SERMON IV. ACTS, XVI. 31. "AND THEY SAID, BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND THOU SHALT BE THE important inquiry to which these words convey an adequate reply, must have prepared us to enter the more fully into their import. Indeed the beauty of an answer can only be seen on a proper understanding of the question which calls it out. And why should a man be supposed to be concerned about his safety, unless he have cause to apprehend danger? "The whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.” Unquestionably the Gospel contains truths of the highest importance to immortal beings; but if those truths do not call forth corresponding interests in our minds, it must be clear, either that our immortal consciousness is asleep, or under the deadening influence of thoughts which are given to the concerns of this world only. In this case, a man cannot be awake to life's grand purposes, nor, of course, to his real good. Certain it is, that the question which drew out the answer before us, involves so much in weight of interest and duration of consequences, that it ought to swallow up every other; and, having so much ground for its most anxious agitation, should take the lead of every other. That this question is treated with too much, if not, total indifference, is very clear. Some people regard it without seeing its due importance, because they see not the extreme helplessness of their case as calling it forth, and then give their first concern to a number of smaller questions respecting their degree of danger, or how far their own works and efforts can secure salvation, and other points of inquiry, which do not touch the main question; while the pride of reason stumbles at those points, and shuts them up still more in the entanglement of doubt. But if this one question, absorbing every other by its supreme importance, were brought to the Bible in the spirit of sincere inquiry, and not given up until we found it fully answered out of the Bible to our peace, it would at once seal the truth of the sacred Scriptures on all other points. Many with a blindness or settled indifference, which would be considered madness in common things, entirely leave this question to be answered only in another world; where, we are told, there can be no time for correcting mistakes, no place for repentance though sought with tears, and "there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment." The question is thus put off, under the floating, indefinite, and mistaken idea of God's indiscriminating mercy; an idea which sufficiently condemns itself as unworthy of God, and insecure for our trust, being grounded only on that blasphemous principle, "Let us continue in sin that grace may abound." The light of Holy Scripture clearly shows that God intends the great question, on which now hinges the interests for eternity, to be settled on this side the grave; and for this purpose He has provided all the necessary means an atonement which can at oncé cover all our guilt; a light of truth which can now remove all our doubts; and a chain of consequences resulting from the peaceful settlement of the question, which, in the present life, must have the happiest and safest effects. And if God has already laid before us the very plan which will govern His decisions in eternity, what chance can be supposed for a future settlement, while we know that the revealed plan is now despised and abused, and the furnished information is altogether disregarded? Men thus confirm their ignorance of the things which concern their peace, because they fear the light, and will not improve it; and remain subject to the bondage of guilty apprehensions, because they will not seriously look them in the face now, to see the necessity of that pardon which can entirely disarm them of future terror. Indeed, the very reason which leads men to put off the grand question, as long as they can, proves its necessity; the disposition itself proves that they are guilty, and are afraid to investigate their guilt; proves that they are bound over to a final judgment, but that they dread its decisions; proves that serious thought is unwelcome to their feelings, because the very tone of their feelings is not in accordance with serious thought; and they feel that they can peacefully indulge their reigning propensities only in total forgetfulness of consequences; proves, in short, "that they love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil," evil in being without God, however innocent before men. Surely then, it must be the highest wisdom to anticipate the future, so far as our safety is concerned; and as this will induce us to throw the whole soul into the all-important question, "What must I do to be saved?" I gladly bring forward the all-suitable answer, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." And the answer will be found fully to meet the question if we advert to ITS SIMPLICITY AND CERTAINTY. |