been, the certainty of that which should be. Their tribulation was turned into joy, their trembling into courage, their weakness into strength. Yes, the very things which, when first spoken unto them, they understood not, formed, in the end, the sole ground of support which upheld themselves, the sole substance of the glad tidings which they proclaimed to others. And even so do they continue unto us. By these and these alone, we believe that the ransom has been paid for man's transgression; by these, that the victory has been achieved for man's salvation. Having, therefore, this foundation of faith and hope broadly and deeply laid beneath our feet, let us walk patiently and stedfastly thereon; not halting nor wavering in our course, not making those things an occasion of falling which were ordained for our everlasting peace; but bringing into subjection every high thought, every vain imagination, that exalteth itself against God. These high thoughts, these vain imaginations are the enemies which would betray us against them let us watch and pray. They would tempt us to be wise beyond that which is written; let us be thankful for that which is written. They would excite the restless appetite, the rebellious will; let us seek after the "wisdom which cometh from above, which is first pure, and then peaceable 1." Let us turn away with trembling ear 1 James iii. 17. nestness from the indulgence of that spirit which our immortal poet has so justly assigned to the fallen sons of light, who Sat on a hill retir'd In thoughts more elevate, and reason'd high And yet, let me not be mistaken. Let me not be thought as wishing to check the progress of fair enquiry, to put any restraint upon the just prerogative of reason. The truth, as it is in Jesus, is propounded to us all: and rightly to divide, and impartially to receive, the word of that truth, is the obligation laid upon us all. As long, therefore, as man is bound to give a reason for the hope that is in him, so long is he bound not only to try, with searching accuracy, the grounds of that hope, but also, "leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ," to "go on unto perfection 2." Never, therefore, should we cease to enquire what the will of the Lord is. And yet, it is a needful caution, the more needful, perhaps, in these our days, from the restless spirit of religious excitement which is abroad, to conduct those enquiries with humility, with reverence, with prayer to the Great Father of light, that He would lead us into all 1 Milton's Paradise Lost, b. ii. 1. 555–561. 2 Heb. vi. 1. truth. For this cause, I have endeavoured to press upon your attention the considerations which have been suggested to me by our present subject; and, for this cause, I am anxious to support them yet further, by the authority of one of the most solemn and affecting records in the whole compass of Ecclesiastical History. The record to which I refer, is the answer which Luther made to one who had applied to him, in a spirit of inquisitive research, concerning the mysteries of the Divine will. Many,' saith he, have perished in the indulgence of such curious inquiries: it is a temptation which leads men even to blas-. phemy. I myself, by giving way to it, have, more than once, been reduced to the last extremity. We, poor mortals, by faith can scarcely comprehend a few rays of the Divine promise, or receive in practice a few sparks of the Divine precepts; and yet, feeble and impure as we are, we rashly attempt to fathom the majesty of God in all its brightness. Do we not know that His ways are past finding out? Instead of using well the mild light of the promises which is adapted to our faculties, we rush with eyes of moles, to view at once the majestic splendour of the Deity. What wonder then if His glory should overwhelm us in the attempt to investigate it? We ought to know that there is such a thing as the secret will of God, but the danger is when we attempt to comprehend it. I am wont to check myself with that answer of Christ to Peter, who had asked what was to become of John, What is that to thee? follow thou me.' But, suppose we could give an accurate account of the judgments of Almighty God in His secret determinations, what advantage would accrue to us from such knowledge, beyond what lies open to us from the promises and the precepts,—from the former addressed to our faith, from the latter addressed to our practice? Tell your friend, if he would have peace of mind, to abstain from such intricate speculations. The subject is incomprehensible, and the study of it may drive him to despair and blasphemy. Let him not give way to Satan, who would weary him out, by presenting impossibilities to his mind. Let him exercise faith in the promises, and obey the commandments; and when he has discharged these duties well, he will be able to judge whether he will have any time left for impossibilities. There is no other remedy than to neglect, and not to give way to such thoughts; though this is a difficult task, because Satan suggests the absolute necessity of attending to them. This battle, however, must be fought; and many persons fail in the contest, by not suspecting their thoughts to be the temptations of Satan; whereas these are the very fiery darts of that wicked one. He himself fell from heaven by aiming at a knowledge above his station. Thus, also, he vanquished Adam, by teaching him to be dissatisfied with his ignorance concerning the will of God. Flight is the true wisdom here; there is no room for Christ to dwell in the heart, as long as reasonings of this kind are uppermost '.' I know not what admonition can be more solemn or convincing than this which comes, in such a manner, from such a man. He, if any of the sons of men had been able to effect it, could have taken 'the gauge and dimensions' of God's counsels and man's philosophy. Yet has he left his undying testimony, to show the danger of attempting so impossible a task. God grant that this testimony may not have been made in vain, nor heard in vain, by ourselves this day! For what is our hope, either of present peace or future happiness, unless we shall lay aside the thoughts which are here spoken of as the instruments of most dangerous temptation to our souls, "and, as new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that we may grow thereby 2?" And what is this but, in other words, to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure?" The earliest nourishment which sustains the breath of our natural life, supplies the desire for more, and builds up, 1 by Com. de Luth. II. xliii. 3—5. quoted in Milner's Church History, vol. v. p. 516. 2 1 Pet. ii. 2. |