CHARACTER OF MORE IMPORTANCE THAN A CASSOCK.
The Rev. Rowland Hill was once asked to occupy the pulpit of a person, whose character was not altogether immaculate, and who worried him with apologies because he could not offer him a cassock. “Sir,” said Mr. Hill, who could not disguise his sentiments, “I can preach without my cassock, but not without my character—character is of immense importance, sir, to a preacher of God’s holy Gospel.”
FEARS.
In the hands of a skilful husbandman even weeds are turned to good account. When rooted up and burnt, they are good manure, and conduce to fertilize the land they annoyed before. So the doubts and fears, and the infirmities of the elect, are overruled by almighty grace, to their present and eternal good; as conducing to keep us humble at God’s footstool, to endear the merits of Jesus, and to make us feel our weakness and dependence, and to render us watchful unto prayer.—Toplady.
GOD’S WORD.
The Christian needs the high truths, the deep mysteries, the strong consolations set forth in God’s Word. The door of the gospel stands wide open. But it is in order that we may enter. Having entered we behold the beauty and perfection of the house. We rejoice in the safety of the foundation, in the grandeur and symmetry of the structure, in the abundance and preciousness of the treasure it contains. Only within the house can we see the beauty of the Lord. “The love of Jesus, what it is, None but His loved ones know.”—Adolph Saphir.
WHOM HE JUSTIFIED.
Between our call and the glory there is a long path, and on that long journey there are many failures and falls, wounds and bruises, tears and fears. We need instruction, warning, exhortation, rebuke; but we also need comfort, the assurance of our absolute safety in the eternal love of God; we need to see the unclouded sky, and to feel that the everlasting arms are beneath us. In this view of “God for us” the whole path of sanctification is not seen, only the bright end appears. “Whom He justified, them He glorified.”—Adolph Saphir.
Searmon
leis an Urr. Seumas MacLeod, Grianaig.