April 5
The Necessity Avowed
The Christian's Daily Treasury"For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."—Acts 4:20.
RELIGION inspires its possessor with true fortitude; we have an instance of this in the case of Peter and John before us, whose boldness excited the astonishment of the Jewish counsel. Note,
THE NECESSITY THEY AVOWED. It was as if they had said, If we hold our peace, where will be our love to our Divine Master, and our obedience to his commands? how will sinners know his grace? Satan will triumph, God will be left without a witness, and the very stones will cry out. And what have we seen and heard? Necessity is laid on us: duty requires, and our profession demands, that we remain not silent. There are many powerful motives that should induce us to this.
The great importance of the things themselves. What is Christianity? It is not a fable or a fiction; it is not a pleasing tale, intended to interest the mind and divert the fancy; it is not a cold system in philosophy, concerning which it is a matter of indifference whether we are acquainted with it or not. It is identified with the interests of the soul for immortality; it is our only hope, our only source of joy; it is life eternal. Can we be silent on such topics as these?
The goodness of God in revealing them to us. The criminal who receives forgiveness, cannot but speak of the royal bounty; the man who is rescued from some imminent danger, by the timely interposition of a stranger, cannot but celebrate his kindness. This, however, gives us but a faint view of the obligations of the Christian, who has been raised from the depth of degradation, and elevated to the pinnacle of Divine honors.
The benefit we may confer on others by disclosing them. Every Christian should be a preacher, by a verbal, practical, and passive testimony to the truth. If we feel aright, and are constrained by the love of Christ, we cannot remain silent on the glorious things of God while surrounded by multitudes, to whom, by our seasonable exertions, we might be useful in plucking them as brands from the fire.