The Life of Duty, v. 2: A year's plain sermons on the Gospels or EpistlesWilmot-Buxton, H. J. (Harry John)
Religion
The Life of Duty, v. 2: A year's plain sermons on the Gospels or Epistles
Wilmot-Buxton, H. J. (Harry John)
Bible. Epistles -- Commentaries; Bible. Gospels -- Commentaries; Sermons, English
Then, too, the means of grace--how are we using them? There are the
Sacraments of the Church, do we value them as we ought? Do we
understand the privilege and the blessing of having been baptised into
Christ's Holy Church, and made partakers of the resurrection of Jesus?
Do we appreciate the value of that Holy Sacrament, when we bring our
children to be baptised? Then think of that other Sacrament, the
blessed legacy of our dying Saviour's love, the Holy Food of us
travellers through the wilderness. Why are not all of you who hear me
now Communicants? Why should there be two classes among you; one class
of Church-goers only, the other of Church-goers who are Communicants?
Your Saviour offers you the highest of all blessings in that Sacrament,
He offers you Himself. Are you afraid to look upon God? You _must_
look on Him one day. Are you trying to live without the Precious Food
of the Altar? Man doth not live by bread alone; he _cannot_ live by
bread alone, unless God feeds him there is no life in him. As you turn
away from this Altar, and go to that other altar which you have raised
to some unworthy idol, does there come no reproach to you, no warning
voice--"What hast thou done? Give an account of thy stewardship." And
so with all the means of grace, we must give an account of them. Our
Confirmation, that solemn coming of age, when we were bidden to take
unto us the whole armour of God; have we remembered that, and all its
responsibilities? Our prayers in private, and our public worship in
Church, we must answer to God for them. When you are tempted to hurry
over your prayers, to say words with no heart, perhaps no meaning in
them; or when in Church you are silent and inattentive, instead of
throwing all your heart and mind into the act of worship; remember that
for all these things God will bring you into judgment, and will say,
"Give an account of thy stewardship." Is that your Bible on the shelf,
covered with tell-tale dust? Well, God lent you that good thing, and
He will ask for an account of your use of it, or your neglect.
Then again, God has sent you trials, sorrows, losses, as teachers who
warn you of your state. You must render an account for them. You
stood by the grave of someone stricken very suddenly by death. That
was a message sent to you by God, reminding you that man's time passeth
away like a shadow, and bidding you take heed to your ways. Did you
listen to the warning, my brother, and take heed? Some of you have
lost your money, others your health; some have seen their cherished
plans disappointed, their dearest wishes fail. All these are whispers
from God, warnings from the Unseen. Have you understood them? God
will ask you one day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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