The World's Great Sermons, Volume 04: L. Beecher to Bushnell
Religion
The World's Great Sermons, Volume 04: L. Beecher to Bushnell
Sermons
We have nothing to fear, from the entire dominion of God, which we
should not have cause equally to fear, as outcasts from the divine
government; but we have everything to hope, while He rules the earth
according to His most merciful pleasure. The Lord reigneth; let the
earth rejoice, let the multitude of the isles be glad. It is of the
Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions
fail not.
6. It is greatly to be desired that God should dispose of mankind
according to His pleasure, because, if He does so, it is certain
that there will be no injustice done to anyone.
He will do no injustice to His holy kingdom by any whom He saves.
He will bring none to heaven who are not holy, and prepared for
heaven. He will bring none there in any way not consistent with His
perfections, and the best good of His kingdom; none in any way but
that prescribed in the gospel, the way of faith in Jesus Christ, of
repentance for sin, and of good works as the constituted fruit and
evidence of faith.
Earthly monarchs have their favorites, whom, if guilty of a
violation of the laws, they will often interpose to save, although
the welfare of the kingdom requires their punishment. But God has
no such favorites--He is no respecter of persons: He spared not the
angels: and upon the earth distinctions of intellect, or wealth, or
honor, will have no effect; he only that believeth shall be saved.
The great and the learned shall not be obtruded upon heaven without
holiness because they are great or learned; and the humble and
contrite shall not be excluded because they are poor, or ignorant,
or obscure. God has provided a way for all men to return to Him.
He has opened the door of their prison, and set open before them a
door of admission into the kingdom of His dear Son; and commanded
and entreated them to abandon their dreary abode, and come into
the glorious liberty of the sons of God. But all, with one consent,
refuse to comply. Each prefers his own loathsome dwelling to the
building of God, and chooses, stedfastly, the darkness of his own
dungeon, to the light of God's kingdom. But, as God has determined
that the redemption of His Son shall not be unavailing through human
obstinacy, so He hath chosen, in Christ, multitudes which no man
can number, that they should be holy and without blame before Him
in love. And in bringing these sons and daughters to glory, through
sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, He will
introduce not one whom all the inhabitants of heaven will not hail
joyfully, as the companion of their glory. And if God does in the
earth just as He pleases, He will make willing, and obedient, and
bring to heaven, just those persons who it was most desirable should
come. And He will bring just as many obstinate rebels to abandon
their prison, and enter cheerfully His kingdom, as infinite wisdom,
goodness, and mercy, see fit and desire. He will not mar His glory,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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