By THOMAS SPENCER.*
THE covenant engagements of Jesus, his very name, his incarnation, his blood, his promises, his work, and intercession, all seem to say to us, “Rejoice ever more.” They have introduced grand, solid ground for joy; and heart-felt pleasure is connected with faith and love. This is a transport that is better experienced than described; for when God lifts up the light of his countenance upon a soul, that soul has more joy than the men of the world have, when their corn, and wine, and oil increase; strangers intermeddle not with this joy, they know nothing of it; it entirely surpasses their understanding. Saints themselves cannot tell it half, they have not language to express it, they cannot convey proper views of it to others; for it is unspeakable, being excited by a participation
* From Scottish Tract Magazine, November, 1843.
of God’s unspeakable gift; it is full of glory. There is a rejoicing in iniquity, an evil and a scandalous triumph; but the joy now alluded to makes the subject of it appear truly honourable in the eyes of angels, good men, and God; it is a pleasure that maketh not ashamed, that leaves no sting behind, for it is substantial; whilst “the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment, and the laughter of fools is like the crackling of thorns under a pot.” This holy sensation increasing more and more, is the beginning, the pledge, the presage of eternal happiness; it is glory begun below; it is a kind of first fruits of the new life, which we shall pluck from heavenly trees in the kingdom of glory above. The saints can tell something of the happiness of the world of spirits, by the bliss which a discovery of Divine love causes in their souls, even in the midst of the greatest calamities. Such was the rapture which Peter, James, and John felt, when in the mount of transfiguration, with the Son of God! and far greater will be the rapture of the glorified spirits round the throne of God and of the Lamb for ever.
Oh, let us never forget that Christ Jesus is the proper, the appointed, the only object of religious joy. Whatever the Christian rejoices in, must have some connections with him. Are the promises the matter of his rejoicing? These were all made by him, are all ratified, “are all yea and amen in Christ Jesus, to the glory of God by us.” Is it any spiritual blessing? It comes to us only through his mediation. Oh, then, Christians, “joy in God, by whom you have now received the atonement;” “rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven!” “rejoice in hope of the glory of God!”—let your heavenly inheritance be the matter of your triumph, “though now for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness through manifold temptations.” While the rich man glories in his riches, and the mighty man in his might, do you rather rejoice that your names are written in heaven. “Declare his works with rejoicings; go to God your exceeding joy; with joy draw water out of the wells of salvation; shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart; joy in God, the God of salvation; finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord always, and again, I say, rejoice. So shall the Lord your God rejoice over you with singing, yea, rest in His love.”
Searmon.
Leis an Urr. TOMAS HALIBURTON
(Air a leantainn bho t.d. 76)
7. Tha e cho thàthail agus a tha e tighinn gle dhùighteach.
Tha e tighinn dreach aig an am a tha feum air; agus drùighidh so gu cumhachdach air an neach a tha ga fhaicinn. Tha so soilleir, cha’n e mhàin anns a cheud fhoillseachadh a ni e air fein do chreidmhich ann na’n iompachdadh, ach anns gach sealladh a gheibh iad air an deigh sin, fad an còmhnuidh ann an gleann nan deur so. Cuin a chi iad e tighinn an toiseach? Dreach ‘n uair a tha iad ullamh gu dol fodha fo chudthrom an eallaich, ‘n uair a tha iad sgith agus ullamh gu toirt thairis, agus a dhòl bàs fodh chudthrom eallaich cionta: agus nach dean an teachd thàthail so drùighadh mòr air a leithid sin de dh’anam? Agus tha chuis gu h-iomlan mar sin anns gach foillseachadh a bheir e’n deigh laimh’ air fein. ‘S e aon ni aanta tha drùighadh, cho tràthail ‘s a tha’m foillseachadh.
8. Tha cho aoidheil ‘s a tha e tighinn gle dhrùighteach.
Tha e tighinn a leumnaich agus a toirt sithidh; Cha’n eil e air a shlaodadh a chum an cabhair, ach tha e tighinn gu h-aoidheil agus le tlachd mòr. ‘N uair a tha gach ni a b’urrainn duine a dheanamh, air a dhìùltadh le Dia, an sin, tha e gu h-aoidheil a gabhail os laimh obair na saorsa. “Ann an iobairt agus an tabhartas cha do ghabh thu tlaichd: dh’fhosgail thu mo chluasan: iobairt-loisgte agus iobairt pheacaidh cha’d iarr thu. An sin thubhairt mi, Feuch, tha mi teachd; ann an rola an leabhair tha e sgrìobhta ormsa; is e mo thlachd do thoil a dheanamh, a Dhé.” Tha e tighinn gu h-aoidheil agus le tlaichd thairis air na beanntaibh so uile, agus ‘n uair a chì an creidmheach e mar so, a leumnaich agus a toirt sithidh, tha e drùghadh gu mòr air.
A dh’aon fhocal, tha neart, mòrachd, agus buaidh a theachd, anabarrach drùighteach;
tha e tighinn gu lùthmhor, furasda, agus buadhach thairis air gach beinn ‘s an t-slighe, a saltairt, cha’n e mhàin air na naimhdean as fhaid air falbh, ach orra-san as dlùth agus as cunnartaich dha shluagh. Cia mar a tha e drùghadh air an eaglais, anns an treas caibideil thar thri fichead an Isaiah, ‘n uair a tha i ga fhaicinn a tighinn bho Edom, bho thir nan Edomach, a tha an so air an cur air son uile naimhdean na h-eaglais, agus bho Bhosrah, ceann-bhaile na tir sin, mar fhiannuis gu’n do sgrios e gu tur iad. Tha i ‘g amharc air, agus gu mòr air a togail le mòrachd agus treumhorachd a shiubhail, a dol a mach mar aon a thug buaidh, agus gun eagal roinnh ionnsuidh an deigh laimhe bho naimhdean a tha gu tur air an ceannsachadh. “Co so a tha teachd o Edom,” tha’n eaglais fodh iognadh ag ràdh, “le eulaidh dhàite o Bhosrah? e so a tha sgiamhach na eideadh, a siubhal ann am mòrachd a neirt?” Do’n cheisd so tha e freagairt, “Mise, a tha labhairt ann am fireantachd, cumhachdach gu tearnadh.” Agus an sin tha e deanamh buaidh-chaitream os ceann a naimhdean mar mhuinntir a tha gu h-uile, ‘s gu h-iomlan air an ceannsachadh. ‘S e so na nithean a tha drùghadh cho mòr air Cèile Chriosd ann an teachd fear a gràidh anns na briathran a leugh sinn.
III. Ciod iad na faireachduinnean a tha’g eirigh bho’n fhoillseachadh so?
1. Aobhraichidh e tlachd.
Tha’n eaglais an so air a lionadh le iognadh, agus i gu mòr air a teannachadh leis, air chor ‘us gu’m bu mhath leatha feadhan eil fhaotainn gus a cuideachadh gu tlachd a ghabhail anns an t-sealladh so. “Feuch,” tha i’g ràdh, “tha e teachd, a leumnaich air na beanntaibh, a toirt sithidh air na tulaichibh.” Anns an t-sealladh so tha gach ni ullamh gu bhi gintinn iognadh, tha gach ni ùr, annasach, gun sùil ris, agus neo-chumanta òirdheirce.
2. Dùisgidh e gràdh.
Ma bhlàthaich an cridhe riamh ri Iosa Criosd, ni an sealladh so mòran gus a chur na lasair ghràidh. Tha ‘n eaglais, ‘n uair a chunnaic i E, air a togail cho mòr leis, agus gu bheil i gu muinghinneach ag ràdh “fear a gràidh” ris. “Guth mo ghràidh, feuch tha e teachd.”
3. Tha e na mheadhon air aoibhneas anabarrach.
Faicibh mar a tha’n eaglais a nochdadh so, ‘n uair a thàinig e, agus gun sùil ris, ga’n saoradh bho’n bhraighdeanas, a bha na shamhla air am braighdeanas spioradail. “N uair a thug an Tighearn air ais braighdeanas Shioin, bha sinn mar dhaoine a chunnaich aisling. An sin lionadh ar beul le gaire, agus ar teanga le luath-ghàire: an sin thubhairt iad am measg nan cinneach, Rinn an Tigearn nithean mòra air an son. Rinn an Tigearn nithean mòra air ar son-ne: bha sinn aoibhneach.” (Salm cxxvi. 1, 2, 3.) agus mar sin gu cinnteach bithidh buaidh an t-seallaidh de’n Fhearshaoraidh ghlòrmhor, ’n uair a thig e a shaoradh a shluagh bho’n daorsa spioradail.
4. Lionadh e le nàire, seorsa de nàire urramach, mar a bha air Daibhidh, ’n uair a gheall an Tigearn a leithid a dheagh-ghean agus de choibhneas gun lionmhor, mòr, agus air an robh e neo-airidh. II Sam. vii. 18.
Cha’n eil nì eil ann an nàire ach gne de dhiomb agus mi-thoileachadh ruinn fein, ag eirigh bho mhothachadh air neo-iomlanachd, agus tha so a gabhail àit ’n uair a thig an Tigearn ga’r n’ionnsuidh; oir ann-san chi sinn ciod a tha sinn ann, cia cho salach! cho neo-choibhneil! agus cho iongantach coibhneil ’s tha Easan. Tha gu leoir an so gu bhi toirt ruthadh do’n anam a chi e. Tha sgriobtur sonraicht’ ann a tha daingneachadh so. “A chùm gu’n cuimhneich thu, agus gu’m bi nàire ort, agus nach fhosgail thu do bheul gu bràth ni’s mo, do bhrigh do nàire, ’n uair a bhitheas mise reidh riut air son gach uile ni a rinn thu, deir an Tigearn Iehobhah.” Esec. xvi. 63. ’N uair a thig Criosd le sith a dh’ionnsuidh anam, gu cinnteach bithidh ruthadh air le nàire.
5. Aobhraichidh e bròn, bròn urramach;
cha’n eil aoibhneas agus bròn diadhaidh an aghaidh a cheile, ni-eadh, ach ’s co fhada calg-dhireach an aghaidh sin a tha chuis, agus nach eil an t-aoibhneas sin maireannach aig nach eil mar chompanach bròn urramach; ’n uair a chi an t-anam creidmheach Criosd, a lot e le a pheacaidhean, eas-creidimh agus a mhi-choibhneas, a tighinn “a leumnaich air na beanntaibh, a toirt sithidh air na tulaichibh,” tha e ullamh gu leaghadh le deoir a bhròin dhiadhaidh, nach eil mar bhròn an t-saoghail so, a tha teannachadh agus a cumhannachadh an anama; ach a tha farsuinneachadh agus a milseachadh, agus anns am bheil aoibhneas, nach deanadh iadsan dha’n aithne e, iomlaid air son uile aoibhneas feolmhor an saoghal aingidh. Tha’m bron so air am bheil sinn a labhairt air a ghealltuinn gu sònraicht’ mar thoradh air an t-sealladh so. “Agus amhaircidh iad air-san a lot iad, agus ni iad caoidh air a shon.” Sech. xii. 10.
6. ’S an àit mu dheireadh, bithidh an sealladh so air a leantainn le taingeaclachd anns an anam a chì e.
’S e taingeaclachd aon de na h-aigndhean is urramaich agus is àirde; tha uibhir de mhòrachd: agus de dh’urram aig duine agus a th’aig de thaingeaclachd: ma their thu gu bheil e falamh dhe so, their thu gu bheil e falamh dhe gach nì a tha maith. Cha’n e nì eil a th’ann an taingeaclachd ach mothachadh tlachdmhor air deagh-ghean a bhi air a nochdadh do neach air bith agus gun iad airidh air; agus treoraichidh so gu nàdurra dh’ionnsuidh na ceisd, “Ciod a dh’iocas mi do’n Tigearn air son uile thiodhlacan dhomh?” Salm cxvi. 12. An uiread sin air an treas ceann.
(Ri leantainn.)
Cannot God deny health and give patience? and patience with sickness is better than health without patience. Cannot He take away thy estate and give thee contentment? and “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”—Gurnall.