Page images
PDF
EPUB

that it would be to bring him down to the level of the finite, to suppose any thing too minute for his notice, or any thing too trifling for his carefulness. We have shewn you that an earthly ruler would be more dignified, and draw more of the reverence of his subjects, in proportion as he could command attention to the great with attention to the small: and does it not, then, follow, that we only ascribe to our Maker what he must necessarily possess, when we declare it impossible that he should be unobservant of the most inconsiderable insect, or overpowered by the magnitude of the sovereignty of the universe? And we would add to this, that all objections to the doctrine of God's providence are virtually objections against the great truths of the creation. Am I to be told that this or that ephemeral thing, the tiny tenant of a leaf or a bubble, is too insignificant to be observed by God; and that it is absurd to suppose, that the every animated point which contains existence should be found engaging a portion of this inspection, which has to spread itself over the revolution of planets or the career of angels? Then I would fain be informed to what authorship I am to refer this ephemeral thing? Whom am I to pronounce its creator? I subject it to the magnifying powers of the microscope, and I am amazed at observing with what skill it has been fashioned; how it has been clothed with the vermilion and feathered with the gold: but you interrupt me by telling me that it is dishonouring to God to suppose him careful or observant of this insect: and then my difficulty is, Who was it created this insect? If it be dishonouring to God that he should give any attention to so insignificant a thing, must it not be dishonouring to God that he created such a thing? I know not what there can be too inconsiderable for the providence, if it hath not been too inconsiderable for the creation of God. We know not any thing so mean and so worthless that it must be overlooked by Deity, unless it be first proved to be too mean and too worthless to be made by Deity. What it was not unworthy God to make, it cannot be unworthy God to preserve. Why declare any thing excluded from his watch. fulness, which could not be produced but by his power? Thus the universal providence of God is little more than an inference from his being the universal Creator. You may speak of this or that creature, and ask us in a tone of triumph, how we can believe that that which we call the animalculæ, which is scarcely perceptible, is observed, and watched over, and cared for, by that Being, inaccessible in his sublimity, who sitteth on the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers before him: but we require you in reply to tell us, whether it was made by God, and unless you can point to another Creator, we must hold that it must be every way worthy God, yea, every way required by his nature, that he should turn all the watchfulness of the Guardian on the work of his own hands: and, in place of agreeing with vou, that the Almighty must be too exalted to give any of his observation to this inanimate particle, we must conclude that it must be as necessarily an object of that observation, as though it were a planet, with the myriads of a teeming population: for it cannot be more true that, as universal Creator, God made the heavens and the earth and all that therein is, than that as universal Upholder of whatsoever he hath formed, "the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth."-From a Sermon recently delivered by the REV. H. MELVILL, A.M.

THE ACCEPTED TIME

RÉV. G. SPRING, D.D.

STEPNEY CHAPEL, MAY 24, 1835.

"Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."-2 Coв vi. 2.

EVERY man of intelligence must deplore the abounding of immorality around him. Whence is it that all the maxims of common prudence, and indeed all the acknowledged principles of honourable character, are so easily dispensed with in matters of religion? The Word of God rebukes this spirit of indecision and sluggishness. It would often startle men from their intellectual and moral apathy, by assuring them that there is a period beyond which forbearing mercy will not be extended, and that the destinies of an unchanging eternity may be suspended on the passing hour.

The declaration which immediately precedes the text is a quotation from the prophet Isaiah, in which Jehovah is represented assuring the Messiah that he had heard him in his intercession for the Gentile world, and that his reign should be one of abundant spiritual blessings; furnishing the strongest encouragement to men to seek his mercy. This was the privilege which the Apostle was desirous the Corinthians should not receive in vain, but accept and improve it with all promptness; because, says he, "I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

And may not this affecting expostulation, beloved hearers, be addressed this morning with strong propriety to us? Is there with God an accepted time? Is there with him a day of salvation? And who will venture to extend the limits of this hopeful period beyond the present hour? True it is that the past may have been more rich in encouragement and in promise than the present. The past is gone; the present is the favourable moment: and the most favourable is now passing by; the hours of this holy Sabbath, the fleeting season which so soon shall be gone, in which I have the opportunity of addressing you—-this, through all remaining time, is the fittest and most auspicious for becoming reconciled to God, and securing the salvation of the soul. No time must be lost in this infinitely momentous concern. It is not too soon to repent and believe the Gospel to-day.

These are the general thoughts which I desire to illustrate and present to your grave consideration, especially those of you who are still strangers to God, beloved hearers, in the following discourse.

Nothing is more obvious, in the first place, than that if it is the duty of men

EVER to accept the Gospel, it is their duty Now. None will contend that they ought never to become reconciled to God. If it is our duty ever to love that which is lovely and amiable, to hate that which is hateful and odious, to submit to that which is wise and good, to confide in that which is trustworthy-in a word, to cease to do evil, and learn to do well, then must we confess that it is our duty at the present time. Besides, the Gospel is a revelation from God, and contains nothing which can be innocently rejected: it is worthy of all acceptation; it has paramount claims, and the obligation to accept it is the most weighty obligation that can be addressed to the minds of men. Whatever else they neglect or defer, they may not for another hour turn a deaf ear to the voice of God, speaking in the Gospel of his Son. Whatever may be their character and circumstance, whatever apology or excuse they may offer, whatever temptation may allure them to disobedience; no condition, no excuse, no obstacle, can destroy or relax this solemn obligation. There is no conceivable circumstance in their existence, save the actual loss of intellectual capacity, that can relax this obligation for a moment. All the reasons by which a man endeavours to persuade himself that it is not his duty to accept the Gospel now, goes to prove that it is not his duty to accept it at all; and the native tendency of all such reasoning is to sunder the bonds of moral obligation, and liberate men from the judgment of the Most High. If it is not their duty to become the disciples of Jesus Christ to-day, then it never will be, and never can be. If the obligation can be relaxed or suspended now, then may it be relaxed and suspended for ever. But if the duty of being a child of God is an unchanging duty, if no man ever ought to have been His enemy, and if it is the most ungrateful, undutiful, and unreasonable thing in the world to remain the enemy of God, then no more can you call in question the propriety of becoming Christians at all. Can you call in question the propriety and duty of becoming so at once? God, who made you, dear hearers, has a right to expect this, and if you refuse this, will charge you with the refusal. The Son who bled and died for you has a right to expect it, and if you still reject him, will upbraid you for your unbelief. Angels have a right to expect it of you: they wait to-day to bear the glad intelligence of your reconcilement to the celestial courts. Men have a right to expect it of one another; and reason as they will, resolve as they will, oppose as they will, postpone as they will, their own consciences have a right to expect it, and for every moment's delay must that oppress and condemn them.

Again: the commands and invitations of the Bible have all a present force and obligation. There is no requisition in the Scriptures to which the God of heaven attaches so much importance, which he urges with so much urgency, strength, and tenderness, and to which he has appended such tremendous sanctions, as the one referred to in our text. No where does he require men, and invite men to return to him at any future period, remote or present: such a requisition would be a reproach to his government. He says, "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." But we refuse, perhaps, and imagine he does not require it now he "commands all men everywhere to repent." But though this is commanded, it does not require the present duty: he says to the sinner, "Repent and be converted"" Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at

hand" -"Repent and believe the Gospel"-" Be ye reconciled to God. His commands are plain and positive; they are absolute; they are universal in their extent, and contain not the slightest allusion to a day of future obedience. Christ invites lost sinners to "come to him," to "look to him," to "take his yoke upon them," to "take up his cross and follow him," and to 66 come and take the waters of life freely." And nowhere does he invite them to do this to-morrow, or give the least intimation of a day when his invitations shall be of more propriety than they are now: on the other hand, the whole scope of his instructions is the other way. On one occasion, you will recollect, as he was passing through the villages of Judea, he bade a certain individual "Follow me." The man hasted to excuse himself: "Lord," said he, "suffer me first to go and bury my father." Jesus saith to him, "Let the dead bury their dead but go thou and preach the kingdom of God." Not long after this another said, "Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell which are at my father's house. Jesus saith unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." No absorption in secular occupations, no domestic endearments, no pressure of outward calamity, may supersede this first, this paramount command, "Follow me." The language of the Bible is, "Come, for all things are now ready:" "To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts:" "Seek ye first the kingdom of God:" "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near:"" Acquaint thyself now with him, and be at peace:" "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." Here is no licence for delay; all the force of the divine authority is thrown on such command. Can the call be resisted without bold and reckless impiety?

This leads me to observe again, the work of salvation is in every view a great work. To the real Christian, patient labour, patient watching, continued self-denial and prayer, are necessary to ensure progress and perseverance in the divine life. A state of unviolated quiet and security cannot with safety be indulged a moment. It is only by present and unremitted diligence that he can hope to contend successfully against an alluring world, a treacherous heart, and a still powerful enemy, and finally to rejoice in deliverance and triumph. The anxious sinner has a still greater and more momentous work than this: he is under the entire dominion of a depraved mind, and must be quickened from his death in sin. Notwithstanding all his anxiety he is still the enemy of Jesus Christ, and has yet to give him the first and highest place in his affections. He has to break off his transgression by righteousness, and his iniquity by turning to God. He is still a rebel against the Most High, and has yet to give him his throne, and take his proper place at his footstool. He has still an unhumbled and self-righteous heart, and must throw himself exclusively on the Son of God for redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace. And certainly the thoughtless and unconcerned sinner has a great work to do. Entirely under the dominion of a blinded understanding, a perverted conscience, and a depraved will; he is yet to be instructed in the knowledge of God, to be roused from his moral lethargy to feel the burden of his iniquity, to be awakened, converted, and sanctified by the influence of the Spirit of God, and more than ever to enter into life: and be it arduous or easy, it is a work which must be done.

Eternity, with all its joy and glory on the one hand, and all its shame and sorrow on the other, is suspended on this mighty work, while in effecting it the sinner is met at the very threshold with a reluctant and opposing heart, a heart fully set in him to do evil, a heart deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; a heart in which there dwelleth no good thing.

And it is in view of such an object thus magnified, that he solicits indulgence and delay! Infatuated man! Because his native inclinations must be subjected, will he give them time to gather increased strength? because his conscience must be roused from her torpor, shall he still cry, "A little more sleep, and a little more slumber, and a little more folding of the hands to sleep?" Will it be easier to repent of his sins, and forsake them, after he has persevered in them a little longer? If it be a secular enterprise on which your heart is set, and which you say must be accomplished, how unhappy are you until it is done! how eagerly you prosecute it! You lose no time, you suffer no solicitation to interfere till it is finished. And will you regard the great concerns of eternity with so little interest as to defer them to some future and distant period? Will you thus neglect the most momentous matters that come within the compass of human thought? Will you exhaust all the exciting energies of your mind in the pursuit of vanities that cannot profit, and put off with an easy indifference, and defer to an indefinite time, the amazing interests of your future and eternal destiny? Who can measure the importance of securing the salvation of the soul? "What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" O can this admit of delay? Is it not a concern that interests him now to flee to the stronghold? Are you sure, dear hearers, that another time will do as well to flee from the wrath to come, and to lay hold on eternal life?

Another consideration on which I would urge your present attention to this subject, is founded on the shortness and uncertainty of human life. There is not an individual who hears me, that can flatter himself, even with the faintest hope, that he shall not, in a few years, at most, descend into the tomb. Our days are passing away like a tale that is told: they are swifter than a weaver's shuttle; they are even as a vapour that appeareth for a little while and then vanisheth away. It is the uniform experience of men, that their years appear shorter and shorter as the number of them increases. Let any reflecting man look back on the portion of time that is past, and he will be satisfied that human life with him cannot be continued to any great extent. It is but a few fleeting years, and this whole congregation, in one commingled multitude, will lie beneath the clods of the valley: and what is still more important, not only is death not far distant from any one of us, but it may be at the door. It is not the old alone who die, but the young; it is not the diseased alone, but the healthful and the vigorous; it is not alone the afflicted, and deformed, and depressed, but the happy, and beautiful, and the gay: they descend indiscriminately to the dust, and the worm covers them. Your superiors, your inferiors, your parents, and your children, where are they? How many of them have finished their course, and become the inhabitants of the eternal world! Your equals in age, your companions in the pleasure and business of this world, your rivals in fame, where are they? It is but yesterday, and they entered upon the theatre of human life with you; now look back, look around you, and you see the place which knew them, knows them no more. Death has pursued them, and they

« PreviousContinue »