Man's Treatment of God's People # 1

Man's Treatment of God's People # 1

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you!" (John 15:18-19).

Such is the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Real Christians have never been favorites of the world - and while it continues  what it is, they never can be. "Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you." (1 John 3:13).

Nor can the pure and simple gospel be pleasant to the world, because it lays the sinner in the dust, and exalts God as supreme and sovereigh. Let us not be surprised then, if we hear worldlings speak against the gospel, and traduce the Lord's people; for what the Romans told Paul is in a good measure true in the present day, "For concerning this sect, we are aware that it is spoken against everywhere." A(Acts 28:22).

This sect originated with Jesus, the hated Nazarene, who came into the world for its good, and to save His people from their sins. He gathered around Him many - but they were principally the poor and unlearned. There was nothing in them, or about them, to recommend them to the proud and sensual world. They were begotten of God, born again, and made new creatures in Christ. They embraced the truth He taught, observed the precepts that He gae, and copied the example that He set. They loved His person, were concerned for His glory, and identified themselves with His interests.

There creed consisted pretty much in these facts: that man is a lost sinner, that salvation by works is impossible, and therefore it must be all of grace - or not at all. That the Lord Jesus came into the world to take the sinner's place, fulfill the law in the sinner's stead, and die as the sinner's substitute. That on account of what Jesus has done and suffered - pardon, peace, and reconciliation are preached to sinners, and whoever believes is promised everlasting life. That believers should profess faith in Christ, observe His ordinances, and make His will the rule of their lives. That they should love one another, serve one another, and if need be, die for each other. That believing in Jesus, doing His will, and seeking to glorify His name, they secure to themselves an inheritance which is incorruptible, undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved in heaven for them. That as Christians, they should show their conformity to Christ, by loving sinners, doing good even to their enemies, and seeking by all means their salvation. By such hopes they were animated, by such rules they walked, and at such objects they aimed - and yet they were everywhere spoken against.

They themselves were spoken against, because they were generally poor and unlearned, and because they poured contempt on the luxuries, pride, and honors of this world. They were treated as the off-scouring of all things, unfit for society, unfit to live. Everyone felt that he might reproach, revile, and speak against a "Nazarene." For them, often, there was no protection, no law but to condemn them; and they suffered the loss of all things, and multitudes of them of life itself.

And yet, like Israel in Egypt, the more they were persecuted, the more they multiplied and grew; until at length they spread not only over the Roman empire - but nearly over the world. And, had they retained the simplicity of their lives, the spirituality of their minds, and the correctness of their creed - they would no doubt have encircled the globe. But at length they were courted by royalty, loaded with wealth, and became intoxicated with worldly honors, and then their glory departed. They drank into the spirit of the world, conformed to its maxims and customs, sought its approbation and applause - and so fell from their exalted station, and lost their real dignity.

Their doctrines were spoken against. They insisted upon the fact, that there is but one God, that in the Divine nature there are three persons, and that each person is truly, naturally, and eternally God. That man has sinned, and God is bound to punish, in order to manifest His justice, and maintain the honor of His law. There there is no escaping the punishment of sin - but by an atonement, for "without shedding of blood - there is no remission of sin." That no atonement could be acceptable to God, except it were infinitely meritorious; and consequently that no sinner could atone for his ransom for him. That in order to meet the cqase, God sent His own Son into the world, who taking human nature into union with His divine nature - undertook to answer  for man's conduct, atone for man's sin, and suffer all the penal consequences of man's guilt.

~James Smith~

(continued with # 2)

The Rest of Heaven! # 3

The Rest of Heaven! # 3

But if retirement has been preceded by honorable toil, by willing self-denial, or by deeds worth living for - then not only has the power to enjoy been augmenting, but the recollections of past labors brighten  and sweeten present rest. May we not believe that this law of earth is also a law of Heaven? We would not, indeed, even hint that regret or shame can for a moment darken that world of perfect joy; but still, is it not certain that the capacity of enjoying the rest of Heaven must be very different in the man whose life has been passed in comparative indolence - and in the man whose days have been all spent in the service of God? Both may receive from the great Judge their "penny" but that penny will not be the same to both. And hence it is not without significance that the eulogy is first pronounced, "Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus;" and then the assurance is added, "they shall rest from their labors, and their works follow them."

And unspeakably blessed to such is this rest. For it is as far removed as possible from mere quiescence or inglorious ease. All that is burdensome or distressing in work or warfare will be escaped from; there will be no conflict between the flesh and the spirit, no enemies to watch and repel, no scenes of misery and vice to oppose the heart, no opposition from those who have been the objects of toil and prayer, no fatigue or exhaustion from labor, no seasons of darkness or fear, of discouragement or despondency from weariness, trouble, and sin - there will be perfect, everlasting deliverance!

But this rest is by no means opposed to activity. May we not rather say that activity forms an integral part of that rest? Doom the man of energetic character to a sphere of absolute quiet, and he is as restless as the caged eagle, which frets all inaction, but in the boldest flight finds its recreation and delight.

To minds that are delivered from all distracting cares, and all the weakness of the flesh, who are surrounded by congenial society, and summoned to congenial employments - activity is rest. And such is the rest of Heaven. It is not quiescence, but satisfaction. There are grand purposes to accomplish, but no burden to cause distress or fatigue.

REST! What is our highest conception of it? Is it not this: that our nature should be restored to its original perfection; delivered from each trace of feebleness, disease, or sin; every power acting without effort; thought, purpose, desire, conduct - all spontaneously conformed to the Divine will and answering to the Divine ideal! 

Moreover that we should be placed in a world in every respect corresponding with our perfected nature... where no scene or object could jar with our sense of absolute beauty and enjoyment; where fellowship, influence, occupation, would be all on the side of holiness; and where the purity within and around would enable us to act with unconstrained freedom, and yet without danger or fear.

Finally, that we should be surrounded by circumstances in which no craving or aspiration should be unsatisfied, where intellect should discover  unalloyed, eternal truth; social affection find friends that never disappoint; the heart should exult in the presence of Jeus, and the soul be filled with the beatific vision of God!

Would not this constitute perfect satisfaction? Well, this is the blessedness of Heaven, where all is harmonious within, and all congenial without; there is ceaseless activity, and yet eternal rest!

This is the portion of the faithful dead; and this is to be our portion. This is the consummation to which our adorable Master is graciously leading us. This is the glorious outcome of our poor, feeble, fitful, unprofitable service. Who would not labor for such a Master? Who would not make light of earthly trials, in view of such a glorious eternal inheritance? Who would not toil in prospect of such a rest?

Then I heard a voice from Heaven say, "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on."

"Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor,for their deeds will follow them." (Revelation 14:13).

~Joshua Harrison~

The Rest of Heaven! # 2

The Rest of Heaven! # 2

Such results, he is sure, could have sprung from nothing but living faith. Possessing that faith - faith which justifies, faith which purifies - he knows that is is secure. For him death is disarmed of its terrors. Hope sheds its radiance over the darkness of the tomb, and perfect love casts out fear. While listening to the last farewell of earth, in his ear - it seems blended with the welcome of Heaven, and he exclaims, with holy exultation, "Thanks be unto God, who gives me the victory through my Lord Jesus Christ."

We always consider it a spirit-stirring spectacle when we behold a man earnestly pursuing to the end, the course which he has adopted - when his last words or acts betoken fidelity to the main purpose of his life, and show the ruling passion strong in death.

With feelings of admiration and thankfulness we behold the departing saint, whether his course has been more public or more private, steadfast even to the end - faith in Christ his only hope - the spread of the gospel the one desire of his heart - ceasing to work only when he ceases to breathe - and as he looks back upon a whole life of service, now drawing toapeaceful close, with deep humility, and yet with holy confidence, declaring, "The time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing." (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

From the heart we exclaim, "Servant of God, well done! Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord!"

They are blessed because they die, that they may rest. And to the toil worn laborer, what can be more welcome than rest? Wearied by his burden of care and anxiety; his warfare with the world, the flesh, and the devil; his efforts to realize the scriptural ideal of the Christian life; his endeavors to turn men from sin's darkness to light - how joyfully does he listen to the assurance that he shall "rest from his labors!"

To the man, indeed, who has known nothing of toil or suffering - there is no charm in the prospect of rest. Let his Christianity be of the cast which lulls to sleep, rather than stimulates, forbids no luxury, demands no sacrifice, exacts no work, which seems only designed to render this world more comfortable by by taking away all fear for the future - what does he care for the promise of rest? Is he not resting already? Can ease or quiet be more profound? But let him know what it is to watch, to wait, to suffer, to labor, to struggle - and then, as the haven to the storm-tossed mariner, or home to the wounded soldier, or the Sabbath to the man of toil - such to him is the heavenly rest.

May we not with equal truth affirm that the rest when it comes, is all the sweeter because of the previous labor? As earthly things are the types of heavenly, from the one we may perhaps on this point judge of the other. Now, when a man retires from active duty, the pleasure with which he settles down in that retirement depends very much on his preceding course. If he has accomplished, or even attempted, nothing worthy of remembrance - nothing which he can look back upon with satisfaction or gratitude - his very rest lacks some of the first elements of enjoyment. He may be a statesman whose indecisive and wavering positive disgrace has missed the opportunity of doing his country service. He may be the ambassador, who has fallen into grave error, and endangered the peace of the world - or the humblest tradesman, whose one mistake has been to suppose that wealth is everything. In each of these cases the leisure which ensues is such as few would covet.

~Joshua Harrison~

(continued with # 3)

More Severe Punishment

More Severe Punishment

The gospel places us in a very solemn position. Coming as it does, as a direct message from God, we are bound to receive it, believe it, respect it, and act upon it.

Its invitations should be received, the promises should be embraced, its doctrines should be believed, its precepts should be obeyed.

It should be acted upon immediately it is heard; and if it were pardon and reconciliation to God would be sought, peace and comfort would be enjoyed, the Saviour would be prized, the atonement would be trusted, the Holy Spirit would be honored.

But, how often is the gospel trifled with - where it is not positively rejected; and by how many is it despised and disregarded. To such the solemn language of the Apostle, is directed: "Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?" (Hebrews 10:28-29).

Here is a comparison between sinners - and their punishment.

Sinners under the law - and sinners under the gospel.

Under the law, certain crimes were punishable with death, and he who slighted, neglected, and willfully broke the law was doomed to die. In despising the law - he despised the Sovereign, who enacted it; and he despised the rule of righteousness - which he had enacted. The punishment was death, death without pity, which was the highest punishment which man could inflict. If there were two or three witnesses of his crime, on their joint testimony he was condemned, and handed over to punishment.

Under the gospel, there is a sin unto death - and sinners may come into such a state, that for them there can be no pardon, to them can be shown no mercy. If they willfully reject the atonement of Jesus - there is no other sacrifice for sin; and without shedding of blood, there can be no remission of sin. The apostle is speaking of some, who were in a dangerous position; a position, in which it is to be feared, that many are at this day!

Look at their CRIME: They trampled the Son of God under foot. That is, they treat Him with neglect and contempt. They never accept His invitations, or come to His feet, or trust in His blood, or rely on His promises, or observe His precepts. They have the gospel - but they act as though they had it not. They pretend to admit His claims, respect His authority, and rely on His glorious work - but their conduct shows that it is all pretense. They count the blood of the covenant, with which He was sanctified - an unholy or common thing. Aaron was sanctified, set apart and consecrated to the priest's office, with the blood of a young bullock - but Jesus was consecrated by His own blood. Aaron was sanctified by Moses - but Jesus sanctified Himself.

This is called the blood of the covenant, because in the covenant, Jesus agreed to shed it; and the covenant was ratified, and confirmed by it. On the ground of this blood being shed - God engaged to forgive our sins, to be reconciled to our persons, to give us all needful grace, and in the end confer on us eternal life.

They insult the Spirit of grace, that is the Holy Spirit. As the Spirit of grace, He graciously  enlightens and strives with sinners; and these characters wrong Him, for instead of yielding to Him, they resist Him, they grieve Him; and as represented by a light - they are said to quench Him as a foe instead of a friend.

Thus they sin against the Father - for instead of reverencing His Son - they trample Him under foot. They sin against the Son - for instead of prizing His blood, pleading it with God, and building their hope upon it - they treat it as if it were the blood of some inferior animal. They sin against the Holy Spirit - for instead of welcoming His approach, listening to His Word, and yielding to His influence - they resist and grieve Him.

Look we then at their PUNISHMENT: The sinners under the law died without mercy, suffering the highest degree of punishment man could inflict. But these Christ despisers will have more severe punishment, as eternal punishment must be sorer than temporal.

Heavier vengeance lies on them. Fiery indignation awaits them. Fierce wrath is their portion. Inconceivable torment is reserved for them!

They are said to be worthy of it, that is: they deserve it, they have merited it, they have worked for it, it is their just due, it is their equitable wages.

It is a righteous thing for God to inflict it. But our own consciences, our sense of right is appealed to - and we are asked to decide as to the degree of punishment a man deserves, who tramples God's Son under foot, despises the blood shed for sinners, and despitefully treats the Holy and ever gracious Spirit. 

Lost sinner, beware - do not trifle with the gospel! It is the most wondrous display of God's mercy, the greatest exhibition of the love of Christ, the most marvelous display of the grace of the Holy Spirit. By it, an everlasting salvation is presented you - reject the gospel, and you are undone forever! Let me beseech you to be wise, and not despise your soul. O then, for your soul's sake - seek mercy, confess sin, plead for pardon! Do not rest until you receive and enjoy these invaluable blessings!

~James Smith~

(The End)

The Rest of Heaven! # 1

The Rest of Heaven! # 1

Then I heard a voice from Heaven say, "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them." (Revelation 14:13).

Rest is a blessed thing to die in the Lord, to spend a life of humble trust in His sacrifice, of growing resemblance to His image, of earnest zeal in His service, and then "to fall asleep in Jesus."

To hold fast the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, and, as feebleness and decline admonish us that the time of our departure is at hand, to have the assurance I am "accepted in the Beloved" and for me "to die is gain" - this puts the crown on the whole course!

The hour of death is a solemn hour to all; it is especially solemn to him who holds the Christian faith, and with it has any shade of doubt as to his own standing. He feels that he has reached that solemn crisis at which either his hopes will be realized, and he will enter on joy unspeakable, eternal - or he will be driven, a miserable outcast, into the regions of eternal despair. Can you wonder that, when the moment of decision is so near, the alternative should assume proportionate solemnity, and he should ask himself, with deep earnestness: "Am I safe?"

He is all the more anxious to answer this question honestly, because he observes records but too numerous of failure and ruin. Of some it is declared, "They made shipwreck of faith and a good conscience;" of others, "They did run well, but were afterwards hindered;" of others, "Having put their hand to the plough, they looked back, and were counted unworthy of the kingdom of God." One is said to have come with bright, cheerful countenance, as if sure of a welcome, but on hearing the Saviour's terms, to have gone away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Another seemed to be a good friend of the apostle Paul, but he had by and by to complain, "Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world." Many who had deep conviction lost them through false shame, "for they loved the praise of men, more than the praise of God."

With such instances of failure before his eyes, he naturally glances back on his own course, not to discover grounds of merit, but to seek for proofs of faith. Memory with inconceivable rapidity, traverses the whole of the past, collects it into one bright focus, and in a moment presents it before his eye. And if then he perceives that, as a professedly Christian man, he has all along by a foolish compromise endeavored to serve both God and mammon - has sought the comforts, but avoided the hardships of the Christian life - has been ashamed to confess his Master when His name was dishonored - has delegated to others the work and the self-denial.

Or, as a Christian minister, he has clouded the truth by reserve, and shunned to declare the whole counsel of God; or has allowed himself to be beguiled into the sunny fields of literature, not with the high purpose of infusing into some portion of it pure Christian thought, or drawing from it materials for striking illustrations, but simply to gratify his taste, when the harvest demanded his toil; or has wasted precious hours and golden opportunities in the mere trivialities of the religious world, although the requirements of his position should have led him to redeem time and concentrate strength, lest any should perish through neglect.

Or, as a Christian missionary, has allowed the influence of an enervating climate and familiarity with barbarous customs, not indeed to render him idle, but to take the bloom from his piety and the zest from his work - has been satisfied with the mere mechanical performance of duties which needed a heart all on fire with Divine love.

If, I say, in this final review of the past, he discovers that his profession has been but feebly supported by practice - will not torturing doube cast a horror of great darkness over his spirit, and, if saved at last, will it not be as from the very brink of despair?

On the contrary, if in that critical hour he finds that his faith has manifested itself in works, and that the spirit of the Master has shone in the life of the disciple - if he sees that, although with imperfections which only Divine love could cover, he has fought against temptation, denied self, searched out and grappled with the evils of his own day, labored to save souls, fearlessly confessed his Saviour, and striven, above all things, to promote the cause of truth and God - he recognizes in his own history the marks of real discipleship, and feels that "all is well."

~Joshua Harrison~

(continued with # 2)