A Lamp to the Path: Or, The Word of God in the Heart, the Home, the Workshop and the Market-PlaceTweedie, W. K. (William King)
Religion
A Lamp to the Path: Or, The Word of God in the Heart, the Home, the Workshop and the Market-Place
Tweedie, W. K. (William King)
Christian life
Enough has been said to show that there is no incongruity between
the religion of Jesus and the most comprehensive enterprise, if that
enterprise be characterised by wisdom, as well as extent. The Bible
may reign in the counting-house, as well as in the church; nay, where
its power is felt at all, its most signal triumphs are not found amid
the scenes where only the Omniscient is our witness, but amid those
public proceedings where dangler is rife, because the current of the
world sets in against the soul at once with the greatest rapidity
and the greatest volume. By example after example, it is proved, both
in the Word and the providence of God, that His truth embodies the
religion of activity. One man, for example, is raised up to take
possession of the promised land. He has seven nations to conquer,
as well as a numerous people to guide, and amid the manifold
engrossments of that position, how is Joshua employed? Had he adopted
the maxims merely of the world, he would have drawn the sword, he
would have thrown away the scabbard, and in the common language of
mortal boasting, he would have determined to conquer or die. But the
first sword which Joshua drew was the sword of the Spirit, which is
the Word of God. The verse which directed his steps was this, "Thou
shalt meditate on this book day and night ... for then thou shalt
make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." That
was the secret of Joshua's victories--amid the cares of a camp, he
had his God to guide him.
JOSHUA--DAVID.
And the man after God's own heart acted in the same spirit. Monarch
as he was, and compassed about with all the cares of a kingdom, David
made the Word of God a lamp to his path. He could picture no greater
self-deception than to suppose that man can find a better guide in
difficulty than God--a better Counsellor in doubt--a better Defence
in danger. He could not even invent a more flagrant kind of folly
than to set aside the wisdom of God, and prefer the wisdom of man;
to adopt some human device for remedying man's ills, for soothing
man's sorrows or lifting him from his degradation, while we despise
the sovereign specific of the eternal God. The climax of all that
is irrational is found in superseding God's revealed will, and
substituting for it the opinions, the speculations, the dreams of
mortal man. David, therefore, placed the Word of God upon his throne
beside him. Guided by it, the king was steadfast and unmoveable:
Forsaking it, he became one of the chief of sinners; he sullied one
of the fairest names.
LUTHER.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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