Designed to assist the Labour of Missionaries and other Instructors of the Ignorant.
BY THE LATE REV. JOHN LOVE, D.D.
(Continued from page 339.)
TENTH ADDRESS—Continued.
WHEN Jehovah designs to punish wicked men, He lets loose other wicked men and the wicked spirits of hell upon them. And it was so when Jesus, the Man who is Jehovah, suffered punishment for the wickedness of others. Wicked men and wicked spirits were then gathered round Him. His wicked countrymen, who hated Him for His purity and goodness, were filled with murderous rage against Him. And a great multitude of them came to that garden, armed with swords and staves, just when that terrible agony was ended, and, to heighten His distress, one of those who had been among His most intimate companions was their leader. Jesus looked at them, and by speaking a word or two, made them fall back to the ground; for He could in a moment have opened the earth under their feet to swallow them up, or have wrapped them round with clouds of fire. But He thought of the sins of the world which lay upon Him, and meekly surrendered Himself into their wicked hands.
Do ye not wonder, ye inhabitants of Otaheite, at the presumptuous wickedness of these men who dared to lay their hands on the Man who is Jehovah? Do ye not wonder at the humility and love of Jesus, who suffered His own creatures thus to insult and abuse Him?
They led Him away, bound like a malefactor, that He might be tried before their judges; for they wanted to give the colouring of justice to their wickedness. These judges were, all of them, wicked men, and most of them the inveterate enemies of the holy Jesus, and had long been thirsting for His blood. Many false accusations were brought against Him; but they were obliged at length to ground His condemnation on a charge of blasphemy, because He declared Himself to be—as indeed He was—the Son of God. But it was not a common death that would gratify their malice. They would not strike Him at once in any vital part. Having cruelly insulted Him all that night, and having set a crown of thorns upon His head by way of derision, they at length murdered Him in this cruel manner: Having set up a large beam of wood with a cross beam on its top, they seized the holy, glorious Man, and drawing up His two arms along the cross beam, they drove a large iron nail through each of His hands, fastening them immovably to the beam. Then they stretched out His body along the upright beam till all His bones were disjointed, and pulling down His legs, they drove other two iron spikes through His feet. Thus they nailed Him to the cross, that there He might slowly bleed to death. In the meanwhile Jesus restrained His own power from bursting the nails and the cross in pieces, and from spreading destruction among His murderers. For He looked at the throne of Jehovah the Father, and love to miserable sinners, for whom He suffered, kept Him fastened to the cross. And the first words He uttered when He was lifted up on that engine of torture were these: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” There He continued hanging for several hours, His blood gushing down, His torment constantly increasing, and His strength wasting away. Behold, ye people of Otaheite, this astonishing spectacle—the Man who is Jehovah dying in agony on that cross! And when you think of it, always consider who He was and why He hung there, and how He was employed in His soul within Him while He endured these torments!
The glorious Man, Jesus, hung upon His bleeding wounds upon the cross, but He regarded not the bloody nails nor the pains of His body, for His heart burned with love to Jehovah the Father and with love to miserable sinners, whom He came to save. He was thinking of vast multitudes of sinners, and the evils which they had committed and would yet commit. He was thinking, among many others, we hope, of you, ye people of Otaheite, and of your iniquities. And He said within Himself, Let the punishment come upon me; let these wretched sinners be saved from the black world of darkness and fire. While He was thus revolving in His thoughts, full of love and of anguish, there came a darkness over the land where He was, and the sun withdrew his shining. Then—as it had been before in the garden, so now in a still more terrible manner—He saw the throne of Jehovah, and Jehovah the Father frowning awfully upon Him for the crimes of the many people whom He came to save. And now He felt in His soul a terrible darkness and agony, so that He cried out, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” But this terrible frown of Jehovah could not last very long, for Jehovah the Father melted over Him in unutterable love, and the suffering of Jesus, who is Jehovah, soon appeased divine anger against the crimes of men. His suffering for a little was better than their suffering for millions of ages. At length, having again cried out with a loud voice, He gave up His spirit, which, leaving His body dead on the cross, was immediately carried into Paradise and filled with unutterable joys.
Beloved brethren and sisters, there are many other circumstances respecting the sufferings and death of Jesus, the anointed Saviour of the world, which we will hereafter declare to you. These things which we have now told you are sufficient to open to your minds the mystery of the love and justice of Jehovah, and to show you how the vilest sinners may be saved. “Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world!” Oh, that you knew the sweetness, the peace, and joy, which we have felt in
thinking of Him, and in remembering His bloody sufferings and His dying love. Oh, that you knew the sweetness, the peace, and joy, which we have felt in thinking of Him, and in remembering His bloody sufferings and His dying love. Oh, that you had one glance of His beauty, His compassion, and holiness; how it would melt your very souls. Then you would begin to live; then you would disregard all the pleasures you ever felt; and then you would love one another in a new manner, like the angels of heaven. We hope, dear friends, you will sit down by yourselves and think of these things again and again, and that you will cry to Jesus Jehovah, that He would make you know the mystery of His death. As for us, we are going to retire—each by himself—to pray to Jehovah for you; and all the night long, while you are asleep, some of us will be weeping over you before Jehovah our God, entreating Him to enlighten, to save, and to comfort you. And for ourselves, we are resolved to live and die praising the Lamb of God, glorying in His cross, and recording the honours of His love and of His redeeming power. Amen.
ELEVENTH ADDRESS.
DEAR brethren and sisters, it was with trembling awe that we observed your behaviour at our last meeting, while we presented to your view the great Saviour of the world suffering and dying on the cross for the sins of many. Our souls trembled within us and melted over you with the anxiety of love. We feared lest the wicked spirits of hell should come among you, and should darken your minds, and turn you away from the path of salvation. But while we were speaking to you, our hearts cried to Jehovah our God, that He would drive away the wicked spirits of darkness and send His wonderful light into your minds. We know that He heard us, and with joy we beheld your solemn attention. We saw that you understood our words, and that you felt in your souls a desire to know the Saviour of the world. In a little while some of you will be weeping with joy at the foot of the cross, knowing that Jesus suffered for your sins, and that Jehovah forgives all your iniquities for His sake. And they will say to their friends and neighbours, “Now we are happy; O, the sweetness of the love of Jesus, the Man who is Jehovah! O, taste and see that Jehovah is good!”
Incline your ear, ye people of Otaheite; hear, and your souls shall live. Behold Jesus, the Lamb of God, who was slain upon the cross for the sins of men. His wicked enemies were glad when they saw Him expire, and when they beheld His glorious head hanging down and His body become a lifeless corpse. And one of them, soon after, to make sure that He was dead, plunged a large iron spear into His very heart.
But the moment His holy soul left His body on the cross, it was embraced with infinite sweetness by Jehovah the Father, its wounds were instantly healed, and streams of living delight flowed in, expelling all grief and sorrow.
The holy soul of Jesus, ravished with His Father’s love, and brightened with the splendours of His own Deity, looked forth in the unseen regions like the morning, and was seen in the world of spirits like a rising sun.
Immediately the armies of pure angels, who had been beholding Him with sweet astonishment in His sufferings, drew near and clustered round Him, adoring His eternal Godhead, venerating the surpassing excellencies of His human nature, and triumphing in the work which He had finished. Jesus accepted their homage, and appointed them to attend as His retinue. But their defence He needed not. At the sight of His brightening splendour the infernal spirits who had been assembled round His cross were terrified, and began to hasten their flight. And as He passed through the air the princes of hell, pierced with shame at the view of His sweet excellency and dreading His power, skulked away on every side.
Wherever He passed, it was Paradise; it was heaven. At length, moving onward with the rapidity of light, He and His bright retinue arrived at the heaven of heavens, the ancient and eternal residence of Deity. Having there visited the joyful assembly of the righteous, who had been collected from this earth through many ages, and having soared upwards to the throne of Jehovah, the blessed soul of Jesus soon began its returning course towards that mangled body which He had left on the cross. For He had told His friends in this world that He would raise Himself from death on the third day.
In the meantime tokens of His majesty had, on earth, marked His expiring moment. The earth on which His cross stood was awfully shaken; the rocks were rent asunder; and the graves of many saints were opened, and sent forth the bodies which had been confined there. Wonder and fear seized the multitude around the cross; they smote their breasts and returned. His friends and acquaintances could not look at Him hanging, all bloody, pale, and silent, on the cross without an inward death of anxiety and anguish. Two of them, however, roused to a new boldness, sought leave from the judge who had condemned Him, to bury the sacred body. Having obtained permission, they approached the awful cross, unfastened its nails, and, bathing His face and limbs with tears of love, rolled up the corpse in linen and laid it in a new sepulchre—the property of one of them—hewn out of a rock, in a garden near the place of the cross. There His mourning friends left Him, having rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre. But His presumptuous enemies, knowing that He had promised to rise from death on the third day, set a strong guard of soldiers round the grave, and sealed the stone with all possible exactness, pretending to be afraid lest His friends should steal Him away and falsely declare that He had risen.
Think, beloved brethren and sisters, of that solemn spot where the body of the Lord Jesus was shut up in darkness, where that
princely head was laid so low, and where death and the enemies of God seemed to triumph over Him. The shades of night closed round the sepulchre which held this mighty Captive; the eyelids of the morning were opened upon it, and saw it covered with silent horror. Another night came, and still He lay in the dust. But when the next morning began to dawn the triumphant spirit of Jesus, which had been traversing the unseen regions, filled with glory and delight, was now at hand, accompanied with multitudes of the holy angels. They came, not to rescue His body from death, but to witness the display of His own power, and the honours bestowed on Him by His eternal Father. Suddenly the earth felt the approach of Him who created it, and shook all round the sepulchre. A bright angel, becoming visible in human shape, came near to the great stone, rolled it back, and took his seat upon it. The terrors of death seized the wicked soldiers who stood round to guard the place.
But the scene of glory was within the gloomy sepulchre. There, in a moment—in the twinkling of an eye—the whole disfigured and mangled body of Jesus was changed into beauty, strength, and immortality, while His glorious soul—rich with the joys of eternity—entered it as its everlasting mansion, the bright temple of His Godhead. He came forth majestic from the tomb. Some of the attending angels took up the grave clothes as they dropped, and folding them together, laid them down where His body had been stretched out. Then they sat down, visible, at each end within the sepulchre, waiting the approach of His disconsolate friends.
The glimmering light of the dawn now discovered two of the friends of Jesus, whom love to Him made bold and drew to the grave, where they expected to find Him. They were women, and one of them had once been uncommonly wicked, but, being saved from her wickedness by the power of Jesus, she loved Him exceedingly. Immediately the angel who sat on the great stone at the entrance of the sepulchre, softening the glory of his countenance, said to them, “Fear not ye; for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here; for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead.” They obeyed the command of the angel, and, with trembling joy, ran to inform some of the chief men among His disciples, who returned with them immediately to the place. But still Mary Magdalene—the woman who, having once been very wicked, now loved Jesus exceedingly—could not be at rest, but stayed after the others were gone, unable to leave the spot. The angels tried to comfort her, but she continued weeping and looking mournfully into the sepulchre. Ere she was aware, Jesus Himself stood behind her, and when she turned round and saw Him, at first she knew Him not; for though she loved Him greatly, she had not faith enough to expect to meet Him alive. But when Jesus called her by her
name, immediately she discerned His voice and felt the majestic sweetness of His address. He then said to her, “Go to my brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God.”
The disciples and friends of Jesus were at this time overcome with sorrow and dejection of spirit. They had seen the rage of His wicked enemies; they had witnessed His expiring agonies; and the spirits of hell filled their minds with darkness. They would not, therefore, at first believe that He was risen from the dead. But Jesus pitied their weakness, and many times showed Himself to them, spake to them, permitted them to put their hands upon His body, and to view the scars of the wounds in His hands and His feet, till their doubts were entirely removed.
For forty days He tarried on the confines of this earth, triumphing in the love of Jehovah, His Father; conversing with superior spirits who joyfully surrounded Him; and often suddenly appearing among His beloved disciples. But though His heart burned with love towards them, they were not yet capable of being with Him in His state of immortality; nor was it fit that He should dwell constantly with them, as in the days of His suffering He had done. While, therefore, He gave them the fullest proofs that He was indeed risen from the grave, and that His compassion and love towards them continued in all their strength, He impressed them with the awe of His kingly majesty, and taught them to long for that period when they also, having passed through death, should possess the strength and joy of eternity. At the same time He instructed them respecting the affairs of His kingdom in this world, and how they should be employed in declaring His glory to miserable mortals around them.
But from His wicked enemies, who had despised and hated Him in His suffering condition, He now kept at a solemn distance. They were unworthy to behold the beams of His glory. They had no right to this pledge of immortality, which belonged only to His friends and followers.
At length the day arrived when Jesus, the Man who is Jehovah, should ascend—in body and soul, all glorious—to His throne in the heaven of heavens. Come, ye people of Otaheite, behold the majesty of Him who, from love to sinners, once hung in agony on the bloody cross.
With inexpressible condescension, sweetness, and familiarity, He was conversing among a number of His disciples, and had given them a solemn charge concerning the affairs of His kingdom in this world. His heart overflowed with love to them, and stretching out His hands towards them, He was pronouncing a solemn blessing upon them, when suddenly His countenance began to shine with new brightness, and a heavenly lustre, too great to remain in this world, was diffused over His person. Still stretching out His hands towards His beloved friends, He began
to rise from the ground, and gradually ascending over their heads, mounted aloft, becoming brighter and brighter, till a cloud covered Him from their eyes. Burning with love towards the unworthy inhabitants of this earth, His eyes surveyed it from on high, with triumphant majesty, as the place where many sinners would know the sweetness of His salvation. Meanwhile the armies of heaven thronged around Him, and multitudes of the wicked spirits of hell, who had formerly troubled and assaulted Him, were compelled to howl under His feet. He moved onward with rapidity, far on high, till He again arrived at heaven, the seat of the glory of Jehovah. What ecstasies of divine pleasure filled the vast assembly of glorified men and holy angels when Jesus appeared among them, and what triumphant songs and shouts then filled the most holy place, no man while living in this world can comprehend, nor can mortals conceive with what joy He was received into the presence of His eternal Father, and with what majesty He sat down upon His throne. It is at the hour of death that we enter into the full sight of these hidden glories. Therefore, though whole armies of the wicked should surround us and assault us with murdering rage, we would not fear them; for immediately we would see Jesus, the Man who is Jehovah, in the midst of the throne. He would smile upon us; He would welcome our departing spirits into the bosom of His love.
Consider well what we say, ye people of Otaheite. We are the friends of Jesus Christ, the Man who is Jehovah. He is the Lord of heaven and earth. This great sea and all its islands are His. If He should only frown upon this island where we now stand, it would tremble, and the sea would rise like mountains and roll over your heads. But we come to speak to you as your friends, and we invite you to the knowledge of Jesus, the Saviour. He hung bleeding on the cross, full of love to unworthy sinners. He is now in heaven, full of power to save you. If you cry to Him, He will come among you in the power of His salvation; you shall know Him in your hearts; and joys will break in upon you like to the joys of heaven.
(To be Continued.)
John Howie of Lochgoin.—In the January number of the Princetown Theological Review Dr. Hay Fleming gives an interesting account of John Howie of Lochgoin, the author of the Scots Worthies. Of all the works written on the great Covenanting struggle no book has had such popularity as John Howie’s Scots Worthies. It occupies a foremost place among the religious classics of Scotland, and, in days gone by, well-thumbed copies with tattered leaves told how diligently its pages had been turned over. We may return to John Howie of Lochgoin in a future issue.