Review and Herald, Vol. 8, No. 11.
Christianity Requireth a Renunciation of the World, and All Worldly TempersPage 1
Christianity Requireth a Renunciation of the World, and All Worldly Tempers.
By Law
ANY one that is at all acquainted with Scripture, must observe, that the doctrine of the foregoing chapter is not barely founded on those particular texts there considered, but that the same spirit of renouncing the world, is the most common and repeated subject of our Saviour's heavenly instructions. A certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. Luke ix, 57, 58. Another also said, Lord, I will follow thee, but let me first go and bid them farewell that are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, no man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. These passages are all of a kind with what our Saviour said to the young man; they directly teach that same renunciation of the world, as the first and principal temper, the very soul and essence of Christianity. This doctrine is pressed and urged upon us by various ways, by every art of teaching, that it might enter into the heart of every reader. The kingdom of God, saith our Saviour, is like unto a merchant-man seeking goodly pearls, who when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. Matt. xiii, 45. The doctrine of this parable needs no interpretation, it is plain and strong, and presses home the advice that our Saviour gave to the rich young man. When it says that the kingdom of God is a pearl of great price, I suppose it means, that a great deal is to be given for it; and when it says, that the merchant went and sold all that he had and bought it, I suppose this is to teach us, that it cannot be bought at any less price. The modern Jews would be upon much easier terms than those who lived in our Saviour's days, if we can now tell them that the kingdom of God is no longer like one pearl of great price, and that they need not sell all that they have and buy it, but may go on seeking pearls as they used to do, and yet be good members of the kingdom of God. Now if we may not preach such a new gospel as this to the present Jews, I do not know how we can preach it to Christians. This parable does not suppose, that the merchant went to trading again, after he had sold all, and bought this pearl of great price! He was content with that, and did not want any other riches. If the kingdom of God is not riches sufficient for us, but we must add another greatness, and another wealth to it, we fall under the condemnation of this parable. To proceed: The peaceful, pleasurable enjoyment of riches, is a state of life every where condemned by our blessed Saviour. Woe unto you that are full, for ye shall hunger; woe unto you that laugh now, for ye shall weep and mourn. Luke vi, 25. If we can think, that for all this, the joys of prosperity, and the gay pleasures of plenty, are the allowed enjoyments of Christians, we must have done wondering at the blindness and hardness of the Jews' hearts. Woe unto you that are rich, for ye have received your consolation! It is not said, woe unto you that are rich, for ye have enriched yourselves by evil arts and unlawful means, but is the bare enjoyment, the consolation that is taken in riches, to which this woe is threatened. This same doctrine is pressed upon us by a remarkable parable, so plain and lively, that one would think that every Christian that has heard it, should be afraid of every thing that looked like self-indulgence or expense in his own pleasures and pride. There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day. And there was a certain poor beggar, named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. It came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried, and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Luke xvi. This parable teaches neither more nor less than what our Saviour taught, when he commanded the young man to sell all that he had. For it is the bare pleasurable enjoyment, the living in the usual delights of a great fortune, that the parable condemneth. Here is no injustice, no villanies or extortions laid to his charge, it is only a life of splendor and indulgence, that leaves him in hell. This we are farther taught by Abraham's answer to him, Son, remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things: this is alleged as the sole reason of his being in torments. It is to be observed that nothing is mentioned of Lazarus but his low and afflicted state, and then it is he is comforted, and thou art tormented. Can any thing more plainly show us the impossibility of enjoying mammon while we live, and God when we die? A rich man enjoying the pleasures of riches, is for that reason found in torments; a beggar, patiently bearing want, is for that reason made the care of angels, and conducted to Abraham's bosom. Does not this manifestly teach us that same renunciation of worldly enjoyments, as if we had been expressly required to part with all that we have? For, if a life of splendor, and pleasure, and sensual gratifications, is the portion of those who choose to enjoy it; if it exposes us to so much woe and wrath hereafter, well might our blessed Saviour tell the rich man, that he lacked one thing, that he was to sell all that he had, and give to the poor. If therefore this parable contains the doctrine that it first taught, if time has not worn away its meaning, it contains a doctrine that concerns all rich men, it speaks us home to them, and calls us loudly for a renunciation of all worldly indulgences, as our Saviour did to the rich man. So that there is no advantage got by considering our Saviour's command as a particular charge, and given to a particular young man, since it appears by other express passages and parables, that the same is required of all other rich men, as they expect any other consolation than what is to be found in riches. If we will here also appropriate this parable to this particular rich man, we shall judge as reasonably, as if we should maintain that the hell in which he was tormented, was made only for him, and is a state which no one else has any occasion to fear. We must, therefore, unless we will set aside the gospel, and think ourselves not concerned in its doctrines, take this as an undeniable truth, that Christianity is still that same opposite state to the world that it was in our Saviour's days, that he speaks to us the same language that he spoke to the young man in the gospel, that if we will not hear his voice, but indulge ourselves in the proud, sensual delights of riches and grandeur, our fate is taught us in the rich man in torments, and to us belongs that dreadful threatening, Woe unto you that are rich, for you have received your consolation. I know it has been said by some, that all that we are taught by the command given to the young man to sell all, is this, that whenever we cannot keep our possessions without violating some essential duty of a Christian, that then, and not till then, need we think that we are called upon by Christ to quit all and follow him. I have, in answer to this, already shown that the thing required of this young man, was no particular duty, but that our Saviour pressed it upon all, and by a reason which made it equally conclusive for all people, namely, a treasure in heaven. I have shown that the same doctrine is taught in general, by comparing the kingdom of God to one pearl of great price, which the merchant could buy at no less price, than by selling all that he had; by the parable of the rich man in torments, on the account of his living in the state and pleasures of a fortune, and lastly, by a general woe that is threatened to all that are rich, as having received their82consolation; so that this seems a full answer to this interpretation. But I shall however consider it further. Now if this be all that is taught us as Christians, by the case of the young man in the gospel, that we are to part with our enjoyments and possessions, when we cannot keep them without renouncing some great truth of our religion, and that till such a time happens, we may peaceably and pleasurably enjoy the delights of state and plenty, if this be the case, I ask how a good Christian is to be assured, that this is a safe and just interpretation? How shall he be satisfied that there is no danger in following it? It is plainly an interpretation of our own making, it is not the open expressed sense of the words; it is an addition of something to them, for which we have no authority from the passage itself. So that it may well be asked, how can we be sure that such an interpretation may be safely complied with? The text saith, Sell all that thou hast; this interpretation saith, Ye need not sell yet, nay, that you need not sell at all; but that you may go on in the pleasurable enjoyment of your several estates, till such times as you cannot keep them without denying the faith. So that the interpretation seems to have nothing to do with the text, and only teaches a doctrine that might as well be asserted without this text, as with it. I ask, therefore, for what reason we allow this passage to teach us no more than this? Is there any other part of Scripture that requires us to make this interpretation? Does it better suit with the spirit and temper of the Christian religion? Is it more agreeable to its heavenly designs, its contempt of the world, than to take them in their apparent sense? If this were true, then the first followers of Christ, who observed this doctrine in its literal sense, and renounced all, acted less suitably to the spirit of Christianity, than those who now enjoy their estates. This absurdity is enough to expose any pretended necessity of this interpretation; which absurdity must be granted, if we say, that this new interpretation is more suitable to the spirit of Christianity than to take the words as still obliging in their first sense. But to cut off all pretense of any necessity from any other part of Scripture, I have made it plainly appear, that the same doctrine is certainly taught by many other express passages of Scripture. This interpretation therefore is as contrary to many other parts of Scripture, as to this text; it is contrary to the spirit of Christianity, and is only brought in to soften the rigors of religion, that people may, with quiet consciences, enjoy the pleasures of plenty, and those who want it, spend their time in the ways and means of acquiring it. If therefore there be not an entire change in the way to heaven; if the once straight gate be not now a wide and open passage to all full, fat, and stately Christians; if there is still any meaning in these words, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God; the sober Christian may as well doubt of this allowance of enjoying the pleasures and plenty of his estate, till persecution for the faith drives him out of it, as if he was told, that he need not resist the devil, till such time as he tempted him to deny the faith, or give up some truth of his religion. When our Saviour gave this command to the young man, and afterwards observed upon his refusal, that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God, the apostles took that command to signify the common conditions of entering into Christianity, and immediately declared that they had left all and followed him. And our Saviour answered them in such a manner, as showed, that the doctrine then delivered, related to all mankind in the same sense, and had nothing particular in it that related to one man, or one age of the church more than another. Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left his house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake and the gospel's, but he shall have an hundred fold now in this present time, and in the world to come eternal life. Mark x, 29. Let it now be considered, that supposing it was barely lawful to enjoy our estates, and, as the world says, live up to them; is this a state of any merit? Is there any reward annexed to it? If it is not our sin, it is at best a losing our time, and as unrewardable as sleeping. But on the other side we are infallibly assured, that if we come up to the doctrine of the text, if we part with our worldly enjoyments and gratifications for the sake of Christ, that in this life we shall receive an hundred-fold, and in the world to come, eternal life. Now, if such persons as these are to be thus blessed in this life, and also so rewarded in the next, it is certain that they, who are not such persons, will not be so doubly blessed both in this life and that which is to come. But now what an interpretation must that be, which leads men from being an hundred times as happy as they might be in this life, and from such a height of reward in the next? Is not this enough to show us that the wisdom of this interpretation is not a wisdom from above, that it savoreth not the things that be of God? For who can be so wise unto eternal life, who can make so much of his plenty, as by thus parting with it? Who, that was governed by a wisdom from above, would seek for an evasion where the open sense is not only safe, but entitled to so vast a recompense, both now and hereafter? It is to me no small argument, that our Saviour meant no such allowance, as this interpretation has found out; because it is so contrary to the perfection of the soul, and is so disadvantageous to those that follow it. Our blessed Saviour and his apostles, both in doctrine and practice, are on the side of renouncing the enjoyments of riches, and who is he that dare preach up a worldly peace and indulgence, without either text or precedent from Scripture, and such a peace as leads men from such high rewards, both in this life, and that which is to come? When our Saviour told Peter of his sufferings, Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord, this shall not be unto thee. But Jesus turned and said to Peter, get thee behind me, Satan, thou art an offense unto me, for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. But after all, this enjoyment of worldly riches which this interpretation pleads for, cannot be shown to be barely lawful; this, I say, cannot be shown, without showing at the same time, that this passage, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God, is so old as to be of no significance now; for if the difficulty still continues, the rich man must have as much to part with now as he had then. The same must be said of all those other passages above-mentioned, concerning the kingdom being compared to one great pearl, the case of the rich man in torments; and the general woe that is denounced against such as are rich, as having received their consolation; all these, with a great variety of other texts, must have quite lost their first natural meaning, if this interpretation be admitted as barely lawful. So that it is an interpretation that runs away from the plain, open sense of the words, and leads from those great rewards that belong to it; it is an interpretation made without any necessity, not supported by any doctrine or practice of Scripture, contrary to the practices of the first Christians, contrary to the heavenly spirit of our religion, and so contrary to various plain passages of Scripture, that they must have lost their true meaning if this interpretation be admitted. Lastly, If all that can be concluded from this command of our Saviour is only this, that we are obliged to part with our estates when we cannot keep them, without selling the truth; if, sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, only means, when applied to us, thou mayest keep and enjoy thy estate till some wicked terms of keeping it are imposed upon thee; this is no higher a perfection, no greater degree of heavenly-mindedness, or disregard to the world, than a Jew or honest heathen would maintain. For who does not know that it is better to be just and faithful, than to be rich; and that a man is rather to part with his estate than to keep it at the expense of his virtue and integrity? this is only the virtue of choosing rather to be poor than a thief. But if Christians can think that this is the highest renunciation of the world, the highest degree of heavenly affection to which they are called; if they can think that this is all that is meant by their being crucified and dead to the world, by their being in Christ new creatures, by their being born of God, and having overcome the world, they may be justly said to treat the Scriptures as the Jews treated our Saviour, when they said, We will not have this man to reign over us.—Law. PRESERVATION OF THE LORD'S PEOPLE.
WHO was saved when heaven's last fountains
Did their flood of death begin,
And all flesh on plains and mountains,
Perished in its awful sin?—
Only Noah,
In the ark of God "shut in." Who was saved from direst horror
At that unexpected hour,
When both Sodom and Gomorrah
Sunk o'erwhelmed, to rise no more?—
Lot, the faithful,
Was alone removed to Zoar. Who was saved when desolation
Fell on Salem's guilty head;
When the accursed "abomination,"
All "the holy place" o'erspread?—
Church of Jesus,
Ye alone to Pella fled. Christians, fear not, then, nor tremble,
When the last dread trump shall sound—
Swift as lightning, ye'll assemble,
Gathering your Redeemer round;
And in safety
Will at last, with Christ be found. Tale Bearers—or Ministerial Indiscretion
THE following extract of a letter is from an old number of the London Evangelical Magazine. It is very natural for children to tell tales of each other; God's children frequently do so. I remember in a congregation where I once labored, one of my hearers told me a story of another, but begged I would say nothing about it. This, by the way, is a vile way. I gave full credit to the report; this, by the way, was wrong. I felt very much hurt on the occasion, and expressed myself with some degree of asperity. This was soon carried to the offender, and lost nothing of the asperity in its passage. Reports which tend to mischief are like snow balls, the farther they roll the more they gather. The offender was in his turn, offended: he spake also with asperity; said, "he would not be so treated, he would be no man's slave, he was not accountable to any one, he would go no more to the meeting, &c., &c."—Soon, very soon, was all he said communicated to me. I was assuredly right, and would let him see I would not be his slave; nay, I would not be his servant; I would call no man master on earth; I had but one master. This gentleman was one of the first characters in the meeting; he was not at meeting the next Sunday; I was not sorry; I secretly hoped he never would be there again. The storm began to thicken, the parties began to form; some affirmed that he was very censurable others thought I was as much so: I should have gone to him, in the first instance and talked to him, not of him. I soon found I was wrong, but the difficulty was how to get right. Observe, not to know, what was right, but to bring myself to do what was. You must know, when I first set out in my present mode of life, my gracious Master provided me with a tutor who was to accompany me as a mentor. I could not see him, but I could very sensibly feel his reproofs and understand his admonitions. He advised me to retire with him a while, I felt my face glow at the motion, I knew what it was for; I dreaded the severe account I was going to be brought to; but there was no avoiding it with trembling dread I retired. "Come," said my mentor, "sit down." I began; he certainly was wrong—"stop," said my mentor, "it is you I have now to deal with; you have done wrong; you, who by precept and example, ought to lead in the way of peace." But I ought to exhort, and reprove, and rebuke. "Stop, Sir," said my mentor, and call to mind that the snuffers on the altar should be pure gold. Reproofs and rebukes come with a very ill grace from an offender. An offender! "Yes, an offender; and of the worst cast; an offense in you, and of this nature, is peculiarly offensive." Suppose any of your hearers in like circumstances, what advice would you give them? Suppose them offended by a brother, you would advise them to be calm, to suspend their judgment, to seek an opportunity alone with the supposed offender, address him in the language of love, of charity, hope it was not so bad as was expected; at least you would hope the invention was not bad, &c. &c. Thus you would have advised your hearer,—thus you have not done; you have by your conduct, in this instance, injured your cause—injured your83Master's cause, and, perhaps, made wounds that may never be healed. You know not, at this moment, what this kind friend is suffering; what his dear wife, his venerable parents, each of whom having a regard for both, can say nothing, but must suffer in silence. O! you have done very wrong.' The tears gushed in my eyes, I thought of praying. 'No,' said my mentor, 'not yet; you should first do right. Go and acknowledge your fault.' 'I cannot.' 'You must, indeed you must.' 'But he will treat me roughly.' 'You deserve it, you must bear it; you will at least have the pleasure of knowing you did all you could in your present circumstances, to repair the wrong you have done. When thus you have done, should you not meet forgiveness and reconciliation from him, you may apply to your offended master; and, peradventure, you may find forgiveness and reconciliation from Him.' I went out with an aching heart, experiencing the full force of the truth as I went along—'The way of the transgressor is hard.' I arrived at the dwelling; I entered his doors; but O! with what different sensations when unconscious of offense! Oh! how painful is a guilty conscience! I found him reading; he did not lift up his head, he did not speak: I could not. His dear companion blushed, she trembled, she spoke. However, he read on. I attempted once and again to bring out what my mentor charged me to do—I failed. At length, for I must come to it, I said, with a faltering voice,—you are justified, Sir, in your conduct on this occasion; I deserve it all; and all this, yea more, I can bear, with much more ease than I can the reproaches of my own heart. I am come to give this troubled heart some ease, Sir, by acknowledging my error; I have done wrong, Sir, in taking up a report of you, or saying any thing about you to any but yourself; I beseech you forgive me—and was going to add; but he got up, his countenance suffused with tears, and would have spoken, but could not; he gave me his hand, however, and it was filled with as warm a heart as ever beat in a friend's bosom; it has never cooled since, though this was many years ago. On my return I was congratulated by my kind mentor, and then poured out my soul to my heavenly Father, whose consoling language was, 'Neither do I condemn thee; go and sin no more.' Preface to 'Which—the Right or Left?'
In every temple dedicated to our Lord—that is to say in every branch of the One Temple—there are two Churches, viz: The Church of Christ, which is a Church of goodness, is productive of gentleness, humility, and single-heartedness, and leads its people to happiness: and, The Church of Society, which is a Church of evil, is productive of pride, arrogance, and selfishness, and leads its people to misery. The first is made up of the Few, who walk in the light of their Redeemer's countenance, and regard their Lord as their Patron. The second is made up of the Many, who walk in the light of Money, and complacently regard themselves as the Patrons of the Lord. The Few worship Him meekly, lovingly, contritely; the Many fashionably, elegantly, superciliously. Christ's Christians measure all men by the goodness of their hearts, and the gentleness, simplicity and correctness of their deportment, as prescribed by the Law of God. Society's Christians measure all men by the fullness of their pockets, the texture of their coats, and the correctness of their deportment, as prescribed by the Law of Society. The former believe that all things should be done for the glory of their Blessed Lord, who is their all in all: The latter, that they should do everything for their own glory—which is their all in all. The first believe that life is a real and earnest thing; that it is a season for Action, not Play: The second believe it to be simply a Great Joke. The Few believe that Man's first, last, and only business is, To secure his inheritance in the Bright Beyond, whose duration is eternal. "I must work the work of Him that sent me, while it is Day—for the Night cometh, wherein no man can work." The Many believe that Man's first, last, and only business is to accumulate Money, to make a show, and to be talked about—till he is gone. The first believe that they should do good to all men: The second that they should look out for Number One, and let others do the same. Christ's Christians believe that the Business of life consists in Business Truthfulness; Church Membership; and the right of every man and woman to glide onward to everlasting happiness, piously, peacefully, and lovingly. Society's Christians recognize as legitimate, Business Lying; Church Membership without Religion; and the right of every man and woman to glide down to everlasting perdition, fashionably, gracefully and respectably. When, therefore, it is said of a known knave, "he is a member of the Church," it ought always to be added, "of Society's, not Christ's." "I have none but God left now!" said a poor widow, who had been freely pouring out her troubles to an aged friend. She was dressed in black, and had years on her brow, while her face had in it a mournful and anxious expression; but the relation of her sorrows seemed to give relief to her heart. By this poor widow's account she had passed through deep waters of affliction, and endured, as she said, more than her "share of trouble." One of her two children had been drowned, and the other was then in a lunatic asylum. She had lost her brother and sister, and only three weeks before had buried her husband, being left alone, and in poverty. "All the day long," said she, "I am grieving; and when I awake in the morning, my pillow is wet with tears. Every thing seems to have melted away, and I have none but God left now." "None but God left now!" poor, broken-hearted pilgrim. Knowest thou Him who is yet left to thee? Hast thou felt that God is good? Hast thou tasted that the Lord is gracious? If not, no wonder, then, thy trouble is heavier than thou canst bear. Hasten to him with thy burden. "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord;" then thy language will soon be, "Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him." Ps. xxviii. "None but God left now!" poor desolate widow, "tossed with tempest, and not comforted." He who has wounded thee can heal thee; and he who has bereaved thee, can be to thee more than a husband, and give thee a better heritage than that of sons and daughters. Full as thy cup is of sorrow, peace and joy may yet be thy portion, for the promise of the Redeemer has gone forth: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matt. xi, 28. "None but God left now!" poor, poverty-stricken mourner. Knowest thou not that the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof; the silver and the gold, the beasts of the forest, and the cattle on a thousand hills? Thy desires are not so large as his possessions. There is nothing that is good for thee that he cannot bestow. He can wipe the tears from thy weeping eyes, bind up the bones which he has broken, change thy gloom into gladness, and fill thy mouth and thy heart with thanksgiving. Up and be doing, broken-hearted pilgrim. Onward and upward, desolate widow. To thy home, poverty-stricken mourner. If thou hast God left, then hast thou more need to praise him on an instrument of ten strings, than to hang thy harp on the willows. Go boldly to an ever-open throne of grace. "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Matt. vii, 7.—Humphrey's Portfolio. Ways of Committing Suicide
Ways of Committing Suicide.—Wearing thin shoes on damp nights in rainy weather. Building on the "air-tight" principle. Leading a life of enfeebling stupid laziness, and keeping the mind in a round of unnatural excitement by reading trashy novels. Sleeping on feather beds in seven by nine bedrooms. Surfeiting on hot and very highly stimulating dinners. Beginning in childhood on tea, and going on from one step to another, through coffee, chewing tobacco, smoking and drinking. Marrying in haste, getting an uncongenial companion, and living the rest of life in mental dissatisfaction. Keeping children quiet by teaching them to suck candy. Eating without time to masticate the food. Allowing love of gain to so absorb our minds, as to leave no time to attend to our health. Following an unhealthy occupation because money can be made by it. Tempting the appetite with niceties when the stomach says no. Contriving to keep in a continual worry about something or nothing. Retiring at midnight and rising at noon. Gormandizing between meals. Giving way to fits of anger. Neglecting to take proper care of ourselves when a simple disease first appears. The Rev. Mr. Kilpin passed a very profane man, and having failed to rebuke him, he awaited him in the morning at the same place. When he approached him, Mr. Kilpin said, "Good morning, my friend; you are the person I have been waiting for." "O, sir," said the man, "you are mistaken, I think." "I do not know you; but I saw you last night when you were going home from work, and I have been waiting some time to see you." "O, sir, you are mistaken; it could not be me; I never saw you in my life, that I know of." "Well, my friend," said Mr. Kilpin, "I heard you pray last night." "Sir, now I know that you are mistaken; I never prayed in all my life." "O," said Mr. Kilpin, "if God had answered your prayer last night, you had not been seen here this morning. I heard you pray that God would blast your eyes, and damn your soul." The man turned pale, and trembling said, "O, sir, do you call that prayer? I did, I did." "Well, then, my errand this morning is to request you, from this day, to pray as fervently for your salvation as you have done for damnation: and may God in mercy hear your prayer." The man from that time became an attendant on Mr. Kilpin's ministry, and it ended in his early conversion to God. NONE STAND ALONE.
By Sermons for Christian Seasons
It is in the providence of God that none stand alone; we touch each other; man acts on man; heart on heart; we are bound up with each other; hand is joined in hand; wheel sets wheel in motion; we are spiritually linked together, arm within arm; we cannot live alone, nor die alone; we cannot say, I will only run risks with my own soul; I am prepared to disobey the Lord for such a pleasure or such a gain, but I do not want to implicate others; I only want to be answerable for myself. This cannot be. Each living soul has its influence on others in some way and to some extent, consciously or unconsciously; each has some power, more or less, direct or indirect; one mind colors another; a child acts on children; servants on their fellow-servants; masters on those they employ; parents on their children; friends on friends. Even when we do not design to influence others, when we are not thinking, in the least degree, of the effect of what we do, when we are unconscious that we do not wish our conduct or way of life to effect any but ourselves, our manner of life, our conversation, our deeds, are all the while having weight somewhere or somehow; our feet leave their impression, though we may not look behind us to see the mark. "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and the latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts; for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." Jas. v, 7, 8. As we read the above passage, it seems that a more appropriate exhortation could hardly be given to the church of God at the present time. Not without reason are we exhorted to patience and constancy, in view of the peculiar trials that await us as we draw near the close of our pilgrimage. He that endureth to the end shall be saved. Our present position is expressed in this one sentence of inspiration: "Here is the patience of the saints." And when we see the many difficulties to be overcome in promulgating Bible truth in a fallen and fast degenerating world, the trials and discouragements we are called to meet, and the seeming delay of the promises of God, it is cheering to think that the eye of the prophet has rested upon this very time, and it is designated as the patient waiting for Christ. Another cheering consideration is, that the many exhortations to patience, applying especially to the present time, are accompanied with the assurance that the promises for which we are waiting will certainly be fulfilled. The next prophetic event after the announcement that here is the patience of the saints, and here are they that keep the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus, is no less than this: "And I looked and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man!" Rev. xiv, 12-14. The apostle James, when exhorting the church to patience, appends to his exhortation this blessed assurance: "For the coming of the Lord draweth nigh!" And says Paul, [Heb. x, 36, 37,] For ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise; for yet a little while and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry. For the vision, says the prophet Habakkuk, [ii, 3,] is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and shall not lie. Though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. We walk by faith, not by sight. We hope for the things we see not; and, says Paul, if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it; and he prays for his brethren, [2 Thess. iii, 5,] that the Lord would direct their hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. The import of all these passages is plainly this: that in the little tarrying time just before the Lord shall finally make his appearance, there is need of our exercising special patience. In the little moment of painful silence that just precedes the terrible outbursting of the storm, we have need to put forth special efforts to hold fast that we have, that no man take our crown. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise; only he is long-suffering, not willing that any should perish; but notwithstanding this long-suffering, notwithstanding he has waited long and patiently for rebellious man, his Spirit will not always strive with him; and therefore the inspired penman adds, The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. 2 Pet. iii, 9, 10. We cannot exercise too great patience in the duties necessary to a preparation for the great event before us. We cannot dwell upon it too much. We cannot prepare for it too soon. We cannot warn the world of it too faithfully. We may seem to them, as Lot did to his sons-in-law, like those that mock; but as surely as destruction came upon Sodom, so surely it will come upon this wicked and adulterous generation. When they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them and they shall not escape. 1 Thess. v, 1-4. Time in its onward flight lingers not. Then let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus who is the Author and Finisher of our faith, remembering at all times, under all circumstances, whatever may be the prospect around us, and however the wicked may boast that all things continue as they were, that the word of God nevertheless is, that the great day of the Lord is near and hasteth greatly.