The Sermon by Eld. E. Goodrich

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 22, 1867

The Sermon.

By Eld. E. Goodrich

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom, PREACH THE WORD. 2 Tim iv, 2.

PRINCIPLE AND PASSION;

OR

How to Establish the Heart.

BY ELD. E. GOODRICH.

DEAR FRIENDS: The subject to which your candid and prayerful attention is called this morning, is (as I gave you notice some two weeks since) Principle and Passion, or How to Establish the Heart.

The portion of Scripture selected as a text may be found in Heb. xiii, 9: “For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace.”

Whatever the remarks may be which follow, it is a matter of congratulation that both the subject and the text are all that could be desired; for no more interesting subject or acceptable text could be chosen. There is, however, this embarrassing fact; the subject is so vast and wide spread in its application that neither one nor even a number of discourses, however well expressed, can do it justice. All that one may reasonably hope to accomplish in a single discourse is to excite thought, even if that be but poorly done.

It is not always an easy matter to make that selection of ideas, to use right figures and illustrations, and withal to clothe the entire subject with that brevity that is best calculated to secure both the attention and good of the hearer.

As one opens his Bible for the purpose of searching its sacred pages, as he looks around upon the religious world and beholds the wrangling and discord that exists, the first impression that he receives, is that of perplexity and disgust, and he is then strongly tempted to lay the Book aside and have nothing to do with it. He exclaims within himself, Oh! what confusion! In this, one is forcibly reminded of a railroad station or steamboat landing, at which places are congregated some twelve or twenty omnibus and hack-drivers, each one anxious and determined to advance his own particular interests, although it should be to the injury of all others.

One cries, “The Tremont House!” another, “This way to American Hotel!” and another, “Carried free to and from the Sherman House, the best in the city!” and so on to the end of the list, greatly to the annoyance of the inexperienced traveler.

Now I do not propose to tell you who is right or who is wrong, but present you a rule by which you can judge for yourself. If one of you had a load of lumber to be measured, it might serve an individual purpose for one to measure it for you and tell you how much there was, but it would be a hundred times better to explain to you the rule and say, Measure it yourself. There are many instances in which we should rely upon the experience and opinions of others, but there are many cases also in which we should obtain a judgment of our own and follow it.

The subjects of my discourse are, 1. A brief exposition of the text; 2. An exposition of the subject with a reference to the different kinds, causes, and consequences of action; and 3. An application of the text to the subject, together with those illustrations and practical remarks which the subject seems to demand. Although the text is complete in its construction and every part necessary to good sense, yet there are only four words that deserve notice. They are “good,” “heart,” “established,” and “grace.”

The term good signifies that which our feelings or our sentiments approve. It signifies that which is congenial to our feelings, that which is conducive to our happiness, or that which is right according to rule. Any thing that yields us pleasure or profit, or that which is right within itself, is a good thing. Whenever this word is applied to persons or things, it signifies the source of happiness or gain, but when it is applied to action, it implies right and truth. We say, a good house, a good farm, a good season, or the work is a good one, &c.

The word heart as here used by the apostle, does not mean that fleshly organ located nearly in the center of the chest, the office of which is to receive and force the blood through the system, but it signifies the seat of our affections and sentiments. Thus we say, a good-hearted man, a broken-hearted person, one with a wicked heart, or I purposed in my heart.

By the word established, we understand settled, grounded, fixed in some immovable position; it signifies also to define and confirm, always in the same place and same rate or time, or in the same manner. Thus a farm that is surveyed and staked out, is established; a road that is laid out, worked and occupied is established; any claim either of possession or character, if it be properly defined and confirmed, is established. Whenever the word is applied to inanimate objects, it signifies at rest; as a stone lying upon the ground, but when it is used to denote objects in motion or action itself, it implies regulated, guided, perpetuated.

The word grace indicates favor, and always carries with it the idea of a gift bestowed. Grace is always in some form of power, either the power of enjoyment, the power of action, or the power of influence. A man of power is a man of grace. It may be proper to observe that the grace spoken of in the text more particularly denotes the power of God.

The doctrine of the text, therefore, is that it is a thing every way desirable and congenial to our feelings, conducive to our happiness, and right that all our affections and sentiments should center in the favor of God, and be controlled by it.

It may be added that the entire history of man may be regarded as one vast and desperate effort to establish the heart. In the efforts that men put forth to obtain this end, there is no lack of action or want of means, neither can it be said that men are ignorant of the fact, that it requires both action and means to accomplish ends; for whether we act from instinct, from blind impulse, or from the clear conviction of truth, we always labor under a sense that it is necessary to use means if we would obtain the object sought. But the great error has ever existed in our world, that much of action has been misapplied, and the means that have been used have had no lawful connection with the object sought. The great object of all human action and effort is unbroken and perpetual happiness; and as every cause must correspond in nature, quantity and duration with its result; and as this happiness for which men are seeking contains within itself all the elements of perfection and immortality, it follows, that no imperfect or temporary cause can produce this result. To obtain this, both the cause and action must be perfect. The only way to obtain perfect happiness is by obedience to perfect law.

This brings us to notice more particularly and positively those causes by which the heart of man may be established, together with those things that can not establish the heart.

There are but two kinds of action; the one a right, and the other a wrong action, or obedience and disobedience. These different kinds of action may be properly classified and represented under the heading, Principle and Passion.

Every action done is either in accordance with some principle, or is but the result of passion. By the term

principle we may understand all those firm powers, those fixed and unchangeable laws, upon which every truthful system rests, and by which every right action is known. As examples, we have philosophical, mathematical, chemical, social, moral, and religious principles.

By the word passion are signified all the desires, appetites and impulses of the natural man, by which he is prompted to seek his own interest and happiness, regardless of others. For examples, we have pride, anger, fear, covetousness, yea, every thing that comes in contact with divine order may be regarded as passion. The value of an action founded on principle, in comparison with one guided only by passion, may be understood by comparing the essential properties of principle with those of passion. It may be affirmed, that principles never lie, principles never change, principles are impartial, just and true to others, principles are immortal because they have the power of existence within themselves, principles do not admit of criticism, but are themselves embodiments of living truth and the highest standard of perfection and authority. All true and lasting greatness is that of principle and a firm adherence to right. Neither the value, beauty, nor honor of an action depends upon the time consumed, the labor put forth, the amount expended in its accomplishment, but upon the principle that incited us to action.

If a man is a great mathematician, philosopher, or moralist, it is the knowledge of those sciences that makes him great. An action may be perfect and great that occupies but a moment of time and requires but the effort of a single thought or word. The poor widow who cast into the treasury of the Lord her “two mites,” cast in more than all they who from their abundance gave much. The famishing soldier who gives but a cup of water to a more needy companion exercises more true benevolence and self-denial, than he who in affluence gives a fortune. The apostle Paul seems to have understood this matter well in the lesson that he gives us on charity. He says, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”

The above is true because love is the ruling principle of the Christian religion, and any action wanting this would be an unprincipled one. What is said of good and virtuous action may be affirmed of sinful action; for the wrong does not consist in the amount of work, nor in the consequence which possibly may or may not follow, but in the amount of principle sacrificed. There may be more malice and envy in the shrugging of the shoulders, or in the deceitful insinuation, than in the act of murder or robbery. Many very good men have fallen into the error of supposing that God would judge men according to the amount of good or evil which they do while living; but this cannot be the case; men's actions and works live after them, and not unfrequently actions and works are right within themselves and work out much good, while the motive that prompted them is evil. A man may give for benevolent purposes, while the object is to aggrandize self by securing the honor of the world; or he may preach to others and be the means of saving them, while he himself is but a castaway. If a man can do a good work with a selfish motive, it seems but reasonable and charitable to conclude that a man may be a good man, and yet fail to benefit his fellows. The laws by which God will judge men are the principles of truth and mercy; and every one will be judged according to the moral powers entrusted to his care, according to the light that shines upon his pathway, and according to the purity of the motives by which he was governed. Those who put to death our Saviour did not know that they were crucifying the Lord of life and glory, but they knew that they were conspiring against an innocent person, and for this they will be condemned. All rights are ordained by Heaven, and as God is no respecter of persons, it makes, therefore, no difference whether the action of sin is directed against God, against his law, or against the rights of his creatures. He who with true benevolence and courtesy entertains an angel unawares is equally as worthy as though he knew his heavenly guest. The same may be said of every moral action, whether right or wrong.

There are some sins—sins of ignorance—for which allowance is made and for which repentance is granted; while there are others which, like mortal wounds, admit of no cure. The argument here, both in theory and in practical form, might be extended much further, but time will not permit.

(To be continued.)