Practical Religion Part 36

Let us try to grasp this also, and hold it fast. The sons of G.o.d are a people who feel towards G.o.d in a way that the children of the world do not. They feel no more slavish fear towards Him: they feel towards Him as a reconciled parent. This, then, is another mark of sons.h.i.+p.

(3) But, again, the sons of G.o.d _have the witness of the Spirit in their consciences_. What says the Scripture which heads this paper? "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of G.o.d." (Rom. viii. 16.)

The sons of G.o.d have got something within their hearts which tells them there is a relations.h.i.+p between themselves and G.o.d. They feel something which tells them that old things are pa.s.sed away, and all things become new: that guilt is gone, that peace is restored, that heaven's door is open, and h.e.l.l's door is shut. They have, in short, what the children of the world have not,--a felt, positive, reasonable hope. They have what Paul calls the "seal" and "earnest" of the Spirit. (2 Cor. i. 22; Eph.

i. 13.)

I do not for a moment deny that this witness of the Spirit is exceedingly various in the extent to which the sons of G.o.d possess it.

With some it is a loud, clear, ringing, distinct testimony of conscience: "I am Christ's, and Christ is mine." With others it is a little, feeble, stammering whisper, which the devil and the flesh often prevent being heard. Some of the children of G.o.d speed on their course towards heaven under the full sails of a.s.surance. Others are tossed to and fro all their voyage, and will scarce believe they have got faith.

But take the least and lowest of the sons of G.o.d. Ask him if he will give up the little bit of religious hope which he has attained? Ask him if he will exchange his heart, with all its doubts and conflicts, its fightings and fears,--ask him if he will exchange that heart for the heart of the downright worldly and careless man? Ask him if he would be content to turn round and throw down the things he has got hold of, and go back to the world? Who can doubt what the answer would be I? "I cannot do that," he would reply. "I do not know whether I have faith, I do not feel sure I have got grace; but I have got something within me I would not like to part with." And what is that "_something_"? I will tell you.--It is the witness of the Spirit.

Let us try to understand this also. The sons of G.o.d have the witness of the Spirit in their consciences. This is another mark of sons.h.i.+p.

(4) One thing more let me add. All the sons of G.o.d _take part in suffering with Christ_. What says the Scripture which heads this paper?

"If children, then heirs, heirs of G.o.d and joint heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with Him." (Rom. viii. 17.)

All the children of G.o.d have a cross to carry. They have trials, troubles, and afflictions to go through for the Gospel's sake. They have trials from the world,--trials from the flesh,--and trials from the devil. They have trials of feeling from relations and friends,--hard words, hard treatment, and hard judgment. They have trials in the matter of character;--slander, misrepresentation, mockery, insinuation of false motives,--all these often rain thick upon them. They have trials in the matter of worldly interests. They have often to choose whether they will please man and lose glory, or gain glory and offend man. They have trials from their own hearts. They have each generally their own thorn in the flesh,--their own home-devil, who is their worst foe. This is the experience of the sons of G.o.d.

Some of them suffer more, and some less. Some of them suffer in one way, and some in another. G.o.d measures out their portions like a wise physician, and cannot err. But never, I believe, was there one child of G.o.d who reached paradise without a cross.

Suffering is the diet of the Lord's family. "Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth."--"If ye be without chastis.e.m.e.nt, then are ye b.a.s.t.a.r.ds, and not sons."--"Through much tribulation we must enter the kingdom of G.o.d."--"All that will live G.o.dly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." (Heb. xii. 6, 8; Acts xiv. 22; 2 Tim. iii. 12.) When Bishop Latimer was told by his landlord that he had never had a trouble, "Then," said he, "G.o.d cannot be here."

Suffering is a part of the process by which the sons of G.o.d are sanctified. They are chastened to wean them from the world, and make them partakers of G.o.d's holiness. The Captain of their salvation was "made perfect through suffering," and so are they. (Heb. ii. 10; xii.

10.) There never yet was a great saint who had not either great afflictions or great corruptions. Well said Philip Melancthon: "Where there are no cares there will generally be no prayers."

Let us try to settle this down into our hearts also. The sons of G.o.d have all to bear a cross. A suffering Saviour generally has suffering disciples. The Bridegroom was a man of sorrows. The Bride must not be a woman of pleasures and unacquainted with grief. Blessed are they that mourn! Let us not murmur at the cross. This also is a sign of sons.h.i.+p.

I warn men never to suppose that they are sons of G.o.d except they have the scriptural marks of sons.h.i.+p. Beware of a sons.h.i.+p without evidences.

Again I say, Beware. When a man has no leading of the Spirit to show me, no spirit of adoption to tell of, no witness of the Spirit in his conscience, no cross in his experience,--is this man a son of G.o.d?

Whatever others may think I dare not say so! His spot is "not the spot of G.o.d's children." (Deut. x.x.xii. 5.) He is no heir of glory.

Tell me not that you have been baptized and taught the catechism of the Church of England, and therefore must be a child of G.o.d. I tell you that the parish register is not the book of life. I tell you that to be styled a child of G.o.d, and called regenerate in infancy by the faith and charity of the Prayer-book, is one thing; but to be a child of G.o.d in deed, another thing altogether. Go and read that catechism again. It is the "death unto sin and the new birth unto righteousness," which makes men _children of grace_. Except you know these by experience, you are no son of G.o.d.

Tell me not that you are a member of Christ's Church, and so must be a son. I answer that the sons of the Church are not necessarily the sons of G.o.d. Such sons.h.i.+p is not the sons.h.i.+p of the eighth of Romans. That is the sons.h.i.+p you must have if you are to be saved.

And now, I doubt not some reader of this paper will want to know if he may not be saved without the witness of the Spirit.

I answer, If you mean by the witness of the Spirit, the full a.s.surance of hope,--You may be so saved, without question. But if you want to know whether a man can be saved without _any_ inward sense, or knowledge, or hope of salvation, I answer, that ordinarily He cannot. I warn you plainly to cast away all indecision as to your state before G.o.d, and to make your calling sure. Clear up your position and relations.h.i.+p. Do not think there is anything praiseworthy in always doubting. Leave that to the Papists. Do not fancy it wise and humble to be ever living like the borderers of old time, on the "debateable ground." "a.s.surance," said old Dod, the puritan, "may be attained: and what have we been doing all our lives, since we became Christians, if we have not attained it?"

I doubt not some true Christians who read this paper will think their evidence of sons.h.i.+p is too small to be good, and will write bitter things against themselves. Let me try to cheer them. Who gave you the feelings you possess? Who made you hate sin? Who made you love Christ?

Who made you long and labour to be holy? Whence did these feelings come?

Did they come from nature? There are no such products in a natural man's heart.--Did they come from the devil? He would fain stifle such feelings altogether.--Cheer up, and take courage. Fear not, neither be cast down.

Press forward, and go on. There is hope for you after all. Strive.

Labour. Seek. Ask. Knock. Follow on. You shall yet see that you are "sons of G.o.d."

III. Let me show, in the last place, _the privileges of the true Christian's relation to G.o.d_.

Nothing can be conceived more glorious than the prospects of the sons of G.o.d. The words of Scripture which head this paper contain a rich mine of good and comfortable things. "If we are children," says Paul, "we are heirs, heirs of G.o.d, and joint heirs with Christ,--to be glorified together with Him." (Rom. viii. 17.)

True Christians then are "heirs."--Something is prepared for them all which is yet to be revealed.

They are "heirs of G.o.d."--To be heirs of the rich on earth is something.

How much more then is it to be son and heir of the King of kings!

They are "joint heirs with Christ." They shall share in His majesty, and take part in His glory. They shall be glorified together with Him.

And this, we must remember, is for _all_ the children. Abraham took care to provide for all his children, and G.o.d takes care to provide for His.

None of them are disinherited. None will be cast out. None will be cut off. Each shall stand in his lot, and have a portion, in the day when the Lord brings many sons to glory.

Who can tell the full nature of the inheritance of the saints in light?

Who can describe the glory which is yet to be revealed and given to the children of G.o.d? Words fail us. Language falls short. Mind cannot conceive fully, and tongue cannot express perfectly, the things which are comprised in the glory yet to come upon the sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty. Oh, it is indeed a true saying of the Apostle John: "It doth not yet appear what we shall be." (1 John iii. 2.)

The very Bible itself only lifts a little of the veil which hangs over this subject. How could it do more? We could not thoroughly understand more if more had been told us. Our mental const.i.tution is as yet too earthly,--our understanding is as yet too carnal to appreciate more if we had it. The Bible generally deals with the subject in negative terms and not in positive a.s.sertions. It describes what there will not be in the glorious inheritance, that thus we may get some faint idea of what there will be. It paints the _absence_ of certain things, in order that we may drink in a little the blessedness of the things _present_. It tells us that the inheritance is "incorruptible, undefiled, and fadeth not away." It tells us that "the crown of glory fadeth not away." It tells us that the devil is to be "bound," that there shall be "no more night and no more curse," that "death shall be cast into the lake of fire," that "all tears shall be wiped away," and that the inhabitant shall no more say, "I am sick." And these are glorious things indeed. No corruption!--No fading!--No withering!--No devil!--No curse of sin!--No sorrow!--No tears!--No sickness!--No death! Surely the cup of the children of G.o.d will indeed run over! (1 Pet. i. 4; v. 4; Rev. xx. 2; xxi. 25; xxii. 3; xx. 14; xxi. 4; Is. x.x.xiii. 24.)

But there are positive things told us about the glory yet to come upon the heirs of G.o.d, which ought not to be kept back. There are many sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comforts in their future inheritance, which all true Christians would do well to consider. There are cordials for fainting pilgrims in many words and expressions of Scripture, which you and I ought to lay up against time of need.

(_a_) Is _knowledge_ pleasant to us now? Is the little that we know of G.o.d and Christ, and the Bible precious to our souls, and do we long for more? We shall have it perfectly in glory. What says the Scripture? "Then shall I know even as also I am known." (1 Cor.

xiii. 12.) Blessed be G.o.d, there will be no more disagreements among believers! Episcopalians and Presbyterians,--Calvinists and Arminians,--Millennarians and Anti-millennarians,--friends of Establishments and friends of the Voluntary system,--advocates of infant baptism and advocates of adult baptism,--all will at length see eye to eye. The former ignorance will have pa.s.sed away. We shall marvel to find how childish and blind we have been.

(_b_) Is _holiness_ pleasant to us now? Is sin the burden and bitterness of our lives? Do we long for entire conformity to the image of G.o.d? We shall have it perfectly in glory. What says the Scripture? "Christ gave Himself for the Church," not only that He might sanctify it on earth, but also "that He might present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing." (Ephes. v. 27.) Oh, the blessedness of an eternal good-bye to sin! Oh, how little the best of us do at present! Oh, what unutterable corruption sticks, like birdlime, to all our motives, all our thoughts, all our words, all our actions!

Oh, how many of us, like Naphtali, are goodly in our words, but, like Reuben, unstable in our works! Thank G.o.d, all this shall be changed.

(Gen. xlix. 4, 21.)

(_c_) Is _rest_ pleasant to us now? Do we often feel "faint though pursuing?" (Judges viii. 4.) Do we long for a world in which we need not to be always watching and warring? We shall have it perfectly in glory.

What saith the Scripture? "There remaineth a rest for the people of G.o.d." (Heb. iv. 9.) The daily, hourly conflict with the world, the flesh, and the devil, shall at length be at an end. The enemy shall be bound. The warfare shall be over. The wicked shall at last cease from troubling. The weary shall at length be at rest. There shall be a great calm.

(_d_) Is _service_ pleasant to us now? Do we find it sweet to work for Christ, and yet groan being burdened by a feeble body? Is our spirit often willing, but hampered and clogged by the poor weak flesh? Have our hearts burned within us, when we have been allowed to give a cup of cold water for Christ's sake, and have we sighed to think what unprofitable servants we are? Let us take comfort. We shall be able to serve perfectly in glory, and without weariness. What saith the Scripture?

"They serve Him day and night in His temple." (Rev. vii. 15.)

(_e_) Is _satisfaction_ pleasant to us now? Do we find the world empty?

Do we long for the filling up of every void place and gap in our hearts?

We shall have it perfectly in glory. We shall no longer have to mourn over cracks in all our earthen vessels, and thorns in all our roses, and bitter dregs in all our sweet cups. We shall no longer lament with Jonah over withered gourds. We shall no longer say with Solomon, "All is vanity and vexation of spirit." We shall no longer cry with aged David, "I have seen an end of all perfection." What saith the Scripture? "I shall be satisfied when I awake with Thy likeness." (Eccles. i. 14; Ps.

cxix. 96; xvii. 15.)

(_f_) Is _communion with the saints_ pleasant to us now? Do we feel that we are never so happy as when we are with the "excellent of the earth?"

Are we never so much at home as in their company? (Ps. xvi. 3.) We shall have it perfectly in glory. What saith the Scripture? "The Son of man shall send His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all they that offend, and them which work iniquity." "He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds." (Matt. xiii. 41; xxiv. 31.) Praised be G.o.d!

We shall see all the saints of whom we have read in the Bible, and in whose steps we have tried to walk. We shall see apostles, prophets, patriarchs, martyrs, reformers, missionaries, and ministers, of whom the world was not worthy. We shall see the faces of those we have known and loved in Christ on earth, and over whose departure we shed bitter tears.

We shall see them more bright and glorious than they ever were before.

And, best of all, we shall see them without hurry and anxiety, and without feeling that we only meet to part again. In the coming glory there is no death, no parting, no farewell.

(_g_) Is _communion with Christ_ pleasant to us now? Do we find His name precious to us? Do we feel our hearts burn within us at the thought of His dying love? We shall have perfect communion with Him in glory.

"We shall ever be with the Lord." (1 Thess. iv. 17.) We shall be with Him in paradise. (Luke xxiii. 43.) We shall see His face in the kingdom.

These eyes of ours will behold those hands and feet which were pierced with nails, and that head which was crowned with thorns. Where He is, there will the sons of G.o.d be. When He comes, they will come with Him.

When He sits down in His glory, they shall sit down by His side. Blessed prospect indeed! I am a dying man in a dying world. All before me is dark. The world to come is a harbour unknown. But Christ is there, and that is enough. Surely if there is rest and peace in following Him by faith on earth, there will be far more rest and peace when we see Him face to face. If we have found it good to follow the pillar of cloud and fire in the wilderness, we shall find it a thousand times better to sit down in our eternal inheritance, with our Joshua, in the promised land.

If any one among the readers of this paper is not yet among the sons and heirs, I do pity you with all my heart! How much you are missing! How little true comfort you are enjoying! There you are, struggling on, and toiling in the fire, and wearying yourself for mere earthly ends,--seeking rest and finding none,--chasing shadows and never catching them,--wondering why you are not happy, and yet refusing to see the cause,--hungry, and thirsty, and empty, and yet blind to the plenty within your reach. Oh, that you were wise! Oh, that you would hear the voice of Jesus, and learn of Him!

If you are one of those who are sons and heirs, you may well rejoice and be happy. You may well wait, like the boy Patience in Pilgrim's Progress: your best things are yet to come. You may well bear crosses without murmuring: your light affliction is but for a moment. "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which is to be revealed."--"When Christ our life appears, then you also shall appear with Him in glory." (Rom. viii. 18; Colos. iii. 4.) You may well not envy the transgressor and his prosperity. You are the truly rich. Well said a dying believer in my own parish: "I am more rich than I ever was in my life." You may say as Mephibosheth said to David: "Let the world take all, my king is coming again in peace." (2 Sam. xix.