[It is not thirty, or sixty, or a hundredfold, that that grain of corn produces, but millions, innumerable as the sands upon the sea-shore: "the fruit of it shall shake like Lebanon, and they that spring up from it in the city, shall be as the piles of grass upon the earth. Think of the fruit produced by it in the apostolic age, and that which is yet growing from it in every quarter of the globe, and that which will arise in the Millennium, when the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea: truly it will at last be a multitude, which no man can number, out of every kindred, and nation, and tongue, and people; all growing upon his root, all deriving life from his stem, all assimilated to his image, and all treasured up at last in the same garner! And is one single soul of such value, that the whole world is as nothing in comparison of it? What then is the benefit arising to mankind from the death of Christ! how vast! how extensive! how incalculable!] ADDRESS 1. Those who are inquiring after Jesus [If any are saying, like these Greeks, "Sir, we would see Jesus," we bless God who has put that desire into their hearts: and we shall be glad to be instrumental in any respect in introducing them to him. Of one thing we can confidently assure them, that there no longer exists any barrier to their admission to his presence, provided they desire in sincerity of heart to devote themselves to his service: whatever be their nation, their profession, their character, they are alike welcome, if they come with penitence and faith; and may be assured, that "he will in no wise cast them out." Would they know what he would principally commend to their attention? we answer, he would direct them to consider his death as the most stupendous display of his love, and an inexhaustible source of blessings to their souls. Reflect then, ye inquiring people, on the Saviour's love, and give him the glory due unto his name.] 2. Those who profess themselves his followers— [As Jesus had frequently told his own Disciples that they must be ready to lay down their lives for him, so he now declared to these strangers, that these were the only terms on which he would accept them as his people. The wheat must resemble that from which it sprang; and the Disciples be conformed to the image of their Lord. Nor must they only be willing to suffer like him, but must account those sufferings their glory. This was the practice of the Apostles; and must be the practice of all who would adorn the Gospel". We Ps. lxxii. 16. h Acts v. 41. should feel no difficulty in pronouncing him honoured and glorified, who should be irradiated with a glory, like Moses, or have the Holy Ghost lighting visibly on him, as once he did on the Apostles with equal confidence then may we pronounce him glorified, who bears his cross after Jesus; for "the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon him." Remember then, brethren, that these are the terms on which Christ acknowledges you as his; and "arm yourselves with the mind that was in him." Be content to "suffer with him; and then you shall also be glorified together."] i 1 Pet. iv. 12-14. MDCLXXII. THE BENEFIT OF FOLLOWING CHRIST. John xii. 26. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. THE Christian's life is certainly a life of difficulty and self-denial, not only as being contrary to our natural inclinations, but as exposing us to the contempt and hatred of an ungodly world. From the very days of Cain to this present moment, the wicked have hated, reviled, and persecuted the just. The prophets were all, without exception, treated with great malignity. The Apostles were deemed as "the very filth of the world, and as the off-scouring of all things," both by their own people the Jews, and by the Gentiles in every place. Our blessed Lord himself, in whom no fault whatever could be found, was an object of "abhorrence to his whole nation," and was put to death by them as the vilest and most odious of malefactors. And we also are taught to expect similar treatment at the hands of those amongst whom we live. Nor are we at liberty to shun the cross by any relaxation of our principles, or by any deviation from the path of duty. Our Lord tells us plainly, that he who loveth his life shall lose it; and that he only who hateth his life in this world, shall keep it unto life eternal".” But if this appear a ver. 25. hard, the encouragement which our Lord affords us is amply sufficient for the support of our minds. His injunction is, "If any man serve me, let him follow me," even unto death. And for his encouragement I assure him, that where I am there shall also my servant be: yea, if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. Here we have, on the most unquestionable authority, I. Our duty set before us. II. Our encouragement to perform it. I. Our duty is to "serve" the Lord Jesus Christ, "whose we are and whom therefore we are bound to serve." But how must we serve him? Our Lord says, 66 If any man serve me, let him follow me:" Let him follow me, As his Teacher, to instruct him. As his Master, to rule him. As his Saviour, to save him. As his Example, whereby to regulate the whole of his conduct. us. We must follow Christ as our Teacher, to instruct "Christ is a Teacher come from God." He has "left the bosom of his Father, and come down to earth to declare him to us," and to make known to us his mind and will. In particular, He is come to inform us what plan his heavenly Father has devised for the restoration of a guilty world to his favour; and in what way they must walk so as to please and honour him. And he expects that we come to him. with the docility of little children, and receive instruction from his lips: "Learn of me," says he, "for I am meek and lowly in heart";" that is, 'Learn of me, for I can bear with your infirmities, and will carefully convey instruction to you as you are able to receive it.' It was in this way that Mary sat at his feet, whilst her more earthly-minded sister Martha was cumbered about providing for the guests whom she was about to entertain: and this was "the good b Matt. xi. 29. part" which Mary chose, and which, our Lord assured her, should never be taken from her. To inculcate this lesson, and to induce this habit, was the real scope of our Lord's address to the Rich Youth, who desired to know what he must do in order to obtain eternal life. Our Lord told him to "keep the commandments." And, when the Young Man, ignorant of their spiritual import, affirmed that he had kept them all from his youth up, our Lord said to him, "Go and sell all thou hast, and come and follow me; and thou shalt have treasure in heaven;" by which he meant, not that the sacrifice of earthly treasures would purchase those which are eternal; but that by disencumbering his mind of earthly cares, and attending diligently on the instructions that should be given him, he should gradually be guided into all truth, and finally attain that eternal life about which he had professed so much concern. This is what our Lord requires at our hands also; and not at the commencement of our career only, but throughout our whole lives. After he had taught his Disciples during the whole of his ministerial life, even after he was risen again from the dead, he both "expounded to them out of the prophets all that related to himself," and "opened their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures:" and in like manner must we, to the latest hour of our lives, come to him for the illumination of our minds by his word and Spirit. We shall still need the same teaching as at the first, and must come to him for that spiritual "eye-salve which he alone can give." Next we must follow him as our Master, to rule us. "We call him Lord and Master; and we say well; for so he is." But "to what purpose shall we call him Lord, Lord, if we do not the things which he says?" His word must be a law unto us at all times, and under all circumstances. There is no authority whatever that is to be regarded in comparison of his. When the Disciples were forbidden to preach in his name, they made this appeal to their Rulers; c Matt. xix. 21. d Luke xxiv. 44, 45. e Rev. iii. 18. "Whether it be right to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge yet." So whatever menaces be used to intimidate us, and to deter us from the path of duty, we must say with St. Paul, "None of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto me," so that I may but discharge the duty I owe unto my Lord, and approve myself to him as his faithful servant. Further, we must follow him as our Saviour, to save us. There is no other Saviour, no other name under heaven given among men whereby we, or any human being, can be saved. It is he who has by the sacrifice of himself effected our reconciliation with our offended God: and he says, "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth." "As the serpent was lifted up in the wilderness that the wounded Israelites might look unto it and be healed, so," says our Lord, "have I been lifted up, that whosoever shall believe in me may not perish, but may have eternal life." But our eyes must be to him alone. We must not blend any thing with his all-sufficient merits. We must not look partly to ourselves and partly to him; for he will not endure any rival, or "give any part of his glory to another." If St. Paul "desired to be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness but the righteousness which is of God by faith in Christi," much more must we renounce all dependence on our own works, and seek to be justified by Christ alone. As in heaven there is but one song, "To him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and made us kings and priests unto God and the Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever; k" so on earth must there be an entire and exclusive affiance in him for all the blessings of salvation. Once more, we must follow him as our Example, to regulate the whole of our life and conversation. When he washed his Disciples' feet, he declared, that he intended in this symbolical act to shew, how they were to demean themselves towards each other; and, f Acts iv. 19. and v. 29. h John iii. 11, 15. Acts xx. 24. i Phil. iii. 9. and xxi. 13. |