WARFARE THE CONDITION OF VICTORY.
OR forty days after I[is resurrection did our Saviour Christ endure fo remain below, af a distance from the glory which He had purchased. The glory was nov His, tic mig'ht have entered into if. IIad He hot had enough of earth? what should dctain Hiln hcre, instead of returning to the Father, and taking possession of His throne? He delayed in order fo comfort and instruct those who had forsakeu Him in t|le hour of trial. A rime had just passed when their fifith had all but failed, even while they had His pattern ])efore their eyes; and a time, or rather, long period was in prospect, when heavier trials far were fo corne upon them, yet tic was fo be withdrawn. They hitherto understood not that suffering is the path fo glory, and that none sit down npon Christ's throne, who do hot first overcome, as He overcame. He stayed to impress upon them this lesson, lest they should still misunderstand the (;ospel, and rail « second rime. "OuR.ht hot Christ," lit. s,qid, "fo surfer these thius, nd fo euter into 1 Ils glo D"?" And having" taught them fidly, al'ter fi,rtv days, ai lenR'th lIe rose above the troul,les «,f this wor]d, l[e rose above the atniosphere of siu, sorrw, nnd remorse, whieh broods ,ver it. fie entered into the reR'h,n of peaee nnd job, into the pure light, the dwelling'-phwe ,f Aug'els, the courts ,f the Most lligh, throug'h whieh resomd eontinual]y the ehauts of 1,1essed spirits and the praises of the Seral,him. T]lere Ih' entered, h'avinR" I Ils brethren iu due season fo corne al'ter l Ihn, hy thc ligh of examlde, and the grnee of l Iis Sl,il'it. Yet, thoug'h fi)rtv davs was a long season for tlim fo sty, it was but a. short xhile for the Apostles fo have IIim nlnOllO d theln. Vhat feeling must have been theirs, when IIe parted ri'oto them? So late round, so earlv lost agnin. Hardly reeognized, and then snatehed away. The history of the two disciples at Emmaus was n figure or pieture of the condition of the eleven. Their eyes were holdcn that they should no know Hinl, while He talked with them for three years; then suddenl 3- they were opened, and lIe forthwith vanishcd away. So had it been, I say, with all of them. «« IIave I been so long rime with you, and 3"et has thou no kuown ne, Philip ?" had already beeu IIis exposulation with one of them. They had hot knoaa Him all through His ministry. Peter, indeed, had eonfessed Him fo be the Cln'ist, the Son of t.he Living God; but even he showed ineonsistenev nnd change of mind in his eomprehension of this great truth. They did hot understand ut that lime who and what fie wns. But atter ]Iis resm'revticm il was otherwise: Thomas touehed llis h:mds and llis side, and snid, "Me Lord:md my God;" in like nmnner, thev all beg:m fo know I[im; aL lenth thev reeognized llim as the Living" Bread whieh came dmvn ff'oto heaven, and was the Litk, of the wr, rld. But hm'dlr had thev recognized lIim, when Ile withdrew I Iimselt" once for ail ri'mn their sight, never to sec them nffain, or tç, be seen 1,-theln on earth; nerer fo visit eavth ng'ain, till Ile cmnes at the lasf. dav fo receive all Saints unto I limselt;:md fo take them fo their test. "So, tllen, after Lord had spaken unir, them, He was reeeived up int,, heaven, and sat on the right hand ,f God 1.,, Lai« tbund, earlv lost. This, l,erhaps, was the Apostles' first feeling on IIis parting" ri'oto Ihem. And the like happens here below. We understand out blessings just when about fo forfei them; prospeets are most hopefitl, just when thev are to be hopelessly elouded. Years upon vears we have had great privileges, the lig'ht of truth, the presenee of holy men, oppovtunities of religious iluprovement, kind and tender parents. Yet we knew hot, thoughf hot of our happiness; we valued n,,t out g'ift; and then it is taken away, just when we have lmgtm to value if. Whnt a rime must that fOl'tV davs bave been, during" which, while Ite taught them, all tIis past teaehing must have risen in their lninds, and their tholghts then inust have reeurred in overpowering eontrast fo their
/houg'hts now. His manner «,1 litb, llis ministry, Ilis diseourses, tlis prables, Ilis miracles, tlis meeknes, ravity, incoml,rehensible ln:iesy, the mysery of IIi riet' alld joy; the aOlly, the sCOlll'g» tbe cross, the «'rown,,t" thorns, the spear, the tomb; their despair, their unbelieç, their perplexity, tbeir amazement, tbeir smhleu transport., their triumldball this was in thêir minds; and mrely m»t the leasC aC tha aw[l hour, when l[e led 1Ils breathless tbllowers ou 1,) Beflmny,,m the firtieth day. « ][e led them ou as far ns to Bethany, and l[e ]il'l«d up l[is hands and blessed them. Aml if. came fo pass, while ile 1,1essed them, Ile parh.d t'om them aml earried up into heaven 1.,, Surely all l[is histoD',all i[is dealings with them, came belote them, gathered up in tha momenl. Then, as lhey azed upon tha dread 1)iviue eountemmee and tlmC heavenly tbrm, every thoug.hC and feeling" wbich they ever had had abott Him came upon them af once. IIe had one hrough l[is work; theirs was 1o corne, tbeir work and their sutDrings, lle was leaving them jus af the most eritieal time. When £10ah wen up, Elisha said: " Mv thther, my fit.her, the ehari,t of Israel and le horsemen hereoE'" With a like feeling, mighC the Ap«»stles now gaze up inlo heaven, as if with lhe lmpe of arresting" I[is aseenL Their Lord and tbeir God, ]ight of their eyes, the stay of their hears, he guide of heir fee, was aken away. " My beloved had withdrawn l[imself and was gone. My soul failed when He spake; I songht tlim, bu I eould no find Him;
IVaifre 'hc cola'i¢iol of Yic¢oiy. -z 5 ealled ttim, bu lIe g'ave me no an.wer ." Vell migh they use the Chureh's word as now "We beseeeh OEhee, leave us no eomforfless." 0 Thon who was so gentlê and familiar with us, who dids converse with us by the way, and sit af ment with us, and didst enter the vessel with us, and teaeh us on the [ount, and bear the malice of the Pharisees, and feast with Martha, and nfise Lazarus, art Thon gone, and shall we see Ïhee no more? Yet so if was determined: privileges thëv were to have, but hot the saine; and îheir îh-ughts heneetbrth were fo be of another kind than heretofore. If was iii vain wishing baek what was past and over. They were but told, as they gazed, "This saine Jesus, whieh is taken up from you int:o heaven, shall so eome in like malmer as ye have seen tliln g'o into hea«-en." Sueh are some of the feelings whieh the Apostles may have experieneed on out Lord's.'Seelsion; but these are after all but human and ordinary, and of a kind whieh all of us ean enter into; but other than these were sovereig'n with them af that solenm tilne, for upon the g'lorious Ascension of their Lord, "they worshipped Him," says the text, "and returned fo Jernsalem with dreat joy, and were eontinually in the Temple praising" and blessing" God. ' Now how was it, that when nature would have wept, the Apostles rejoieed? When Mary ealne fo the sepulehre and round hot ont Lord's body, she stood without af the sepulehre weeping, and the Ang'els said unto lier, as Christ said after them," Voman, why weepes thon-"?" Yet, on out Saviour's departure forty days afterwards, when the Anels would reprove the Apostles, they did but say, " Why stand ye gazing up into heaven?" There was no sorrow in the Apostles, in spire of their h, ss, in spire of the prospeet 1,clore them, but "great j y, and contiuual praise and blessing. 3[ay we venture fo surmise that this rejoicing was the hig.h retaper of/he brave and noble-mindcd, who bave faeed danger in ide:t aud:tre lreparcd fin" it? [oses br,ug'ht ont of Eg'ypt a /imid nation, and in/he spaee ,t lbrty years trained it fo be fidl of vah.,ur for the task ot'cou,luering" the promised land; Christ in forty days trains l[is Apostles to le bold and patient instead of cowards. "They mourned and wept" at the begiuning of the season, but at the end thev are fidl of courage for /he g'ood fig'ht; their spirits mourir high with their Lord, and when IIc is rcecived out of their sight, and /heir own trial l,eg'ins, " thev return fo Jerusalem with g'reat joy, and are eontinually in the Temple, praising and blessing God." 'or Christ surelx had taug'ht them what if was to have their treasure in heaven; and ther r«joieed, no that their Lord was 'mae, but that their hearts had gone with Him. eir heas were no longer on earth, thev were risen alt, ft. Whcn IIe died on the Cross, they knew hot whither IIe was-gone. Beore He was seizcd, thev had said fo Him, "Lord, whither goest Thou? Lord, we know hot whither Thou goes?" They eould but follow Him to the grave and there mourn, for the" kuew no better; but now they saw Him ascend on high, and in spirit they ascended with Him. Marr wept af the grave because she thought enemies had taken Him away, and she knew hot where they had laid IIim. "Where y,,nr, treasm'e is, there will your heart be also '2' Mary had no heart left to her, for her treasure was lost; but the Apostles werc eontinually in the Temple, praising and blcssin Goal, their hearts were in heaven, or, in St. Paul's words, they "' were dead, and their lit? was lfid with Christ in God." Strengthened, then, with this knowledge, thcy were able to face those trials whieh Christ had first, undergone IIimself, and had foretold as thcir portion. "Vhither I go," IIe had said fo St. Peter, "thou eanst hot follow Me now, lmt thon shalt folh»w!Ie afterwards." And He told tbem, "They shall lmt you out of the synagogues, yea, the rime eometh, that Mmsoever killeflt you will think that he doeth God service"." That rime n'as now coming, and they were able to rejoice in what so troubled them forty days belote. For they nnderstood the promise, "To him that overeometh, will I grant fo sit with!Ie in Iy throne, even as I also ovèrcame, and ara set dma with My Father in His Throne. '' It will be well if we take this lesson fo ourselves, and learn that great truth whieh the Apostles shrank ri'oto at first., but at length rejoieed in. Christ snffered, and entered into joy; so did they, in their measure, after Him. And in out measure, so do we. If is written, that '" through mueh tribulation we must enter into the kingdom of God." God has all things in His own hands. He ean spare, Ite ean inflict: He often spares (may He e8 lyçrr« z'/e condilion of ITictory. spareus sfill ) bu IIe oçen tries us,in one way or aaoher He ries every one. Af some rime or other of the lire of eve T one here is pain, mxd sorrow, an8 trouble. 8o if is;:md le sooner perhaps we ean look upon if as: law ot" out Christian e,nditi,m, be better. One eneratim cornes, and then another. ïhey issue çorth:nd sueeeed like lenves in sprin' and iu all, thls law is observalle. They ure tried, aud then they triumph; thcy are humbled,:md then are exalted; they overeome the world, and theu thcy sit down on Christ's throne. IIenec St. Peter, who:t lirst, was in suc.h amazement and tronble et his LoM's afflictions, bids us not loek on suttrin as a strauge thing', "as thoug'h some strange thing happened fo us, but rçoice, inasmueh as we are 2arttr'ers of Christ's suttbring's; that when llis glory slmll be revealed, we may be g'lad;lso vith exceedin jos"." zkg'ai b St. Paul s;ts"s, "e g'lor" in tribulations, knowig t.hat tribulation worketh patience.'" And again, " IF so be we sufibr with IIim, that we may be also g'lorified together." And g'ain, '" If we suer, we shall also reig'n with tIim." knd St. John, "The world knoweth us hot, beeause it knew IIim hot." "We know that when tic sball apl,ear, we shall be like Him, for we shall sec lIhn as l[e is L" ll'lm.t is here said of perseeution will apply of course fo all trials, and mueh more to those lesser trils whieh are the utmost whieh Christiens bave conamonly to endure ow. Yet I suppose if is a long rime before any one of us reeog'nizes and un- dersta.nds that his own state on earth is in one-shape or other a sate of frial and sorrow; and that il" he has ntervals ot" external peaee, this is all gain, and more than he lins a rig'ht, t. expeet. Yct how dierent must the state of the Chm'eh nppear fo beings who ean eontemplate it as whole, who have eontemplated if for ges,—as thc Angels We kumv what experienee does for us in this world. Men get fo sec and understan(l the course of things, nnd bv what rules if proceeds; nnd thev enn tbre/ell what will hapl,en, nml they are no surprised af wlmt does h:qpen. They /ake the his/ory of/hings as a ma{er of course. OEhey are no star/led lha flfings happen in one wuy, hot in nnother i ig is {he rule. Night cornes afler dav; win/er afler summer I old, ff'os/, and SHOW, in /heh" season. Certain illnesses have/heir rimes of reenrrenee, or isit nf certain nges. Ail things go/hrough a proeess,/hey bave a beginning and an end. Grown men know/his, but if is o/herqse with eildreu. To /hem every thing {a{ /hey see is srange and surpl'ising. hey mira/ion, or fear af everv/hin /bat happens they do o know wheflmr if will happen again or hOt and they know nothing of the regular operafion of causes, or eomlexion Of flose eee/s whieh resnlt ff'oto one nnd,ame cause. lld 80 fO0 aS regards/he sta/e of out souls under the Covenant of merey; the heavenly hos{s, who,ee what is going on upon ear/h, well understand, even ff-oto having seen if of{en, what is/he course of a soul traelling from hell fo heaven. They have seen, again and again, in number]ess ins/anees, lmth fo peaee
23o llTafarc t/e ca«diliou of joy; and that wha wns truc of Chris is fulfilled in measure lu IIis followers. Le us tr, te» accustom ourselves fo this view of the suljec. Ïhe whole Church, all elee sonls, each in ifs turlb is called to this necessary wt,rk. Once i was the turn of others, and now i[ is out turn. Once ie was the Apostlcs' tutu. IL was St. Paul's tnrn once. l le had all eares on him ail nf olaee; eovered fi'om head to fi»o with eares, as doh with sores. Aad, as if ail this wcre no cnough, he had thorn in the flesh added,—SOUle pel'Sonal discomfi, rt ever with him. Yet. he did his parL well,—he was as strong" and bold wrestler iu his day, and a the close of iL was able to saS, " I have tbug'ht a g, ood fiht, I bave finîshed m- course, I lmve kept. the iùIh ï' Aud after him, the exeellen of the earth, the white-rol»ed army of 3[a'tyrs, and the cheerfill company of Contbssors, each in his turn, each in his day, bave likewise played Lhe man. Aud so dowll to this very rime, when faith lins wcll-nigh failed, tirsL one and then another have beeu called out to exhibiL before the Gl'eaL King'. IL is as thoug.h all of us were allowed fo stand around His Throue a once, and tic ealled on firsL this nmn, and lhen that, fo takc up the ehan by himself, eaeh in his turn having" fo l'epeaL the melody which lais brethren have before goue through. Or as if we held a solcnm daliee fo Ilis honour in the courts of heaven, and eaeh had by hiuîelf fo pel'form some one and the ame solemn and graeefid movemen at a signal given.
Or as if it werc some trial of strength, or of agility, and, while the ring of bystandcrs bchcld and apldaudcd, we in succession, ont by one, wcre actors in the pageant. Such is out statc;—Angels are laoking on,—Christ has gone before,Christ has given us an exalnple, that wc may fol]mv His steps. IIe wcnt through fir more, infinite]y lnore, than we ean be ca]lcd fo su[R'r. Ont brethren have gone through nmch mm'e; nnd they seem to encourage us by fleir suecess, and fo sympathize in out essay. Now iL is out turn; md all lninisterinff spirits keep silence and look on. 0 let. lmL your tboL slip, or your eve be fiflse, or vour car dull, or your atention flag'g'ing Be hot dispirited; be no afi'aid; keep a ffood heart; be bold; draw noL baek;vou will be earried through. Vhatever troubleseome on you, of mind, body, or estate; ff'oin within or ff'oto withont; ff'oto chance or ff-oto intent; ff'oto fl-iends or ff»es whatever vour tronble be, though you be lonely, O ehildren of a heavenly Father, be no afraid quit yon like men in your dav; and when it is over, Christ will reeeive you fo IIimoelt; and your heart shall rejoiee, and your joy no man taketh ri'oto vou. Christ is already in that place of peaee, whieh is all in all. He is on the righthand of God. IIe is hidden in the brightness of the radianee whieh issues ff'oto the everlasting Throne. He is in the very nbvss of peaee, where there is no voiee of tumult or distress, but a deep stillness,—stillness, that greatest and most awfid of all goods whieh we ean faney,that most perfeet of joys, the ntter, profound, ineffable tranquillity of the Divine Essence. He bas ent.ered into His test.
3 1I "«r« t« «v«a't'vz er lï«,O0 '. 0 hou" grea a gool will i be, if, when this troublesomc lire is over, we in out turn also enter into that saine res,if the rime shall one day corne, when we shall enter into II,s tabernacle above, and hide ourseh'es mider the slmd,,w of IIis wings;. if we shall be in the nmnl,er of tlmsc 1,1essed dead wlm die in the Lord, and test. ri'oto their l:,bour, llere we are tossing pon the sca, md the wind is cmtrary. Ail through the day we arc tried md iempied in vrious ways. We eannot think, speak, or aet, l,ut intirmity and sin are af hand. But in lhe mscen w, wld, where Christ ha entered, all is peace. Ïhere is thc etcrn:d 'hrone, and a rainbow round M»out if, like mto an cmenld; and in lhe midst of the thronc the Lamb that has becn slain, and has redeemed many people lr Ilis blood: and rmmd about the throne four and twcnty seats for as manr elders, all elothed in white rainwnt, and erowns of gold upon their heads. And tirer living beins fifll of eyes belote and behind. And scven Ang'els standing before God, and doinff Ilis plcasure unto the ends of the carth. And the Seralhim a!:ve. And withal, a great nmltitnde whieh no man ean number, of all nations, and kindreds, and pc«-.plc, and tongues, el«lhed with white robes, and palms in their hands. "' 'hese arc they whieh came out of great tribulation, and have washed lheir robes and ruade them white in the blood of the Lamb 1.,, "' They shall hunffer no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sml light on them, nor any heat." "There is no more death, neiiher sorrow nor erying, neither anr more pain; for the former thins are passed away ." 1 Rev. vil 1 t. Re-. xxi. 4.
:N'or any more sin; nor any rnore guilt; 11o more remorse; 11o more punishment; no more penitcnce; no more trial; no infirmity to deprcss us; no affection fo mislead us; no passion to transport us; 11o prejudice fo blind us; 11o sloth, no pride, no cnvy, no strife; but the light of God's couutenance, and a pure river of water of lire, clcar as cD'stal, l>roceediug out of the Throue. Ïhat is eut ]we; here we are but ou pilgrimage, and Chris is ealling us home. IIe ealls us fo tIis many mausions, whieh IIe has prepared. And the
Spirit aud the Bride eall us too, aud all thhlgs will be ready f,,r us by the rime of out coming. " Seeing then that we have a great IIigh Priest that has passed iuto the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast out professiou;" seein. we have "so g'reat a clmM of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight/' "let us labour fo enter into our test;" " let ns eome boldly uut, the Throne of Graee, that we mav obtaiu merey, and find graee fo help in rime of need ."