Elijah the Tishbite. Miscellaneous Writings of C. H. Mackintosh, vol. VMackintosh, Charles Henry
Religion
Elijah the Tishbite. Miscellaneous Writings of C. H. Mackintosh, vol. V
Mackintosh, Charles Henry
Theology
Who can fail to see the beauty and perfection of all this? Is it not
plain to the reader that the stamp of a divine hand is visible upon
the three passages which we have culled for his consideration? Yes,
and so it is upon every clause, from cover to cover, of the divine
volume. Let no one suppose for a moment that we want to occupy our
readers with curious points, nice distinctions, or learned criticisms.
Nothing is further from our thoughts. We would not pen a line for any
or all of these objects. As God is our witness, our one great object
in writing this paper is to deepen in the hearts of our readers the
sense of the preciousness, beauty and excellency of the Holy
Scriptures, given of God for the guidance, help and blessing of His
people in this dark world. If this object be gained, we have our full
reward.
But we cannot close without referring, for a moment, to the precious
pages of the New Testament. We shall ask the reader to turn to Rom.
xv., in which we have God presented to us under three distinct titles,
each one of which is in perfect and beautiful keeping with the
immediate subject in hand. Thus, in the opening verses of the chapter,
which properly belong to chapter xiv., the inspired apostle is urging
upon us the necessity of patience, forbearance, and kindly
consideration one of another. And to whom does he direct us for power
to respond to those holy and much-needed exhortations? "To the God of
patience and consolation." He presents God in the very character in
which we need Him. Our small stock of patience would soon be exhausted
in seeking to meet the varied characters which cross our path, even in
intercourse with our brethren. There are constant claims upon our
patience and forbearance; and most surely others have need of patience
and forbearance with us. Where are we all to get the means of meeting
all these claims? At the exhaustless treasury of "the God of patience
and consolation." Our tiny springs would soon dry up if not kept in
unbroken connection with that ever-flowing Fountain. The weight of a
feather would be an overmatch for _our_ patience; how much more the
ten thousand things that come before us even in the Church of God!
Hence the need of the beautiful prayer of the apostle, "Now the God of
patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward
another, according to Christ Jesus; that ye may with one mind and one
mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore
receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of
God."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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