Section 14.
SECTION 14.
An address to Christian believers.
YE taste those powers, happy believers, who see that God is love, boundless, free, redeeming, pardoning, comforting, sanctifying love in Jesus Christ. The more you believe it, the more you feel it. Do then always “the work of faith,” and you shall always “abound in the patience of hope, and in the labour of love.” You have believed the truth, and it has made you free. “Rejoice then in the truth:” worship the God of truth: triumph in Christ, “the living truth;” and be daily baptized “with the Spirit of truth.” Beware of enthusiasm. “Speak the words of soberness and truth.” God is not the author of nonsense.
Sail with all possible care through the straits of Pharisaism and Antinomianism. Many, by deviating from the word, have almost “made shipwreck of the faith.” While some rest in high Pharisaic forms, others catch at empty Solifidian shadows, or slide into the peculiarities of a censorious mysticism, harden themselves against “the gentleness of Christ,” and oppose a part of the truth as it is in Jesus. Embrace ye the whole: be valiant for the whole: recommend the whole: but above all, bring forth the fruits of the whole.
Be steady: many who believed once as firmly as you do, that Christ was a sacrifice for sin, consider him now only as a martyr for the truth. And some who were fully persuaded that God is “loving to every man” while the day of salvation lasts, now can bear, yea, perhaps delight to hear it insinuated that he is graceless and merciless to myriads of his unborn creatures. Be not thus carried about by a blast of vain doctrine, in opposition to the full tide of Scripture and reason. “Honour all men, and give double honour” to those to whom it is due; but be not moved from your steadfastness either by names or numbers. To judge of truth by popularity is absurd. Warm, zealous men, who can draw the attention, and work upon the passions of the populace, will always be popular; but popularity, you know, is no proof that any man’s principles are unexceptionable. Go not then by that deceitful rule. When truth is at stake, mind popular applause as little as a syren’s song; and regard a Bonner’s rack as little as a Nebuchadnezzar’s dulcimer. Be cast into the furnace of persecution with two companions, rather than bow with thousands to the most shining, the most celebrated, and the richest image of error. If your two companions forsake you, O! do not forsake the truth. Turn not your back upon her when she wants you most. Run not away from her colours when the enemy pours in like a flood. If she be driven out of the professing Church, follow her to the wilderness, — and if need be, to the den of lions. There the God of Daniel will be with you; and from thence he will bring you out; for God will stand by the truth, and she will prevail at last. “Buy her” therefore at any rate; buy her, though you should give your last mite of wealth, and your last scrap of reputation for her: “and sell her not,” though you should gain the whole world by the unhappy bargain.
“These things,” O men of God, “have I written unto you concerning them that [by fair shows of spirituality and voluntary humility] seduce you” into Pharisaism or Antinomianism: “but the anointing, which you have received of God, abideth in you, [since you have not been seduced,] and it is truth, and is no lie, abide in it therefore. Err not from the truth. Walk in the truth. Do nothing against the truth, but for the truth: and, as you have purified your souls by obeying the truth, through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren,” see that his love extend itself particularly to your opponents. “Love them, love one another with a pure heart fervently.” You will often be obliged to part with peace in order to maintain truth; but you never need to part with love. Be you herein followers of Christ and St Paul. You know that the Pharisees, the Herodians, the Sadducees, and the devil himself would gladly have made peace with those two champions of the truth upon the scandalous terms of betraying and giving her up. But St. Paul had not so learned Christ, and our Lord scorned to deny himself the truth, and to worship the father of lies. See how calmly, how lovingly, how resolutely they fight this good, this bloody fight of faith! Volleys of invectives and calumnies have been already thrown out against them: and now, reproving their persecutors, and yet praying for them, they go and meet bonds and prisons, stocks and scourges, the provoking taunt and the cruel mocking, the bloody sword and the ignominious cross. And how many stand by them in their extremity? Have ye forgotten the amazing number? “They ALL forsook him and fled. All men forsook me: I pray God, it may not be laid to their charge.” And, astonishing! Judas, Peter, and Demas, led the van. O Jesus, stand by our weakness, and we will stand by thy truth! Thou sayest, “Will ye also go away?” And “to whom should we go,” gracious Lord? “Hast thou not the words of truth, the words of everlasting life? Art thou not the light of the world and the light of men?” Our light and our life? Could all the ignes fatui in the professing world; could even all “the stars”