"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as
a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish
things." 1 Cor. xiii. 11.
WHEN our Lord was going to leave the world and return to His Father, He
called His disciples orphans; children, as it were, whom He had
been rearing, who were still unable to direct themselves, and who were
soon to lose their Protector; but He said, "I will not leave you comfortless
orphans, I will come to you;" [John xiv. 18.] meaning to say, He would
come again to them in the power of His Holy Spirit, who should be their
present all-sufficient Guide, though He Himself was away. And we know,
from the sacred history, that when the Holy Spirit came, they ceased to
be the defenceless children they had been before. He breathed into them
a divine life, and gifted them with spiritual manhood, or perfection,
as it is called in Scripture. From that time forth, they put away childish
things: they spake, they understood, they thought, as those who had been
taught to govern themselves; and who, having "an unction from the Holy
One, knew all things."
That such a change was wrought in the Apostles, according to Christ's
promise, is evident from comparing their conduct before the day
of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended on them, and after.
I need not enlarge on their wonderful firmness and zeal in their Master's
cause afterwards. On the other hand, it is plain from the Gospels, that
before the Holy Ghost came down, that is, while Christ was still with them,
they were as helpless and ignorant as children; had no clear notion what
they ought to seek after, and how; and were carried astray by their accidental
feelings and their long-cherished prejudices.—What was it but to act the
child, to ask how many times a fellow-Christian should offend against us,
and we forgive him, as St. Peter did? or to ask to see the Father, with
St. Philip? or to propose to build tabernacles on the mount, as if they
were not to return to the troubles of the world? or to dispute who should
be the greatest? [Matt. xvii. 4; xviii. 1; xx. 20. John xiv. 8.] or to
look for Christ's restoring at that time the temporal kingdom to Israel?
[Acts i. 6.] Natural as such views were in the case of half-instructed
Jews, they were evidently unworthy of those whom Christ had made His, that
He might "present them perfect" before the throne of God.
Yet the first disciples of Christ at least put off their vanities once
for all, when the Spirit came upon them; but as to ourselves, the Spirit
has long since been poured upon us, even from our earliest years; yet it
is a serious question, whether multitudes of us, even of those among us
who make a profession of religion, are even so far advanced in a knowledge
of the Truth as the Apostles were before the day of Pentecost. It may be
a profitable employment today to consider this question, as suggested by
the text,—to inquire how far we have proceeded in putting off such childish
things as are inconsistent with a manly, honest profession of the Gospel.
Now, observe, I am not inquiring whether we are plainly living in sin,
in wilful disobedience; nor even whether we are yielding through thoughtlessness
to sinful practices and habits. The condition of those who act against
their conscience, or who act without conscience, that is, lightly and carelessly,
is far indeed from bearing any resemblance to that of the Apostles in the
years of their early discipleship. I am supposing you, my brethren, to
be on the whole followers of Christ, to profess to obey Him; and I address
you as those who seem to themselves to have a fair hope of salvation. I
am directing your attention, not to your sins, not to those faults and
failings which you know to be such, and are trying to conquer, as being
confessedly evil in themselves, but to such of your views, wishes, and
tastes, as resemble those which the Apostles cherished, true believers
though they were, before they attained their manhood in the Gospel: and
I ask, how far you have dismissed these from your minds as vain and trifling;
that is, how far you have made what St. Paul in the text seems to consider
the first step in the true spiritual course of a Christian, on whom the
Holy Ghost has descended.
1. For example, Let us consider our love of the pleasures of life. I
am willing to allow there is an innocent love of the world, innocent in
itself. God made the world, and has sanctioned the general form of human
society, and has given us abundant pleasures in it; I do not say lasting
pleasures, but still, while they are present, really pleasures. It is natural
that the young should look with hope to the prospect before them. They
cannot help forming schemes what they will do when they come into active
life, or what they would wish to be, had they their choice. They indulge
themselves in fancyings about the future, which they know at the time cannot
come true. At other times they confine themselves to what is possible;
and then their hearts burn, while they dream of quiet happiness, domestic
comfort, independence. Or, with bolder views, they push forward their fortunes
into public life, and indulge ambitious hopes. They fancy themselves rising
in the world, distinguished, courted, admired; securing influence over
others, and rewarded with high station. James and John had such a dream
when they besought Christ that they might sit at His side in the most honourable
places in His kingdom.
Now such dreams can hardly be called sinful in themselves, and without
reference to the particular case; for the gifts of wealth, power, and influence,
and much more of domestic comfort, come from God, and may be religiously
improved. But, though not directly censurable, they are childish;
childish either in themselves, or at least when cherished and indulged;
childish in a Christian, who has infinitely higher views to engross his
mind; and, as being childish, excusable only in the young. They are
an offence when retained as life goes on; but in the young we may regard
them after the pattern of our Saviour's judgment upon the young man who
was rich and noble. He is said to have "loved him;" pitying (that is) and
not harshly denouncing the anticipations which he had formed of happiness
from wealth and power, yet withal not concealing from him the sacrifice
of all these which he must make, "if he would be perfect," that is, a man,
and not a mere child in the Gospel.
2. But there are other childish views and habits besides, which must
be put off while we take on ourselves the full profession of a Christian;
and these, not so free from intrinsic guilt as those which have been already
noticed;—such as the love of display, greediness of the world's praise,
and the love of the comforts and luxuries of life. These, though wrong
tempers of mind, still I do not now call by their hardest names, because
I would lead persons, if I could, rather to turn away from them as unworthy
a Christian, with a sort of contempt, outgrowing them as they grow in grace,
and laying them aside as a matter of course, while they are gradually learning
to "set their affections on things above, not on things of the earth."
Children have evil tempers and idle ways which we do not deign to speak
seriously of. Not that we, in any degree, approve them or endure them on
their own account; nay, we punish some of them; but we bear them in
children, and look for their disappearing as the mind becomes more mature.
And so in religious matters there are many habits and views, which we bear
with in the unformed Christian, but which we account disgraceful and contemptible
should they survive that time when a man's character may be supposed to
be settled. Love of display is one of these; whether we are vain of our
abilities, or our acquirements, or our wealth, or our personal appearance;
whether we discover our weakness in talking much, or in love of managing,
or again in love of dress. Vanity, indeed, and conceit are always disagreeable,
for the reason that they interfere with the comfort of other persons, and
vex them; but I am here observing, that they are in themselves odious,
when discerned in those who enjoy the full privileges of the Church, and
are by profession men in Christ Jesus, odious from their inconsistency
with Christian faith and earnestness.
And so with respect to the love of worldly comforts and luxuries (which,
unhappily, often grows upon us rather than disappears, as we get old),
whether or not it be natural in youth, at least, it is (if I may so say)
shocking in those who profess to be "perfect," if we would estimate
things aright; and this from its great incongruity with the spirit of the
Gospel. Is it not something beyond measure strange and monstrous (if we
could train our hearts to possess a right judgment in all things), to profess
that our treasure is not here, but in heaven with Him who is ascended thither,
and to own that we have a cross to bear after Him, who first suffered before
He triumphed; and yet to set ourselves deliberately to study our
own comfort as some great and sufficient end, to go much out of our way
to promote it, to sacrifice any thing considerable to guard it, and to
be downcast at the prospect of the loss of it? Is it possible for a true
son of the Church militant, while "the ark, and Israel, and Judah abide
in tents," and the servants of his Lord are encamped in the open field,"
to "eat and drink" securely, to wrap himself in the furniture of wealth,
to feed his eyes with the "pride of life," and complete for himself the
measure of this world's elegancies?
Again, all timidity, irresolution, fear of ridicule, weakness of purpose,
such as the Apostles showed when they deserted Christ, and Peter especially
when he denied Him, are to be numbered among the tempers of mind which
are childish as well as sinful; which we must learn to despise,—to be ashamed
at ourselves if we are influenced by them, and, instead of thinking the
conquest of them a great thing, to account it as one of the very first
steps towards being but an ordinary true believer; just as the Apostles,
in spite of their former discipleship, only commenced (surely) their Christian
course at the day of Pentecost, and then took to themselves a good measure
of faith, boldness, zeal, and self-mastery, not as some great proficiency
and as a boast, but as the very condition of their being Christians at
all, as the elements of spiritual life, as a mere outfitting, and a small
attainment indeed in that extended course of sanctification through which
the Blessed Spirit is willing to lead every Christian.
Now in this last remark I have given a chief reason for dwelling on
the subject before us. It is very common for Christians to make much of
what are but petty services; first to place the very substance of religious
obedience in a few meagre observances, or particular moral precepts which
are easily complied with, and which they think fit to call giving up the
world; and then to make a great vaunting about their having done what,
in truth, every one who is not a mere child in Christ ought to be able
to do, to congratulate themselves upon their success, ostentatiously to
return thanks for it, to condemn others who do not happen to move exactly
along the very same line of minute practices in detail which they have
adopted, and in consequence to forget that, after all, by such poor obedience,
right though it be, still they have not approached even to a distant view
of that point in their Christian course, at which they may consider themselves,
in St. Paul's words, to have "attained" a sure hope of salvation; just
as little children, when they first have strength to move their limbs,
triumph in every exertion of their newly-acquired power, as in some great
victory. To put off idle hopes of earthly good, to be sick of flattery
and the world's praise, to see the emptiness of temporal greatness, and
to be watchful against self-indulgence,—these are but the beginnings of
religion; these are but the preparation of heart, which religious earnestness
implies; without a good share of them, how can a Christian move a step?
How could Abraham, when called of God, have even set out from his native
place, unless he had left off to think much of this world, and cared not
for its ridicule? Surely these attainments are but our first manly robe,
showing that childhood is gone; and, if we feel the love and fear of the
world still active within our hearts, deeply must we be humbled, yes, and
alarmed; and humbled even though but the traces remain of former weaknesses.
But even if otherwise, what thank have we? See what the Apostles were,
by way of contrast, and then you will see what is the true life of the
Spirit, the substance and full fruit of holiness. To love our brethren
with a resolution which no obstacles can overcome, so as almost to consent
to an anathema on ourselves, if so be we may save those who hate us,—to
labour in God's cause against hope, and in the midst of sufferings,—to
read the events of life, as they occur, by the interpretation which Scripture
gives them, and that, not as if the language were strange to us, but to
do it promptly,—to perform all our relative daily duties most watchfully,—to
check every evil thought, and bring the whole mind into captivity to the
law of Christ,—to be patient, cheerful, forgiving, meek, honest, and true,—to
persevere in this good work till death, making fresh and fresh advances
towards perfection—and after all, even to the end, to confess ourselves
unprofitable servants, nay, to feel ourselves corrupt and sinful creatures,
who (with all our proficiency) would still be lost unless God bestowed
on us His mercy in Christ;—these are some of the difficult realities of
religious obedience, which we must pursue, and which the Apostles in high
measure attained, and which we may well bless God's holy name, if He enables
us to make our own.
Let us then take it for granted, as a truth which cannot be gainsaid,
that to break with the world, and make religion our first concern, is only
to cease to be children; and, again, that in consequence, those Christians
who have come to mature years, and yet do not even so much as this, are
"in the presence of the Angels of God" an odious and unnatural spectacle,
a mockery of Christianity. I do not say what such men are in God's sight,
and what are their prospects for the next world, for that is a fearful
thought,—and we ought to be influenced by motives far higher than that
mere slavish dread of future punishment to which such a consideration would
lead us.
But here some one may ask, whether I am not speaking severely in urging
so many sacrifices at the beginning of true Christian obedience. In conclusion,
then, I observe, in the first place, that I have not said a word against
the moderate and thankful enjoyment of this life's goods, when they
actually come in our way; but against the wishing earnestly for them, seeking
them, and preferring them to God's righteousness, which is commonly done.
Further, I am not excluding from the company of Christians all who cannot
at once make up their minds thus vigorously to reject the world, when its
goods are dangerous, inexpedient, or unsuitable; but excluding them from
the company of mature, manly Christians. Doubtless our Lord deals gently
with us. He has put His two Sacraments apart from each other. Baptism first
admits us to His favour; His Holy Supper brings us among His perfect ones.
He has put from fourteen to twenty years between them, in the ordinary
course of things, that we may have time to count the cost, and make our
decision calmly. Only there must be no standing still,—there cannot be;
time goes slowly, yet surely, from birth to the age of manhood, and in
like manner, our minds, though slowly formed to love Christ, must still
be forming. It is when men are mature in years, and yet are "children in
understanding," then they are intolerable, because they have exceeded their
season, and are out of place. Then it is that ambitious thoughts, trifling
pursuits and amusements, passionate wishes and keen hopes, and the love
of display, are directly sinful, because they are by that time deliberate
sins. While they were children, "they spake as children, understood, thought
as children;" but when they became men, "it was high time to awake out
of sleep;" and "put away childish things." And if they have continued children
instead of "having their senses exercised to discriminate between the excellent
and the base," alas! what deep repentance must be theirs, before they can
know what true peace is!—what self-reproach and sharp self-discipline,
before their eyes can be opened to see effectually those truths which are
"spiritually discerned!"
So much on the case of those who neglect to grow betimes into the hope
of their calling. As to the young themselves, it is plain that nothing
I have said can give encouragement to them to acquiesce in their present
incomplete devotion of themselves to God, because it will be as much as
they can do, even with their best efforts, to make their growth of wisdom
and of stature keep pace with each other. And if there be any one who,
as thinking the enjoyments of youth must soon be relinquished, deliberately
resolves to make the most of them before the duties of manhood come upon
him, such an one, in doing so, is rendering it impossible for him to give
them up, when he is called to do so. As for those who allow themselves
in what, even in youth, is clearly sinful,—the deliberate neglect of prayer,
profaneness, riotous living, or other immorality,—the case of such persons
has not even entered into my mind, when I spoke of youthful thoughtlessness.
They, of course, have no "inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God."
But if there be those among us, and such there well may be, who, like
the young ruler, "worshipping Christ," and "loved" by Him, and obeying
His commandments from their youth up, yet cannot but be "sorrowful" at
the thought of giving up their pleasant visions, their childish idolatries,
and their bright hopes of earthly happiness, such I bid be of good cheer,
and take courage. What is it your Saviour requires of you, more than will
also be exacted from you by that hard and evil master, who desires your
ruin? Christ bids you give up the world; but will not, at any rate, the
world soon give up you? Can you keep it, by being its slave? Will not he,
whose creature of temptation it is, the prince of the world, take it from
you, whatever he at present promises? What does your Lord require of you,
but to look at all things as they really are, to account them merely as
His instruments, and to believe that good is good because He wills it,
that He can bless as easily by hard stone as by bread, in the desert as
in the fruitful field, if we have faith in him who gives us the true bread
from heaven? Daniel and his friends were princes of the royal house of
David; they were "children well-favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, cunning
in knowledge, and understanding science;" [Dan. i. 4.] yet they had faith
to refuse even the literal meat and drink given them, because it was an
idol's sacrifice, and God sustained them without it. For ten days of trial
they lived on pulse and water; yet "at the end," says the sacred record,
"their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children
which did eat the portion of the king's meat." Doubt not, then, His power
to bring you through any difficulties, who gives you the command to encounter
them. He has showed you the way; He gave up the home of His mother Mary
to "be about His Father's business," and now He but bids you take up after
Him the cross which He bore for you, and "fill up what is wanting of His
afflictions in your flesh." Be not afraid,—it is but a pang now and then,
and a struggle; a covenant with your eyes, and a fasting in the wilderness,
some calm habitual watchfulness, and the hearty effort to obey, and all
will be well. Be not afraid. He is most gracious, and will bring you on
by little and little. He does not show you whither He is leading you; you
might be frightened did you see the whole prospect at once. Sufficient
for the day is its own evil. Follow His plan; look not on anxiously; look
down at your present footing "lest it be turned out of the way," but speculate
not about the future. I can well believe that you have hopes now, which
you cannot give up, and even which support you in your present course.
Be it so; whether they will be fulfilled, or not, is in His hand. He may
be pleased to grant the desires of your heart; if so, thank Him for His
mercy; only be sure, that all will be for your highest good, and "as thy
days, so shall thy strength be. There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun,
who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in His excellency on the sky.
The Eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms."
[Deut. xxxiii. 25-27.] He knows no variableness, neither shadow of turning;
and when we outgrow our childhood, we but approach, however feebly, to
His likeness, who has no youth nor age, who has no passions, no hopes,
nor fears, but who loves truth, purity, and mercy, and who is supremely
blessed, because He is supremely holy.
Lastly, while we thus think of Him, let us not forget to be up and doing.
Let us beware of indulging a mere barren faith and love, which dreams instead
of working, and is fastidious when it should be hardy. This is only spiritual
childhood in another form; for the Holy Ghost is the Author of active good
works, and leads us to the observance of all lowly deeds of ordinary obedience
as the most pleasing sacrifice to God.
END OF VOLUME I.
