07.06. Volume 6 cont'd
"The word preached did not profit them." Hebrews 4:2
What countless millions of sermons seem to be preached in vain, so far as regards any appreciable result! What a small amount of profiting in the way of increased holiness!
To be truly profited from the hearing of sermons, is to have Scriptural truth deeply enstamped upon the heart and visibly upon character; the transformation of the whole heart and soul into the image of God and the mind of Christ; the cultivation of a godly temperament; and a fitness for glory. This, and this only, is profiting from the preached Word.
Multitudes are
The fault is partly to be ascribed to the preachers. Either their aim is often something else than the profiting their hearers, or else they know not how to accomplish this. One would suppose it impossible to hear a great deal of today’s evangelical preaching of this age, without asking the question, "Who can be profited by this? What is there in all this, to instruct, sanctify, and comfort believers? It is all very fine—there is much to please the intellect, to gratify the taste, to exercise the imagination; but what spiritual edification is there in it?" It is my sad and serious conviction, that the evangelical pulpit is losing its power, just because it is losing sight of its object and its aim. A philosophized Christianity is finding its way into our pulpits; which, aided by a rationalistic taste, and set off by an aspiring intellectuality, is seducing the church from the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus!
The goal of most preachers is to please their hearers; not to profit their souls.
We must consider what these prayers for their conversion imply. They must proceed from a heart that really desires and longs for their conversion. It should be an intense yearning—a longing in some measure proportioned to the object itself. Their children’s conversion must be the first object concerning them, to which all others must be subordinated. Their children’s conversion must be sought by all the appropriate means of godly training and example. Everything must be done that would conduce to their conversion to God, and everything kept away that would hinder it. There must not only be instruction—but in the fullest sense of the term, godly education. The character must be formed; and in order to this, the parent must present a model of exemplary piety in himself. And with these conditions, the father may go and pray for his children’s conversion, and expect their conversion. Prayers so presented and so followed up, will very generally be answered.
It is, no doubt, a fact that very many do pray and see little result of their prayers—their children do not become godly. Why? I would by no means suggest that it is in all cases to be traced up to parental neglect. I would not pour vinegar upon the wounds of many a lacerated heart, bleeding under the misconduct of a prodigal son, by asserting that parental sins have led to this. But at the same time, there can be little doubt of the general principle—that godly training, carried on from the dawn of reason, through childhood and youth—with wisdom, uniformity, consistency, and affection—enforced by an eminently holy and consistent example—and sanctified by believing prayer—would be followed, in most cases, with the blessed result of their conversion to God.
Nothing seems too hard or too difficult for prayer to do. Prayer has a kind of omnipotence; for it moves the hand which moves all things!
Faith and prayer are the two arms by which the soul hangs upon the neck of infinite Love, and grasps the hand of omnipotent Power!
Prayer is the homage of a dependent creature paid to the author of its being, and the source of its happiness.
Prayer has a moral reflex influence on the soul of him who presents it, making him the holier by his own devotions.
Prayer is a relief and comfort to the troubled soul.
Prayer is the communion of the regenerated soul with its Divine Parent.
Prayer is God’s own instituted means of obtaining blessings from Him, the Fountain of life.
Prayer must be sincere—we must really be desirous to obtain the blessings we ask.
Prayer must be holy—for if we "regard iniquity in our heart, the Lord will not hear us."
Prayer must be pious—seeking to obtain blessings, not for our own gratification merely—but for God’s glory.
Prayer must be importunate—for it is the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man, that prevails.
Prayer must be submissive—asking only for whatit is God’s will to bestow.
Prayer must be in love—for if our brother has anything against us, we must first go and be reconciled to our brother.
Prayer must be reverent—for our God is a consuming fire.
Prayer must be humble—for we are base, and sinful, and unworthy to lift up our eyes to heaven.
Prayer must be persevering—for men ought always to pray, and not to faint.
Prayer must be particular—for generalities mean little or nothing.
Prayer must be universal—entering into everything, all the concerns of life, all the means of grace.
Prayer must be of all kinds—social, domestic, private, spontaneous.
Prayer must be grateful—abounding in thanksgiving.
Prayer must be expectant—waiting and watching for answers.
Prayer must be believing—we must ask in faith.
Prayer must be consistent with the Word of God —we may ask for everything God has promised.
"Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith." 1 John 5:4
The situation and circumstances of the Christian during his state of discipline and probation upon earth, are
And yet amid these earthly objects always present to him, he is supremely to value, pursue, and enjoy the objects of another, eternal world, of which he knows nothing but by report.
He must not omit the just and proper interests of this present life, to which he is related by his both various and tender ties; and yet he must regard, practically and constantly, as his highest interest, the life that is to come. He must, to a certain extent, attend to the things on earth, and yet his affections must be set on things in heaven. The visible must not be neglected, yet the invisible must be supremely regarded. The temporal must be attended to in due season and measure, and yet the eternal must predominate.
No man ploughs his field, or tills his garden, merely to kill weeds—but to sow corn and to plant flowers.
A room may be clean—and yet empty.
It is not enough for our hearts to be swept of sin—unless they be also furnished with graces.
A man may not in disposition be a tiger or a demon—and yet he may not be a saint or an angel.
Now our religion requires not only putting away our pride, our malice, our covetousness, and our injustice—but also cultivating humility, liberality, and love.
True religion is of an aspiring nature, requiring us to proceed from grace to grace . . to faith adding virtue, to virtue adding patience, to patience adding temperance, to temperance adding godliness, to godliness adding brotherly-kindness, and to brotherly-kindness adding love.
Thus ascending by degrees, until at length the top of the lofty staircase reaches to heaven, and lands the soul so qualified in the mansions of glory!
Nothing but faith can enable the soul to accomplish this; and this it does, by obtaining through Christ that aid of the Holy Spirit, by whom alone our good works can be accomplished.
"Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
These few verses are worth incalculably more than all the volumes the pen of moral philosophy ever wrote! What a happy world, how nearly resembling heaven, we would live in—if this were the rule of conduct everywhere, always, in all things, and for all men.
"God is love, and all who live in love, live in God, and God lives in them." 1 John 4:16
Realizing the love which Christ has towards His children, viewing them as the purchase of His blood and the objects of His tenderest affection—our hearts will by a kind of necessity, be knit to them. Every fresh view of the cross will endear them to our hearts.
How frequently, how variously, and how earnestly are we enjoined both by our Lord, and by that disciple whom Jesus loved, and who by leaning on His bosom seemed to have caught most of His spirit—to love our brethren.
Love to the brethren is the law of Christ’s kingdom, "This is my commandment, that you love one another."
Love to the brethren is the badge of discipleship, "Hereby shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Love to the brethren is the evidence of conversion, "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren."
Love to the brethren is the grand inference from the cross, "Beloved, if God so loved us—we ought also to love one another."
Love to the brethren is . . .the natural yearning of the renewed heart; the instinctive promptings of the new nature; the reaching forth of the arm too feeble and too short to clasp the neck of the Divine Father, to entwine around His image in His children!
Why is it that the children of God do not love one another more, and allow such comparatively trifling matters to alienate them from each other? How is it that sectarianism gains such an ascendancy over the members of the redeemed family, and introduces so much coldness, distance, and even hostility?
Did we more powerfully realize the fact that . . .Jesus has died for us all, Jesus loves us all, Jesus claims us all, Jesus delights in us all; would not the effect of this persuasion be to check the progress of alienation and draw us closer to each other?
When the full power of the cross is felt in the hearts of believers—when all the constraining influence of the love of Christ is experienced—then will we be rooted and grounded in love.
"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue; but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:18
"Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith." 1 John 5:4
Instead of an anxiety to obtain . . .noble mansions, elegant furniture, handsome equipages, expensive entertainments, and all the other luxuries of taste and fashion; the followers of Jesus should be distinguished by an obvious simplicity of habit and living.
Many professors spend too much upon selfish luxuries. Followers of Jesus should shrink their luxuries, that they may enlarge their charities. Frugality of living,
should provide resources for liberality to those in need.
"Not everyone who says to me, ’Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ’Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ’I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’" Matthew 7:21-23
These are words solemn enough to fill the whole church with anxiety and alarm. How prevalent, according to this passage, is self-deception! MANY will say. How far it may be carried—even to the judgment tribunal! How unlikely are the subjects of it—professors, preachers, workers of miracles!
I tremble as I write! I tremble for multitudes all around!
Never, no never, were professors more in danger of self deception than in this age. If the standard of true religion is the New Testament, then a great proportion of the members of all our churches cannot be true Christians—but are merely