1 God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is this--that it is only as viewed in connection with him; or, as the inspired writers usually express it, as "in him," that we sinners can obtain any saving blessing from God. The order is, "all things are ours, we are Christ's, Christ is God's." He is our God because he is his God, our Father because he is his Father. Take the blessings mentioned in the text as an illustration. God makes us his children, that is, he pardons our sins, he receives us into his favor, he conforms us to his image. Now, how does he do this? He gives "us redemption in Christ, the forgiveness of sins." He makes us "accepted in the beloved." "We are his workmanship, created anew in Christ Jesus unto good works." He gives us an inheritance. How? in Christ. "In him, says the apostle, "we have obtained an inheritance." He makes us to "sit in heavenly places in him." He gives us a living hope. How? While "without Christ," viewed as unconnected with Christ, there is no hope for man; all his well-grounded expectations of happiness must be founded on what Christ has done, and is doing, as the representative of his people. While in the new creation, all things are "of God," all things are "through Christ Jesus." It is as well pleased with Him, that God is well pleased with us; and it is as his God and Father, that he blesses us "with all heavenly and spiritual blessings in him." § 3.- These blessings originate in the "abundant mercy" of God. The third remark suggested by this devout acknowledgment is, that in the bestowing of these blessings on us by God, there is a remarkable display of the divine benignity. It is "according to his abundant mercy, that he begets us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation; ready to be revealed in the last time." This remark invites us into a very wide field of most interesting and improving illustration; but I must satisfy myself with merely opening to you a few tracks of thought, which you will do well to pursue in private medi tation. Think on the character of him who bestows these blessings,-the absolute, independent Jehovah, perfectly, infinitely, unchangeably happy in himself. How could the self-incurred ruin of guilty mankind affect his interest? It might illustrate his holiness, his righteousness, his faithfulness, but how could it disturb his peace, or lessen his blessedness? It is impossible to conceive the communication of saving blessings to man, to originate in any principle in the divine mind but sovereign benignity. If man is saved, it is "only because God had a delight in him to love him. Think on the nature of the blessings, the very highest which can be conferred on creatures, the noblest in their own nature, and in their measure limited by nothing but the capacity of the recipient. 1 2 Eph. i. 3-13. "Behold, what manner of love" is this,' to be God's sons, to see him as he is, to be like him, and all this forever and ever! Think on the character of those on whom they are bestowed,sinners, guilty, depraved, righteously condemned; deserving everlasting destruction; in the state in which mercy finds them, forgetters, haters, contemners of God. Surely the mercy which confers such blessings on such sinners is abundant mercy, and the apostle may well say," "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us, that we should be called the sons of God." 2 Think of the number of those on whom these blessings are bestowed,—“ the nations of the saved" are a numerous host. The sons who are to be brought to glory are "many sons." They are "a great multitude, an innumerable company, out of every kindred, and people, and tongue, and nation;" and all these are blessed up to their largest capacity of enjoyment, during the whole eternity of their being. Is not this abundant mercy? Once more, think of the means through which the blessings are communicated,-the incarnation, the sacrifice of God's own Son. He did not spare him, he delivered him up for us all, that he with. him might freely give us all things. "Herein surely is love, not that we loved God but that God loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life." 3 Surely it is in his "abundant mercy" that "God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, has blessed us with all heavenly and spiritual blessings." § 4.—These blessings are of vast magnitude and incalculable value. The fourth remark suggested by this devout acknowledgment is, that the blessings acknowledged are of vast magnitude and of incalculable value. The plain meaning of the acknowledgment is this: "for conferring these blessings on us, God richly deserves to be thanked and praised uninterruptedly, everlastingly.' For every blessing, even for a breath of air, a crust of bread, a draught of water, a moment of ease, we ought to give thanks; for we are unworthy of any favor. Everything in the shape of blessing coming to us from God should excite our gratitude. But the blessings mentioned in the text are obviously peculiarly valuable. They are not "such corruptible things as silver and gold." They include in them deliverance from guilt, depravity, degradation, death, everlasting misery; the enjoyment of the favor of God, tranquillity of conscience, ever-growing conformity to the divine image in holiness and happiness, throughout eternity. Just look at them as here described, and say if they are not unspeakably great, incalculably valuable. What is said of the love in which they originate may be equally applied to them: They have a height and a depth, a length and a breadth, which pass knowledge." § 5. The proper method of acknowledging these benefits is, to "bless" their munificent giver. The fifth and last remark suggested by this devout acknowledgment is, that the appropriate manner of expressing our sense of the magnitude and value of these blessings is, to bless their munificent author. When God blesses men, he confers on them blessings, he makes them blessed; when men bless God, they merely declare that he is infinitely excellent and blessed in himself that he deserves to have his infinite excellencies acknowledged and celebrated-that they recognize this obligation as lying on them-and that they wish to express, by every proper method, their sense of the infinite praiseworthiness of the Divinity. Nothing surely can be more reasonable than that those who have received such blessings as are here acknowledged, should bless Him who has bestowed them. This is one of the purposes for which they are begotten again. "This people," may Jehovah say of them, I have formed for myself, that they may show forth my praise.' Ye are a chosen generation," says the apostle, "a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light."1 Christians ought to cultivate the feelings of gratitude for the blessings they have received, and which they hope to receive, and often to express their feelings in thanksgiving and praise. Indeed their whole lives should be a hymn of praise to the God of their salvation. The habitual language of their heart should be, "What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits!" "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and never be forgetful of his benefits! who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies." "I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart; and I will glorify thy name for evermore. For great is thy mercy toward me; and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.” If we really feel gratitude to God for his abundant goodness, we shall express it not merely by our lips, but by our lives. Constrained by "the mercy of God, we shall present our bodies, ourselves, living sacrifices, holy, and acceptable, which is our reasonable service. While we through Christ "offer to him continually the sacrifice of praise, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name;" we will also, "do good and communicate," knowing that "with such sacrifices God is well pleased;" and while we feel ashamed of the coldness of our feelings of gratitude, and the imperfection of our services of acknowledgment, we will look forward with earnest longings to that happy period, when, having been made partakers of the inheritance, we shall, under the influence of the gratitude which "the salvation which is in Christ, with eternal glory," fully possessed, is fitted to exert over a thoroughly sanctified human heart, join in the rapturous anthem of eternity: "Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be to him that sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb forever and ever." 1 Isa. xliii. 21: 1 Pet. ii. 9. 2 Psal. ciii. 1-4: lxxxvi. 12, 13. 3 Rom. xii. 1. Heb. xiii. 15, 16. Rev. v. 13. DISCOURSE III. THE PRESENT AND FUTURE STATE OF THE CHRISTIAN CONTRASTED. 1 PET. i. 6-9.—Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season (if need be) ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations; that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise, and honor, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. THE first step towards the satisfactory interpretation of a long, complicated, parenthetical sentence like that just now read, is to analyze it. The sentence consists of a direct assertion, with a long parenthesis interposed. The direct assertion is, "In that time, the last time, ye greatly rejoice; ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.' The parenthetical statement is, "though now for a season, if need be" or, "since there is need, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations, that the trial of your faith, being more precious than that of gold which perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise, and honor, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ, whom though you have not seen, ye love, not seeing him, but believing in him." With respect to the direct assertion, a careful reader will easily perceive, that though expressed in the present time, it refers to the future. The time of the Christian's joy unspeakable and full of glory, is the last time, contrasted with the time of his trial-" now ;" 1 when he shall receive the end of his faith, even the salvation of his soulthe same period which is described as that of "the appearing" or manifestation of Jesus Christ." Instances of an assertion made in the present tense, when it plainly refers to the future, are not unfrequent. Yet a little while I am," that is, shall be," with you, and then I go," that is, shall go, "unto him that sent me. Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am," that is, shall be, “thither ye cannot," that is, shall not be able to, "come." "How are," that is, shall be, "the dead raised, and with what bodies do," that is, shall, "they come ?" "And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth," that is, shall proceed, "out of their mouth, and devoureth," that is, shall devour, "their enemies." 2 The phrases," a joy unspeakable and full of glory," are too strong 1 1 It is rendered by the future in the Latin Vulgate, and versions made from it. 2 John vii. 33, 34. 1 Cor. xv. 35. Rev. xi. 5. to describe the Christian's habitual feelings in the present state; and we find the very same words employed, in reference to the happiness of the final state, in an after part of the epistle. "But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are made partakers of Christ's sufferings; that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." The meaning of the apostle would have been more evident to an English reader, had the assertion been rendered in the future time; "in which time," that is, in the last time, ye shall greatly rejoice— (though now for a season, since it is needful, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations; that the trial of your faith, which is more precious than that of gold which perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found to praise, and honor, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ: whom, not seeing him, but believing on him, ye love, though ye have not seen him)-"ye shall rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your soul." 2 The passage, thus interpreted, contains in it a beautiful and instructive comparison, or rather contrast, of the state of Christians in the present and in the last time, on earth and in heaven. The points of comparison or contrast are the following:-I. Now and here, Christ, the great object of their affection, is not bodily present with them, is but imperfectly known by them, and all their knowledge of him, and all their intercourse with him, are by means of faith-Then and there, he will be bodily present with them, intimately known by them, and their knowledge and intercourse will be direct and immediate. II. Now and here, they are exposed to manifold trials-Then and there, they will enjoy the glorious results of these trials. III. Now and here, complete salvation is a subject of faith and hope-Then and there, it shall be the subject of enjoyment. IV. Now and here, they are for a season in heaviness-Then and there, they shall "greatly rejoice;" they shall "rejoice with a joy unspeakable and full of glory." In the remaining part of the discourse I shall endeavor shortly to illustrate this contrasted view of the present and the future state of the true Christian. I-CHRIST ABSENT AND BELIEVED ON, CONTRASTED WITH CHRIST PRESENT AND SEEN. The first point of contrast is, that now and here, Christ, the great object of their affection, is bodily absent from them-is but imperfectly known by them-and all their knowledge of him is by means of faith; then and there, Christ will be revealed-manifested: he will be bodily present with them; he will be intimately known by them, and their knowledge and intercourse will be direct and immediate. (i. e. 1 Ch. iv. 13. The parallelism of the two passages is striking:-Ch. i. 6, 8,—¿v ἐσχάτῳ καιρῷ) ἀγαλλιᾶσθε χαρᾷ ἀνεκλαλήτῳ καὶ δεδοξασμένῃ. Ch. iv. 13,—ἐν τῇ ἀποκαλύψει τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ, χαρῆτε ἀγαλλιώμενοι. 2 The interpretation we have been led to prefer, is that supported by Ecumenius and Theophylact among the Greek Fathers; by the translators of the Vulgate; by Luther, Vatablus, Clarius, Benson, Pott, and others. Τὸ ̓Αγαλλιᾶσθε ἀντὶ μέλλοντος είληται.-ευ MENIUS. |