A Goodly Heritage

It was Pilate's last appeal. He hoped that the spectacle of Jesus wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe would so move the people to pity, that they would cry out for His release. But the appeal was in vain. While the Holy Sufferer stands before us, we may think of Him as He appeared that moment. "Behold the man!" Recall His life. It had been beautiful in its sinlessness and in its revealings of God. In His trial, His enemies had sought to find some flaw in Him but they could find nothing. Pilate said, "I bring Him forth to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him." Witnesses could have been gathered from all over the land to testify to His kindness, His thoughtfulness, His mercy, His love but not one could they find anywhere to testify to any wrong He had ever done, any injustice, any injury. He had been the Friend of the poor, the Comforter of sorrow, the Helper of the weak. As He stands before us now, He appears as the man of sorrows. His...

Terraced on the side of the mountains were the vineyards of En-gedi. Oh, they were sweet places! From a shelving of the mountain four hundred feet high waters came down in beautiful baptism on the faces of the leaves; the grapes intoxicate with their own wine; pomegranates with juices bursting from the rind; all fruits, and flowers, and aromatic woods — among the sweetest of these the camphire plant of the text. Its flowers are in clusters like our lilac — graceful, fragrant, symbolical of Jesus. I.  I will first show you that this camphire plant of the text was a symbol of Christ, because of ITS FRAGRANCE. If I had a branch of it, and should wave it in your midst, it would fill all the house with the redolence. The camphor, as we have it, is offensive to some; but the camphire plant of the text had a fragrance gracious to all. The name of Caesar means power; the name of Herod means cruelty; the name of Alexander means conquest; the name of Demosthenes means eloquence; the name ...

In Christ are contained all those attractive beauties — those excellencies, which are adapted to win souls to Himself, and to God in Him. The rose and the lily, every flower of the garden, and every tree of the forest, are brought together at once, to illustrate to us the rich and varied excellence of Him who is "altogether lovely." The rays of the sun are sometimes collected together by a burning-glass, and made to rest on a certain point, and there to burn with great fervour. Oh! the rays of the Sun of Righteousness seem to be gathered together here. I.  THE ANOINTING OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, WITH THE HOLY GHOST, — "Because of the savour of Thy good ointment." Now, this anointing of Christ implies two things, His call and qualification, — His call to, and qualification for, all the offices entrusted to Him by His Father. Christ, being set forth to us, as anointed by the Holy Ghost to all His offices, invites and claims all our confidence that we should come to...

When the fields are clothed with fruithfulness, and the flowers bloom in beauty, we know that the rains and the dews have descended, and the sun has sent forth his rays of light and heat; so, when in the soul of man the fruits of holiness abound, when aspirations of faith and prayer bind him to the throne of the Eternal, it is because there has been unveiled to that soul, as existing in the heart of God, a gentleness which makes us great; the gracious and omnipotent love, which sought us when we were lost, welcomes us when we return, and leads us into the King's own banqueting-house, where, in His presence, we make merry and are glad. Of the salvation of the Church, and of every man in it, Christ is the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. I.  THE ATTRACTIONS OF THE DIVINE LOVE BY WHICH WE ARE BROUGHT NIGH TO GOD. "Draw me, and we will run after Thee." It is the language of devout aspiration, the expression of the soul's desire for cl...

Learn your folly in having lost the past.  Although life is very short — it should all be used beneficially. This is the reason for which God has given it to us. The patience of God is intended for our salvation. God gives men time to hear the Gospel — to pray — to get saving conversion. But unconverted souls have wasted all the past! Think how much time you have lost in  idleness . How many golden opportunities for prayer, and hearing the Word, and meditation, have you lost! How much time have you spent uselessly in amusements, or in idle talk, or in loitering about your doors! If you saw how short your time is, and how death and Hell are pursuing you — you would have fled to Christ; but you have not. Think how much time you have spent in sin, at the tavern, or in vain company, or in dances, or in vanities, or in sins of which it is a shame even to speak.  God gave you time for saving your soul — and you have spent it in ruining your soul. God gave you time to flee to ...

. Sit loose to the OCCUPATIONS of the world.  It is right for Christians to be diligent in business. I often wonder how unconverted souls can be so busy — how, when you are bustling along, filling up all your time with worldly things, it never occurs to you that there will be none of this in eternity. How can I be so busy for my  body , when my poor  soul  is unprovided for? But those in Christ may well be diligent. (1) They have a good conscience — that oils the wheels. "A merry heart does good like a medicine." A light heart makes easy work. (2) They love to honor their Lord. They would not have it said that a believer in Jesus was an idler or a sluggard — the love of Jesus constrains them to all that is lovely. And yet a believer should "buy, as if it were not theirs to keep" — for "the time is short." Oh! believers, you cannot be misers; for you are but stewards. All that you possess here is your Lord's — and the day is at hand when He will...

It is quite right for a believer to use the things of this world, and to rejoice in them. None has such a right as the believer has, to rejoice and be happy. He has a right to use the bodily comforts of the world — to eat his food "with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God." He has a right to all the joys of home, and kindred, and friendship. It is highly proper that he should enjoy these things. He has a right to all the  pure pleasures  of mind, of intellect, and imagination; for God has given him all things richly to enjoy. Still, he should "rejoice as though he rejoiced not, and use this world as not abusing it;" for "the time is short." In a little while, you will be at your Father's table above, drinking the new wine with Christ! You will meet with all your brothers and sisters in Christ. You will have pure joy in God through ceaseless ages! Do not be much taken with the fleeting joys of this poor world. I have noticed children, w...