Suppose I were to say to you that if you were to go down to Hastings
you would be able to see the French coast clearly and distinctly, you
would say, "Impossible even to the longest-sighted person; it is more
than fifty miles away"; and yet, as you may see in the Philosophical
Transactions for 1798, the coast of France was so visible, without a
telescope, from Calais to St. Vallery, with the fishing-boats, and the
colour of the houses clearly perceived. When you hear this, you say,
"Well, if it is in the Philosophical Transactions, it must be true, and
if it happened once, it may happen again." Good enough reasoning; and
the Scriptures are the Spiritual Transactions, the record of God's
dealings with and revealings to men of old time. If they are true, He
has unveiled the hidden mysteries not once or twice to waiting souls;
and what He has done, He not only may do again, but will do, wherever
He finds a truly humble heart in which to work and rest. If He stood
by Paul, saying, "Fear not," just as really and maybe as evidently will
He stand by you: If He guided him in his work, restraining him from
preaching here, and calling him to service there, He will give you also
leadings just as certain and maybe as distinct. But, do you say, "Are
we then to seek for signs and wonders, to fast and pray, ardently
longing for the Divine revelation, until the vision dawns?" I do not
say so; but rather add unto your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to
patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to
brotherly kindness love: for if ye do these things ye shall never fall,
and an entrance shall be abundantly ministered unto you into the
everlasting kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.
VII
A CONFERENCE ON DEATH
"And, behold, there talked with Him two men, which were Moses and
Elias, who appeared in glory, and spake of His exodus which He should
accomplish at Jerusalem."--LUKE ix. 30, 31.
We shall not attempt to explain the whole subject of the
Transfiguration, but let us consider for what Jesus went up into the
mountain. The common opinion is that He went up to enjoy Himself--in
search of some spiritual ecstacy. But in this case there would have
been no transfiguration. Spiritual rapture comes after earnest labour
through eager prayer--it is not found by seeking--we have not to look
for feelings or ecstacies; we need "to know the will of God, and to do
it."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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