61. Backsliding

Backsliding

WITHERED.—As the fig-tree began to wither, so his gifts begin to wither, as if a worm was still gnawing at them; his judgment rusts like a sword which is not used; his zeal trembles as though it were in a palsy; his faith withereth as though it were blasted; and the image of death is upon all his religion. After this, he thinks, like Samson, to pray as he did, and speak as he did, and has no power, but wonders, like Zedekiah, how the Spirit is gone from him. Now, when the good Spirit is gone, then comes the spirit of blindness, and the spirit of error, and the spirit of fear.

SHEPHERD’S DOG.—Like as if a sheep strays from his fellows, the shepherd sets his dog after it, not to devour it, but to bring it back again; even so our Heavenly Shepherd, if any of His sheep disobey Him, sets His dog of affliction after us to bring us home to a consideration of our duty toward Him. His dogs are poverty, sickness, death, war, loss of goods or friends, etc.

LINCOLN’S MERCY.—Abraham Lincoln’s doorkeeper had standing orders from him, that no matter how great might be the throng, if either senators or representatives had to wait, or to be turned away without an audience, he must see, before the day closed, every messenger who came with a petition for the saving of life.

RETREAT IMPOSSIBLE.—At the battle of Nieuport, in the year 1600, Prince Maurice sent away his ships, that there might be no means of retreat for his troops. In leading them to engage, he said, “My friends, yon have Nieuport behind you, which is in possession of the enemy, the sea on your left, a river on the right, and the enemy in front; there is no other way for you to pass but over the bodies of these men.” By this heroic resolution, he gained a battle which saved the republic. When Cortez set out to conquer the Aztecs, or Indians of Mexico, he caused his ships to be burned in sight of his men, so that all might see that there was no hope for them except in victory.

PLAY A RETREAT.—Among the prisoners taken captive at Waterloo, there was a Highland piper. Napoleon asked him to play on his instrument, which is said to sound so delightfully in the mountains and glens in Scotland. “Play a march,” said Napoleon; and the Highlander played. “Flay a retreat.” “No, no!” said the Highlander, “I never learned to play a retreat.”

WHY, AT ONCE.—”I was a Christian once,” said a man, “but I fell.” “But have you never been restored?” said the one addressed. “No,” he replied; “I have been miserable about it, and would give anything to be what I once was.” “Would you like to be restored at this moment?” was asked; “for as surely as God lives you may be.” He looked in amazement. To help his mind it was said, “Suppose that you had a daughter who had sinned against you, and given you great sorrow; last night, however, she came, saying, ‘Oh I am so ashamed of myself for having given such anxiety and sorrow; do forgive me.’ I ask, can your daughter restore herself, or must her restoration be your act?” “Mine,” he replied. “Now, how soon would you restore her—in twelve years?” “Surely no,” he added. “Well, in twelve months?” “No,” he replied. “Well, in three?” “No,” he said. “Then how soon would you restore her?” I asked. “Why, at once,” he rejoined. “What!” I said, “are you prepared at once to restore your child, and do you think that our Father in Heaven is not prepared upon confession to Him to restore immediately?”