Christ, by the terrors of God's wrath, and the fear of damnation but they still feel no love for God and his ways; they would rather, if that were possible, continue to enjoy the world while they live, and then not be sent to hell when they die. Their choice of Christ, such as it is, is no better than a choice between two evils; religion is not so bad as damnation-but they have little love for it on its own account. But now hear, on the contrary, the language of David-of one whom the Lord calls " a man after his own heart :" 1 "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever."? Can your heart be right, if it has no feelings like these-no deliberate choice of God, as its friend, its portion, its heaven? Again—hear St. Paul: "What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ; yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord." Againhear St. Peter: "Whom not having seen ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." They who speak such things declare plainly, that their affections are fixed on something very different from worldly profit, honour, or pleasure; and these were the men whose hearts were right. Are yours right, then? "Is thine heart right," fourthly, IV. IN ITS INTENTIONS AND PURPOSES? Having discovered the Truth-rested on Christ-chosen the Lord for your welcome portion-what is now your object in life? Christians of old, when they were admitted to that 1 1 Sam. xiii. 14. 3 Phil. iii. 7, 8. 2 Ps. lxxiii. 25, 26. honourable name, determined to "live henceforth not unto themselves, but to him which died for them and rose again." 1 They considered themselves as no longer their own property, but his who had bought them with his blood; and "whatsoever they did”. even in the commonest matters, such as eating and drinking—all was to be done "to the glory of God." Now has your heart come to this resolution? Is God's honour dear to you? his written word the map by which you intend to guide all your steps? I speak not now, of the success which you may have attained, but of the design which you ought to have formed. And I ask whether your heart can possibly be right, if you be not seriously taking measures for devoting your whole self-" spirit, soul, and body" 3-to the service of Christ your Lord? "Is thine heart right," once more, V. IN ITS ACTUAL INFLUENCE ON THY CONDUCT? Many, alas! woefully deceive themselves, by forming excellent resolutions-never to be put in practice. In such a case, let self-flattery pretend what it may, the heart must be wrong. All conduct is necessarily the effect of inclination; it is therefore the test of inclination-that is, of the state of the heart. Hence when Simon offered the Apostles money, that he might obtain the power of giving the Holy Ghost by laying on of hands, St. Peter justly inferred from this wicked proposal, that Simon's "heart was not right in the sight of God.”4— Do you conceive that your heart is right? How then does it influence your life-your conversation—employments-temper-actions? Can men perceive in these things, that "God is in you of a truth? "5 that 21 Cor. x. 31. 1 2 Cor. v. 15. 5 31 Thess. v. 23. 1 Cor. xiv. 25. 66 "old things are passed away, and behold, all things are become new?"1 that you are an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile?" 2 To prove this, we do not look for perfection; but we have a right to expect consistency. Either you are "growing in grace, and in the knowledge of your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ;"3 or you are mourning over your negligence, remembering from whence you have fallen," and striving to "repent and do the first works." As for outward gross sin-habitual neglect of the means of gracefamiliarity with the ungodly-these cannot be, where the heart is right. Judge therefore yourselves, brethren, that ye be not judged of the Lord. ' If the heart be not right, nothing else is right. Even the better parts of your conduct, for want of this, will still be offensive in the sight of that God, who "seeth not as man seeth." If you be conscious that your heart is not right, then remember that "God is greater than your heart, and knoweth all things." It may be safe from human scrutiny-but not from his eye. And, moreover, "God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." 6 If you would have your heart set right, bring it to God in faith and prayer: he will give you a " "new" perfect" one. Yea, he will himself" dwell in you, and walk in you:" he will say It is my people!" and you shall say"The Lord is my 1 2 Cor. v. 17. God!" SERMON XLII. LUKE XV. 2.—This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. THE chapter opens with these words-"Then drew near all the Publicans and sinners for to hear" Jesus. It was a sight which filled Angels with joy and gladness. Other eyes, however, witnessed it with very different feelings: Satan beheld his kingdom in danger-and his children shewed their relation to him, by contempt, and murmurs; "the Pharisees and Scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them!" Words, nevertheless, have sometimes been spoken, so as to contain a valuable meaning which was never intended by the speakers; and much instruction may be gained, by noticing coincidences of this kind. St. John mentions a remarkable instance. Caiaphas, the High Priest, in his eagerness to urge forward the destruction of Jesus, had exclaimed among his hesitating fellow-counsellors, "Ye know nothing at all, nor consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not:" upon which St. John remarks" This spake he not of himself, but, being High Priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation."1 My text is an example of the same kind: it is capable 1 John xi. 49-52. of two different meanings; one of which is utterly false-the other is a most valuable and glorious Truth. I. THE WORDS, AS THEY WERE INTENDED, CONTAIN A FALSE AND MALICIOUS CALUMNY. This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them." The fact itself was undeniable: but what interpretation did the Pharisees wish to put upon it? 1. They meant to insinuate, that the followers of Jesus consisted chiefly of worthless and disreputable characters; and this was false. It is true, he did not exclude from his instruction any who were desirous of receiving it. It is true also, that multitudes of the very refuse of society did come to hear his words--to behold his miracles-to be healed of their diseases. But there were converts of a higher rank, sufficiently numerous to secure our Saviour against any reasonable contempt on this account. At one time a Nobleman1 -then a Centurion-afterwards a Ruler of the synagogue -applied for his healing power, and became believers in his doctrine. Among the chief rulers, he had one friend in Nicodemus, another in Joseph of Arimathea : nay, there were "many" of this class who "believed on him;" it was only "because of the Pharisees" that " they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue." 2. These murmurers meant to insinuate, further, that Jesus loved the company of sinners for its own sake; and this again was false. Had there been the slightest evidence of his taking pleasure in bad company, they would have had no difficulty in procuring it, and certainly no unwillingness to produce it. But on this head he repeatedly dared them to the proof: "Which i John iv. 46-53. 4 John vii. 50, 51. 2 Matt. viii. 5-13. 3 Luke viii. 41-56. 6 John xii. 42. |