Sermons Preached in the African Protestant Episcopal Church of St. Thomas', Philadelphia/Sermon 11
SERMON XI.
a sacred nearness to god recommended.
"Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you."
In discoursing from the words of the text, we shall be led to consider,
First,—The distant relation that fallen man sustains to his Maker.
Second,—The duty enjoined upon man to draw nigh to God.
Thirdly,—The encouragement to the performance of this duty.—He will draw nigh to you.
1. The distant relation that fallen man sustains to his Maker. The great God in his essential presence, is not far from any one of us. "He is about our bed, and about our path, and spies out all our ways." He fills the great immensity of space, and is therefore, everywhere present at the same time. This truth, too large for either human or angelic minds fully to grasp, is set forth by the Psalmist in language the most lofty and sublime: "Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven thou art there. If I make my bed in hell behold thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me."[1] God is present to spy out all our thoughts, motives, intentions, dispositions, tempers and actions: He is present to know, sustain and uphold every minute part of his widely extended creation, whether animate or inanimate; aye, his presence extends far beyond the bounds of those innumerable worlds that roll in the wide expanse of heaven; infinitely further than the imagination can possibly reach. But notwithstanding the great Eternal be thus everywhere present, and of course nigh unto all of us, yet, fallen man, nevertheless, stands at an awful distance from him. The Omnipresence of God is one of his natural attributes. It follows as a necessary consequence of his existence. It is just as impossible for the Creator not to be Omnipresent, as it is for him not to exist. And that the non-existence of the Deity is impossible, is clear from what strikes our senses in every direction. We see, for instance, a variety of living creatures on the earth, in the air, and in the waters. And we know that they could not create themselves; they must depend upon some other cause for their existence; and that cause must be absolutely independent; for an eternal succession of dependent beings is impossible. There must be an end to the chain of secondary causes, and that end, is the uncaused, uncreated God. Thus we see, that the non-existence of God is impossible. And that he should not be Omnipresent, is equally impossible. He being, as we have seen, uncreated; he must necessarily be absolutely independent; and the being who is absolutely independent, must be Omnipotent, must possess Almighty power, power to do everything that does not imply a contradiction. And he who has power thus to do everything, must be everywhere present; for we cannot conceive of power to do anything, where there is no agent to exert that power. But there are other attributes of the Deity spoken of in the Holy Scriptures denominated moral; such as his holiness, justice, goodness and truth. We need recite only a few passages that relate to God's moral excellency. "Who is like unto thee, Lord, among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness."[2] "Thou" art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity."[3] "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."[4]
Of his justice they thus speak. "Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne."[5] "He is excellent in power and in judgment, and in plenty of justice."[6] They are equally explicit in declaring his goodness and truth. "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth."[7] Now it is the duty and high privilege of man to be conformed to the Divine nature in his moral excellence. But when we contemplate unregenerate man, either in the light of experience or revelation, we cannot fail to see the vast distance at which he stands from that moral likeness of God, which it is his privilege to bear. God is holy; he looks upon sin with infinite abhorrence. But man is unholy; he is conceived and born in sin. Sinful thoughts, desires, affections and tempers, he freely indulges in, while sinful practices and pursuits are engaged in by him with delight. God is just; but man is unjust. He is unjust to himself, as he fails to bestow the attention that is due to the paramount interests of his spiritual nature. This being the case, he cannot be otherwise than unconcerned about the spiritual and eternal concerns of his fellow-creatures. He is unjust towards God, in withholding that reverential fear and devout service to which he has an indisputable claim. God is good. His goodness, like the bright sun in the heavens, shines along the pathway of every child of Adam that comes into the world. In all his works and ways, he evidently has a kind regard to the happiness of the creatures he has made. But unrenewed man is so far from bearing the moral likeness of his Maker in this respect, that, on the contrary, all his works and ways tend ultimately, not only to his own misery, but to the utter ruin also of all over whom he has influence. To use the strong language of scripture:—"Destruction and misery are in their ways" "and the way of peace have they not known."[8] We have thus given a brief sketch of the moral image of unrenewed man. And how unlike the moral likeness of his Maker? The one is Light, the other, darkness. Now so long as man maintains this position, so long as he stands in this opposing relation to his Maker, he cannot be happy. It is impossible. Where is there an intelligent creature in the wide universe, who can be happy, unless approbated by his Maker, the only source of happiness? And can the great Supreme, approbate a character, that is in direct opposition to his own? No, never. Light and darkness can amalgamate sooner than the Eternal God can look with complacency, either upon man or angel, that does not, in his measure, bear his moral image and likeness. There is a perpetual war between the two. God has no fellowship with the wicked. And the wicked have no communion with him. "The carnal mind is enmity against God." The final issue of this hostility, according to the sacred oracles, will be terrible in the extreme. They teach us that "the day cometh, when all the proud" contemners of God's law, "and all that do wickedly," shall, at the awful sentence of the Judge, "go away into everlasting punishment, where shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth." Awfully tremendous is the doom that awaits the finally impenitent. But as our heavenly Father "hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his wickedness and live," he has in infinite kindness devised a plan by which he may escape that misery to which his native opposition to God will certainly lead. There is no way, however, of escape for man, unless he alter his position, unless a radical change take place in his moral character. Hence the exhortation in the text—"Draw nigh to God." As man's distance from the moral image of God is particularly alluded to, so to draw nigh to Him, is to advance progressively towards his divine image, and likeness. We draw nigh to God:—
1. By repentance. Repentance properly speaking comprehends three things, viz.: conviction of sin, sorrow on account of it, and the forsaking of it. The searching light of heaven first discloses to the sinner the sad reality that his "whole head is sick," and his "whole heart faint;" that, "from the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it, but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores:" that "have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment." This view of native depravity, this conviction of sin, is accompanied with a generous sorrow on account of it. "I am weary" says penitent David, "with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim: I water my couch with my tears. Mine eye is consumed because of grief."[9] This sorrow, however, is not merely a mental anguish arising from the fear of punishment, but a tender and filial grief for having sinned against the most endearing goodness, and offended the kindest and best of friends. No other consideration pierces the soul so deep and causes it to overflow with penitential sorrow, as the thought of its ingratitude and rebellion against Him who bought us with the Saviour's blood. He sums up all his guilt and crime in the penitent acknowledgement—"Against thee, thee only have I sinned."[10] This conviction of and sorrow for sin, lead to the forsaking of it. The penitent, like the prodigal in the Gospel, forms the resolution to arise from his state of wretchedness, and he is enabled through grace to put his resolution into practice: he arises, brings forth fruit meet for repentance, ceasing to do evil and learning to do well. "The vows that" he "made, or that was made in" his "name at" his "baptism," he ratifies and confirms, "acknowledging" himself "bound to believe and to do all those things which" he "then undertook, or" his "sponsors undertook for" him.
The soul has now so far changed its position, that whereas sin, in which it formerly took so much delight, now appears in all its native odiousness, as something to be loathed and shunned. He perceives also a beauty in the holiness of God which he never saw before, and his anxious desire is to be conformed in his measure, more and more to the same image. Hence he draws nigh to God.
2. In the exercise of faith. Under the dispensation of the Gospel, God has appointed repentance and a lively faith in his mercy through Christ, as the terms to be complied with on the part of man in order to his restoration to the divine favor. Hence the command: "Repent ye and believe the Gospel."[11] So, whenever a soul is suitably humbled under a sense of his sins, though he may see sufficient grounds for self-reproach for his former ingratitude, his unnatural and long continued rebellion against God, yet he goes to his heavenly Father with the determination to submit to his government, imploring and relying upon his mercy through Christ. We repeat, that he relies upon God's mercy through Christ. For we have no grounds to expect pardoning mercy at the hands of God in any other way than through faith in Jesus Christ. "No man can come to me" says Jesus, "except the Father which hath sent me, draw him."[12] Again he says, "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."[13] Here we learn that in the economy of grace God the Father draws man: he draws him by the cords of love, he sheds light into his mind, and discovers unto him his wretched condition; he shows him the great provision his love has made for his salvation, he directs him to look to the Lamb he has appointed to take away the sins of the world. And whenever the penitent in obedience yields to this drawing, and centres all his hopes in Him who gave himself a ransom for all, then to such an one the promise in the text is verified. The Lord in his mercy draws nigh to that soul.
1. He draws nigh to impart a comfortable sense of pardon and reconciliation.
He sheds abroad m the believing heart a peace that the world cannot give; a peace that passeth all understanding. "The Spirit itself" says St. Paul, "beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God."[14] And being emancipated through grace, from the servile fear of wrath and condemnation, they are enabled to approach God as their Almighty friend and Father, from whose inexhaustible fulness they receive all that they need, both for time and eternity. God deals with them as children. He manifests himself unto them as he doth not unto the world, by imparting unto them light, life, strength, comfort and consolation, to aid them to walk in the path of holiness. Once they were strangers to communion with God, but now they know what it is to enjoy sweet fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. But as they are daily exposed to a very formidable opposition to their advancement in the divine life; an opposition from the world, the flesh and Satan, through whose influence they would inevitably fall if left to themselves, the Lord draws near,—
2. To guide, direct and support them. At all times, and under all circumstances of trial, he is near, whispering in tones sweeter than heavenly music, saying unto them, "Fear not; be not dismayed, lam thy God, I will uphold thee, I will strengthen thee." Though they pass through the waters of affliction, he assures them that "they shall not be overflowed." And when they are called to "walk through the valley and shadow of death," he will be the rod and staff to comfort them, and will ultimately lead them to that eternal rest that remains for the people of God.
How thankful we should be, my brethren, for the great provision that is made for us in the gospel. We had by wicked works alienated ourselves from God, rendered ourselves obnoxious to his wrath and sore displeasure—"treasured up unto ourselves wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God." But in his infinite benevolence he contrived a plan by which we may be brought back, restored to his favor and image here, and finally exalted to everlasting happiness in the bright world above. Let those who have been graciously brought into a sacred nearness to God, show their thankfulness for this inestimable privilege, by making nearer approaches to him, by diligent attendance upon all the appointed means of grace—daily cultivating those graces of the Spirit which in the sight of God are of great price. "The path of the just is as the shining light, which shines more and more unto the perfect day." The nearer you approach to Him, the nearer will He be found to you, imparting more light to direct you in the way in which you should go; more strength to enable you to resist your spiritual foes; more comfort to animate you on your pilgrimage. Thus advancing in the divine life, being ambitious to comprehend with all saints, what is "the length and breadth, height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge," you may hope to have an abundant entrance into that kingdom where is fulness of joy and pleasures forevermore.
We would now address a few words, especially, to that part of our hearers who are far off from God by wicked works. My impenitent hearers, consider what a fearful position you occupy—enemies to the great God of the universe! You may be shocked at this, but it is nevertheless true. Every one now in Divine presence, who has arrived to the years of maturity, and is found in a state of impenitency, is an enemy to God. You are rebels against His government. You stand in battle array against him, led on by "the Prince of Darkness, he who now worketh in the hearts of the children of disobedience." And, what do you suppose, will be the issue of this hostility? Canst thou, whose habitation is in the dust, contend with the arm of Omnipotence? Suppose the wrath of every individual in this community was aroused against you, would you stand singly and alone, and contend against it? No. You would escape for your life; you would prefer a lodging in some vast wilderness. But what will you do when the Lord "ariseth to shake terribly the earth?" When the great day of his wrath shall come, whither shall you fly? "Behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him." Where now will you find shelter from that "fire that shall devour before Him?" Where in the wide universe will you then find an all-availing friend? Thank God, that we are yet pirsoners of hope, that a Throne of Grace is erected, and that sinners may now obtain mercy and find grace to help them in their time of need. I beseech you, therefore, to improve these precious privileges, while as yet pardon may be obtained. Lay down the weapons of your rebellion, and fight against God no more. Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace. Draw nigh to Him, and He will draw nigh to you.