SERMON V. HEBREWS xii. 5.—And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children ; My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. THE heart of man, when exercised with affliction, is ever prone to extremes.-The extreme of hardihood is the sin of those, who, not believing in God, have no fear of his power. A defective view of God's character leads to the opposite sin of despondency. Between these two extremes, He, who knoweth what is in man, steps in with the twofold exhortation referred to in my text.-Let us examine its several parts in their order. I. DESPISE NOT THOU THE CHASTENING OF THE LORD. No one can doubt, that this word chastening refers to the various afflictions and troubles which befall us in the present life. It is equally certain, that of such afflictions every man has his share. It would be a waste of time were I to particularize. Every "heart knows its own bitterness." 1 I only beg that you will call to mind your own special trouble at this time; in order that I may warn you against the sin here forbidden-the sin of despising the chastening of the Lord. 1 Proverbs xiv. 10. C You are guilty of this— 1. When you shut your eyes to the Author of your affliction. "Shall there be evil in the city, and the Lord hath not done it?" Assuredly not. Every thing that takes place in the whole universe, comes to pass either by his direct appointment, or by his equally direct permission. And yet, though few would refuse to acknowledge this undeniable truth, men act as though it were false. Hence anything is named, rather than God, as the author of their trouble. "It was a chance that befel us!" it was the ignorance or malice of an enemy! it was my ill-luck-I am always so unlucky! It was my being in such a place-at such a time-in such a person's company? Thus do men "labour in the fire for very vanity," 3 to find out something which may draw off their thoughts from God as the Chastiser. According as it is written-" Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see!"4 Oh let not such wilful blindness be yours; lest the next words also be applicable to you-" but they shall see, and be ashamed; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.". You are guilty, 2. When you inquire not the Cause of your affliction. God does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.' "5 If therefore he sends chastisement upon you, there must be some adequate cause; which you are bound to search out and discover. Job has set you the example; "I will say unto God, Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me?" 6-You should at the same time put the question to your own heart. The very word chastisement, will tell you what answer to expect. Who ever hears of chastisement, without thinking of misconduct-transgression3 Hab. ii. 13. 6 Job x. 2. 1 Amos iii. 6. 2 1 Sam. vi. 9. sin? If, in your affliction, you think not of your guilt, you are evidently despising the chastening of the Lord. Many do this. They seem to think it a proof of noble spirit, not to take blame to themselves, or to be cast down at their troubles. They call it fortitude and manliness. Such fortitude might become an innocent being (were it possible for him to be a sufferer) but can it be suitable for a sinner-a sinner under the chastening hand of Him whom he has disobeyed, offended, provoked? Is not this to "despise" him?- -You are guilty, 3. When you resist the Design of your affliction.Of the two former faults you may perhaps, to a certain degree, be not guilty. It may be, that you own the hand of God; you may even confess that you have deserved to suffer. Does it necessarily follow, then, that God's design is accomplished? By no means. What is that design? Let Moses tell-" to humble thee, and prove thee; to know what is in thine heart, whether thou wilt keep his commandments or no: that is, (not to inform himself-for he knoweth all things-but) to bring thee to a serious decision and determination of thine own heart. You have long, perhaps, been convinced, that you ought to forsake sin, and turn wholly to the Lord. But sin has still kept its hold on you; and you have loved the world, and set up idols in your heart," and resisted the conviction of your conscience. At length, then, God interrupts your comforts-puts bitterness into your cup of pleasure-pours contempt upon your idols; or he comes even closer-chastises you with bodily sickness, sorrow, and pain. "All these things worketh God oftentimes with man-that he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man; "3 not 1 Deut. viii. 2. 2 Ezekiel xiv. 3. 3 Job xxxiii. 29. 17. merely that pride which he is apt to feel toward his fellow-creatures-but that which keeps him back from godly repentance, and faith in Christ, and newness of life. Now if a man still resist this design, when God afflicts, as well as when he invites and entreats; if a man still say, "No-I have loved strangers, and after them I will go; "1 if he is more concerned to obtain relief from his trouble, than spiritual good from it; we have surely cause to say to that man, "Despise not thou the chastening of the Lord!" But perhaps you feel the force of all that has been said—and feel it so strongly, as to be overwhelmed with dismay, not only at your present afflictions, but at the apprehension of still greater sorrows, which you are conscious of having deserved. To you then, the text says, II. FAINT NOT, WHEN THOU ART REBUKED OF HIM. I shall not enlarge on the different ways, in which men faint under the rebuke of God in his chastisements. The general idea is sufficiently plain. Either from exclusive views of God's holy and strict justice, or from inordinately dwelling on their own guilt and ill-deservings, the afflicted sometimes sink into a state of hopeless despondency. "All these things are against me!"? 'God is against me; my own conscience is against me; the world is against me; the word of God is against me; the Gospel itself seems all against me !' Such are the feelings of the fainting soul-mingled, at the same time, with many a rebellious and hard thought of God, as though he were the severe and cruel tyrant, who would not care if his servant should perish. Is this the language, is this the feeling, of a Christian heart? What! have you then " forgotten the exhor 1 Jer. ii, 25. 2 Genesis xlii. 36. tation which speaketh as unto children, "MY SON! faint not, when thou art rebuked of him?" Pause awhile, and reflect what is implied in this address. It shews, that 1. Although God be the Author of your sorrows, it is as a Father that he sends them. "He that spareth the rod, hateth his Son; but he that loveth him, chasteneth him betimes: "1 the more genuine the affection, so much more prompt the chastisement. Now if this hold true with earthly parents, it may well be expected in the case of Him, who "so loved the world as to give his only begotten Son" for them! Be assured, therefore, that it is love which regulates all your afflictions-their number, their circumstances, their weight, their continuance. These things are a part of his mercy covenanted in Christ Jesus. The same fatherly kindness declared, forsake my way, I will visit their rod and their sin with scourges; diately added, "Nevertheless, my loving kindness will I not utterly take away, nor suffer my truth to fail." -"Lift up, then, the hands which hang down.” 4 All is not against you. Your heavenly Father is for you-and, if you trust him, will make these "light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work out for you a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." 5 "If thy children iniquity with the "" which then imme 2. Although sin be the Cause of your sorrows, yet those sorrows are not the special penalty of sin. They may distress and scorch you-but you are not " tormented in this flame." 6 Earth is not Hell! Your Father is correcting you, rather than punishing you. What! can any thing you now suffer, be at all compared with your deserts? No, indeed; those who receive the 1 Prov. xiii. 24. 4 Heb. xii. 12. 2 John iii. 16. 5 2 Cor. iv. 17. 3 Ps. lxxxix. 33. 6 Luke xvi. 24. |