SERMON XIII.

THE MYSTERY OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.

2nd COR: vi. 10.

As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

THERE is scarcely any matter of general interest which does not cause different impressions upon different minds. Many subjects, upon which we ourselves have perhaps with ease and satisfaction arrived at one conclusion, have led others around us to a conclusion directly opposite. This no doubt often arises from one side or the other having been furnished only with imperfect information; and sometimes false conclusions are forced by dishonest reasoning, for the furtherance of a private interest or party purpose.-But besides this, there are many subjects, and those of the greatest importance, upon which the formation of a right judgment depends, not upon acuteness of reasoning, or knowledge arrived at through the mere exercise of the intellectual faculties, but rather upon the clearness of our moral perceptions, the integrity of our hearts, and the purity of our purposes before God. This is especially the case in all matters of religious faith.

In all the exacter sciences, as they are termed, we are by a mere process of reasoning forced to a certain and definite conclusion,— which it is impossible for us to deny, without denying the direct evidence of our bodily senses and because truth in morals and religion does not (from its very nature) admit of this species of mathematical certainty, many persons accustomed to such investigations, refuse their assent to what they consider uncertain reasoning and unsatisfactory conclusions.

But the evidence of religion not appearing so open and obvious may, and no doubt does, constitute one particular part of some men's trial in a religious sense. On so serious and deeply inter

esting a subject, there is evidence enough to demand and deserve a careful and reverential investigation from all. And it has been argued by Bishop Butler, in his great work, that "the same character, the same inward principle, which after a man is convinced of the truth of religion, renders him obedient to the precepts of it, would, were he not thus convinced, set him about an examination of it, upon its system and evidence being offered to his thoughts; and that in the latter state his examination would be with an impartiality, seriousness, and solicitude, proportionable to what his obedience is in the former. And as inattention, negligence, want of all serious concern about a matter of such a nature and such importance, when offered to a man's consideration, is before a distinct conviction of its truth, as real immoral depravity and dissoluteness, as neglect of religious practice after such conviction,-so active solicitude about it, and fair impartial consideration of its evidence before such conviction, is as really an exercise of a morally right temper, as is religious practice after."*

And we may also assume it to be a fact, that where such an investigation fails to lead the enquirer to the right conclusion, it is because some continued course of known sin or disobedience has (as a just retribution) blunted the acuteness of his moral perception of the fulness of the evidence thus presented to his conscience, as well as his understanding:-or that some preconceived opinion, some foregone conclusion, or some inveterate prejudice, is still obstinately adhered to,-and instead of really seeking the truth, the enquirer has been merely endeavouring to make it square with his own system, and support his own pre-conceived opinions.

The Jewish nation affords a striking example of the exactness of this statement, in their examination into the evidences of the Messiahship of Jesus. It seems strange, no doubt, to any of us, who may ever think of the multitude of proofs with which they were furnished, that it should have been possible for them so obstinately to persevere in unbelief. Certainly there might have appeared something contradictory in many of the prophecies before they were so entirely fulfilled in the person of Jesus. It might

Analogy, part 2nd, book vi.

not beforehand have been easy to reconcile the descriptions of the greatness and majesty and duration of the Messiah's kingdom, and the glory of his person, with those other prophecies which spake of his sufferings, humiliation and death: "The wonderful counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, upon whose shoulders was to be the government; and of the increase of whose government and peace there was to be no end,"-sounded a very different person from him whom, the same prophet had foretold, as one who was to be "despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief," who was to "make his grave with the wicked, and to be numbered with the transgressors."-But how came it to pass that, after the exact and literal fulfilment of every prophecy, and the manifestation of the Godhead in the sinless innocence of his life, in his doctrine and miracles, in the wonders of his death, the power of his resurrection, and the outpouring of the Holy Ghost-how came it that they still continued in obstinate unbelief? Surely it was not from the insufficiency of the proof, but from the evil state of their own hearts, which, as a withering curse, blighted every spiritual promise. In them was fulfilled (says Christ) the prophecy of Isaiah" By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not perceive. For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed, lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their hearts, and should be converted, and I should heal them."-Indeed so determined were they to reject Jesus, that filling up the measure of their iniquity by sinning against the Holy Ghost, denying the clearest evidence of the power of the Holy Spirit, when they could not but acknowledge the reality of the Lord's miracles,-rather than see in them proofs of his Godhead, they perversely ascribed them to the agency of Satan and when they could not contradict the fact of his body having been raised from the sepulchre, they forged a lie, and reported that the disciples came by night, and stole away the body while the guards were asleep. So true was it "that they who will not believe Moses and the prophets, will not be persuaded though one rise from the dead."

And why were they thus opposed to Jesus? Because they could not tolerate the purity of his doctrine, and his reproofs of sin; and also because they long since had formed for themselves an ideal picture of the Messiah and his kingdom, which Jesus gave them no expectation of ever being realized. They were anxiously looking for a great temporal Prince. They were jealous of the exclusive glory of their own chosen nation; they panted after the triumphs of David's reign, and all the splendours of the court of Solomon, and were thus waiting for the restoration of the kingdom. to Israel.

But blind as they were to the claims of Jesus, little as they could perceive in the lowly child of Mary, the wife of Joseph the carpenter of Nazareth, any tokens of the expected Messiah; and unable as they were to reconcile the descriptions of His glory with those of His humiliation;—yet we can now read as we run, SO plainly is all this written upon the tables,—we are able to glory in the cross of Christ, "who though he was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich."

But while we can now see and understand the mystery of Christ -the son of God-born of the Virgin Mary-David's son and yet his Lord-made perfect through sufferings,-let us remember that there is also a mystery to be developed in all the members of Christ; that Christians are described in characters, which often appear as seemingly contradictory, and which can be read aright only by "the pure in heart," and fully understood only by those who are seeking for spiritual knowledge with the teachableness. and simplicity of childhood. If we take our standard of godliness, and draw our rule of faith from mere maxims of worldly wisdom, or according to any system, which may just approve itself to the natural man, we shall surely err widely from the truth. As we could never have learned the greatness of the fall of man, still less could we have imagined the means of salvation, except by direct revelation from God. It may seem strange to many persons to hear of the deep humiliation and earnest confessions before God, which the most faithful followers of Christ will always most fully exhibit. Their expressed sorrow may be thought a direct contradiction, when accompanied, as will so often be the case, with out

pourings of joy and gladness. Their neighbours will often misinterpret their principles of action, and misconstrue their purposes: self-denial may be thought infatuation, or even as used for purposes of deception or vain glory-and zeal may be considered as a proof of weak judgment or superstitious enthusiasm. "We fools (says the wise man) accounted his life madness, and his end without honour:" - even as the multitude at Jerusalem, when they could not enter into, nor appreciate the greatness of what they saw and heard, on the day of Pentecost, charged the Apostles with acting under the influence of intoxication:-"these men (said others mocking) are full of new wine." And Festus, the Roman governor, could only account, for what he looked upon as the extravagance of St. Paul, by declaring with a loud voice, "Paul, thou art beside thyself: much learning doth make thee mad. But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak forth the words of truth and soberness." And so indeed he did; and "how is he now numbered with the children of God, and his lot is among the saints!" And who shall say where Festus and his accusers are?-St. Paul was well aware how much he should be misrepresented, how little understood by the world at large; that from the very nature of the case it must be so. Therefore he says, that he, in truth, was "approving himself as the minister of God," by this very circumstance; in that he and his fellowlabourers in the work of the ministry were "as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things." This was a necessary consequence of that mystery of godliness which was to be made known by the foolishness of preaching; it was ever the result of the offence of the cross of Christ. If St. Paul had merely suited his teaching to the ways of man's wisdom: if he had "sought to please men," then, says he, "is the offence of the cross ceased."

Let us, however, take warning from the Jewish nation. To them Christ crucified was "a stone of stumbling," and "

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a rock of offence;" and an evil heart of unbelief" led them on to destruction. The life of a Christian is no less a mystery to the