Westminster Sermons: with a PrefaceKingsley, Charles
Religion
Westminster Sermons: with a Preface
Kingsley, Charles
Sermons, English -- 19th century
To say--I am a person; and in order that I might be a right kind of
person, and not a wrong kind, I was made a member of Christ, a child of
God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven.
To say--I am a person; and that I may be a right kind of person, I must
know and believe certain things concerning God Himself, Father, Son, and
Holy Ghost. I am a person; and that I may be a right kind of person, I
must keep certain commandments and do certain duties toward God, and my
parents, and my Queen, and my country, and my neighbour, and all toward
whom I am responsible for right behaviour.
And then, and only then, after it has made the child say all this for
itself and about itself, the Catechism does begin to teach; and in a few
very short words, tell the child about that which is not itself--
"My good child, know this, that thou art not able to do these things of
thyself, nor to walk in the Commandments of God, and to serve Him,
without His special grace; which thou must learn at all times to call for
by diligent prayer."
Now consider these words. There is comfort and strength in them; comfort
for the child; comfort for you, and me, and every human being who has
awakened to the sense of his own personal responsibility, and finds it
too often a burden heavier than he--and, alas, often, she--can bear.
The Catechism tells the child that it must not merely know doctrines
about God, or do duties to God; but more: that it is alone with God
Himself, face to face with God Himself day and night. But that therefore
it is to dread God, and look up to God as a taskmaster and tyrant, and
try to hide from God's awful eye, and forget God, and forget itself--if
it can?--God forbid; God forbid. The Catechism leaves such teaching for
those Pharisees who tell little children that unless they are converted,
and become as them, they shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of
heaven. The Catechism says, My good child--not, My bad child--know this.
Know that thou art weak: but know that God is strong; and look up to Him
as the Father of all fathers, the Teacher of all teachers, the Helper of
all helpers, the Friend of all friends, who has I called thee unto His
kingdom of grace, that He might shew thee graciousness; and make thee
gracious and graceful in all thy thoughts, and works, and ways: and,
therefore, far from trying to hide from Him, call on Him with diligent
prayer. For the Father of all fathers is the Father of thy soul, the Son
of all sons died for thee upon the Cross, the Holy Spirit of all holy
spirits will make thee a holy spirit and person, even as He is a Holy
Spirit and Person Himself.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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