Volume VIII Part 9 (2/2)
But this melancholy diversity is sometimes explained, as I just now hinted, in another way. Some men will tell us that this difference of opinion in religious matters which exists, is a proof, not that the Truth is withheld from us on account of our negligence in seeking it, but that religious truth is not worth seeking at all, or that it is not given us. The present confused and perplexed state of things, which is really a proof of G.o.d's anger at our negligence, these men say is a proof that religious truth cannot be obtained; that there is no such thing as religious truth; that there is no right or wrong in religion; that, provided we _think_ ourselves right, one set of opinions is as good as another; that we shall all come right in the end if we do but mean well, or rather if we do not mean ill. That is, we create confusion by our negligence and disobedience, and then excuse our negligence by the existence of that confusion. It is no uncommon thing, I say, for men to say, ”that in religious matters G.o.d has willed that men should differ,” and to support their opinion by no better argument than the fact that they _do_ differ; and they go on to conclude that _therefore_ we need not perplex ourselves about matters of _faith_, about which, after all, we cannot be certain. Others, again, in a similar spirit, argue that forms and ordinances are of no account; that they are little matters; that it is uncertain what is right and what is wrong in them, and that to insist on them as important to religion is the mark of a narrow mind. And others, again, it is to be feared, go so far as to think that indulgence of the pa.s.sions, or self-will, or selfishness, or avarice, is not wrong, because it is the way of the world and cannot be prevented.
To all such arguments against religious truth, it is sufficient to reply, that no one who does not seek the truth with all his heart and strength, can tell what is of importance and what is not; that to attempt carelessly to decide on points of faith or morals is a matter of serious presumption; that no one knows _whither_ he will be carried _if_ he seeks the Truth perseveringly, and therefore, that since he cannot see at first starting the course into which his inquiries will be divinely directed, he cannot possibly say beforehand whether they may not lead him on to certainty as to things which at present he thinks trifling or extravagant or irrational. ”What I do,” said our Lord to St. Peter, ”thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter.” ”_Seek_, and ye shall find;” this is the Divine rule, ”If thou _criest_ after knowledge, and _liftest up_ thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as _for hid_ treasures; _then_ shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of G.o.d[4].”
This is a subject which cannot too strongly be insisted on. Act up to your light, though in the midst of difficulties, and you will be carried on, you do not know how far. Abraham obeyed the call and journeyed, not knowing whither he went; so we, if we follow the voice of G.o.d, shall be brought on step by step into a new world, of which before we had no idea. This is His gracious way with us: He gives, not all at once, but by measure and season, wisely. To him that hath, more shall be given. But we must begin at the beginning. Each truth has its own order; we cannot join the way of life at any point of the course we please; we cannot learn advanced truths before we have learned primary ones. ”Call upon Me,” says the Divine Word, ”and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not[5].” Religious men are always learning; but when men refuse to profit by light already granted, their light is turned to darkness. Observe our Lord's conduct with the Pharisees. They asked Him on what authority He acted. He gave them no direct answer, but referred them to the mission of John the Baptist--”The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven or from men[6]?” They refused to say. Then He said, ”Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.”
That is, they would not profit by the knowledge they already had from St. John the Baptist, who spoke of Christ--therefore no more was given them.
All of us may learn a lesson here, for all of us are in danger of hastily finding fault with others, and condemning their opinions or practices; not considering, that unless we have faithfully obeyed our conscience and improved our talents, we are no fit judges of them at all. Christ and His Saints are alike dest.i.tute of form or comeliness in the eyes of the world, and it is only as we labour to change our nature, through G.o.d's help, and to serve Him truly, that we begin to discern the beauty of holiness. Then, at length, we find reason to suspect our own judgments of what is truly good, and perceive our own blindness; for by degrees we find that those whose opinions and conduct we hitherto despised or wondered at as extravagant or unaccountable or weak, really know more than ourselves, and are above us--and so, ever as we rise in knowledge and grow in spiritual illumination, they (to our amazement) rise also, while we look at them. The better we are, the more we understand their excellence; till at length we are taught something of their Divine Master's perfections also, which before were hid from us, and see why it is that, though the Gospel is set on a hill in the midst of the world, like a city which cannot be hid, yet to mult.i.tudes it is notwithstanding hid, since He taketh the wise in their own craftiness, and the pure in heart alone can see G.o.d.
How are the sheep of Christ's flock scattered abroad in the waste world! He came to gather them together in one; but they wander again and faint by the way, as having lost their Shepherd. What religious opinion can be named which some men or other have not at some time held? All are equally confident in the truth of their own doctrines, though the many must be mistaken. In this confusion let us, my brethren, look to ourselves, each to himself. There must be a right and a wrong, and no matter whether others agree with us or not, it is to us a solemn practical concern not to turn away our ears from the truth. Let not the diversity of opinion, in the world dismay you, or deter you from seeking all your life long true wisdom. It is not a search for this day or that, but as you should ever grow in grace, so should you ever grow also in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Care not for the perplexing question which many will put to you, ”How can you be sure that you are right more than others?”
Others are nothing to you, if they are not holy and devout in their conversation--and we all know what is meant by being holy; we know whom we should call holy; to be holy is to be like an Apostle. Seek truth in the way of _obedience_; try to act up to your conscience, and let your opinions be the result, not of mere chance reasoning or fancy, but of an improved heart. This way, I say, carries with it an evidence to ourselves of its being the right way, if any way be right; and that there is a right and a wrong way conscience also tells us. G.o.d surely will listen to none but those who strive to obey Him. Those who thus proceed, watching, praying, taking all means given them of gaining the truth, studying the Scriptures, and doing their duty; in short, those who seek religious truth by principle and habit, as the main business of their lives, humbly not arrogantly, peaceably not contentiously, shall not be ”turned unto fables.” ”The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him;” but in proportion as we are conscious to ourselves that we are indolent, and transgress our own sense of right and wrong, in the same proportion we have cause to fear, not only that we are not in a safe state, but, further than this, that we do not know what is a safe state, and what an unsafe--what is light and what is darkness, what is truth and what is error; which way leads to heaven and which to h.e.l.l. ”The way of the wicked is in darkness; they know not at what they stumble[7].”
I know we shall find it very hard to rouse ourselves, to break the force of habit, to resolve to serve G.o.d, and persevere in doing so.
And a.s.suredly we must expect, even at best, and with all our efforts, perhaps backslidings, and certainly much continual imperfection all through our lives, in all we do. But this should create in us a horror of disobedience, not a despair at overcoming ourselves. We are not under the law of nature, but under grace; we are not bid do a thing above our strength, because, though our hearts are naturally weak, we are not left to ourselves. According to the command, so is the gift.
G.o.d's grace is sufficient for us. Why, then, should we fear? Rather, why should we not make any sacrifice, and give up all that is naturally pleasing to us, rather than that light and truth should have come into the world, yet we not find them? Let us be willing to endure toil and trouble; and should times of comparative quiet be given to us, should for a while temptation be withdrawn, or the Spirit of comfort poured upon us, let us not inconsiderately rest in these accidental blessings.
While we thank G.o.d for them, let us remember that in its turn the time of labour and fear, and danger and anxiety, will come upon us; and that we must act our part well in it. We live here to struggle and to endure: the time of eternal rest will come hereafter.
”Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.
Blessed are they that keep His testimonies, and that seek Him with the whole heart[8].” ”The path of the just is as the s.h.i.+ning light, that s.h.i.+neth more and more unto the perfect day[9].”
[1] Isa. l. 4.
[2] Matt. xiv. 3.
[3] Acts xxiv. 25.
[4] Prov. ii. 3-6.
[5] Jer. x.x.xiii. 3.
[6] Matt. xxi. 25.
[7] Prov. iv. 19.
[8] Ps. cxix. 1, 2.
[9] Prov. iv. 18.
SERMON XIV.
Obedience to G.o.d the Way to Faith in Christ.
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