Life and Times of David. Miscellaneous Writings of C. H. Mackintosh, vol. VIMackintosh, Charles Henry
Religion
Life and Times of David. Miscellaneous Writings of C. H. Mackintosh, vol. VI
Mackintosh, Charles Henry
Theology
To all this we simply reply, "Are we competent to judge?" If any one
thinks he is, it is tantamount to saying that God is not fit to govern
the world, but should give place to man. This is the real root of the
whole matter. Infidelity wants to get rid of God altogether, and set
up man in His place. If God is to be God, then, most certainly, His
ways, the actings of His government, the mysteries of His providence,
His purposes, His counsels and His judgments must lie far beyond the
range of the greatest human or angelic mind. Neither angel, man nor
devil can comprehend Deity. Let men own this, and hush into eternal
silence their puny, ignorant and contemptible reasonings. Let them
take up the language of Job when his eyes were opened: "Then Job
answered the Lord, and said, I know that Thou canst do everything, and
that no thought can be withholden from Thee. Who is he that hideth
counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood
not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Hear, I beseech
Thee, and I will speak: I will demand of Thee, and declare Thou unto
Me. I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye
seeth Thee: wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."
When the soul gets into this attitude, there is an end of all infidel
questions. Till then there is little use in discussion.
Let us now turn for a few moments to contemplate the solemn scene in
the valley of Achor; and let us remember that "whatsoever things were
written aforetime, were written for our learning." May we learn to
watch with holy jealousy the incipient workings of evil in our hearts.
It is on these men ought to sit in judgment, and not on the pure and
perfect actings of divine government.
Joshua's address to Achan is solemn, weighty, and powerful: "My son,
give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make
confession unto Him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not
from me."
Here is the all-important matter. "Give glory to Jehovah, God of
Israel." All hinges upon this. The Lord's glory is the one perfect
standard by which all is to be judged--the perfect gauge by which
everything is to be measured--the perfect touchstone by which all is
to be tried. The one great question for the people of God in all ages
and in all dispensations is this: _What is suited to the glory of
God?_ In comparison with this, all other questions are less than
secondary. It is not a question of what is suitable to us, or what we
can tolerate or agree with. This is a very minor consideration indeed.
What we have ever to look to, and think of, and provide for, is the
glory of God. We have to ask ourselves the question, in reference to
everything that comes before us, "Will this comport with the glory of
God?" If not, let us, by His grace, fling it aside.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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