Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 12, 1859
THE TWO THRONES:
Or, the Throne of God and the Throne of Christ.
(Concluded.)
THE THRONE OF CHRIST—OR, HIS OWN THRONE.
That there is such a throne to be hereafter occupied by Jesus, the Christ, we shall now endeavor to show.
1. God in addressing David, [1 Chron. xvii,] makes use of this language: verses 11-14; "And it shall come to pass when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build me an house, and I will establish his throne for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee; but I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever; and his throne shall be established for evermore." That this language reaches beyond Solomon seems clear.
2. "The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David, he will not turn from it, Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne." Ps. cxxxii, 11. This is but an announcement of the Spirit by David, of the truth contained in the previously quoted text.
3. The prophecy of Isaiah, however, settles this point. "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this." Isa. ix, 6, 7. Here it is clearly stated that the "child born"—"The Prince of Peace"—is to have "the government upon his shoulder;" and that "government" is to be the "throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to re-establish it, and to support it:" so reads the Septuagint. Here then the point is settled as to what throne is Christ's own. It is that which David occupied, and which was "overturned," as recorded [Eze. xxi, 27,] and which the "Lord God" said should remain subverted "till he come whose right it is, and I will give it him."
4. Accordingly prior to the "child" being "born" Gabriel was sent to Mary with the following announcement [Luke i, 32, 33] concerning "Jesus:" "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."
Here all is plain: the long expected child is about to be born, and the promise of God to David is now confirmed. This child Jesus is designated as the heir to David's throne; which from henceforth is Jesus' own throne.
5. We will now contemplate Ps. ii, in relation to this point. This Psalm opens with the inquiry "Why the kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his Anointed"—his Christ! &c. This relates to the treatment the Anointed would meet at his first advent, and during the period that he would occupy his Father's throne, i. e., during the present age. Up to this hour, this description of the character and conduct of the rulers of the earth has been exemplified in their ungodly rule, and general disregard of the authority of God and his Anointed; even in those governments that have professed respect for that authority. They constantly outrage the great principles of the "Prince of Peace." This Psalm next contemplates (verse 4) Christ in his exaltation to his Father's throne in heaven: "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh." The rulers of the earth cast him out and slew him, and resolved that they would "not have this man to rule over them;" but God's choice opposed theirs; and he raised up his Anointed from the dead and gave him a throne in heaven; where he now mocks at all the "rage" of his enemies on earth, however high or exalted the stations they may occupy: they rage in vain; and in vain oppose the will of God concerning his Son's reign on earth; for "Jehovah shall have them in derision: then shall he speak unto them in his wrath," when, according to his promise to his Son, on seating him at his right hand, he shall make his enemies his footstool: for, notwithstanding, all the rage and counsel of wicked men, and wicked rulers, God says (verse 6) "Yet have I set my King"—the King of his choice—"upon my holy hill of Zion;" the seat of David's empire, and place of David's throne.
Next the Anointed speaks himself, (verse 7,) "I will declare the decree: Jehovah said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee"—by raising him up from the dead. See Acts xiii, 33. Having thus raised him up from the dead and set him at his own right hand, on his Father's throne, Jehovah addresses him, (verse 8,) "Ask of me, and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession." Verse 9. Jehovah speaks of what his Son shall do to the kings and rulers of the earth who oppose the establishment of his reign on the "holy hill of Sion," and the extension of his authority over the earth, viz., "dash them to pieces," &c. That this is the true meaning of verse 9, is evident from the language which follows: "Be wise now," in the present time—"O ye kings; be instructed, ye judges of the earth: serve Jehovah with fear . . . kiss the Son, lest ye perish from the way, when his anger suddenly blazeth forth." Septuagint. The whole Psalm shows that it is the kings, rulers and judges of the earth who use their power and authority in opposition to God and his Anointed who are to be the subjects of this wrath and be broken "with a rod of iron:" and this is to take place when Christ comes to take his own throne—"the throne of his father David."
6. One text more demands attention under this general head, viz., Dan. vii, 13, 14, "I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and a kingdom, that all people, nations and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed."
This text clearly establishes the fact of a throne to be given to the Son of man at the close of the present age, or after the judgment on the fourth beast which symbolizes the fourth body of tyrannical rulers, or rulers and kings on the territory of the old Roman empire. When the judgment is in process of accomplishment, on that symbolized power, is the time for the Son of man to have given to him in possession of his own throne, to rule over the nations, in person, associated with him the saints of the Most High. See verses 22 and 27.
CHRIST RELINQUISHES HIS FATHER'S THRONE.
4. We come now to the most important text to be examined under this head. It is 1 Cor. xv, 24-28. The general subject of this chapter is the resurrection of the dead. The Apostle had affirmed that "every man" is to be made alive "in his own order" [Gr. tagmati] band, or cohort. Clearly indicating that men will come up in the resurrection in classes, companies or bands—not all at once. He then says, "Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming;" they who are his at the time of his coming, and are then asleep in the dust of the earth; these constitute one band, and now have their resurrection, because they are the associate rulers; to prepare whom for the partners of Christ's throne this present age has been allotted. "Then"—after the resurrection of them that are Christ's at his coming—"THEN cometh the end." "End" of what? This is an important question. Various have been the interpretations given this text and context; but we confess nearly all we have ever seen are entirely unsatisfactory; and194our own mind has been much perplexed with the subject; but if our previous positions, in this discourse, are correct, we think we have now the key which unlocks the Apostle's argument. Christ has, up to this time, occupied his Father's throne, and ordered the affairs of heaven and earth to prepare a body of rulers to sit with him on his own throne. The time allotted to that object now ends—this body of rulers are raised from the dead, or changed if alive at his coming. The time he was to occupy his Father's throne—or sit at his right hand now ends. His work on that throne of putting "down all rule" of his enemies, "and all authority"—that stood in opposition to his authority on earth,—"and" all "power"—that was exerted against his right to David's throne—or his dominion over all nations: this work is ended. Hence, the purpose for which he was seated on the throne of God is accomplished; and the time which the Father said he should sit at his right hand is at an end. So then the period of his reign on that throne has found its termination, and Christ now delivers up that throne—that "kingdom—to God, even the Father," from whom he had received it after his death and resurrection. "For he must reign"—upon his Father's throne—"till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy"—that stands in Christ's way of taking possession of his own throne, with his associate rulers—"shall be destroyed," and that enemy is "death." To this end, that Jesus, the Anointed King might remove every obstacle in the way of the peaceable possession of his own throne, the Father exalted him to his throne in heaven, when he had been rejected by men on earth: that end is now accomplished, and Jesus who, by the pleasure of the Father, had occupied the Father's throne as co-ordinate ruler thereon, now delivers up the kingdom—or throne—that he had been entrusted with, and the Father gives him his own proper throne; viz., the throne of David, which men had refused him. In taking his own throne he delivers up or surrenders his co-ordinate relation and becomes subordinate, or, is, henceforth, and forever, "subject unto him that put all things under him," to the end "that God may be all in all," as Christ had been while he sat upon his Father's throne. This, with present light, we believe to be the true interpretation of this portion of scripture. "The end," we think, is no other than the end of the present age, and the co-ordinate rule of Christ on his Father's throne.
The view we have taken of the kingdom delivered up to the Father, and the time when it is delivered up, is further confirmed from the fact that,
THE KINGDOM AND THRONE OF CHRIST ARE ETERNAL.
His own proper kingdom is never to be surrendered or delivered up. He takes the subordinate relation to his Father on receiving his own throne; and the kingdom of God is resumed by the Father at the same time that his Christ takes possession of his own kingdom. Hence,
1. At the sounding of the seventh trumpet, [Rev. xi, 15,] "great voices are heard in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become of our Lord, AND of his Anointed—his Christ; and he [the Christ] shall reign for ever and ever." The kingdom, or throne, then possessed by the Anointed—the Christ—is eternal; no delivering it up; but at the same time, the elders are heard saying "We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty * because thou hast taken [or assum'd, as the original also signifies] to thee thy great power and hast reigned." God Almighty assumes again to himself the "all power in heaven and in earth" with which he invested Jesus when he set him at his right hand, and which Christ now delivers up to take his subordinate throne in the companionship of his people. Thus "the kingdom of God comes," or returns to himself in all its strength and glory, at the same time that the kingdom of Christ comes, and his undisturbed rule on his own throne, and over all nations.
2. The seventh chapter of Daniel is equally clear as to the reign of Christ on his own throne, with his associates, being endless. They shall "possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever." Verse 18. Again, verse 27; "And the kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and all dominions shall serve and obey him." Here the same truth is re-affirmed of the endless reign of the saints—holy ones—of whom Christ is the head.
3. Once more, Heb. i, 9 affirms the same truth. "Unto the Son he saith, Thy THRONE, O God, is FOR EVER AND EVER." This is a quotation from Ps. xlv, 6, 7; "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness; therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." These texts must suffice in proof that it is not the proper throne of Christ, or his kingdom, that is to be delivered up; for that throne and kingdom is settled endlessly on Christ and his associates.
CHRIST'S THRONE SHARED WITH HIS FOLLOWERS.
What a thought is this! It is indeed overwhelming! What! worms of the dust, who have sinned against God, and who are deserving of death, be raised to the high honor of sitting with Christ upon his throne! Such an exaltation who shall dare aspire to! And who would dare believe it possible if He, who is "THE TRUTH," as well as "the Way and the Life," had not promised it? If we can believe this, we surely need not stagger at any thing God or his Son have spoken! But is it so? Let us see.
1. Our text positively affirms it; or rather Christ, now on his Father's throne, and speaking with that authority with which he is there invested, promises "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne." If we had no other testimony, this must be sufficient to settle the question. But we are not left to this alone:
2. Daniel vii, 27 confirms the same truth, as we have already seen. But
3. Paul clearly asserts this 2 Tim. ii, 10-12. "Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. It is a faithful saying; for if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: if we suffer, we shall also reign with him."
4. Our Lord said to his disciples, [Luke xii, 32,] "Fear not little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."
5. Again our Lord said to his followers, [Luke xxii, 28-30,] "Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations; and I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." This language is clear and explicit, at least, so far as his disciples are concerned.
6. Paul gives us his view of all the sons of God, [Rom. viii, 14-17,] "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God; and if children, then heirs: heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together."
7. Finally, Jesus when he sits upon the throne of his glory, [Matt. xxv, 31,] says to his friends, [verse 37,] "Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom," &c. Surely, to inherit means something more than merely being subjects—it can signify nothing less than partnership in the throne and government of the kingdom. Let it be remembered that this honor is
TO HIM THAT OVERCOMETH.
It is not then to the indolent, the thoughtless, the worldly-minded; it is not to those who wait to be dragged along. It is to him who marches to the conflict in the spirit of self-sacrifice such as characterized our Lord in his conflicts, and in which he overcame.
To help us achieve this victory, and be overcomers, the first act of Christ, after his exaltation to his Father's throne, was to send the Holy Spirit on his followers, and to give it ever after to all "them that obey him." He told his followers, while here on earth, [John xvi, 7,] "I tell you the truth: it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." Not unmindful of his promise, after he was exalted he shed down the Holy Spirit according to his word. See Acts ii, 1-4, 32, 33. "This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear." The gift of the Spirit is not confined to those who are of one class, but it is the blessing promised to all who obey Christ; and it is a gift without which we never can "overcome." It would be easy to enlarge on this point; and to show that this promise is not restricted, but is a blessing to be expected and sought for by all who would sit down on Christ's throne, or who would ever achieve the victory which shall entitle them to that exaltation. Surely the encouragement to go forward in the struggle for victory is abundant; and the help offered ample. The certainty of a seat on Christ's throne, if we overcome, should be enough to arouse every soul, and to urge us on in the christian course without fainting. To do so, however, we must have in exercise that faith which keeps the high honor before our minds, and which never lets us lose sight of the throne of Christ's glory presented for our consideration and our inheritance. Let all earth's allurements—the suggestions of the flesh—and the temptations of the wicked one, disappear in our minds before the immortal prize which Jesus, our Lord, holds up to the eyes of our faith: thus "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who," while on earth, "for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God," we shall be able always to triumph in Christ, through the word of truth and the power of the Holy Spirit; and "in due time we shall reap if we faint not."
PRAISE YE THE LORD!
Praise ye the Lord! when morning brings
Its first bright summons from on high,
And the warm valley richly flings
Its incense to the glowing sky;—
When the glad waters lift their voice,
And the low forest-hymn is heard—
And all created things rejoice
In their great Maker—Praise the Lord!
Praise ye the Lord! when twilight throws
Her soothing charm o'er vale and hill;
When wearied labor seeks repose,
And the loud hum of life is still;—
When night is in the earth and air,
And naught but watching stars abroad;
Then lift the voice of humble prayer,
And for his goodness—Praise the Lord!
Praise ye the Lord! when blessings wait
Like dew upon your morning hours,
When plenty crowds your peaceful gate,
And time's swift feet are hid with flowers;
When love and friendship join to bless,
Then be the Giver's name adored;
For health, and hope, and happiness;
With grateful voices—Praise the Lord!
Praise ye the Lord! when grief has thrown
Its burden on the sinking soul,
When the heart's hoarded joys are flown,
And death the loved in life has stole;
When sickness dims the glowing eye;
If then your heart receives the word,
And the bruis'd spirit seeks on high
For health and comfort—Praise the Lord!
[S. S. Times.
From the BIBLE EXAMINER of 1850
PERPETUITY OF THE MORAL LAW NO. 2.
By W. G. SPRINGER
BRO. SMITH: The Herald of April 14th is at hand. Your remarks in reference to concealing me "under the cognomen of friend," and concerning my "personalities," I will try to cover with the veil of charity and let them pass. I suspect however, that you are some like the fish that swallowed the baited fish-hook; he thought the bait did well enough, but was rather pointed. Let us keep the spirit of the Master, Bro. Smith, in all that we say.
The proposition we are discussing is, is the law perpetual. From the number of points raised, and the side-issues formed in your last, I perceive the question is growing more and more complicated.
What do you understand, and therefore mean by the term "the law?" 2nd. By the term "the moral law?" 3d. By the law of Moses? My reason for calling on you for Bible definitions of these terms is that you charge me with making "unwarrantable use of your language." Perhaps the trouble is that I do not understand you. For as the clown was by the Indian, I know very well what you say, but I do not know what you mean. You say, "To be sure we believe that God gave to man at first a perfect and immutable law, and that that law is the basis, and condition of the promises of God. But why does W. G. S. accuse us of saying that man could not keep it, and therefore necessarily became a transgressor. We have never said it. Adam could and should have kept the law." Now in the name of reason what does Bro. Smith mean here. God gave Adam an immutable, (unchangeable) law; that law is (present tense), the condition of the promises of God. Yes! we are under the law given to Adam in the paradisiacal garden; the law pertaining to the forbidden tree in the midst of the garden; and that law is the condition of the promises of God now.
I confess myself inexpressibly surprised at this. Are there no "dark chambers" in Bro. Smith's mind here? Is there any "hot haste" in this? Of course then so far as my present article is concerned, I must go upon the supposition that the term195"the law," in our proposition means the law regulating the relation that existed between the fleshly Adam, and the literal fruit of the garden of Eden. This also fixes the meaning of correlative terms. "Obedience" for example. This, Bro. Smith indicates that I deny, because I deny the perpetuity of the law; as though Paul never spoke of the "obedience of faith," the "obedience of the gospel" &c. When this "first law" was in force, that there was a Sabbath command in existence, no man can prove. Then the obedience of the law was eating apples, and not eating of the forbidden tree. So the observance of the Sabbath forms no part of the obedience of "the law" which Bro. Smith says is the condition of the promises of God. Thus he is stranded according to his own showing. I would fain wait here until Bro. Smith has time to take this back and express his views more advisedly.
Bro. Smith reasons as though there never was more than one dispensation, as though God never gave a law that expired of its own limitation; as though all the laws God ever gave were all perpetual. He says, "Adam could, and should have kept the law; his violation brought death upon us. But could men keep the law after the fall? Of themselves they could not. Must they then necessarily violate it? Not even then, for help was immediately laid upon one that was mighty, and by God's grace through faith in him, they could receive strength for this service." Service indeed! What service? Why keeping the law. What law? Why the law given to Adam regulating his eating apples in the garden. There never was but two persons under that law—viz. Adam and Eve.
Shall I say that if Bro. Smith has no sensitiveness on this point, I am confident I shall leave him nothing in the end over which to glory?
But two more points here. 1st. The disability of man accruing to him in the fall per consequence.
2nd. The faith and grace of Christ, placed by Bro. Smith 4003 years before Christ was born.
1 How was man disabled to obey God in consequence of violating a command of God? This Bro. Smith has not shown. Nor can he show it. It is an old fogyism that has been sung upon the "harp of a thousand strings" until many have been made to believe it. The Bible knows nothing of such a declaration. Man in regard to ability, can only be disabled or disqualified to obey a law, or command of God, in one or all of these ways, viz. 1. Mentally, 2nd. Physically, or 3d. to be debarred the privilege. Bro. Smith cannot take the ground of the first or second, for Adam was not injured mentally when God came to reckon with him; he very well understood the next command, to go forth out of the garden; and the next to "earn his bread by the sweat of his face." He was not physically disabled, for he went out of the garden, and did ever after earn his bread by the sweat of his face. As to the 3d. we are debarred from privileges of blessings in consequence of violation; but it is an absurdity to say, that because we have disobeyed God once, he will debar us from ever obeying him afterwards.
It is an admitted fact, that the same cause under like circumstances will always produce the same effect. Then if God placed man under a law or command, requiring obedience, and he violated it, and by consequence was disabled to obey God afterwards; then, as Christ has given us the commands of the gospel, and we disobey them, we are by consequence ever after unable to obey them. Oh fatalism!
But to make it clear that I have not overwrought the point, notice the like circumstances of the parties.
Adam had the ability to obey or keep the law in his position; no more, no less. Since the fall we have the aid of Christ; by faith through grace we are enabled to obey the gospel; we have this ability restored to us; no more, no less. Then upon the hypothesis of Bro. Smith, if we disobey, we never can keep the commands of the Lord any more, unless by the aid of a greater and higher divine interposition than Christ. Get away from it who can. But 2nd. Bro. Smith thinks that Adam immediately after the fall, had the faith and grace of Christ to "aid him," without which he could not obey God. Did faith in Christ enable him to go back into the garden and observe the forbidden tree? Did it enable him to go out of the garden at the command of God? Did it enable him to earn his bread by the sweat of his brow? Bro. Smith sees more here than he can find in the Bible. This "a mixture" of which he speaks, this merging of the various laws, conditions and provisions of the different dispensations into one, placing the faith of Christ in the day of Adam and saddling the law given to Adam upon us, is the veriest delusion.
"Study to show thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Tim. ii, 15. 'Tis true 'Abel offered his sacrifices by faith,' but it was faith in God who "testified of his gifts." So of all the patriarchs. So of ancient Israel. Adam and the patriarchs had the gospel in embryo. Abraham had the gospel in promise. He and his descendants had the gospel in type. But it remains for Christians to have the gospel in demonstration and in fact. We are not under the same dispensation, provisions and conditions that Adam was—that the patriarchs were—that the Jews were.
We are not under the 'old covenant' at 'Horeb' or law of Moses as such; but we are under the gospel, "the new covenant as such," which embraces as such, the whole duty of man, both religious and moral; here is an issue.
Next, I understand you to contend that the observance of the seventh day is the means by which we have "the sign" and "certain knowledge" of our sanctification, and that there is no substitute for it. And I understand you to take the ground (in your question) that we are sanctified in the same way and by the same means that the Jews were, and therefore should have the same sign.
Now this whole thing is an unscriptural, so out of keeping with the change of "priesthood," "of law," and especially the law of pardon, that unless you offer some feasible proof of it, I shall not consider it worthy of any future reference. My proof in the negative is as clear as need be. You admit that "the Holy Spirit is the agent in the accomplishment of this work, (sanctification.)" Did I not prove by Acts ii, 38, how we got the "gift of the Spirit" by repentance and baptism? Did the Jews get the Spirit in this way? not a bit of it. Did I not prove by Rom. viii, 16, "the Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God"? Can we be the children of God and have his Spirit as a certain knowledge of it, and yet have no knowledge of being sanctified, or set apart to the service of God? Downright folly to reason thus.
There is no Sabbath keeping in this matter under the new economy. Observing the "my Sabbaths" of the old dispensation was a sign between God and the Jews that he had taken them from Egyptian bondage and had set them apart to his service. But that these "Sabbaths," (ingeniously construed into the singular by Bro. S.) are made either a sign, or means, of our sanctification now, Bro. Smith will never show.
Again you say "If any wish to inquire into the philosophy of this—how man must be justified by Christ, and yet cannot be justified without doing the law—a few considerations will make it plain. The first step towards justification by Christ is repentance of our former transgressions of the law. And when we repent and ask pardon, we do it with an implied promise, and on an implied condition of our obedience (to the law I understand) in future. There is no repentance nor pardon separate from this."
This whole philosophy is false—premises and conclusion. Our repentance is not the first step towards justification by Christ—give the proof. This is inconsistent in the fact that it would make the Gentiles repent of violating a law that they were never under; will you take issue here? But even if both Jews and Gentiles were under the law, the conclusion in effect, makes Christ a mere expedient, not to redeem us "by a new and living way," but to reinstate us from a helpless condemnation by the law, into a condition where we can obey the law!! And upon the principle of like cause, like effect, when we violate this merciless law again—as bad as ever!! our whole redemption is to be worked out again. Why not Bro. Smith come right out and speak like an apostle?—why not say, "We are become dead to the law by the body of Christ?" Rom. vii, 4. Why not say like Paul "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." But Bro. Smith has in effect, given up this whole controversy. He says "We are released from the law as a conditional covenant of life." Very well; that is enough for me. That is just what I believe. Then what signifies observing the Sabbath? or keeping the law any way? since God has not promised "life" to us upon the condition of its observance. You may say it is a rule of moral action. But what signifies the rule, if God has placed no condition of life in it? So then I have proved both by Paul and Bro. Smith, that we are not under the law. There is no need then of answering your six questions at present. I will notice them in future.
W. G. SPRINGER.
Too Big to Pray.
I tarried for a night with an old friend, who had always seemed indifferent on the subject of religion. His wife was pious, and endeavored to impress the minds of her children with proper views of God and eternity. Her little boy of two or three years, when about to retire to rest, knelt down by his mother, and reverently repeated a child's prayer. When he arose from his knees, he turned to his father, with a seeming consciousness that he had preformed a duty, and addressed him, "Father, I have said my prayers: have you said yours? or are you to big too pray?" I thought it was a question that would reach that father's heart, and it might yet be said of him, "Behold he prayeth."
I have since noticed many who were too big to pray. I knew a young man, a student of brilliant talents and fascinating manners; yet he would sneer at piety and pious men. He was considered a model by a certain class around him. In a revival meeting it was supposed that the Spirit of God had reached his heart. He professed to see his danger and resolved to reform. Then he thought of his companions who had witnessed his past life. They would say he was weak-minded and fickle. He would lose their respect. He could not come down from his high position. He could not take up the cross through good and evil report, and his serious impressions passed away, perhaps for ever. He was too big to pray.
I knew a man who had passed the middle age of life. His children had grown up around him, while he had been careless and unconcerned about their eternal welfare. A change seemed to have come over him, and he felt that duty called on him to pray in his family. But how could he assume such a task before his household, which would be astonished at such a strange event. He shrank from the effort, and finally relaxed into his former coldness and indifference. He was too big to pray.
I knew a physician who held a high rank in his profession. The urbanity of his deportment, joined with an intelligent mind, made him a pleasant companion. But he was skeptical in regard to the doctrines of the Bible. He witnessed the happy death of one who triumphed in the last trying hour, and his infidel opinions were shaken. "Almost he was persuaded to become a Christian." But the pride of his heart was not subdued. He could not humble himself at the foot of the cross. He was too big to pray.
How many thousands there are around us, who have been elevated to high places in our land, who would not dare to be seen upon their knees, supplicating the Majesty of heaven. They are too big to pray.
Now, in all such cases, there is something wrong. The heart once fairly pierced by the sword of the Spirit, there will soon be prayer. The fear of God will speedily overcome the fear of man. This is proved by all history and all experience. Where the Spirit descends in power, men in multitudes, with the royal Psalmist, will on all sides be crying out, "Come all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul."—Sel.