angels, or belonging to some order of being superior to ourselves; but they were members with us of the same human family, and "subject to like pa.s.sions as we are." They were _sinners_: born with the old taint of corruption; subject to hereditary guilt, depravity, and death, and exposed to all the evils to which flesh is heir. They were _redeemed sinners_, included in that same covenant of mercy of which we make our boast. They were therefore _personally interested_ in those truths which became the subject of their search.

The original promise belonged to them as well as to us. They claimed an interest in the leading facts of patriarchal history, and in the gorgeous ceremonial of the Mosaic Inst.i.tute. All the events of divine providence which were preparing the way for the Messiah's coming, and the predictions which they themselves uttered, had some personal bearing.

They were not uninterested students of past history, of present circ.u.mstances, or of future events. Their own destinies were involved in the truths they taught.

(ii.) They were _good men_. That the Divine Being has sometimes made "false prophets" means of carrying out his purposes there can be no doubt. But he is a daring man who would venture from this either to justify or extenuate an impure ministry. Sanctuary services are too pure and solemn to be performed by any but "_clean hands_." The instruments which G.o.d ordains are holy. With a miserable exception here and there, even the enemies of truth have not denied to the ancient prophets the crown of a good character. Try them by any recognised standard of virtue, and they will not be found wanting. Trace the minutest circ.u.mstances of their private life; their self denial; their exposure to danger; their fearlessness in denouncing sin; their being proof against corruption; their zeal; their sympathy; their benevolence--and they present a startling contrast with the priests of Paganism, or the false prophets among the Jews.

Call to mind the meekness of Moses; the heroism of Elijah; the grat.i.tude of David; the sweetness of Hosea; the fervour of Isaiah; the tenderness of Jeremiah; the constancy of Daniel; the faithfulness of Ezekiel--and you unhesitatingly endorse the inspired oracle, that they were "holy men." And although some of the prophets are remarkable for particular features of character, they are not wanting in all the others which are requisite to const.i.tute _goodness_.

But what a magnificent portrait could you present to the mind as you review the whole! The characteristics of these different men meet and blend in the photograph; and you look upon a being--human it is true, but sanctified by grace, and fitted to exercise "a more telling influence upon the destines of the world," than the mightiest statesman, or the profoundest philosopher, or the n.o.blest warrior of which history can boast. Like the hues of the rainbow, which in all their softness and sweetness and sublimity, rejoice to span the heavens together, and make up one token of the covenant, do the prophets stand before us as one cla.s.s of men, unfolding the covenant of mercy, and offering light and life to a dying and dark world.

(iii.) They were _inspired good men_. And here is suggested one of the most formidable dangers of the present day. An attempt is being made to dry up the most fruitful source of confidence which the Christian has in the truth of his Bible:--viz., its plenary inspiration. We know that this is not new; but the lover of "the Book" had charmed himself with the hope that the controversy was over, and the truth triumphant. He is now, however, alarmed on finding that in addition to the old adversaries--the infidel, the sceptic, and the profane--he has to enter the lists with new combatants altogether; and among the rest, the descendants of those glorious Reformers, who, centuries ago, shook the papal power to its centre; melted the Bible's chain in the martyr's flame; and liberated the mind of a continent from the most crushing spiritual despotism the world ever knew. It is a distressing sound to hear those academic halls, which have been the greatness and the pride of Germany, resounding with pernicious error, not to say, positive blasphemy. Looking at the subject in the light of heaven we gratefully and confidently say that "the word of the Lord endureth for ever;" but humanly speaking, the Bible is in danger. And we must be prepared to meet it with a zeal, "such as in the martyr's glowed, dying champions for their G.o.d." The plenary inspiration of the Scriptures, and therefore of the prophets--is our impregnable stronghold, and must never be abandoned. The apostle says, when referring to the Old Testament--"All Scripture is given by inspiration of G.o.d, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of G.o.d spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." And by this inspiration we do not merely mean that some general ideas were poured into their minds, which they clothed in their own language, and then published them to the world as a revelation from heaven. If the Bible be inspired _at all_, it is _fully_ inspired.

Otherwise, you cannot tell where to make the distinction between what is divine and what is human. You must either maintain the truth of the _whole_ book, or abandon your conviction of its supreme authority. We adopt the statement that the prophets "composed their works under so plenary and immediate an influence of the Holy Spirit that G.o.d may be said to speak by them to man, and not merely that they spoke to men in the name of G.o.d, and by his authority." Mark the wide distinction which is here suggested. Take the case of an earnest and trustworthy minister.

He tells his congregation that he is anxious to give them the truth; and has been to G.o.d in his closet asking for light. In answer to prayer he believes that the Holy Spirit has given him light; and, confident that it is the truth, he announces it to the people. But you would not say that that man is inspired. There may be much of what is fallible and human with what is truthful and divine. Suppose, however, that on some Sabbath morning, he could with authority stand up and say that what is now about to be declared is not his, but G.o.d's--that he is in ignorance of what the utterance will really be, and that in simple fact, G.o.d is to speak through him, using his lips only as the medium of communication; you have here an instance of what is meant by plenary inspiration. And this we say is the case with the prophets. These "holy men of G.o.d spake _as_ they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Not in the _words_ which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth."

2. _Their Conduct_. They "enquired and searched diligently."

(i.) What is implied in the _search_ they made? It would seem as if for the moment the thought of their inspiration was dropped; and like other earnest students of the Bible, they now search to ascertain the meaning of their own, and each other's prophecies. There is here, however, an incidental, though strong proof of the justice of their claims. The predictions they uttered were not their own conceptions; not the product of their own reasoning; and perhaps not even engraven on their own memory. They gave expression to statements beyond themselves, and the meaning of which at the time, they did not understand. And when (if we may so say) the breath of inspiration had pa.s.sed from them, they sat down to discover by diligent search the import of those utterances which they had made. They had _written_ for _the world_: they now _enquired_ for _themselves_. Their _predictions_ are by the grace of G.o.d, the property of the Church: their _search_ is for their own personal benefit. The truths they proclaim, become the power of G.o.d to their own comfort and purity.