Sermons Preached in the African Protestant Episcopal Church of St. Thomas', Philadelphia/Sermon 3
SERMON III.
spiritual prosperity of gaius.
"The elder, unto the well-beloved Gaius whom I love in the truth. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. For I rejoiced greatly when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth."
This epistle is addressed to some converted Gentile called Gaius. But as there are three persons of this name mentioned in the New Testament, there is an uncertainty with regard to the one particularly referred to. There is one Gaius of Corinth, whom St. Paul calls his "host, and" the host of "the whole Church."[1] There is another named 'Gaius,' a native "of Macedonia"[2] who accompanied St. Paul, and spent some time with him at Ephesus. There is "Gaius of Derbe"[3] who also was a fellow-traveller of the Apostle Paul. It is supposed, however, that the person here particularly addressed, was the Gaius of Corinth, as hospitality was a prominent feature in his character. The design of the Apostle in writing this epistle to Gaius, was to commend his steadfastness in the faith, and the general hospitality he had shown, especially, to the ministers of Christ. In carrying forward this design, he, in the mean time, rebukes one Diotrephes, who, had arrogantly assumed the chief direction in the affairs of the Church. He had not only refused a kind reception to those messengers of peace and salvation himself, but had hindered them from doing so who were thus disposed. The Apostle also commends an excellent person named Demetrius, whom he proposed as a pattern which the whole church might safely imitate. From the high commendation here so cordially given to Gaius, he must have been universally regarded as a man of eminent piety, one, who was deeply concerned for the welfare and prosperity of the Church; one who endeavored to the utmost of his ability to advance the cause of his Redeemer in the world. It was this that so greatly endeared him to the venerable Apostle. Hence he addresses him with all the tenderness of paternal affection—"The elder, unto the well-beloved Gaius whom I love in the truth, or truly love."
He manifests his sincere love and regard for him by earnestly praying for his prosperity, both in a temporal and spiritual point of view. "I wish above all things" or with respect to all things, "that thou mayest prosper and be in health even as thy soul prospereth."
Prayer in its very nature, is an acknowledgement of our absolute dependence upon God for the blessings we petition at his hands. St. John, fully realizing the truth, that "every good gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights," prays that "Gaius might prosper and be in health." Thus, by his example, he inculcates upon us the duty of cultivating the spirit of dependance upon God for success in all our endeavors, to improve either our temporal or spiritual interests. The worldly-minded habitually indulge an opposite spirit. They are wise in their own wisdom, and strong in their own strength. Hence they attribute the success and prosperity of their affairs to their own prudence and foresight. The folly and danger of this lofty spirit were awfully exemplified in that eventful crisis in the history of Nebuchadnezzar. While he walked abroad in his palace, revolving with a secret complacency his grandeur and magnificence, saying to himself, "Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?[4] While he thus, in the haughtiness of pride arrogated all the glory to himself; a voice from heaven declared to him that his kingdom was departed from him, that he should be driven from men, and his dwelling be with the beasts of the field, until he knew that the Most High ruled in the kingdoms of men and gave them to whomsoever he would. This proud spirit which refuses to acknowledge its dependance upon the Creator, the holy scriptures every where assure us is an object that God abominates: while on the other hand, the spirit manifested by the apostle, he highly approbates. "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."[5]
Gaius, in behalf of whom the apostle prays, seems to have been very prosperous with regard to his spiritual state. This appears,
1st. From the genuineness of his faith. It is affirmed that "the truth was in himm, and that he walked in, or according to the truth." Evangelical faith may be defined to be, a hearty belief of the truth as it is in Jesus. It is not a cold speculative principle, floating in the head without influencing the heart and life. It is a living, active principle, regulating the heart and outward conduct It takes the Lord at his word. It influences the possessor to provide against the evil he threatens, and to pursue with earnestness and decision the good he promises. For instance, when God told Noah that the end of all flesh had come before him, and that he was about to deluge the earth with a flood; Noah's faith in the testimony of God influenced him to provide against the threatened evil by preparing an ark for the saving of his house. When Lot was commanded to leave Sodom, being informed by unquestionable authority that the Lord would destroy the city with its inhabitants; his faith led him to flee to the mountain, the divinely appointed place of refuge. It was this living, active faith, that marked the character of the Christian so highly commended in the passage under consideration.
It is important to believe all the cardinal doctrines of Christianity, such as the Divinity of Christ, his vicarious sacrifice, the necessity of repentance, faith and obedience; the doctrines of future rewards and punishment. But it is not enough speculatively to believe these truths; it is indispensable that we have a realizing sense of the great importance of them in their personal application; otherwise, we shall stand justly charged with having only the form of godliness while we are destitute of the power thereof. It was not thus with the eminent Christian here proposed as a pattern worthy of imitation. He was deeply sensible of the great necessity of personal holiness. Hence his faith led him to "renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanity of this wicked world," and to present himself at the throne of heavenly grace, where he diligently sought and in due time found "that peace which the world cannot give." And having "the Holy Ghost given unto" him, all those graces that adorn and beautify the Christian character, viz., virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly-kindness, charity, all these were manifest in his life and conduct. For it is further said of him, that,
2. "He walked in the truth" His course through life was in accordance with the requisitions of the gospel. He adorned the gospel of God his Saviour by a holy walk and chaste conversation—living soberly, righteously, and godly amidst a crooked and perverse generation. Though he could not have regarded himself as having attained perfection, yet, like the apostle Paul, who, "forgetting those things that are behind, and reaching forth unto those things that are before, he pressed toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
The bright and shining example set before the world by this Christian, afforded grounds of rejoicing to the apostle John. "I rejoiced greatly" says he, "when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth." While it is always a source of pleasure to a gospel minister to witness the general health and temporal prosperity of his fellow-Christians, yet does it afford him more exquisite joy, when they give a good testimony to the truth, by their walking as it becomes the gospel. As there can scarcely be a greater obstacle in the way of sinners duly considering the claims of Christianity, than the loose and irregular lives of those who professedly say: "Lord, Lord, and do not the things" that he says; so, on the other hand, there is nothing better calculated, perhaps, to stop the mouths of gainsayers, to fasten conviction upon the mind of the ungodly, than the consistent conduct of religious professors. They are then as a city set on a hill that cannot be hid—they evince to all around that religion is a divine reality, and not a cunningly devised fable.
In the character of Gaius, we see one who used the world as not abusing it. He was blessed with all the necessary comforts and conveniences of life, and very probably upon the whole, was in a very prosperous condition as it regards temporal matters; as we may learn from his repeated acts of kindness "to brethren and strangers." There were many to "bear witness before the church," of this praiseworthy trait in his character. His prosperity in the things of this life did not, however, prove to him a curse. He did not suffer the things of this world to cheat him out of his soul. He passed through things temporal, so as not to lose those things that are eternal. He labored "not only for the meat that perisheth, but for that also which endureth to everlasting life." His soul prospered. The seed of divine truth sown in his heart, sprung up and brought forth the fruit of good living to the honor and glory of God. He prospered not only with regard to his present gracious state, but also with regard to his future prospects. He was laying up "treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal." Truly prosperous, indeed ! A prosperity which nothing on earth can destroy. We may pass along here for awhile in the enjoyment of excellent health of body, but the blighting hand of sickness sooner or later will prostrate the most vigorous constitution. We come up like a flower, fair and beautiful, opening and expanding the faculties by degrees; but we are soon cut down by the scythe of some ruthless distemper, or nipt and withered by the frost of some wasting weakness and decay. We may prosper here in the riches of the world, but if they do not take to themselves wings and flee away from us, how soon are we hurried away from them into the eternal world by the irresistible arm of death? But what can destroy the prosperity of the soul? Can sickness? No. Can death? St. Paul triumphantly answers—No. "For I am persuaded" says he, "that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."[6] Blessed, yea, thrice blessed is the man whose soul prospers.
But how few comparatively are in this happy condition. You will all agree with me in saying that their souls do not prosper, who are in a state of nature, unrenewed, unsanctified by the influences of the Holy Spirit. For you are aware that it is written upon the inspired pages that, "the wrath of God abideth upon them." They are represented therein, as wanderers upon dark and barren mountains without a shelter and perishing with hunger. Though by some strange infatuation, they may imagine themselves "rich, increased in goods and have need of nothing" they are nevertheless "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind and naked."
Nor can it be said of backsliders that their souls prosper. They may be likened to a "tree whose fruit withereth." "The latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it has happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire."[7] Nor can it be said of the luke-warm Christian, that his soul prospers. He is self-condemned. The language of his agonizing heart is:—
"Where is the blessedness I knew
When first I saw the Lord?
Where is the soul-refreshing view
Of Jesus and his word?
What peaceful hours I then enjoy'd,
How sweet their mem'ry still!
But now I feel an aching void
The world can never fill."
The luke-warm professor is thus addressed by the great Head of the church: "I would thou wert cold or hot, because thou art luke-warm, and neither cold or hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."[8]
The man of whose soul prosperity can be truly affirmed, has been created anew in Christ Jesus. He advances in the divine life, and abounds in every good word and work. He is deeply concerned not only for his own personal salvation, but also for the present and eternal well-being of his fellow-travellers to eternity. Hence he is found striving to the utmost of his ability to advance the cause of Christ among his fellowmen. He is eyes to the blind, feet to the lame, a messenger of peace and consolation to the distressed, whether of mind, body or estate.
We should above all things, my beloved brethren, see to it that our souls prosper. It is very proper that we should pray both for health of body and prosperity in our daily avocations. It becomes us also to be diligent in the use of all lawful means in order to obtain them. God, however, in his wise and inscrutable providence, may not see fit to crown our efforts in this respect with desired success. But in regard to the spiritual prosperity of the soul, he never fails to crown persevering diligence with success, Whoever humbly yields to the life-giving and fructifying influences of that Holy Spirit which is to abide with the church forever, is sure to thrive and prosper, "like a tree planted by the water side." Upon the soul the Creator has stamped his seal of immortality—it is destined to run parallel with his own uncreated existence. When our globe shall be dissolved, and all that are therein shall be burned up, the soul, more refined and dignified, shall survive the dissolution of matter, and shall either flourish in immortal youth and beauty on the healthful plains of Paradise, or endure an indescribable burden of anguish in the doleful regions of endless woe. How invaluable then is the soul, and how solemnly, pressing are its claims upon our most serious regard. Consider what the great Eternal has done to promote its everlasting health and vigor. He himself came down from heaven, veiled his unutterable glories in humanity, proclaimed his own everlasting gospel, led a suffering life, died an ignominious death, rose again from the grave, "ascended up on high, led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers"—"For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ"[9] "the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God."[10] Now, who among us in this view, does not perceive something of the incalculable value of the soul? For infinite wisdom does nothing unnecessary. And seeing that he has been at a vast expense of means in behalf of our souls, it shows the awfulness of the peril to which they are exposed. It accounts for that solemn and thrilling question propounded by himself:—"What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Nothing can be compared to it in value. Lose that, and you lose your all. I beseech you therefore to attend earnestly to its high concerns. Beware of unbelief, pride, prejudice, envy and malice. These are the briers that render the soul barren, and prevent the word of divine truth from being so ingrafted into the heart as to bring forth fruit to the honor and glory of God. Seek diligently the influences of that Spirit who alone can cause the native desert of the heart to bud and blossom as the rose; and having the heavenly graces implanted therein by his own right hand, and abounding in the same when this painful life shall end, you may look forward in hope of being conveyed to that bright world where the soul no longer clogged in her devotional exercises by frail humanity, shall expand and grow more and more like God through everlasting ages.