“TO HIM THAT WORKETH NOT BUT BELIEVETH.”
The great Redeemer takes away our guilt by finishing transgression and making an end of sin; but when He takes away our burden He makes no account of our goodness. He bids us stand far aside and see the salvation of God for us.
This crucifies to death our inborn pride and restlessness; we have marred the divine work, and are eager to repair it, to take some part in working out our own recovery by making good again that which we have made evil. But the gift of Christ is to him that “worketh not but believeth,” trusting and resting on Him alone for salvation.—Moody Stuart.
THE PSALMS.
“We find in them all the life of religion—the desire and enjoyment of God himself (without which there is no religion); and this necessarily implies immortal life. And all this the Psalmist (see Ps. cxix.) found in the Law. This affords us a key to discover what there is in the Mosaic Scriptures—whether we can see it or not.” And again: “The Psalms are the response of the congregation to the voice of Jehovah . . . Israel not only listening to, but speaking again to Jehovah, of such themes as these: His claim as Lord of all, His sovereignty in Israel, the blessedness of Jehovah’s man, . . . and connected with these groundstones we have notes of every expression of pious feeling. So no manual of psalmody gives force so fully, in all their diversity, to the subjectivity of the pious Christian mind. There are outbursts of Divine seraphic love; there are moanings of distress, the deep groans of penitents; there we trace a wonderful susceptibility of what they beautifully call ‘the light of Jehovah’s face.’ Now they wail when it is hid, rejoice when He causes it to shine on them; now they improve it, and now they give thanks for it.”—”Rabbi” Duncan.
GROUNDLESS FEARS.
Behold how independent of outward circumstances the Holy Ghost can make the Christian! Are you looking forward to poverty? Fear not; the divine Spirit can give you, in your want, a greater plenty than the rich have in their abundance. Do you expect to suffer long nights of languishing and days of pain? O be not sad! That bed may become a throne to you. You little know how every pang that shoots through your body may be a refining fire to consume your dross—a beam
of glory to light up the secret parts of your soul.—
Charles Spurgeon.
A PROMISE TO SEEKERS.
This promise is not to the children of the kingdom only, but to all who have begun to seek it; you need not wait till you have found it, for there is the promise that God will take care of the other things for you, that you shall lack nothing that you need. Therefore these words of the Lord Jesus belong to every one who is seeking to take them. And what is this kingdom? It is “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.” In seeking you shall find it; you shall be brought into the very heart of the kingdom, into the palace of the King; and God Himself will keep you as His own in Christ Jesus.—Moody Stuart.
God was manifest in the flesh, and the angels descended and sang when they saw the heavens opened, and their Lord, whom from their creation they had worshipped with lowliest reverence, coming down as an infant and laid in a manger. They were not grieved to see the most high God so humble Himself; they knew it was in infinite grace, and in their exultation joy they came down to the earth to sing a new song of praise to the God of Heaven. Heaven and earth were now reconciled and united; they were one in the God of Heaven become man.—Moody Stuart.
IMMANUEL’S LOVE TO MANSOUL.
Remember, therefore, O my Mansoul, that thou art beloved of me; as I have therefore taught thee to watch, to fight, to pray, and to make war against my foes, so now I command thee to believe that my love is constant to thee. O my Mansoul, how have I set my heart, my love upon thee! Watch! Behold, I lay no other burden upon thee than what thou hast already. Hold fast till I come!”—John Bunyan’s Holy War.
THE LORD IS MY HELPER.
You, believers in Christ, who are entered on a fresh period of time, the present year, must expect to be tried and assailed with afflictions, trials, temptations, and enemies, variously, which
will serve to exercise your faith. Yet, as far as you have in faith given up your persons, concerns and all, into the Lord’s hands, and are enabled to mix faith with the Lord’s word and promise, so far you are absolutely safe, come what will, and may sing your cares and fears away, saying, each of you to himself—“The Lord is my helper I will not fear.”—Robert Hawker.
Searmon.
le C. H. SPURGEON.
(Continued from page 472.)
“Mar sin thug Daibhidh buaidh air an Philisteach le crann-tàbhail agus le cloich; agus bhuaile am Philisteach, agus mharbh se e; ach cha robh claidheamh ann an laimh Dhaibhidh” (I. Sam. xvii. 50).
Fhaic mar tha an ni so a’ dol air aghaidh. Tha ‘n Tighearna air a chuir le Athair a dh’ ionnsuidh a bhràithrean mar a bha Daibhidh air a chuir le Iesea dh’ ionnsuidh a bhràithrean, le tiodhlacan feumail agus briathran comhfhurtail chum a bhi an comh-chomunn riutha, mar sin ann an iomlanachd na h-aimsir bha ar Tighearna air a chuir a dh’ ionnsuidh a bhràithrean. Dh’ fhuirich e re tamuill mar gu’m b’ eadh a’ falach ann an tigh an ti bha na mheas dha mar athair, ach an déidh sin thàinig e mach ach bha e air aithnicheadh mar an Tì bha air a chuir le Dia, a’ giùlan tiodhlacan do-àireamh ‘na làimh, a’ tighinn air teachdaireachd trocair agus gràdh o Dhia, a dh’ ionnsuidh an dream nach bu nàr leis an gairm nam bràithrean. Leughaidh sinn mar a chaidh deilgeadh le Dhaibhidh. Cha do ghabh a bhràithrean ris gu gràdhach. ‘S ann a ghabh iad ri choibhneas ann an rathad feargach neo-thaingeil agus chuir iad eucoir as a l th. Dé cho fior ‘s a tha so a co-fhreagrath ri ar Tighearna mac Dhaibhidh, mar a bha esan mar an ceudna air a chur a dh’ ionnsuidh nàire leotha-san, a dh’ ionnsuidh an taìnig e.
Thàinig e a dh’ ionnsuidh a mhuiintir féin ‘s cha do ghabh a mhuiintir féin ris. Thàinig e’ gan ionnsuidh le briathran coibhneil agus labhair iadsan ris le briathran ain-iodchmhor.
Airson a bheannachaidh, thug iad dha mallachadh; airson aran neimh thug iad dha clachan; airson beannachadh neimh thug iad dha nàimhdeas na talmhainn agus malachdan ifrinn! Cha robh bràthair riamh, “ceud-ghin am measg mórán bhràithrean,” air a mhì-ghràdhachadh leis a’ chu’d eile de’n teaghlach cosmhuil ris an fhear so. Nach ‘eil gu dearbh cosamhlachd an tuath eucoraich a mhl-ghràdhachadh leis a’chuid eile de’n teaghlach cosmhuil ris e sgrìobhte gu’n tubhairt uachdaran an fhionlìos, “Bheir iad urram do m’ mhae,” ach calg-dhireach an aghaidh sin, ‘s e thuit iadsan, “S e so an t-oighre; thigibh, marbhamaid e agus bi an oighreachd againn féin.” Dhéilig a bhràithrean gu coimheach ri Iosa, a thainig Esan a bheannachadh. Bi cuimhne agaibh gu’n do fhr eagair Daibhidh a bhràithrean le briathran ro-choibhneil. Cha do dh’ ioc e càineadh airson cànidh, ach le ciùneachd mhór, ghiùlan e an ladarnas aineolach. Anns an ni so, cha’n ‘eil e ach ‘na shamhladh anmhuinn air ar Maighstir gràdhach, an Ti ‘nuair a chàineadh nach do chàin a ris, “a dh’ fhuiling a’ shamhuil sin a dh’ ana-cainnt o pheacaich ‘na aghaidh féin.” ‘S e an aon fhr eagairt a thug e, eadhon do na buillean a bha gu crìochnachadh ‘na bhàs, “Athair, math dhaibh, cha’n’ eil fhios aca eiod tha iad a’ deanamh. “Dh! fholuich sinn ar n’ aghaidh uaithe—bha e air a dhi-meas agus cha robh suim againn dheth.” Gidheadh airson sin uile cha tàinig aon fhocal feargach o bhilean. Dh’ fhaodadh esan a ràdh “nach ‘eil aobhar air a shon?” Cha do labhair esan mórán ‘na chùis féin, ach chaidh e air adhart o latha gu latha le obair gu h-eudmhor mar gu’m biodh a h-uile neach a chitheadh e làn-riaraichte leis. Mar sin Daibhidh a bha air a dhìultadh le ‘bràithrean thàinig e bhi ‘na shamhladh air Criosda. Bi sinn a’ dol air adhart gu bhi toirt fainear an gràdh leis an robh Daibhidh air a ghlusad gu bhi a’ gràdhachadh a shluaigh. Bha e ‘ga’ faicinn agus na Phìlistich a’ toirt dùlainn dhaibh. Mar a thug e fainear mar a bha iad air am bruthadh ‘nan spioradan fa chomhair an nàimhdean treun, ghluaiseadh anam an taobh a stigh dheth, ach an uair a chuala e toirmichean an dùlainn ‘s ann a dh’ fhairich e gu robh Dia Israeil fhéin, air a ghabhail a stigh anns a’ chomhstri. Bha ainm Iehobhah air a mhaslachadh!
Bha am famhair bragail sin a bha a’ coiseachd air beulaibh an airm a’ toirt dulainn do dh’ armait an Dé bheò! Cha’n ioghnadh ged bhiodh eridhe blàth agus treun a’ bhuachaill òig, ghaisgeil air a ghluasad gu mór ann! ‘S ann a dh’ eirich suas mar am broillich laoch aig fuaim briathran an Philistich neothimchioll-ghearrta, faireachdaidhean treuna—có ghabhadh air gu ladarna gnothach a ghabhail ri glòir Iehòbhah, Dia neimh agus na talmhainn. Bha, mar an ceudna, ni eile ‘na eiridhe ‘ga ghluasad, agus b’e sin an gaol a bh’ aige do a dhùthaich. Ciamar a b’ urrainn Daibhidh, gun a bhi air mhire ‘na eiridhe, ‘n uair a dh’ innseadh dha gu’m biodh an duine a chuireadh as do’n Philisteach air a phòsadh ri nighean an righ. Dh’ fhaodadh a leithid sin de luach a chabhagachadh gus an gniomh a choimh-lionadh. Ach leis na h-uile ni bh’ an sin ‘g a chuir chuige rinn e suas air ball inntinn gu’n rachadh e mach a chur eatha ri famhaire na Philisteach. Anns na h-uile ni dhiùbh so, tha e a’ samhlachadh a mach ar Tighearna Iosa Criosda. Ghràdhaich e a mhunntir féin; bha e ghnàth ullamh gu a bheatha leigeil sios airson nan caoraich. Ghràdhaich e Athair; nach robh fios agaibh, thuit e roimh so, ‘gu feum mise bhi timchioll air gnothach m’ Athair. “Dh’ ith eud do thighe suas mi.” Agus bha aoibhneas air a chur air thoiseach air gu’m biodh an eaglais aige mar chéile, aig cosgais, gun ghuth air luach, a’ bheatha gu’n coisneadh e i—gu’m faiceadh e innte de shaothair anama agus gu’m biodh e toilichte. Bha i gu bhi air a’ togail suas gu suidheachadh rioghal chum a bhi sealbhachadh cuibhrionn de chrùn ‘s de righ-chathair. Bha, an Ierusalem nuadh as mathair dhuinn uile, gu bhi na tiodhlae do Iosa o Dhia mar a dhuais agus bha so ‘g a bhrosnachadh mar sin a’ dol a mach agus a’ stigh anns a’ chath air ar son-ne. Beachdaicheamaid air agus beannaicheamaid ainm airson gu’n do ghràdhaich e riamh an sluagh agus gu’m biodh na naoimh ann an glac a lámhan. Molamaid e gu’n d’ ith eud tigh Dhé suas E agus gu’n do choisrig E E féin gu h-iomlan airson na h-obair mhóir a bh’ an so. Agus os cionn sin uile deanamaid gu h-iriosal agus gu taigneill ainm a mholadh airson gu’n do ghràdhaich e sinne agus gu’n tug E E féin air ar son. Mar chuid de’n eaglais a phos e ris féin gu
bràth, tha sinne na’r luchd compairt de no h-uile ni a’ rinn e. ‘S ann air ar son-ne a’ chomhraig e anns a’ chath, ‘s ann air ar son-ne thug e mach a’ bhuaiddh, ‘s ann air ar son-ne chaidh e steach gu ruige gloir. Agus thig e ris an déidh so, airson ar togail suas gu bhi faicinn a’ ghloir sin, agus a’ chum a’ bhi maille ris far am bheil e. Am feadh tha sinn a’ faicinn an samhladh so ann an Daibhidh thugamaid an aire nach diochuimhnich sinn gloir a thoirt do Iosa féin, tha air a’ chuir fo chomhair ar n’ intinn an so, mar ann an sgàthan, an a’ bhi a’ làn chomh-lionadh ar slàinte.
Ri leantuin.