knowledge, were experienced by the children of God! That instead of giving way to their natural feelings, and being disposed to return evil for evil, and railing for railing," they would pity and pray for those who are so foolish as to indulge hostility to the word of God and to His blessed gospel. Let us remember that it is said, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord;42 and that therefore it becomes not sinful creatures to attempt to wield the sword of judgment against those who oppose them; but rather to take every opportunity, which may offer itself, to make known to their fellow-sinners the gospel of their salvation. If we are acquainted with our own hearts, we shall be fully aware that it is not because we are naturally better than others that we have been enabled to believe the gospel of Christ. There was as much ignorance in our minds, as much blindness in our hearts, as is to be found in others. If we have received the truth of God, the truth as it is in Jesus,43 in the love of it; it was almighty grace which made the word of the truth of the gospel effectual to our conversion from the error of our ways. We have reason, then, to be very humble; and not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think," but to be lowly in our own eyes; since it is God who has given to us the measure of grace with which 41 1 Peter iii. 9. 42 Romans xii. 19. 43 Ephes. iv. 21. 44 Rom.xii. 3. 45 we have been favoured, and to Him alone the glory and praise is due. Surely, therefore, if we are partakers of the heavenly calling, we shall compassionate the condition of those who are living in error and sin; after the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, who wept at the thought of the ruin that was about to overwhelm His enemies, who wept over their ignorance and their blindness; and even when He was suffering all that their wickedness and malignity inflicted on Him, prayed, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. 6 As the Lord Jesus manifested such amazing compassion for His most violent enemies, how ought the compassion of His believing people to be exercised towards those who, being ignorant of themselves and of God, blindly follow the devices and desires of their own evil hearts, and do not submit themselves to His dominion, are not willing that He should reign over them. If our blessed Saviour could endure such contradiction of sinners against Himself," surely His disciples ought to follow the example of their Master and Lord; or they will come under His reproof: Why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?48 Let us seek to imbibe more of the spirit and mind of Christ, and to His blessed example. copy more closely after The more we resemble 45 Heb. iii. 1. 46 Luke xxiii. 34. 47 Heb. xii. 3. 48 Luke vi. 45. Him in our dispositions and in our conduct, the more happy we shall be. If we are sensible that we are indebted to Him for the grace which we have received; if we can humbly say, Whereas I was blind, now see;49 or that once we saw no beauty in Christ, that we should desire Him, but now we know Him as all our salvation and all our desire 50 if we have received mercy without any desert or worthiness of our own, surely then the sense of our demerit, and of the goodness of God, will lead us to compassionate the case of those who are in the same condition as we ourselves once were. And if we are called to bear the reproach of Christ, we shall remember that He went before us in this path of self-denial; and that He said, It is enough for the disciple that he be as his Master, and the servant as his Lord.51 Thus instructed, we shall endeavour to do good to them that hate us and persecute us; and so with well doing put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.5 52 May we thus exemplify the power of godliness to the glory of our Lord and Saviour, and to our own present happiness and everlasting salvation. 49 John ix. 25. 50 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. 51 Matt. x. 25. 521 Pet. ii. 15. SERMON XLVI. FOR THE ELEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. Luke xviii. 14. I TELL YOU, THIS MAN WENT DOWN TO HIS HOUSE JUSTIFIED RATHER THAN THE IN these words our blessed Saviour contrasts the two characters which He had described in the parable that is appointed as the Gospel for this day; and gives His reason for the decision which He had expressed with regard to them. A general rule is here laid down, by which it may be ascertained, whether the conduct of those who profess to be influenced by religious q principles is consistent with their profession or otherwise. Self-confident boasting and contempt of others are unbecoming in sinful and dependent creatures. Self-abasement and humility will ever mark the conduct of those who have truly imbibed the spirit of Christianity. Mankind have nothing to boast of in the sight of God, but every reason to be filled with the deepest humiliation before Him. And when the heart is truly humbled before God, meekness and benevolence will characterise the conduct towards our fellow-creatures. The Evangelist informs us, before he relates the parable contained in the Gospel for this day, of the character of the persons to whom it particularly referred. Jesus spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others. This was a description that applied to the Pharisees in a special manner. We find our Saviour saying to them at another time, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.53 They were desirous of making a fair show in the flesh," and of being applauded by their fellow-creatures; but they were not anxious that their hearts might be right with God. Justifying themselves before 53 Luke xvi. 15. 54 Galatians vi. 12. |