Westminster Sermons: with a PrefaceKingsley, Charles
Religion
Westminster Sermons: with a Preface
Kingsley, Charles
Sermons, English -- 19th century
And all that he has left behind him--as far as we can tell--is this one
psalm which he wrote, as may be guessed from its arrangement, slowly, and
with exceeding care, as the very pith and marrow of an experience spread
over many painful years of struggle and of humiliation.
I say of humiliation. For there is not a taint of self-conceit, not even
of self-satisfaction, in him. He only sees his own weakness, and want of
life, of spirit, of manfulness, of power. His soul cleaveth to the dust.
He is tempted, of course, again and again, to give way; to become low-
minded, cowardly, time-serving, covetous, worldly. But he dares not. He
feels that his only chance is to keep his honour unspotted; and he
cries--Whatever happens,--I must do right. I must learn to do right.
Teach me to do right. Teach me, O Lord, teach me; and strengthen me, O
Lord, strengthen me, and then all must come right at last. That was his
cry. And, be you sure, he did not cry in vain.
For this man had one precious possession; which he determined not to
lose, not though he died in trying to hold it fast; namely, the Eternal
Spirit of God; the Spirit of Righteousness, and Truth, and Justice, which
leads men into all truth. By that Spirit he saw into the Eternal Laws of
God. By that Spirit he saw who made and who administers those Eternal
Laws, even the Eternal Word of God, who endureth for ever in heaven. By
that Spirit he saw that his only hope was to keep those eternal laws. By
that Spirit he vowed to keep them. By that Spirit he had strength to
keep them. By that Spirit, when he failed he tried again; when he fell
he rose and fought on once more, to keep the commandments of the Lord.
And where is he now? Where is he now? Where those will never come--let
false preachers and false priests flatter them as they may--who fancy
that they can get to heaven without being good and doing good. Where
those will never come, likewise, who, when they find themselves in
trouble, try to help themselves out of it by false and mean methods; and
so begin worshipping the devil, just when they have most need to worship
God. He is where the fearful and unbelievers and all liars can never
come. He is with the Word of the Lord, who endureth for ever in heaven.
With the Word of the Lord, who endured awhile on earth, even as he the
Psalmist endured. Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession,
and endured the cross, despising the shame, because He cared neither for
riches, nor for pleasure, for power, nor for glory; but simply for His
Father's will, and His Father's law, that He might do to the uttermost
the will of His Father who sent Him, and keep to the uttermost that Law
of which His Father says to Him for ever--"Thou art my Son, to-day have I
begotten Thee."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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