1849.] Discourse on the Incarnation. 329 a. It, more than all other causes, shows us the infinite worth of virtue; as something to be revered for its own excellence, and to be connected with eternal glory. b. It, more than all other causes, illustrates the capacities of our nature for moral goodness; the shepherds found the Saviour as small as other infants, but he developed the capacities of the human spirit so as to encourage us in aiming at high attainments in virtue. C. It inspires our hearts with animating consolations in trouble; for a. It shows that a wise government is exercised over all the events of our life; the sufferings of Christ afford an example of the benevolence of God in afflicting his children. b. It shows us that the events which we experience are expressly designed for our good. "Father of us all, who hast here subjected us to so much weakness, ah! this assurance, this assurance we most deeply need." After describing the manner in which Christ has sanctified the path of our affliction, he exclaims, "Blessed be to us, therefore, blessed be to us, thou rough, toilsome pathway through the dust! The footsteps of the Son of God have distinguished thee; thou hast been moistened with his blood. Canst thou conduct us elsewhere than to him? Oh! with silent resignation, with steadfast, manly firmness, will we pursue thee, so long as our Father commands. We know, from the example of our Redeemer, how thou endest; what a victory awaiteth the faithful ones who follow the Son of God."1 D. It inspires our heart with a joyful hope; for, a. It promises a happy future for our race on earth; the design of the atonement to bless all men will not be lost. b. It promises a blessed eternity to the children of God. "Fa ther, Father of us all! Oh, how hast thou unveiled before our eyes thy glory; that glory of which we could not endure the brightness, because we are dust! How considerate of our frailty, how mild, how condescending hast thou been in the manifestation of thyself! How highly hast thou distinguished us among thy creatures! What feelings, what designs, what immeasurable kindness hast thou made known unto us. Oh, 1 Notwithstanding all the consecutiveness of Reinhard's style, it abounds with such abrupt apostrophes as the above. He sometimes, rarely however, indulges in those exclamations, so common among the French preachers, which border on profaneness; thus: "For, Oh, my God! how much pains do all men take to ap pear better than they are."-Predigten, herausgegeben von Hacker, B. IV. s. 262. since he hath appeared, the Day-spring from on high, our earthly darkness hath been transformed into a bright day. Through Him hast thou changed our trembling into confidence, and doubt into certainty, our fear into hope. With the thankfulness, with the emotion, with the trustful sentiment of happy children, do we this day cast ourselves down before thee and send up our prayer. Our great leader whom thou hast sent to us, and who already hath gone before us, him do we follow unto thee, O Father, and to thy glory. We all follow him with joy and with him shall we one day go to thee, O Father, and to thy glory. Amen." But although Reinhard's style is distinguished for the vital warmth which permeates its compact organization, this is not its most distinguishing trait. Let us, therefore, attend to the § 8. Fitness of his sermons to excite the curiosity of hearers or readers. Their tendency to arouse the inquisitiveness of men comes, in part, from the novelty of their subject-matter; in part, also, from the ingenuity with which they are arranged; from the original, quaint, often paradoxical and questionable expressions in which many of their ideas are clothed; from the rapidity and vehemence with which their thoughts hasten after each other. His fondness for startling phrases, especially in his Propositions, is well illustrated in one of his sermons preached on Reminiscere Sunday, from Matt. 15: 21-28,1 of which the following is a meagre abstract. No one can fail to notice that the last years of our Saviour's residence upon earth were filled up with beneficence, his days crowded with care, even his nights often spent in supplication. Common men, thus actively employed, are apt to overstep the mark and do too much; but with his amazing activity was combined an equally wonderful selfcommand, a considerate temperance, an occasional, judicious abstinence from that which was expected of him. He retired from the multitude when they were most interested in him; he did nothing in self-defence when his enemies seized him. A woman of Canaan cries to him for help; he answers her not a word. His disciples entreat him to send her away;2 he refuses. She again beseeches him 1 Predigten, 1800, Band I. ss. 210-228. 2 On the Reminiscence Sunday of 1788, Reinhard founded his discourse on the request of the disciples to be freed from this troublesome woman, and derived from it the following Proposition: The custom of doing good for the sake of avoiding personal uneasiness. 1849.] Their Fitness to excite Curiosity. 331 in piteous tones; he replies to her severely, but does not grant her request, and thus at the right time discharges the duty of doing nothing. The result of his inaction was, that he called forth such noble feelings from the woman, as justified him in subsequently doing something for her. It is often difficult to regulate the impulses of our nature so as, on fitting occasions, to abstain from a course of action in itself desirable. The object of the present sermon is to show that a Christian exhibits true philanthropy in so tempering his spirit as, at the proper time, to do nothing. First, let us consider what this duty of doing nothing implies. A. It occasionally implies that we seem to be ignorant of the concerns of others. Their welfare sometimes depends upon their supposing that we do not know their state. It is useful for them to mortify their pride by communicating to us their necessities, and if they think that we are already apprized of their humiliating condition, they will not break down their pride in speaking to us concerning it. By officiousness, then, on our part, and appearing to know what it were useful for them to make known, we deprive them of some opportunities for self-discipline. B. This duty implies that we seem to be doing nothing in reference to the concerns of others; that we seem to have no design of aiding them. An apparent indifference, on our part, to the state of those who desire our help, may sometimes fortify their moral principle. A man is often benefited by a favor which we confer upon him, if he is not aware of our agency in the deed; as he is often enervated by supposing that we stand ready to aid him. In order to promote his self-dependence, his resolution and energy, we must for a season appear either ignorant of his condition, or, as our Saviour in the text, indisposed to relieve him. C. This duty often implies not only that we appear to do nothing, but that, at the proper times, we actually do nothing; that we leave a necessitous man to himself, and thus elicit his force of character. But, secondly, let us consider in what cases it is the dictate of philanthropy to do nothing, in the sense above explained. A. In the education of the young, it is a frequent duty to refuse aid and compel the learner to work his own way into the truth. a) Whenever we find that our assistance makes him indolent, more disposed to rely on us than on his own effort, we should do nothing for him. Many a parent spoils his children by doing, himself, the work which he ought to require of them. So in moral education, whenever we discover that the youth does not cultivate his own conscience, but sluggishly waits for our instructions, warnings, reprimands, we may for a time throw him upon his own resources. Many a youth is enfeebled by being too constantly under the obvious watch of his guardian, too minutely directed, too uniformly reproved or punished for the slightest misdemeanors. b) Whenever, likewise, we find that our interposition disturbs the natural action of the learner's mind, interrupts those processes of his own which would lead him into the truth, we should do nothing. So in moral training, the youth has frequently been overladen with specified duties, and his elasticity of spirit has been subdued thereby. The fault of education often lies in the teacher's doing too much, and easing his pupils of their responsibility. B. In our efforts for the improvement of men, it is a frequent duty to abstain from positive action. a) When we discover that our exertion for their improvement does actually increase their faults, we should suspend such exertion. The improvident man may be reformed by being allowed to suffer, for a season, the bitter consequences of his recklessness, and the spendthrift by not being relieved until he has felt the pressure of want. We may sometimes make the beggar an industrious man, by doing nothing for him. b) When we discover that our interposition embitters the minds of men against the cause of virtue, we should not interpose our good offices. We should not obtrude a reproof upon men for their private faults, when we are not sufficiently intimate with them to have earned the right of alluding to their personal concerns. We should not apply harsh epithets to a delicately sensitive person, nor perpetually remind a high spirited man of his foibles, nor heap reproofs upon one who is already discouraged by his reminiscences of error; for there is danger, by these inconsiderate appliances, of exeiting the animosity of such men against the claims of virtue. We should be more philanthropic, in striving secretly to remove such temptations as have led them into vice. C. In laboring for the external welfare of others, we should suspend our positive activity, a) whenever the person whom we would assist is made careless or proud by our willingness to aid him, as in frequent cases of mendicity, and b) when he is exposed to the hatred and opposition of others by our activity in his behalf, and is more injured by the envy of those who dislike to see him aided, especially by us, than he is advantaged by the reception of that aid. D. In promoting the contentment of others, we are often under obligation to avoid positive action. a) By our officiousness in intermeddling with another man's concerns, we may disturb his peace. He may wish to be left alone; do not thrust yourself upon him. He may be ignorant of some evil which it were useless for him to know; do not distress him by the unprofitable communication of sad tidings. 1849.] Their Fitness to excite Curiosity. 333 Friends would be alienated from each other, if they were informed of some occurrence with which you are acquainted; be no talebearer. Say nothing, do nothing, to excite the fruitless desires of men who are contented in their humble sphere of duty. b) By our pragmatical intermeddling with the affairs of others, we may merely enkindle their resentment against ourselves. Is it a prudent love, which induces you to disturb the innocent joys of your neighbor, and fill him with an anxiety which can be of no profit? Is it a considerate love, which induces you to urge the mourner into scenes of festivity for which he has no taste, and which will only increase his gloom? Do you not thus excite a mere feeling of displeasure against yourself? Philanthropy suffereth long, doth not behave itself unseemly, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, beareth all things, etc. There is a startling originality of expression in another sermon1 of Reinhard, which contains the following course of thought. We live in a world of show. We labor for the outside appearance. As soon as we can lisp, we are taught to utter words of politeness which we do not understand. Habitually and by the influence of our earliest and latest education, we appear much better than we really are. But we ought, in fact, to be better than we seem to be. In our text, Matt. 11: 2-10, John desires to know of Christ whether he be the real Messiah, and Christ in reply makes no professions of his Messiahship, but simply refers to some of his works, and lets them speak for him. His deeds, if known, would prove more in his favor than all his professions. The Proposition of this discourse is, that true Christians should, in all respects, be more than they appear to be. This Proposition let us first explain; secondly, prove. I. In explaining it, let us begin with, A. Its general meaning. And here, a) it does not mean, that we should sedulously conceal our good qualities, for we are bound to let our light shine. b) It does not mean, that we should be coldly indifferent to the opinions of men ; for we are bound to labor for their approbation, so that we may exert a good influence over them. c) It does mean that we should strive to attain a perfection of character, which can not be fully detected by human observers; so that the more they do know of us, the more highly they may esteem us; so that in the emergencies of life, we may not only satisfy but surpass the expectations of men. But, B. let us specify particular points in which we should be more than we appear. a) We should have more knowledge than is apparent to others; for the Christian love of truth leads its possessor Predigten, herausgegeben von Hacker, Band IV. ss. 252-267. |
