Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

been. "We preach Christ crucified." They "preached Christ unto them;" as the central and grand subject of their instructions, yet not to the exclusion of other subjects, as connected with it.— In these and other passages, a single word, familiar and dear to believers, is put for a variety of ideas respecting the life of faith and holiness, and must be explained according to the context.

1. In the clause before us, Christ may be considered not only in his person, and in the character of our Prophet, High Priest, and King; but also in respect of his church, his cause in the world, the honour of his name, and the credit and prosperity of his gospel. In this enlarged view of the subject, we may consider the clause as relating to the business or employment of the apostle's life. There was but one thing which he had to do on earth, or for which he desired to live, and that was to honour his Saviour, and promote his cause among men. "None of us liveth to himself." "I live no longer to myself, but to him who died "for me and rose again." Having obtained an interest in his salvation, and experienced a new creation unto holiness, and being appointed to the apostleship; his sole business was, as animated by admiring love, and gratitude, and zeal, "to feed "Christ's lambs and sheep;" to gather the lost into his fold; to promote, by every means in his power, the purity, peace, and enlargement of his church, and the stability, fruitfulness, and comfort of his people; and to make known his salvation, as far as possible, to all mankind. 'This,' says he, ' is all I have here to do; and, as I greatly "desire "to depart hence and be with Christ," when this

is done, I shall long to change this evil world for heavenly felicity. In doing this work, the love of Christ is my motive, his glory and the glory of God in him, my object; his gracious acceptance my reward; his commandments my rule; and his example my pattern. "To me to live is Christ."

But you may perhaps say, 'This might be very proper for an apostle, or for any minister of the gospel; and the description brings to my recollection the manner in which our deceased pastor laboured among us: but we have farms or shops to mind, or trades to follow; we are labourers, or servants; and cannot be expected to adopt such language, or copy such an example.' I would, however, my brethren, wish you to remember, that "The Son of Man is as a man taking a far "journey, who left his house, and gave authority "to his servants, and to every man his work, and "commanded the porter to watch." Christ has many servants, and every servant has his proper work. In large families all are not stewards, or porters, or butlers; but some are employed in one business, and some in another: and the good order of the family requires that every one keep to his own work, and do not neglect it to mind another servant's business. And, if the servant who performs the lowest offices be diligent, faithful, and obliging, he will be valued by all reasonable masters far more than an unfaithful or slothful steward. In like manner Christ has " stewards of the "mysteries of God," and stewards entrusted with worldly riches, and servants of various orders: and,

' Mark xiii. 34.

if you are in the places assigned you by our common Lord, behaving in them according to his will, and giving up worldly advantages, or enduring hard usage, rather than disobey him; though your situation be low, he will more favour and honour you, than either the faithless steward of his mysteries, or the faithless steward of the unrighteous mammon: and, while you are making it your one great business to honour and obey your gracious Saviour, each of you may with propriety say, "To "me to live is Christ." But, should you, without the most solid and sufficient reasons, quit your present post, to become a preacher of the gospel, instead of a reward, it is probable you would meet with a rebuke; as a servant would do, who neglected his own work, to intrude, contrary to his master's will, into the proper business of the steward.-Nay the servant of the minister, who performs his common household work, if she be faithful and conscientious on evangelical principles, and he "preaches himself and not Christ the Lord," may properly say what her master cannot, "To me to "live is Christ:" I live to serve him and to do his will.'

2. But, again, the pleasure of life is generally considered as distinct from its business; and many speak as if living in pleasure were exclusively worthy the name of life, though the apostle declares that "she who liveth in pleasure is dead while she "liveth." But, speaking of superior pleasures, he says in another place, " Now we live if ye stand "fast in the Lord;" that is, life is pleasant and joyful to us.

In this sense likewise the apostle doubtless

meant the words under consideration. "That which renders life sweet unto me is "communion with "the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ," and the delight which I take in his pleasant ways. "It "is my meat to do his will and to finish his work." I hunger after this as my food, I relish it, I am refreshed by it. His love is better than life. I have lost my relish for sensual dissipated pleasures, and even for intellectual pleasures which have no connexion with Christ. Compared with rejoicing in Christ Jesus, I count them as nothing. Christ is my joy, his service is my liberty, his smile my highest satisfaction; while the display of his glory, the prosperity of his people, the peace and purity of his church, and the conversion of sinners to him, cause me, even on earth, in good measure to participate the felicity which angels more completely enjoy in heaven.'

3. But the reputation of a man's life may be distinguished from both the business and the pleasure of it and accordingly numbers desperately risk their lives and souls, or even rush madly into eternity, rather than survive what they call their honour. Thus, in the superior circles, the word life means high life with its pomps and distinctions, or, in scriptural language, "the pride of "life." For these honours and distinctions the apostle seems once to have been a candidate: and, though probably not of high birth, yet his superior abilities and education, his vigour of mind, his enterprizing spirit and indefatigable activity, and his zeal against Christianity, bringing him into favour with the chief men of his nation, gave him the prospect of enviable success. But in this

respect also he could say, " For Christ Jesus my "Lord I have suffered the loss of all things, and "do count them but dung that I may win Christ:" "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross "of our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom the world

is crucified to me, and I to the world." Instead of seeking the honour that cometh from men, he willingly embraced scorn and ignominy. He gloried and rejoiced in being counted worthy to suffer shame for the sake of Christ. The sole honour after which he aspired consisted in belonging to Christ; obeying him; enduring hatred, contempt, and persecution in his service; bearing his image, promoting his cause, turning many to righteousness; and being welcomed at length by his Saviour, with "Well done, good and faithful servant, "enter thou into the joy of thy Lord!" and shining with Christ for ever, like the sun, in the kingdom of his Father."

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

We might branch out our subject still more. The apostle had no interest on earth, distinct from that of Christ and his cause. As this prospered, he counted himself to prosper; and Christ was his Portion in another world.

Lay these things together. Christ in his person and mediation was the only hope of eternal life to this venerable apostle, who derived his spiritual life, and every increase of it, from the Spirit of Christ. He only valued life, that he might do the work of Christ. This was his sole pleasure, honour, and interest. The smiles and frowns of the world in vain assailed him; bonds and imprisonment could not move him; neither "counted he "his life dear to himself, so that he might finish

« AnteriorContinuar »