Gospel manna for Christian pilgrims: being brief comments on rich texts

Preface

The greater part of the chapters comprised in this volume were published nearly in their present form about ten years since in the Oberlin Evangelist, under the title of " Short Sermons." They are laid before the Christian public in their present form in the humble hope that they may promote the spirituality and consequent usefulness of all who hunger and thirst after righteousness. The subjects treated are somewhat miscellaneous, the sole object in their selection being to have them

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VI

PREFACE.

truly spiritual and practical. If scriptural holiness shall be hereby promoted, the writer's hopes will be met and his prayers answered.

HENRY COWLE& Oberlin, Jan., 1849.

CONTENTS,

Chapter I. Contrite Heart

M To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembleth at my word." — Isa. 66 : 2.

*HOis the speaker? "He that sitteth on the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers, — that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, or a tent to dwell in" — that makes the highest heavens his throne, the earth his foot-stool, and immensity his habitation; He it is who says, " To this man will I look, even

CONTRITE HEART.

to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and who trembleth at my word."

Mark now the character described. Reader, is it yours ? Is your heart smitten for your sin, yea, even with pungent grief and brokenness of spirit, because you have done wrong against God? Do your sins come up in dark and long array, not mainly to appal your soul with fear, but to pierce it with grief and cover it with shame, and sink it low before God in prostration? Do you long to hide yourself in the dust before God, oppressed with the unutterable baseness and cruel wrong of your sins? Do you wonder exceedingly how God can forgive such a skmer as yourself, and almost feel that you can never ask it, and scarcely accept it if granted? And does your soul refuse to be comforted, unless in some way God can be honored over you, and the wrong you have done Him can be repaired, and the dishonor you have cast on his law Can be wiped away? Then if such be your heart, the text speaks to you. It breathes unutterable mercy, amazing condescension. That God, whose eyes are a flame of fire upon the hardened sinner, looks with love on you. That voice w T hich broke in thunders from Sinai, whispers from Calvary to you: " Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be like wool ; " For " He pardons like a God."

Truly it is said of him, that " He has respect to the low^ly." Yes, though the universe is his care, and the winds and the waters are his servants ; though the nations are his kingdom, the angels his ministers, the heaven of heavens his throne, and all the stars his dwellingplace and heritage forever, yet his eye overlooks not you. Though there are purer ones around his spotless throne, and sweeter songs and nobler minds, yet not thereby does his interest abate for you. " To this man will I look." Yes, trembling penitent, God looks on thee. The glitter of thrones He heeds not — the

CONTRITE HEART.

pomp of the great, the swell of the proud " He knoweth afar off" — but his regards are upon thee, as if it were in his heart to love thee. Oh, He does love thee. — Amazing, that " the high and lofty One who inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, who dwelleth in the high and holy place, should also dwell with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit," — but so it is. God has said it, else who could believe it ?

And why said He these words of precious, yet most unmerited consolation ? " To revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the hearts of the contrite ones."

Now, therefore, let your soul be poured out like water before the Lord. Cast your crown at his feet, and yourself too. Adore and praise. Strike the harp with heaven's own song : — " Not unto us, O Lord," " Worthy art thou" of honor, glory, praise, all, all, forever and forever.

And now confide, believe, be a child, and trust your Father. Cherish his smiles. Be glad of those looks of love, and sweetly consecrate your being to such a God. Can you do less ? Can you withhold your heart, your wealth, your good name, or any, even the dearest things from Him whose look on a dying worm is heaven? O ransomed soul, withhold not, lest you abuse redeeming love, and He who died that you might live, and wept that you might sing, should weep again over your ungrateful, guilty, and periled, if not lost spirit, Think of the tears of Jesus — the "look" of God.

Chapter II. Mourning For Sin

J And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced ; and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born." — Zech. 12: 10.

OT all sorrow, nor even all sorrow for sin is " repentance unto salvation," and "sorrow after a godly sort." Esau was sad and " cried with a great and exceedingly bitter cry," yet not for his guilt, but for his loss. And Judas " repented himself." He even made restitution, and confessed his sin.

How, then shall we know real from spurious sorrow for sin — the holy from the selfish? The text' gives us two characteristics of gospel repentance, and its antecedent cause. They " mourn in bitterness," and they mourn from " looking on Him whom they have pierced." These are the characteristics ; and this sorrow is produced in consequence of God's " pouring out a spirit of grace and of supplication."

Reader, what is your mourning for sin? Too often is such mourning exceedingly and basely cheap. It costs little anguish — little rending of spirit. What is yours? Like the mourning for an only son? — with bitterness, as over one's first born? Has the sting of sorrow pierced your very soul, when goodness abused, and love slighted, has led you to repentance ? So it must be, and so it should be, for it is " an evil and a bitter thing " to have abused such love and broken such law.

Whence arises gospel penitence? — "They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and mourn for Him."

I knew a sinner under some conviction for sin. His soul was solemn. He retired to his chamber alone, that he might think of his sins, and see what must be done. He saw that he had broken God's perfect law. He felt sin upon his conscience. He saw^ the ceaseless kindness of God's providence, which he had requited only with abuse and rebellion. He saw the righteous doom of the wicked, and knew it might be and ought to be his own. But after all this, as yet there was terror, but no grief — anguish, but no broken relenting. At last there seemed to stand before him the cross of Jesus ; and the impression fastened upon his mind, I teas his murderer. It was not the Jews, nor the Romans, so much as it was my sin that pierced his side and nailed his hands ; and yet He looks on me with pity and meekness, as if He loved me, and would gladly pardon my cruel sins against Him. Here his heart broke. The blended view of a Savior's sufferings and love, and his own guilt in abusing sucK love, touched the deep springs of grief and relenting. It was sweet to weep, and sweet to sink before such a Savior.

Reader, is this your experience ? Something like this in kind you must have felt if the Spirit has ever reproved you for sin in not having believed on Christ, and if his goodness has ever " led you to repentance." If you have never seen this and felt it, go to your chamber — bring before you these facts — let them sink into your soul — look on Him whom you have pierced, and feel that it is you yourself — that your hands have virtually done the deed.

But does every man who thinks over these thoughts feel real penitence ? No. It is possible for the sinner to know all this and see it, and yet harden his heart against all right feeling. If he will, he can attempt to justify himself against God, and wrap himself up in the filthy rags of his own self-righteousness, and say with the murderers of Christ, and in the same 1* spirit; "If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets."— Matt. 23 : 30.

In fact it is only when a spirit of grace and of supplication is poured out, that the view of Christ crucified calls forth deep and sincere mourning for sin.

Reader, w r ould you open your heart to the work of that Spirit, and implore its holy presence, and its convicting, melting power ? Then ask God in his grace, to give you the spirit of prayer, and of broken relenting; come down low enough before God to ask help and to use it when graciously offered ; then in the spirit of grace and supplication you will look on Him whom you have pierced, and mourn with repentance urito salvation not to be repented of forever.

Chapter III. Forgiveness Of Six

" And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more."— Heb. 10: 17.

Vr\ UT can my sin be ever blotted from \ *a the memory of God ? Can God ^y forget, so as to cease to know the guilty deeds which I have done '? No — this cannot be ; and yet the language has meaning. Though God cannot forget, yet He can act as if He did. He can treat me as if I had never sinned, or as if he had utterly forgotten all my past sins, "and cast them behind his back," or " drowned them in the depths of the sea," or, in the expressive language of the Old Testament dispensation, covered them, by atonement and pardon, so that they are seen no more. Yes, God can welcome

24 FORGIVENESS OF SIN.

the pardoned sinner to the embrace and confidence and communion of his love, as if that soul were pure from sin as an angel's. And is not this a precious meaning?

I have wronged a kind, earthly father. The act involves both disobedience and ungrateful abuse of love. How can I bear to meet that father's eye ? Yet it does not frown. I could almost wish it did — it would be so just. The respect I have always felt for him, combined now with conscious unworthiness, seems to forbid my ever coming into his presence. Can he ever be to me a father again ? Yes, he knows a way. " My son, says he, I know you have done wrong — but I am more than happy to see you penitent and humble. You are welcome to my arms as if you had never done it. Say no more about that deed, and be assured I shall never speak of it, or even think of it again. You are my son, and all a father's love shall rest on you as fully as it ever did, or ever could."

FORGIVENESS OF SIN. 25

The reader will remember the inimitable story of the prodigal son, the beauty and glory of which lie in the part sustained by the father. Place before your mind that father. Think of the insult and wrong he had received from his son. An oriental father and especially a Jew. kept his sons around him on his ancient inheritance, from generation to generation. Foreign commerce was almost forbidden — emigration scarcely tolerated. The son who went abroad to other lands forsook the ordinances and worship of God, and turned his back upon the land of Jehovah's promises and footsteps.

Such w r as the guilt of this son. But he returns. " While yet a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him." He cannot hear through the confession which his son has prepared, but hastens " the best robe and the fatted calf," and all the tokens of free pardon, and warm-hearted rejoicing.

26 FORGIVENESS OF SIN.

And this is God — God to the returning penitent. This looks like the spirit of the text — " Their sins and their iniquities will 1 remember no more." O, what cannot God forgive ! This pardoning love — it is an ocean, shoreless, fathomless, exhaustless. Let our sins sink into it, to be remembered no more. And then, reader, shall we go on in sin again, and worse than ever? Does not your whole soul say within you, no- — never — Lord save me from ever sinning again — from thee do I seek deliverance, " even grace to help in every season of need?" If you have not felt this, then are you yet a stranger both to all the influences of pardon, and to pardon itself. If you have felt it, remember the words of your Lord — " go, and sin no more."

Chapter IV. Salvation From Sin

41 Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins." — Matt. 1 ; 21-

fcHE salvation of a sinner who is both condemned and depraved, manifestly includes two parts — deliverance from condemnation for his sin and deliverance from the sin itself; in other words, pardon and sanctification. Salvation must be utterly incomplete, if either of these elements be wanting. The sinner sanctified, but not pardoned, would be an object of pity if not of sympathy with the holy ones of heaven ; his heart being prepared for heaven's purity and songs, while his former sins, yet unpardoned, demand his suffering in hell forever. But

28 SALVATION FROM SIN.

this difficulty can never occur. No soul was ever yet sanctified without the conspiring influence of pardon. We are not very prone either to seek for, or to presuppose deliverance from sin, before deliverance from condemnation.

But reverse the order, and then many are eager to divorce these inseparable conditions and parts of man's salvation. They love the pardon. The deliverance from sin comes soon enough for their purpose, if they find it at the grave — a passport to heaven. They w r ould not be behind their brethren in celebrating the great work of Christ for sinners ; but still, their minds rest wholly on the pardon he procures, and not on his saving his people from their sins. Perhaps they have not read the text, or have entirely failed to understand it. It may not yet have entered their minds, that if Christ is a Savior at all, " he came to save his people from their sins," and that pardon is only a preparation for that ultimate

SALVATION PROM SIN. 29

end — a threshold only by which that building is entered, or a scaffolding to facilitate its erection.

This omission of one part of the Savior's work might be better endured, were not the part omitted most vital in itself, and even essential to salvation from hell. " Without holiness no man shall see the Lord." "If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Those, therefore, who rejoice in the hope of pardon, but yet live the slaves of sin, lose not only a part, and the chief part of the Savior's blessing, but they are sure to lose all. Uncleansedfrom sin, they never can take those harps of gold, or join that heavenly song " to Him who hath loved us, and washed us from our sin in his own blood."

And this is as it should be ; for what could they do, or enjoy, in heaven? If they have done nothing for Christ here, into what reward could they enter? To what "joy or crown of rejoicing" could

30 SALVATION FROM SIN.

they be admitted when they have fought their fight, and finished their course, and gathered up the fruits of their labors ?

In another view, this is as it should be ; for he who can consent to take the pardon and then abuse it with a life of sin, ought to go to hell. He who is not moved by pardon, and moved, too, sweetly and mightily to seek deliverance from sin, does not deserve to have pardon : he is not fit for heaven; he must "goto bis own place." The final adjustment will assign his place where the wailing spirits are.

But the Savior will do his blessed work. He will save his people from their sins — much in this world, (how much we can not and need not say,) but completely when earthly things shall pass away, and faith be changed to sight. I say much in this world, because the text plainly refers to his work as done here on earth. He came here to do it. He assumed the name here to signify the work he came

SALVATION FROM SIX. 31

here to do. He came to open the way for pardon by his death, and to create a mighty moral influence, which, in connection with his Spirit, shall sanctify his people. Happy those who receive Christ for what he is, and experience in themselves the salvation which he came to achieve.

Chapter V. Freenes3 And Fullness Of Gospel Provisions

" He that spared not his own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him, also freely give us all things ? — Rom. 8: 32.

V#* ET the child of God make out the if catalogue of his spiritual wants. ^y$ They cannot stretch beyond the " all things," of which the text speaks. He may therefore come to this vast storehouse of blessings and find an adequate supply.

Convicted by sin — condemned by God's law — and repelled from his throne — does he want pardon ? In Christ it is as free as the living waters. " There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus."

GOSPEL PROVISIONS. 33

Do past iniquities seem to forbid his ever coming like a child to God, and does he wish, almost against hope, that these sins might be covered, and access to a Father's heart be opened ? In Christ it is done. " His blood cleanseth from all sin." " Their iniquities will I remember no more." " Having boldness to enter into the the holiest by the blood of Jesus."

Is his soul fiercely assaulted by Satan — distracted with dark and blasphemous suggestions — despoiled of hope and peace, and filled with fear or even with despair ? In Christ is victory and peace. He is stronger than the strong man armed. He vanquished the prince of darkness, and " saw him fall as lightning from heaven." Reader, you " can do all things through Christ strengthening you." With his aid, " resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

Does Satan accuse you before God's throne day and night? Aware, as you must be, how much occasion he has to

34 FREENESS AND FULLNESS

accuse you, do you fear that he will prevail ! "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again, and even now is at the Father's right hand, making intercession for us."

Do you want an Intercessor there to plead your cause, to offer your prayers, and his own for you ? You have one — one whom " God always heareth," for it is his own Son — one " who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities,/ and who has himself fought with Satan, and with the flesh, for he " was tempted in all points as we are." " Seeing, then, that we have such a great High Priest, let us hold fast our profession."

Christian, do you want victory over the world, even every form of sin and temptation ? " This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" — faith in Jesus the Son of God."

Do you want an abiding interest in Jesus' love — a perpetual union of soul with Him — his everlasting smiles of

OP GOSPEL PROVISIONS. 35

peace and love upon you ? O, how sweet the consciousness of having it, but it is yours. " Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ?" " I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come; nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

And finally, do you want to be redeemed from all that is frail and mortal — from all that tempts successfully to sin — and have your vile body made like Christ's glorious body, and your spirit made forever pure ? In Christ it shall be done, " Whom He justified, them He also glorified." " Who shall change our vile body that it may be like Christ's glorious body." " The sting of death is sin ; but thanks be to God who giveth us the victory r through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Contemplate now the pledge of all these blessings. How resistless the argu-

36 FREENESS AND FULLNESS

merit ! " He that spared not his own Son, how shall He not with Him freely give us all things ?" Can God withhold any thing, when he has given his Son ? Having paid the ransom, will he leave us to perish in prison, slavery, or death ? Having made the stupendous sacrifice, will he lightly neglect to secure the great object for which the sacrifice was made ? Or, in another view, can He who so loved the world as to give his only Son, have so little love as to leave his redeemed ones in darkness, want, and peril ? Can He who loved us, when sinners, enough to give his Son, so cease to love us, when partially sanctified, as to withhold any aid needful for our living to his glory ? Can He who, with blood, redeemed us that we might be, and should be holy, forget his object or grudge the sacrifice requisite to secure it ? Impossible ! O, the valid security for spiritual blessings ! Can God withhold the needful grace? Never. He that spared not his own Son, will give us

OF GOSPEL PROVISIONS. 37

all things else that we need. Yes, and "freely" too ; with infinite freeness. Think how freely he gave his Son. Who asked for that unspeakable gift? At whose entreaties and strong supplications was it given ? O ! it came forth " freely," from the bosom of ineffable love! Just so freely — though not always unasked — but so freely, does God always give. Ye that doubt and fear, and shrink away, believe it — so freely does God give all things that you really need. What shall we say, then, to these things ? " If God be for us, what on earth or in hell, can be against us ?" " Thanks be to God w T ho gave Christ — who gives victory — who, in Christ, and through Him, " freely gives as all things."

Chapter VI

" Thus saith the Lord God. I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them."—Ezek. 36 : 37.

[HEN God will have his people ask before they receive. Though he has promised f and the promise is most sure, yet the blessing comes not unsought.

In regard to his people, God says, " I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean ; from all your filthiness P and from all your idols, I will cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you. I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes ;" (v, 25-27) and finally closes by saying, " I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them." Prayer, then, is the condition of the Christian's spiritual blessings. God will have him pray for the good before it is given.

And why ?

1. For the good of his people. It were not well for them to live afar from God. It would be a most sad arrangement which should furnish them with their daily bread, without their coming to their Father's table to ask and receive it. I love to have my children gather round my table, and ask their father for their daily bread. It does me good, and them too. I have the happiness of giving, and they of receiving. The scene cherishes the sweetest affections. It is one of the brightest and most precious in the circle of domestic enjoyments.

So around our heavenly Father's table. I am glad that we may gather round it often — as often as we please, and look up towards that heaven-beaming face, and catch the smiles of that unearthly love, and ask for the bread of life — strength for holy living — pardon for sins past — victory over temptation to come. As God is happy in this — so am I. It is inexpressibly sweet to come believing, confiding, loving, and receiving.

There is, then, reason enough why God should say — " I will be inquired of." Yes — let the blessing come only with, and never without prayer. Let me first feel my dependence. Let me be made deeply sensible that this good comes from my Father. It is then more than twice blessed. I could not prize it, if I did not know that it came from Him. But w 7 hen on my knees, in the dust, I have sought it through Christ, and then it comes with a Father's smiles, it is full of Heaven. It is a Father's blessing.

2. There is another reason why God insists on prayer, namely, That he may honor his Son. Look into that upper sanctuary. There Jesus stands, forever making intercession for us. There blessings are sought and given each hour, and every blessing given, reflects honor on the Son of God, because it is given through his name, and for his sake. God loves to show his Son this honor. He will have it known through all heaven, and through the universe, that He gives mercy to the guilty only for the sake of his Son. Thus He will manifest his regard for Christ, and for his injured law. And thus Christ " sees of the travail of his soul, and is satisfied." Here is part of the "joy set before him, for which he endured the cross, despising the shame." And we are glad to have it so. We are happy that Christ should now have his reward for all his pains. Once he bore the hidings of his Father's face — now let him enjoy the infinite and everlasting approval of the Father, renewed, reiterated afresh in every instance, in which, for Christ's sake, the Father answers a believing prayer.

In this, too, the Father is both pleased and honored. " Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."

And now will God give me blessings, unsought by prayer, and thereby dishonor his Son, and dishonor himself; and try to make me happy far away from his own table, and from his smiling face, and happy, too, without rejoicing in the glory of my Savior? God could not make me happy thus, if he were to try. He might lavish on me all earthly good, or raise me in heaven to the rank in glory from which Satan fell, yet there if I saw not his face — received not the favor from his hands — and selfishly rejoiced in my own good, but not in his glory, I should be only wTetched.

What wisdom, then, as well as love dictated the everlasting and blessed condition — " I will yet for all this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them." Why should I ever wish for good, unsought, unblessed ?

Chapter VII. Seeking God

*' When thou saidst, Seek ye my face, my heart said unto thee, Thy face Lord will I seek." — Ps. 27; 8.

f HAT is coming to God ? To many it seems all mystery.

But the Psalmist makes it plain. Here we have the very thing in the simplest language possible. We see the very act itself. It is the response of the soul, to the voice of God. For God speaks. His voice is heard, and the heart leaps up at the sound. Yes, God from on high looks down on the benighted, hopeless, wayward wanderer, and says, " Seek ye my face." That voice breaks on the silence of my despair, like sunlight on the