cover their distance from land, split itself against a rock, as well as be cast upon it by some irresistible storm :—and so that man who never fathoms his heart, nor searches how near he may be to ruin, but goes leisurely and uniformly on in his wonted pharisaical security, may, when he thinks nothing of it, as likely perish under the power of sin, as he in whom the rage thereof is most apparent. As there is a great strength in a river when it runs smoothest and without noise, which immediately discovers itself when any bridge or obstacle is set up against it; so when sin passes with most stillness and indisturbance through the heart, then is the reign of it as strong as ever, and upon any spiritual and searching opposition, will declare itself. The Pharisees were rigid, demure, saint-like men, while their hypocrisy was let alone to run calmly and without noise: but when Christ, by his spiritual expositions of the law, his heavenly conversation, his penetrating and convincing sermons, had stopped the current, and disquieted them in their course, we find their malice swell into the sin against the Holy Ghost. It is the light of the sun which maketh day, when itself lies shut under a cloud, and is not seen so, in every natural man, there is a power and prevalency of sin, which yet may lie undiscovered under some general moralities. Thus as the serpent in the fable had a true sting, while it lay in the snow, though it showed not itself but at the fire; so there may be a regal power in sin, when, upon externa[ it may, for a time, dissemble itself. Ahab and Jeroboam's wife were as truly princes in disguise as in their robes; and a sow as truly a swine when washed in a spring of water, as when wallowing in a sink of dirt. The heart of man is like a beast, that hath much filth and garbage shut up under a fair skin,-till the Word, like a sacrificing sword, cut open, and, as it were, unridge the conscience to discover it. "All the ways of man," saith Solomon, "are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits." He is the discoverer of the secrets, and entrails of every action. reasons, The deceits of sin will soon be ripped off, and then the bald reality will appear, in the end thereof, which is death. Oh, let us be undeceived now, while we may by the grace of Christ conquer sin, and overcome death and hell. If we have in good earnest commenced striving against the monster, let us press the battle. of We shall reap, if we faint not. Our combat is short, our victory is sure, our crown is safe, our triumph is eternal: the grace Christ is all-sufficient here to help us, and his glory is all-sufficient hereafter to reward us. Paul a prisoner of Jesus Christ.-Philemon 1. GREAT is the designation of Paul: not a name of principality and power, but of bonds and chains! Truly great indeed! Although many other things made him illustrious; his being caught up into the third heaven, his being transported to Paradise, his hearing unutterable words; yet he sets down none of these, but mentions the chain instead of all, for this made him more conspicuous and illustrious than these. And why so? Because the one were the free gifts of the Lord's loving-kindness; and the other the marks of the constancy and patience of the servant. But it is customary with those who love, to glory more in the things which they suffer for those who are beloved, than in the benefits they receive from them. A king is not so pleased with his diadem, as Paul gloried in his chains. And very justly. For a diadem affords but an ornament to the crowned head; but the chain is a much greater ornament, as well as a security. The kingly crown often betrays the head it encircles, and allures innumerable traitors, and invites them to the lust of empire. And in battles this ornament is so dangerous, that it must be hidden and laid aside. Hence kings in battle, changing the outward dress, come thus into the midst of the combatants; so much betrayal does there result from the crown; but the chain will bring nothing of the sort upon those who have it, but altogether the contrary; since if there be a war, and an engagement with demons, and the hostile powers, the man who is thus encompassed, by holding forth his chain, repels their incursions. And many of the secular magistrates not only bear the name of office while they are in authority, but when they have given up their authority. Such a one is called an exconsul, such a one an ex-prætor. But he instead of all such titles, says, Paul, the prisoner. And very rightly. For these magis terial offices are no complete evidences of virtue in respect to the soul; for they are to be purchased by money, and obtained by the solicitations of friends; but this distinction that is obtained by bonds is a proof of the soul's love of wisdom, and the strongest sign of a longing for Christ. And the former are soon gone, but this distinction has none to succeed to it. Wherefore, from that time to the present day how long a time has passed, and yet the name of this prisoner has become increasingly illustrious. As to all the consuls, whoever they were, of former times, they are passed into silence; and not even their names are known to many. But the name of this prisoner, the blessed Paul, is still great here, great in the land of the barbarians, great also among the Scythians and Indians; and were you to go even to the very bounds of the habitable world, you would hear of this appellation, and whithersoever any one could come, he would perceive that the name of Paul was borne in the mouths of all men. And what marvel is it, if it be so by land and sea, when even in the heavens the name of Paul is great; with angels and archangels and the powers above, and with the king of these, even God! "But what were the chains," says some one, "that brought glory to him who was thus fettered? Were they not formed of iron?" Of iron, indeed, they were formed; but they contained the grace of the Spirit, shining forth most richly; since he wore them for Christ's sake. Oh, wonder! the servants were bound, the Master was crucified, and yet the preaching of the gospel every day increases! And through the means by which it was supposed that it would be extinguished, by these very means it was kindled; and the cross and bonds, which were thought to be an abomination, these are now become the symbols of salvation; and that iron was to us more precious than all gold, not by its intrinsic nature, but for this cause and ground! Therefore he said, Wherein I suffer trouble as an evildoer unto bonds, but the word of God is not bound. For just as it is not possible to bind a sunbeam, or to shut it up within the house, so neither the preaching of the word; and what was much more, the teacher was bound, and yet the word flew abroad; he inhabited the prison, and yet his doctrine, endued with wings, fled forth every where throughout the world! Knowing these things, then, let us not be depressed, when adverse affairs meet us, but then let us be more strong, then more powerful; for tribulation worketh patience. Let us not grieve for the calamities which befall us, but let us, in all things, give thanks unto God! Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.-Matt. v. 5. "BLESSED are the meek :" that is the gentle and softer spirits, persons not turbulent or unquiet, not clamorous or impatient, not over-bold or impudent, not querulous or discontented, not brawlers or contentious, not nice or curious, but men who submit to God, and know no choice of fortune or employment or success, but what God chooses for them, having peace at home, because nothing from without does discompose their spirit. In some, meekness is an indifference to any exterior accident, a being reconciled to all conditions and instances of Providence, a reducing ourselves to such an evenness and interior satisfaction, that there is the same conformity of spirit and fortune by complying with my fortune, as if my fortune did comply with my spirit. And therefore, in the order of beatitudes, meekness is set between mourning and desire, that it might balance and attemper those actions by indifference, which by reason of their abode, are apt to the transportation of passion. The reward expressed is, "an inheritance of the earth," that is, an inheritance of all which is excellent here below, to consign him to a future glory, as Canaan was a type of heaven. For meckness is the best cement and combining of friendships, it is a great endearment of us to our company. It is an ornament to have "a meek and quiet spirit," a prevention of quarrels, and a pacifier of wrath; it purchaseth peace, and is itself a quietness of spirit: it is the greatest affront to all injuries in the world; for it returns them upon the injurious, and makes them useless, ineffective, and innocent; and is an antidote against all the evil consequents of anger and adversity, and tramples upon the usurping passions of the irascible faculty. But the greatest part of this landscape is sky: and as a man in all countries, can see more of heaven than of the earth he dwells on; so may he also in this promise. For although the Christian has the promise of " the inheritance of the earth," yet he must place his eye, and fix his heart, upon heaven, which, by "Meeken my soul, thou heavenly Lamb, My hundred-fold reward,— My rich inheritance possess, Co-heir with the great Prince of Peace, Co-partner with my Lord." |