Part 10 (1/2)
The proud had him exceedingly in derision--as I am afraid too many worldly men, poor as well as rich, working men as well as idlers, would do now--seeing him occupied in G.o.d's statutes, when he might have been occupied in winning money, and place, and renown for himself.
But he did not shrink from G.o.d's law. If it was true, he could afford to be laughed at for obeying it.
The congregation of the unG.o.dly robbed him. But he did not forget G.o.d's law. If they did wrong, that was no reason why he should do wrong likewise.
The proud imagined a lie against him. But he would keep G.o.d's commandments with his whole heart, instead of breaking G.o.d's commandments, and justifying their slander, and making their lie true.
Still, it went very hard with him. His honour and his faith were sorely tried. He was dried up like a bottle in the smoke. It seems to have been with him at times a question of life and death; till he had hardly any hope left. He had to ask, almost in despair--How many are the days of Thy servant? When wilt Thou be avenged of them that persecute me? The proud dug pits for him, contrary to the law of G.o.d; contrary to honour and justice; and almost made an end of him upon earth. The unG.o.dly laid wait to destroy him.
But against them all he had but one weapon, and one defence. However much afraid he might be of his enemies, he was still more afraid of doing wrong. His flesh, he said, trembled for fear of G.o.d; and he was afraid of G.o.d's judgments. Therefore his only safety was, in pleasing G.o.d, and not men. I deal, he says, with the thing that is lawful and right. Oh give me not over to my oppressors. Make Thy servant to delight in what is good, that the proud do me no wrong. If he could but keep right, he would be safe at last.
I will consider Thy testimonies, O Lord. I see that all things come to an end. Bad times, and bad chances, and still more bad men, and bad ways for escaping out of trouble--they all come to an end. But Thy commandment is exceeding broad. Exceeding broad. There are depths below depths of meaning in that true saying; depths which you will find true, if you will but read your Bibles, and obey your Bibles. For in them, I tell you openly, you will find rules to guide you in every chance and change of this mortal life. Truly said the good man that there were in the Bible ”shallows where a lamb may drink, and deeps wherein an elephant may swim.”
There are no possible circ.u.mstances, good or bad, pleasant or unpleasant, in which you can find yourselves, be you rich or poor, young or old, without finding in the Bible sound advice, and a clear rule, as to how G.o.d would have you behave under those circ.u.mstances. For G.o.d's commandments are exceeding broad, and take in all cases of conscience, all details of duty; saying to each and every one of us, at every turn--”This is the way, walk ye in it.”
At least this is the teaching, this is the testimony, this is the life- experience, of a true hero, namely, the man who wrote the 119th Psalm; a hero according to G.o.d, but not according to the world, and the pomp and glory of the world.
No great statesman was he, nor conqueror, nor merchant, nor financier pa.s.sing millions of money through his hands yearly; and all fancying that they, and not G.o.d, govern the nations upon earth, and decide the fate of empires.
He was a man who made no noise in the world: though the world, it seems, made a little noise at him in his time, as it does often bark and yell at those who will not go its way; as it barked at poor Christian, when he went through Vanity Fair, and would not buy its wares, or join in its frivolities. Such a man was this Psalmist; for whom the world had nothing but scorn first, and then forgetfulness. We do not know his name, or where he lived. We do not even know, within a few hundred years, when he lived. I picture him to myself always as a poor, shrivelled, stooping, mean-looking old man; his visage marred more than any man, and his figure more than the sons of men; no form nor comeliness in him, nor beauty that men should desire him; despised and rejected of men: a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, even as his Master was after him.
And all that he has left behind him--as far as we can tell--is this one psalm which he wrote, as may be guessed from its arrangement, slowly, and with exceeding care, as the very pith and marrow of an experience spread over many painful years of struggle and of humiliation.
I say of humiliation. For there is not a taint of self-conceit, not even of self-satisfaction, in him. He only sees his own weakness, and want of life, of spirit, of manfulness, of power. His soul cleaveth to the dust.
He is tempted, of course, again and again, to give way; to become low- minded, cowardly, time-serving, covetous, worldly. But he dares not. He feels that his only chance is to keep his honour unspotted; and he cries--Whatever happens,--I must do right. I must learn to do right.
Teach me to do right. Teach me, O Lord, teach me; and strengthen me, O Lord, strengthen me, and then all must come right at last. That was his cry. And, be you sure, he did not cry in vain.
For this man had one precious possession; which he determined not to lose, not though he died in trying to hold it fast; namely, the Eternal Spirit of G.o.d; the Spirit of Righteousness, and Truth, and Justice, which leads men into all truth. By that Spirit he saw into the Eternal Laws of G.o.d. By that Spirit he saw who made and who administers those Eternal Laws, even the Eternal Word of G.o.d, who endureth for ever in heaven. By that Spirit he saw that his only hope was to keep those eternal laws. By that Spirit he vowed to keep them. By that Spirit he had strength to keep them. By that Spirit, when he failed he tried again; when he fell he rose and fought on once more, to keep the commandments of the Lord.
And where is he now? Where is he now? Where those will never come--let false preachers and false priests flatter them as they may--who fancy that they can get to heaven without being good and doing good. Where those will never come, likewise, who, when they find themselves in trouble, try to help themselves out of it by false and mean methods; and so begin wors.h.i.+pping the devil, just when they have most need to wors.h.i.+p G.o.d. He is where the fearful and unbelievers and all liars can never come. He is with the Word of the Lord, who endureth for ever in heaven.
With the Word of the Lord, who endured awhile on earth, even as he the Psalmist endured. Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession, and endured the cross, despising the shame, because He cared neither for riches, nor for pleasure, for power, nor for glory; but simply for His Father's will, and His Father's law, that He might do to the uttermost the will of His Father who sent Him, and keep to the uttermost that Law of which His Father says to Him for ever--”Thou art my Son, to-day have I begotten Thee.”
Into His presence may we all come at last! But we shall never come thither, unless we keep our honour bright, our courage unbroken, and ourselves unspotted from the world. For so only will be fulfilled in us the sixth Beat.i.tude--Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see G.o.d. Unto which may G.o.d of His free mercy bring us all. Amen.
SERMON XIV. THE WORD OF G.o.d.
PSALM CXIX. 89-96.
O Lord, Thy word endureth for ever in heaven. Thy truth also remaineth from one generation to another: Thou hast laid the foundation of the earth, and it abideth. They continue this day according to Thine ordinance: for all things serve Thee. If my delight had not been in Thy law, I should have perished in my trouble.
I will never forget Thy commandments: for with them Thou hast quickened me. I am Thine, oh save me: for I have sought Thy commandments. The unG.o.dly laid wait for me to destroy me: but I will consider Thy testimonies. I see that all things come to an end: but Thy commandment is exceeding broad.
This text is of infinite importance, to you, and me, and all mankind. For if the text is not true; if there is not a Word of G.o.d, who endures and is settled for ever in heaven: then this world is a miserable and a mad place; and the best thing, it seems to me, that we poor ignorant human beings can do, is to eat and drink, for to morrow we die.
But that is not the best thing we can do; but the very worst thing. The best thing that we can do, and the only thing worth doing is, to be good, and do good, at all risks and all costs, trusting to the Word of G.o.d, who endures for ever in heaven.
But who is this Word of G.o.d? I say who, not what. We often call the Bible the Word of G.o.d: and so it is in one sense, because it tells us, from beginning to end, about this other Word of G.o.d. It is, so to speak, G.o.d's word or message about this Word. But it is plain that the Psalmist is not speaking here of the Bible; for he says--