April 29

"Thankless for favors from on high,

Man thinks he fades too soon;

Though 't is his privilege to die,

Would he improve the boon.

But he, not wise enough to scan

His best concerns aright,

Would gladly stretch life's little span

To ages, if he might -

To ages in a world of pain—

To ages, where he goes,

Called by affliction's heavy chain,

And hopeless of repose.

Strange fondness of the human heart,

Enamoured of its harm!

Strange world, that costs it so much smart.

And yet has power to charm!"

We do not wonder indeed that this should be so much the case with "men of the world." They have "their portion in this life," and no hope of a better. Bad as it is, they know that it is the best world they will ever be in, and that, whatever be its troubles, to them they are only the beginnings of sorrow. But it is otherwise with Christians. They are here like Israel in Egypt, and death is their departure for the land of promise. They are here like strangers in an inhospitable country, and travellers at a cheerless inn, and death is their departing to their delightful home.

Was his death "a going to the Father?" So is theirs; that is, going to heaven; for the Father is there, and in his presence there is fulness of joy, and at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore. He went to the Father to carry on their cause, and to possess his own reward. But he had been there before. Hence he said, "I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world; again, I leave the world, and go unto the Father." Hence he speaks of heaven without wonder. He had been at court; he had resided there, and had only left it for a season. His return, with all the glories that should follow, was the joy set before him, for which he endured the cross. And as love delights in the welfare of its object, he expected that his disciples would rejoice when he said, "I go unto the Father; for the Father is greater than I." But they were never there before; all will be new and surprising to them. Yet they also will have their work, and will be still praising him. They also will drink of the rivers of his pleasure. They will have immediate and uninterrupted access to his Father and our Father, to his God and our God. And with Him is the fountain of life.

"And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him." Luke 22:43.

Thus, though the cup was not taken from him, he was heard in that he feared, according to the promise: "I have heard thee in a time accepted; and in the day of salvation have I succored thee." We may be heard, when we are not delivered. We may be succored in distress, when we are not saved from it. And if the burden be not diminished, yet, if our ability to endure it be increased, the effect is the same. Paul was a proof of this. When he besought the Lord thrice that the thorn in the flesh might depart from him, the Saviour said, "My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness." And says David, "In the day that I cried, thou answeredst me; and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul."

Here we see the humiliation of the Saviour. He who was rich, for our sakes became poor. He was in the form of God, but took upon him the form of a servant. He was Lord of all, but had not where to lay his head, and was relieved by the creatures of his power: "Certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, and Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, ministered unto him of their substance." He was the Lord of angels; but he was made a little lower than they, yea, he received assistance from them. "There appeared unto him an angel from heaven, strengthening him."

What a contrast is here! His apostles, who had been so much honored by him, forsook him. Even Peter, James, and John, who had been admitted to the transfiguration, and now were selected to be with him in the garden, slumbered and slept. And though, when he came to them, and found them in this condition, he pitied them, and said, The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak; yet he felt it, deeply felt it, and said, "What, could ye not watch with me one hour?" But if earth disowns him, heaven does not. If men abandon him, angels cry with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb! "He was seen of angels." One of them announced his approaching conception; another proclaimed his birth; a multitude of them carrolled his advent. In his temptation in the wilderness, "behold, angels came and ministered unto him." An angel rolled away the stone from the door of the sepulchre, and said to the women, "Fear not ye; for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here." "Come, see the place where the Lord lay." And here an angel appeared unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

He could have asked the Father, and he would have given him twelve legions of angels, and rescued him—what are we saying? One of these would have been sufficient; the least of them could have looked all his adversaries into nothing. But how then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? And how could he have put away sin by the sacrifice of himself? Or how could he have sympathized with us if he had never suffered? The angel therefore only strengthened him, reminding him of the joy that was set before him; telling him of the result of his passion—the effect of it in the glory of God, and the salvation of the world; spreading before him the promises, perhaps reading to him the prophecy of Isaiah: "When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied." Raising him up from the cold ground; supporting his fainting head; wiping away the bloody sweat from his dear face, so that he appeared fresh and fair and glorious in his visage, and made those who came to apprehend him go backward, and fall to the earth, when he only presented himself, and said, "I am he."

In all things he has the preeminence; and how willing are his people to acknowledge it. But while he is the first-born among many brethren, all of them are predestinated to be conformed to him. Angels, therefore, who attended him, attend them also. "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister unto them that are the heirs of salvation?" Their attendance is no less real than formerly, though it is no longer visible, according to the principle of the economy under which we live, and which is, to walk by faith, and not by sight. They delight to do the will of their Lord and ours. These blessed beings have no envy, no pride. They are enemies to his enemies, but they are friends to his friends. They rejoice when a sinner repenteth, and carry the dying saint into Abraham's bosom.