PHILIPPINE CONVENTION 2OO6

Idalangin natin ang nalalapit na International Convention na gaganapin sa Paniqui, Tarlac sa Dec. 28, 2006 - January 1, 2007. Ang mga mangangaral na darating ay sina Uncle Ollen Craig at Bro. Greg Tyler ng Hagerstown, Maryland, USA. Ang tema ng convention na ito ay "LIVING FOR JESUS". Idalangin natin na makakadalo ang mga kapatid mula Ilocos hanggang Davao.

ON OBEDIENCE TO PASTORS

The Sermons of John Wesley 1872
SERMON NINETY-SEVEN

On Obedience To Pastors

"Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: For they watch over your souls, as they that shall give account, that they may do this with joy, and not with grief: For that is unprofitable for you." Heb. 13:17.

1. Exceeding few, not only among nominal Christians, but among truly religious men, have any clear conception of that important doctrine which is here delivered by the Apostle. Very many scarce think of it, and hardly know that there is any such direction in the Bible. And the greater part of those who know it is there, and imagine they follow it, do not understand it, but lean too much either to the right hand or to the left, to one extreme or the other. It is well known to what an extravagant height the Romanists in general carry this direction. Many of them believe an implicit faith is due to the doctrines delivered by those that rule over them, and that implicit obedience ought to be paid to whatever commands they give: And not much less has been insisted on by several eminent men of the Church of England: Although it is true that the generality of Protestants are apt to run to the other extreme, allowing their Pastors no authority at all, but making them both the creatures and the servants of their congregations. And very many there are of our own Church who agree with them herein; supposing the Pastors to be altogether dependent upon the people, who in their judgment have a right to direct as well as to choose their Ministers.

2. But is it not possible to find a medium between these two extremes? Is there any necessity for us to run either into one or into the other? If we set human laws out of the question, and simply attend to the oracles of God, we may certainly discover a middle path in this important matter In order thereto, let us carefully examine the words of the Apostle above recited. Let us consider,

I. Who are the persons mentioned in the text, they "that rule over" us?

II. Who are they whom the Apostle, directs to "obey and submit themselves" to them?

III. What is the meaning of this direction? In what sense are they to "obey and submit" themselves? I shall then endeavour to make a suitable application of the whole.

I. 1. Consider we, first, who are the persons mentioned in the text, "they that have the rule over you?" -- I do not conceive that the words of the Apostle are properly translated; because this translation makes the sentence little better the an tautology. If they "rule over you," you are certainly ruled by them; so that according to this translation you are only enjoined to do what you do already-to obey those whom you do obey. But there is another meaning of the Greek word which seems abundantly more proper: It means to guide, as well as to rule. And thus, it seems, it should be taken here. The direction then, when applied to our spiritual guides, is plain and pertinent.
2. This interpretation seems to be confirmed by the seventh verse, which fixes the meaning of this. "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God." The Apostle here shows, by the latter clause of the sentence, whom he meant in the former, Those that "were over them," were the same persons "who spoke unto them the word of God;" that is, they were their pastors, those who guided and fed this part of the flock of Christ.
3. But by whom are these guides to be appointed? And what are they Supposed to do in order to be entitled to the obedience which is here prescribed?
Volumes upon volumes have been wrote on that knotty question, By whom are guides of souls to be appointed? I do not intend here to enter at all into the dispute concerning church government; neither to debate whether it be advantageous or prejudicial to the interest of true religion that the church and the state should be blended together, as they have been ever since the time of Constantine, in every part of the Roman Empire where Christianity has been received. Waiving all these points (which may find employment enough for men that abound in leisure,) by "them that guide you" I mean them that do it, if not by your choice, at least by your consent; them that you willingly accept of to be your guides in the way to heaven.
4. But what are they supposed to do in order to entitle them to the obedience here prescribed?
They are supposed to go before the flock (as is the manner of the eastern shepherds to this day,) and to guide them in all the ways of truth and holiness; they are to "nourish them with the words of eternal life;" to feed them with "the pure milk of the word:" Applying it continually "for doctrine," teaching them all the essential doctrines contained therein; "for reproof," warning them if they turn aside from the way, to the right hand or to the left; -- "for correction;" showing them how to amend what is amiss, and guiding them back into the way of peace; -- and "for instruction in righteousness;" training them up in inward and outward holiness, "until they come to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."
5. They are supposed to "watch over your souls, as those that shall give account." "As those that shall give account!" How unspeakably solemn and awful are those words! May God write them upon the heart of every guide of souls!
"They watch," waking while others sleep, over the flock of Christ; over the souls that he has bought with a price, that he has purchased with his own blood. They have them in their hearts both by day and by night; regarding neither sleep nor food in comparison of them. Even while they sleep their heart is waking, full of concern for their beloved children. "They watch" with deep earnestness, with uninterrupted seriousness, with unwearied care, patience, and diligence, as they that are about to give an account of every particular soul to him that standeth at the door, -- to the Judge of quick and dead.

II. 1. We, Secondly, to consider who those are whom the Apostle directs to obey them that have the rule over them. And in order to determine this with certainty and clearness, we shall not appeal to human institutions, but simply (as in answering the preceding question) appeal to that decision of it which we find in the oracles of God. Indeed we have hardly occasion to go one step farther than the text itself. Only it may be proper, first, to remove out of the way some popular opinions which have been almost everywhere taken for granted, but can in no wise be proved.
2. It is usually supposed, First, that the Apostle is here directing parishioners to obey and submit themselves to the Minister of their parish. But can anyone bring the least shadow of proof for this from the Holy Scripture? Where is it written that we are bound to obey any Minister because we live in what is called his parish? "Yes," you say, "we are bound to obey every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake." True, in all things indifferent; but this is not so; it is exceeding far from it. It is far from being a thing indifferent to me who is the guide of my soul. I dare not receive one as my guide to heaven that is himself on the high road to hell. I dare not take a wolf for my shepherd, that has not so much as sheep's clothing; that is a common swearer, an open drunkard, a notorious sabbath-breaker. And such (the more is the shame, and the more the pity!) are many parochial Ministers at this day.
3. "But are you not properly members of that congregation to which your parents belong?" I do not apprehend that I am; I know no Scripture that obliges me to this. I owe all deference to the commands of my parents, and willingly obey them in all things lawful But it is not lawful to call them Rabbi; that is, to believe or obey them implicitly. Everyone must give an account of himself to God. Therefore every man must judge for himself; especially in a point of so deep importance as this is, -- the choice of a guide for his soul.
4. But we may bring this matter to a short issue by recurring to the very words of the text. They that have voluntarily connected themselves with such a pastor as answers the description given therein; such as do in fact, "watch over their souls, as they that shall give account;" such as do "nourish them up with the words of eternal life;" such as feed them as with the "pure milk of the word," and constantly apply it to them "for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness;" -- all who have found and chosen guides of this character, of this spirit and behaviour, are undoubtedly required by the Apostle to "obey and submit themselves" to them.

III. 1. But what is the meaning of this direction? This remains to be considered. In what sense, and how far, does the Apostle direct them to "obey and submit" to their spiritual guides?
If we attend to the proper sense of the two words here used by the Apostle, we may observe that the former of them peiqesqe, (from peiqv to persuade) refers to the understanding, the latter, upeikete to the will, and outward behaviour. To begin with the former. What influence ought our spiritual guides to have over our understanding! We dare no more call our spiritual fathers Rabbi, than the "fathers of our flesh." We dare no more yield implicit faith to the former than to the latter. In this sense "one is our Master," (or rather Teacher,) "who is in heaven." But whatever submission, of even our understanding, is short of this, we may, nay, we ought to yield to them.
2. To explain this a little farther. St. James uses a word which is nearly allied to the former of these: "The wisdom which is from above is, eupeiqhs, easy to be convinced, or to be persuaded." Now, if we ought to have and to show this wisdom toward all men, we ought to have it in a more eminent degree, and to show it upon every occasion, toward those that "watch over our souls." With regard to these, above all other men, we should be "easy to be entreated;" easily convinced of any truth, and easily persuaded to anything that is not sinful.
3. A word of nearly the same import with this is frequently used by St. Paul; namely, epieikhs. In our translation it is more than once rendered gentle. But perhaps it might be more properly rendered (if the word may be allowed) yielding; ready to yield, to give up our own will, in everything that is not a point of duty. This amiable temper every real Christian enjoys, and shows in his intercourse with all men. But he shows it in a peculiar manner toward those that watch over his soul. He is not only willing to receive any instruction from them, to be convinced of anything which he did not know before; lying open to their advice, and being glad to receive admonition, or reproof; but is ready to give up his own will, whenever he can do it with a clear conscience. Whatever they desire him to do, he does; if it be not forbidden in the Word of God. Whatever they desire him to refrain from, he does so; if it be not enjoined in the Word of God. This is implied in those words of the Apostle: "Submit yourselves to them;" yield to them; give up your own will. This is meet, and right, and your bounden duty, if they do indeed watch over your souls as they that shall give account. If you do thus "obey and submit yourselves" to them, they will give an account of you "with joy, not with groaning," as they must otherwise do; for although they should be clear of your blood, yet "that would be unprofitable to you;" yea, a prelude to eternal damnation.
4. How acceptable to God was an instance of obedience somewhat similar to this! You have a large and particular account of it in the thirty-fifth chapter of Jeremiah. "The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, Go unto the house of the Rechabites, and give them wine to drink. Then I took the whole house of the Rechabites;" all the heads of their families; "and set before them pots full of wine, and said unto them, Drink ye wine. But they said, We will drink no wine: for Jonadab," a great man in the reign of Jehu, "the son of Rechab," from whom we are named, being the father of our family, "commanded us, Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye nor your sons for ever. And we have obeyed the voice of Jonadab our father, in all that he charged us." We do not know any particular reason why Jonadab gave this charge to his posterity. But as it was not sinful they gave this strong instance of gratitude to their great benefactor. And how pleasing this was to the Father of their spirits we learn from the words that follow: "And Jeremiah said unto the Rechabites, Because ye have obeyed the voice of Jonadab your father, therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, Jonadab shall not want a man to stand before my face forever." [Jer. 35]
5. Now it is certain Christians owe full as much gratitude and obedience to those that watch over their souls as ever the house of the Rechabites owed to Jonadab the son of Rechab. And we cannot doubt but he is as well pleased with our obedience to these as ever he was with their obedience to Jonadab. If he was so well pleased with the gratitude and obedience of this people to their temporal benefactor, have we not all reason to believe he is full as well pleased with the gratitude and obedience of Christians to those who derive far greater blessings to them than ever Jonadab conveyed to his posterity?
6. It may be of use yet again to consider, In what instances is it the duty of Christians to obey and submit themselves to those that watch over their souls? Now the things which they enjoin must be either enjoined of God, or forbidden by him, or indifferent. In things forbidden of God we dare not obey them; for we are to obey God rather than man. In things enjoined of God we do not properly obey them, but our common Father. Therefore, if we are to obey them at all, it must be in things indifferent. The sum is, it is the duty of every private Christian to obey his spiritual Pastor, by either doing or leaving undone anything of an indifferent nature; anything that is in no way determined in the word of God.
7. But how little is this understood in the Protestant world! at least in England and Ireland! Who is there, even among those that are supposed to be good Christians, who dreams there is such a duty as this? And yet there is not a more express command either in the Old or New Testament. No words can be more clear and plain; no command more direct and positive. Therefore, certainly none who receive the Scripture as the word of God, can live in the habitual breach of this and plead innocence. Such an instance of willful, or at least careless disobedience, must grieve the Holy Spirit of God. It cannot but hinder the grace of God from having its full effect upon the heart. It is not improbable that this very disobedience may be one cause of the deadness of many souls; one reason of their not receiving those blessings which they seek with some degree of sincerity.
8. It remains only to make a short application of what has now been delivered.
You that read this, do you apply it to yourself? Do you examine yourself thereby? Do not you stop your own growth in grace, if not by willful disobedience to this command; yet by a careless inattention to it, by not considering it, as the importance of it deserves? If so, you defraud yourself of many blessings which you might enjoy. Or, are you of a better mind; of a more excellent spirit? Is it your fixed resolution and your constant endeavour "to obey them that have the rule over you in the Lord;" to submit yourself as cheerfully to your spiritual as to your natural parents? Do you ask, "Wherein should I submit to them?" The answer has been given already: Not in things enjoined of God; not in things forbidden by him; but in things indifferent: In all that are not determined, one way or the other, by the oracles of God. It is true, this cannot be done, in some instances without a considerable degree of self-denial, when they advise you to refrain from something that is agreeable to flesh and blood. And it cannot be obeyed in other instances without taking up your cross; without suffering some pain or inconvenience that is not agreeable to flesh and blood. For that solemn declaration of our Lord has place here, as well as on a thousand other occasions: "Except a man deny himself, and take up his cross daily, he cannot be my disciple." But this will not affright you, if you resolve to be not only almost, but altogether, a Christian; if you determine to fight the good fight of faith, and lay hold on eternal life.
9. I would now apply myself in a more particular manner to you who desire me to watch over your souls. Do you make it a point of conscience to obey me, for my Master's sake? to submit yourselves to me in things indifferent; things not determined in the Word of God; in all things that are not enjoined, nor yet forbidden, in Scripture? Are you "easy to be entreated," as by men in general, so by me in particular? -- easy to be convinced of any truth, however contrary to your former prejudices? -- and easy to be persuaded to do or forbear any indifferent thing at my desire? You cannot but see that all this is clearly contained in the very words of the text. And you cannot but acknowledge that it is highly reasonable for you so to do, if I do employ all my time, all my substance, all my strength both of body and soul, not in seeking my own honour, or pleasure; but in promoting your present and eternal salvation; if I do indeed "watch over your souls as one that must give account."
10. Do you then take my advice (I ask in the presence of God and all the world) with regard to dress? I published that advice above thirty years ago; I have repeated it a thousand times since. I have advised you not to be conformable to the world herein, to lay aside all needless ornaments, to avoid all needless expense, to be patterns of plainness to all that are round about you. Have you taken this advice? Have you all, men and women, young and old, rich and poor, laid aside all those needless ornaments which I particularly objected to? Are you all exemplarily plain in your apparel; as plain as Quakers (so called,) or Moravians? If not, if you are still dressed like the generality of people of your own rank and fortune, you declare hereby to all the world that you will not obey them that are over you in the Lord. You declare, in open defiance of God and man, that you will not submit yourselves to them. Many of you carry your sins on your forehead, openly and in the face of the sun. You harden your hearts against instruction and against conviction. You harden one another; especially those of you that were once convinced, and have now stifled your convictions. You encourage one another to stop your ears against the truth, and shut your eyes against the light, lest haply you should see that you are fighting against God and against your own souls. If I were now called to give an account of you, it would be "with groans, and not with joy." And sure that would be "unprofitable for you:" The loss would fall upon your own head.
11. I speak all this on supposition, (though that is a supposition not to be made,) that the Bible was silent on this head; that the Scriptures said nothing concerning dress, and left it to everyone's own discretion. But if all other texts were silent, this is enough: "Submit yourselves to them that are over you in the Lord." I bind this upon your consciences, in the sight of God. Were it only in obedience to this direction, you cannot be clear before God unless you throw aside all needless ornaments, in utter defiance of that tyrant of fools, fashion; unless you seek only to be adorned with good works, as men and women professing godliness.
12. Perhaps you will say, "This is only a little thing: it is a mere trifle." I answer, If it be, you are the more inexcusable before God and man. What! will you disobey a plain commandment of God for a mere trifle? God forbid! Is it a trifle to sin against God, -- to set his authority at nought? Is this a little thing? Nay, remember, there can be no little sin, till we can find a little God! Meantime be assured of one thing: The more conscientiously you obey your spiritual guides, the more powerfully will God apply the word which they speak in his name to your heart! The more plentifully will he water what is spoken with the dew of his blessing; and the more proofs will you have, it is not only they that speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaketh in them.

PAGTITIIS

Saan man tayo pumaroon
Ang Diablo ay naroroon;
Kaya't tayo'y mangagbantay
Sa tuksong naghihintay.

Anumang kapagsubukan
Ang ating nararanasan;
Nawa'y hindi maging dahilan
Upang bumalik sa kasalanan.

Bagkus ay ating pagka-tiwalaan
Ang Dios na makapangyarihan;
Na kailan ma'y di ka iiwan
Sa oras ng pangangailangan.

Atin lamang paka-ingatan
Ang natamong kaligtasan;
At mamuhay ng may kabanalan
Sa panahong kasalukuyan.

Sapagkat ang Dios ay may habilin
Na lagi nating pakaalalahanin;
"Ang magtiis hanggang sa wakas
Ay siya lamang maliligtas".

Sis. Raquel Ricamara

CYF Philippines

"BE YE HOLY FOR I AM HOLY"

INTRODUCTION

You can see our theme hanging up here over my head, and when you read the seventh chapter of Ezra and the 23rd verse, you don't find the word exactly in that verse, but you do find it in the marginal reading of the verse. Ezra 7:23, "Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently [or exactly] done." These are the words of King Artaxerxes to Ezra when he was preparing to go to Jerusalem. He was giving Ezra instructions and he said, "Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be [exactly] done." We read in the 10th verse that Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of God, or the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statues and judgments. So we find in Ezra a man who was willing to do what he was instructed to do, for he had prepared his heart. As we think about our theme, I don't want it to come across as something harsh; what I do want us to understand is that God means what He says and He says what He means. The king said, "The God of heaven." When it comes to the God of heaven I'm afraid there are multitudes of people today who have no fear of God before their eyes. That's why there's so much wickedness and ungodliness in the world, because there is no fear of God before their eyes. Now there is a right kind of fear and a wrong kind of fear. The fear that brings torment is not the right kind, but the fear that enables us to reverence, respect and honor Almighty God is proper and right. There is a God in heaven, Daniel said, and I believe it and I'm sure you do to. But even among saints of God, if we're not careful we can take God's commands too lightly. We can disregard them too easily and excuse our self for disobeying them, justifying ourselves. But, let us remember whatever the Lord commands they are to be done exactly.

God told Moses on one occasion to take his rod and strike a rock. The children of Israel were murmuring and complaining. We think we have problems today as pastors, look at Moses. What a people he had to pastor. They were murmuring, they were complaining, and God said, "Take your rod and strike a rock." He did it and water came out of it. They watered not only the people but the cattle as well. Later on they got in the place where again they had no water and God said to Moses, "Speak to the rock." But because the people had provoked Moses, he struck the rock again. That may seem like a rather insignificant thing but if you'll read what God said to Moses, and how that he had disrespected and dishonored God before the people, it was a very, very serious act of disobedience. Yes, the great man Moses disobeyed God, and as a result of his act of disobedience God said, "You shall not be permitted to enter the promised land." So it's a very serious thing to disobey the commands of Almighty God. And, there's always consequences.

Joshua took over the leadership of the children of Israel. They took the city of Jericho. God had said, "Now you are not to take any of the spoils of the city for yourself. All the spoils are to go into the treasury of the Lord." They took the city, a little town the Bible calls Ai, up the road a ways. Joshua sent men up there to spy out and to look around and they came back and said, "It's not necessary to send the whole army up there; just send a small group of men. It's a small city, we'll have no trouble taking it." But whenever the army, the few thousand that went up there, were attacked by the people of the town they fled before them and what was it? 37 Israelites were slain. Joshua threw himself on the ground and said, "Lord, you promised to be with me; you said you'd be with me, what's going on here?" The Lord said, "Get up off your face, Joshua, there's sin in the camp. In spite of all the promises I have given you I will not be with you unless you get this sin out of the camp." You see, most of God's promises are conditional. Joshua had been promised by God, "I'll be with you even as I was with Moses," but sin entering the camp changed the situation. As a result Achan was taken, his family, his cattle and they were stoned. They were piled in a heap and stones were piled over them. Listen Beloved, God means what He says. We need to take Him seriously. That's the introduction to our thoughts.

WE MUST BE HOLY

The subject this morning (This is the introductory message. They'll be numbers of others the Lord willing.) is, "Be Ye Holy, for I Am Holy." That's one of God's commands. God said that we should be holy. Holiness is the way that God's people are to walk. The prophet said, "And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it" (Isaiah 35:8). There is a way and it's called the way of holiness and He said, the unclean, in other words, the sinners, the unsaved, shall not travel on this highway. This is the highway of holiness and only those who are redeemed are on this highway. Sinners are not on this highway. This is the way of holiness and this is the way that God's people are to walk. "Now Bro. Alvin, we've heard that before." Well you know, I don't have a new Bible and I'm not looking for one. I believe in trying to follow the one we have. Let me say here before I go on, there is such a thing as false holiness. You know, anything straighter than straight is crooked. Any standard that's higher than what the Word of God holds is false holiness, and any standard that's less than what God's Word holds is false. So there is such a thing as false holiness. There are holiness spirits. Thank God there is a way, one way, that is the right way, the highway of holiness and the unclean are not on it. It is for the redeemed. "For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness," Paul wrote in I Thessalonians 4:7. God never calls anybody to live an unclean life. Those who are living an unclean life are not following God's calling. Peter said in II Peter 1:4, God has given us great and precious promises. Through these we can be partakers of the divine nature. In obtaining this experience we leave corruption that is in the world behind. God has made it possible through Jesus Christ for man who has gone away from God, who has gone into sin, who has become filthy with sin, defiled with sin, to come back to Him, to be cleaned up, to be made holy, and to be made partakers of the divine nature.

TWO WORKS OF GRACE

I don't expect to preach on justification or sanctification as far as messages is concerned, but I do want to refer to them, because it is through these two experiences that we can have this divine nature and be void of the Adamic nature, the carnal nature, our native depravity, whatever you want to call it. Let me say, Beloved, as far as this congregation is concerned, as far as this ministry is concerned, we still believe man has a depraved nature. We believe there is an experience wherein He has cleansed us, cleaned us and delivered us from that depravity. First of all he has to be justified, he has to be converted. Whenever a person is justified they're just because God pardons them. It is not because of any work or righteousness of our own, but it's because God through Christ pardons us. He forgives us. He wipes our sins out of His remembrance to remember them against us forever no more. He removes them from us as far as the east is from the west. Whenever I hear somebody say, "I'm just a sinner saved by grace," I tell them I'm not; I'm not a sinner saved by grace. I was a sinner and I was saved by grace, but I'm no longer a sinner. No, I'm no longer a sinner, and if you're a child of God neither are you. Whenever we're justified, whenever we're forgiven, whenever we're pardoned, whenever we're taken out of that old horrible pit, there's something we need to do after that. We need to have that nature that is contrary to God, that nature that led us into sin to begin with, eradicated. I know there's people that don't believe in that but they don't believe the Bible.

Now whenever you are justified, whenever you are sanctified you have holiness of heart. Holiness of heart means you're free from selfish pride. You know one of the big problems in the world today is self. We blame this, we blame that, we blame environment, we blame influences, and I know people have an influence on us, but you know, our number one problem is self; selfishness. The world is dominated by a get spirit and that get spirit is selfishness: me, myself and I; I don't care who I push down while I'm trying to climb up. I live in the same world you live in and you know that's the kind of world that's out there today. But I tell you, whenever you're justified and you're sanctified it takes out that old selfish, self-seeking, putting self first. I tell you something else it gets out of your heart and gets you free from and that's envy. So much envy in the world today. Along with envy is jealousy. I believe there is a place for the right kind of jealousy. I read in the Bible where God is jealous of His people. I don't blame a man for being jealous of his wife, but he shouldn't carry it so far that he imagines a bunch of stuff on her, begins to accuse her falsely and let his imagination run away with him, that he's so jealous he can't allow somebody to speak to her and vice versa. Listen to me this morning. What I am talking about, justification and sanctification does something for your heart. It changes your life. It gets rid of some things.

Enmity and carnal strife. I don't like strife, do you? I like peace. And you know, it frees you from the desire to rule or to ruin. One of the things that hinders even the Church of God is some people want to rule that have no authority to rule. Now there is rule in the Church of God, there is government in the Church of God, but there's too many people trying to rule that have no authority to rule. You want to upset me, you try to come and tell me to do something when you don't have any authority to tell me. Yes, I can get upset. I have more than one time. Some times some people in the congregation appoint themselves to go around trying to correct everybody else and they end up making more problems for the pastor. I read in the Bible where it says God places the members in the body as it pleases Him. Let every member fill the place God would have them to fill and we'll have harmony and unity. I'm still talking about being justified and sanctified. I say justification and sanctification takes this kind of thing out of your heart. Let me add to that too since I said it. If somebody has the rule over you and you have the right spirit you're going to let them rule over you. I said before and I say again this morning, no pastor can pastor anybody that's not willing to be pastored. No pastor can pastor a person that's going to be their own pastor. It works both ways. The Bible says to obey those that have the rule over you. That's part of it too.

CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH

It enables you whenever you're really saved and sanctified to see Christ as the Head of the Church and you let Him be Lord of your life. Christ is the head of the Church. Some people don't like Hagerstown. I'm talking about this congregation. It's even been printed in some papers that Hagerstown is not the headquarters of the Church of God. Well, I would think anybody that knew anything about the Church of God would know that. If you don't know that Hagerstown is not the headquarters of the Church of God then you don't know anything about the Church of God. I don't belong to a church that has headquarters in Hagerstown, Maryland. I don't know of one but I don't belong to one. I belong to that one where Christ is the head and the head is in heaven; that is where the headquarters are. I say a saved and sanctified life will acknowledge Christ as the head of the Church and Lord of your life. People talk about being saved for years before they let the Lord become Lord of their lives. That's foolishness. When Christ becomes your Savior He becomes your Lord. You can't separate the two. If you really accept Christ as Savior you accept Him as Lord of your life and you accept the fact that He has the right to tell you what to do and what not to do.

Now holiness in heart produces holiness in life. Peter said in I Peter 1:15, "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of [living]." He said conversation but it's living. That's what it means. "As he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of [living]." So holiness of heart produces holiness of life. You can't have holiness of heart and have a sinful life. A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit and a good tree does not bring forth corrupt fruit. A holy heart does not bring forth sinful living; a holy heart produces holy living. We are not to walk as we once did.

HOLY IN BODY AND SPIRIT

I want to take time to read several verses of scripture now from Ephesians, chapter four, beginning with verse 17. "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

We find in this passage of scripture where Paul tells us to lay aside some things, he tells us to put on some things. If we're going to live holy, if we're going to be Christians and live holy, there are things we must put off and there are things we must put on. There are things we must stop doing and there are things we must start doing. We must be holy in body and in spirit. How many times do you hear out in the religious world people talking about, "This old flesh just has to sin"? I read in the Bible where it isn't the flesh that sins. I read in the Bible where it says, "Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body." I read in the Bible where it is the soul that sins and it's the soul that dies. And so, that old flesh doesn't sin, it is just flesh. No, that doesn't hold true. That's not supported by the Scriptures. The Bible teaches we are to be holy in body and in spirit. "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (II Corinthians 7:1). What is filthiness of the flesh? Filthiness of the flesh is anything that the Word of God forbids for the flesh. It may be 14 caret gold but if it's on your finger it's forbidden. Cleanse yourself. Listen to me. God forgives you of your sins, the blood cleanses from our sins, but Paul is telling us here, there's some things we have to cleanse our self of. If you have a string of beads around your neck don't expect an angel to come down here and take it off. If you have those old things hanging on your ears don't expect an angel to take them off, you take them off. You have your lips painted up black or blue or whatever, don't expect an angel to wipe it off, you wipe it off. Amen! You have a pack of cigarettes in your pocket don't expect God to take them out, you take them out. Cleanse yourself of the filthiness of the flesh. Anything the Word of God forbids for the flesh is filthiness.

He said also to cleanse yourself of filthiness of the spirit. There are some filthy spirits, there are some unclean spirits, and you know some people are going to have to be free from those spirits before they can ever get saved. Some people who are saved and under the influence of the wrong kind of spirits need to get out from under them. "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (I Corinthians 6:19, 20). And then in I Corinthians 3:17, "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." Isn't it a marvelous privilege to be a temple of the Holy Ghost? Just think of it. The Almighty God in the person of the Holy Spirit is willing to come down here and dwell in this earthen vessel, but He's not going to dwell in an unclean vessel. "The temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." If you defile the temple of God, God said, "I will destroy you." That's why tobacco is killing people; that's why alcohol is killing people. They're defiling the body and they are destroying it through these ungodly things.

HOLINESS AND MODESTY GO TOGETHER

Now holiness and modesty go together. "Bro. Alvin, you have to preach on that?" I'm preaching on holiness and God said, "Be ye holy." We're to do exactly as God said. So holiness and modesty go together. Paul said, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." The word conform means to pattern after. This patterning after the world has wrecked many congregations. It has robbed many people of power with God. There seems to be pressure to conform to the world but Paul said, "Don't do that. Be ye transformed so that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." The Church is not to follow the world. The Church is to set the pattern for the world.

I don't know where Bro. Junior got it, but he was preaching in Grand Cayman a few years ago about the boat in the water. As long as the boat was in the water it was doing all right, but whenever the water got in the boat ... . If enough water gets into the boat it's going to the bottom. I tell you, the Church is in the world but the world is not to be in the Church. When the world gets in the Church it ceases to be the Church. When the world gets in the Church it's no longer the Church. You're not of the world. If you're of the world the love of the Father is not in you.

Let us look at that word modest. It covers more than our manner of dress, although it covers that, but I'll touch on that later, Lord willing. This word modest means "having or showing a moderate or humble estimate of one's merit, importance, etc." One of the things that can cause a Christian to be shipwrecked is to begin to think more highly of themselves than they ought to think. Now, we're not slamming our young people this morning. I have no intention. I heard one time the story of a young preacher who went up in the pulpit so bold and he made a flop, he made a failure. Afterwards he came down off the platform with his head down. An older brother preacher went up to him and said, "Now, Young Man, if you would have went up like you came down you could have come down like you went up." We need to always remember if anything is accomplished through our life who did it, for God said, "Without me ye can do nothing." We can't even make a hair white or black. We certainly cannot save a soul, we can't sanctify a believer, we can't heal a body. So part of the meaning of the word modest is "having or showing a moderate or humble estimate of one's merit and their importance; free from vanity." Have you ever heard of vanity kits? Ladies used to have what they call vanity kits. "Egotism; boastfulness or great pretensions." It frees us from these things. Modesty frees us from this showing extravagance. Modesty is "having or showing regard for the decency of behavior in speech and dress." It frees us from those things which are objectionable, which are disagreeable to the Word of God, and it enables us to show regard for the decency of behavior in speech and dress. "Decent; a modest neckline on a dress; pure; virtuous." Modest "implies a becoming shyness, sobriety and proper behavior; a modest self respecting person." Now part of that is from Random House Dictionary but I think it's a pretty good definition. So modesty is more than just dress. It covers a lot more than that. Holiness and modesty go together.

The Psalmist said in the 93rd Psalm, and the fifth verse, "Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house [or church], O LORD, for ever."

I want to quote something here and I want to enlarge on it. "God designed clothing to cover, not draw attention to the sexuality of either men or women. Modesty begins in the heart. Modesty is an attitude and a way of thinking that exhibits the values by which we live." Now, I do not profess to have the authority to tell you ladies that your dress has to be X numbers of inches from the floor but I can tell you this, the Bible teaches modesty. Whenever a dress or a skirt is so short and you happen to bend over a little bit and somebody standing behind you can see half way up, you have on an immodest garment. Whenever you have a neck cut in such a way that you're beginning to expose the upper part of your body you have on an immodest garment. Now I know back in D. S. Warner's day they had their sleeves to their wrists and they came up under their chins and all you could see was their hands and their faces. I am not saying we have to go back to the days of D. S. Warner to be modest, but I am going to say there are some people among us that are not dressing as modest as they need to. [....] I'm still preaching on holiness. Holiness and modesty go together. You can't have real modesty without holiness and you can't have holiness without modesty.

[....] I read in the Bible that whenever Adam and Eve sinned and realized they were naked they put on some bikini's, but that wasn't accepted by God. [...] I don't know if it was that much or not. But there's one thing about it, God wasn't satisfied. He took animal skins and clothed them, and the Hebrew word means "covered." What are you talking about, Bro. Alvin? I'm talking about living in a world where there's a spirit of lust, and saints of God have no business feeding that spirit of lust. Some men are so degenerate. "O I want people to see what I've got. I want them to see." I don't. I want my wife to be covered. I want her to be modest. I don't want other men looking at her, lusting after her, and I don't want her being responsible for men doing that. We're all headed for the judgment and we're going to give an account to God for the life we live. Let me quote that again. "God designed clothing to cover, not draw attention to the sexuality of either men or women." Some women and men wear clothes so tight you wonder how they ever squeezed into them. They must wiggle and twist and turn and pull and jerk and I don't know what all else to get in them. I know I'm in a mixed audience this morning but I tell you, whenever you dress in such a way that you know you're tempting men there's something lacking in your heart, there's something lacking in your experience. So holiness and modesty go together, and if you are pure in heart, holy in heart, you want your life to be holy.

THE RIGHT KIND OF FRIENDLINESS

I also realize people can be too friendly. Now there's a right kind of friendliness and there's another kind. Some people can be too familiar, and some men can let their hands go places they have no business. I'd rather for somebody to say I have a dishrag handshake. You know what they mean by that? You don't squeeze their hand all that tight. I'd rather for somebody to say I have a dishrag handshake than to say, "You see how long he held on to her hand?" I know there's a ditch on both sides of the road and the devil don't care which ditch he gets you into, fanaticism or compromise. I know that, but I'd tell you one thing, I'd rather be a little more conservative than necessary than to be too liberal. God's not going to condemn me for wearing my long sleeves. I didn't say you had to. I said God's not going to condemn me for it, but if I have them too short He would condemn me. "Now, Bro. Alvin, you're just picking on little things." I read in the Bible where it says something about the little foxes that spoil the vine.

When Bro. Ollen and I were boys on the farm we built us a little dirt dam to back up the water so we could make us a swimming pool. You'd go down there some time and you'd see a little leak in your dam, just a little, but if you didn't do something about it you'd go back in a few days and the whole dam was washed out. What am I talking about? I'm talking about a little bit of worldliness, a little bit of compromise, a little bit of leaven coming in here and coming in there. "O, that's so trivial." Let me ask you a question this morning. Do you think God would withdraw fellowship from a person for eating a little bit of fruit? Do you think He would? Whether you think He would or not, He did. I know some people call it an apple, well I don't know what it was. It wasn't the fruit anyway, it was the act of obedience or disobedience. So it isn't whether it's a thousand dollars you steal or it's a nickel you steal; it isn't a matter of whether you tell a white lie or a black lie as they call it, they're all lies. We're the one that likes to graduate this stuff but God demands that we obey His word. Whatsoever the Lord commands do exactly! I believe when a person is really saved and sanctified and has the Word of God in their heart they want to do what's right. It's not a matter of having to, they want to.

CONCLUSION

Let me close by saying this: Doing exactly as God commands is not bondage, it's freedom.

"If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Truth liberates. We had that as a theme one year. Truth liberates, error binds you. So doing exactly as God commands is not bondage, it's freedom. The Lord bless you.

2003 I.C.C message by Bro. Alvin Craig
Alvin Craig is the editor of "The Way of Truth" magazine.

COMMENT FROM UNCLE ALVIN CRAIG

Dear Sister Judith,

Greetings in Jesus name, I trust this will find you well and enjoying the blessings of the Lord. We thank the Lord for his blessings to us. I tried to send Brother Jet and the Young People a message from their Web page, but it did not go through, I do not know why; but anyway, I will send it through you. I think they have a very good Web sight, and they are doing a good job. I appreciated reading your testimony on it. I also thank Brother Jet for putting "The Way Of Truth" Web Page, as one of the "Links." Lord willing we will be leaving Monday to go to Cayman for the convention there--starting Tuesday morning. I trust dear Brother Victor is doing well, please extend to him my greetings.

Yours in His grace,

Uncle Alvin

OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS

The Sermons of John Wesley 1872 Edition(Thomas Jackson, editor)
SERMON NINETY-SIX

On Obedience To Parents

"Children, obey your parents in all things." Col. 3:20

1. It has been a subject of controversy for many years, whether there are any innate principles in the mind of man. But it is allowed on all hands, if there be any practical principles naturally Unplanted in the soul, that "we ought to honour our parents," will claim this character almost before any other. It is enumerated among those universal principles by the most ancient authors and is undoubtedly found even among savages in the most barbarous nations. We may trace it through all the extent of Europe and Asia, through the wilds of Africa, and the forests of America. And it is not less, but more observable in the most civilized nations. So it was first in the eastern parts of the world, which were for so many ages the seat of empire, of learning and politeness, as well as of religion. So it was afterwards in all the Grecian states, and throughout the whole Roman Empire. In this respect, it is plain, they that "have not the" written "law, are a law unto themselves," showing "the work," the substance, "of the law" to be "written in their hearts."

2. And wherever God has revealed his will to man, this law has been a part of that revelation. It has been herein opened afresh, considerably enlarged, and enforced in the strongest manner. In the Jewish revelation, the notorious breakers thereof were punishable with death. And this was one of the laws which our blessed Lord did not come to destroy, but to fulfil. Accordingly he severely reproved the Scribes and Pharisees for making it void through their traditions; clearly showing that the obligation thereof extended to all ages. It is the substance of this which St. Paul delivers to the Ephesians: (Eph. 6:1:) "Children, obey your parents in the Lord;" and again in those words to the Colossians, "Children, obey your parents in all things." [Col. 3:20]

3. It is observable, that the Apostle enforces this duty by a threefold encouragement: First. To the Ephesians he adds, "For this is right:" It is an instance of justice as well as mercy. It is no more than their due: it is what we owe to them for the very being which we have received from them. Secondly. "This is acceptable to the Lord;" it is peculiarly pleasing to the great Father of men and angels that we should pay honour and obedience to the fathers of our flesh. Thirdly. It is "the first commandment with promise;" the first to the performance whereof a peculiar promise is annexed: "that it may be well with thee, and that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." This promise has been generally understood to include health and temporal blessings, as well as long life. And we have seen innumerable proofs, that it belongs to the Christian as well as the Jewish dispensation: Many remarkable instances of its accomplishment occur even at this day.But what is the meaning of these words, "Children, obey your parents in all things?" I will endeavour, by the assistance of God, First, to explain, and, Then to apply them.

I. 1. First. I will endeavour to explain these words; and the rather, because so few people seem to understand them. Look round into the world, not the heathen but the Christian world, nay, the Reformed part of it; look among those that have the Scriptures in their own tongue; and who is there that appears even to have heard of this? Here and there a child obeys the parent out of fear, or perhaps out of natural affection. But how many children can you find that obey their fathers and mothers out of a sense of duty to God? And how many parents can you find that duly inculcate this duty upon their children? I doubt, a vast majority both of parents and children are totally ignorant of the whole affair. For the sake of these I will make it as plain as I can: But still I am thoroughly sensible, those that are not willing to be convinced will no more understand what I say than if I was talking Greek or Hebrew.

2. You will easily observe, that by parents the Apostle means both fathers and mothers, as he refers us to the Fifth Commandment, which names both the one and the other. And, however human laws may vary herein, the law of God makes no difference; but lays us under the same obligation of obeying both the one and the other.

3. But before we consider how we are to obey our parents, it may be inquired, how long we are to obey them. Are children to obey only till they run alone, till they go to school, till they can read and write, or till they are as tall as their parents, or, attain to years of discretion? Nay, if they obey only [because they cannot help it, only] because they fear to be beaten, or because otherwise they cannot procure food and raiment, what avails such obedience? Those only who obey their parents when they can live without them, and when they neither hope nor fear anything from them, shall have praise from God.

4. "But is a man that is at age, or a woman that is married, under any farther obligation to obey their parents?" With regard to marriage, although it is true that a man is to leave father and mother, and cleave unto his wife; and, by parity of reason, she is to leave father and mother, and cleave unto her husband; (in consequence of which there may be some particular cases wherein conjugal duty must take [the] place" of filial;) yet I cannot learn, either from Scripture or reason, that marriage either cancels or lessens the general obligation of filial duty. Much less does it appear that it is either cancelled or lessened by our having lived one-and-twenty years. I never understood it so in my own case. When I had lived upwards of thirty years, I looked upon myself to stand just in the same relation to my father as I did when I was ten years old. And when I was between forty and fifty, I judged myself full as much obliged to obey my mother in everything lawful, as I did when I was in my leading-strings [or hanging-sleeve coat].

5. But what is implied in, "Children, obey your parents in all things?" Certainly the First point of obedience is to do nothing which your father or mother forbids, whether it be great or small. Nothing is more plain than that the prohibition of a parent binds every conscientious child; that is, except the thing prohibited is clearly enjoined of God. Nor indeed is this all; the matter may be carried a little farther still: A tender parent may totally disapprove what he does not care flatly to forbid. What is the duty of a child in this case? How far is that disapprobation to be regarded? Whether it be equivalent to a prohibition or not, a person who would have a conscience void of offence should undoubtedly keep on the safe side, and avoid what may perhaps be evil. It is surely the more excellent way, to do nothing which you know your parents disapprove. To act otherwise seems to imply a degree of disobedience, which one of a tender conscience would wish to avoid.

6. The Second thing implied in this direction is, Do every thing which your father or mother bids, be it great or small, provided it be not contrary to any command of God. Herein God has given a power to parents, which even sovereign princes have not. The King of England, for instance, is a sovereign prince; yet he has not power to bid me do the least thing, unless the law of the land requires me so to do; for he has no power but to execute the law. The will of the king is no law to the subject. But the will of the parent is a law to the child, who is bound in conscience to submit thereto unless it be contrary to the law of God.

7. It is with admirable wisdom that the Father of spirits has given this direction, that as the strength of the parents supplies the want of strength, and the understanding of the parents the want of understanding, in their children, till they have strength and understanding of their own; so the will of the parents may [should] guide that of their children till they have wisdom and experience to guide themselves. This, therefore, is the very first thing which children have to learn, -- that they are to obey their parents, to submit to their will, in all things. And this they may be inured to, long before they understand the reason of it; and, indeed, long before they are capable of understanding any of the principles of religion. Accordingly, St. Paul directs all parents to bring up their children "in the discipline and doctrine of the Lord." For their will may be broken by proper discipline, even in their early infancy; whereas it must be a considerable time after, before they are capable of instruction. This, therefore, is the first point of all: Bow down their wills from the very first dawn of reason; and, by habituating them to submit to your will, prepare them for submitting to the will of their Father which is in heaven.

8. But how few children do we find, even of six or eight years old, that understand anything of this! Indeed, how should they understand it, seeing they have none to teach them? Are not their parents, father as well as mother, full as ignorant of the matter as themselves? Whom do you find, even among religious people, that have the least conception of it? Have not you seen the proof of it with your own eyes? Have not you been present when a father or mother has said, "My child, do so or so?" The child, without any ceremony, answered peremptorily, "I won't." And the parent quietly passes it by, without any further notice. And does he or she not see, that, by this cruel indulgence, they are training up their child, by flat rebellion against their parents, to rebellion against God? Consequently they are training him up for the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels! Did they duly consider this they would neither eat, nor drink, nor sleep, till they had taught him a better lesson, and made him thoroughly afraid of ever giving that diabolical answer again.

9. Let me reason this case a little farther with you parents that fear God. If you do fear God, how dare you suffer a child above a year old to say, "I will do" what you forbid, or, "I won't do" what you bid, and to go unpunished? Why do not you stop him at once, that he may never dare to say so again? Have you no bowels, no compassion for your child? No regard for his salvation or destruction? Would you suffer him to curse or swear in your presence, and take no notice of it? Why, disobedience is as certain a way to damnation as cursing and swearing. Stop him, stop him at first, in the name of God. Do not "spare the rod, and spoil the child." If you have not the heart of a tiger, do not give up your child to his own will, that is, to the devil. Though it be pain to yourself, yet pluck your offspring out of the lion's teeth. Make them submit, that they may not perish. Break their will, that you may save their soul.

10. I cannot tell how to enforce this point sufficiently. To fix it upon your minds more strongly, permit me to add part of a letter on the subject, printed some years ago: --"In order to form the minds of children, the first thing to be done is to conquer their will. To inform their understanding is a work of time, and must proceed by slow degrees; but the subjecting the will is a thing which must be done at once; and the sooner the better. For by our neglecting timely correction they contract a stubbornness which is hardly ever to be conquered, and never without using that severity which would be as painful to us as to the children. Therefore, I call those cruel parents who pass for kind and indulgent; who permit their children to contract habits which they know must be afterwards broken."I insist upon conquering the wills of children betimes; because this is the only foundation for a religious education. When this is thoroughly done, then a child is capable of being governed by the reason of its parent, till its own understanding comes to maturity.
"I cannot yet dismiss this subject. As self-will is the root of all sin and misery, so whatever cherishes this in children, ensures their after-wretchedness and irreligion; and whatever checks and mortifies it, promotes their future happiness and piety. This is still more evident if we consider that religion is nothing else but the doing the will of God, and not our own; and that self-will being the grand impediment to our temporal and eternal happiness, no indulgence of it can be trivial; no denial of it unprofitable. Heaven or hell depends on this alone. So that the parent who studies to subdue it in his children, works together with God in the saving of a soul. The parent who indulges it does the devil's work, makes religion impracticable, salvation unattainable; and does all that in him lies to damn his child, soul and body, for ever!"This, therefore, I cannot but earnestly repeat, -- break their wills betimes; begin this great work before they can run alone, before they can speak plain, or perhaps speak at all. Whatever pains it cost, conquer their stubbornness: break the will, if you would not damn the child. I conjure you not to neglect, not to delay this! Therefore, (1.) Let a child, from a year old, be taught to fear the rod and to cry softly. In order to this, (2.) Let him have nothing he cries for; absolutely nothing, great or small; else you undo your own work. (3.) At all events, from that age, make him do as he is bid, if you whip him ten times running to effect it. Let none persuade you it is cruelty to do this; it is cruelty not to do it. Break his will now, and his soul will live, and he will probably bless you to all eternity.

11. On the contrary, how dreadful are the consequences of that accursed kindness which gives children their own wills, and does not bow down their necks from their infancy! It is chiefly owing to this, that so many religious parents bring up children that have no religion at all; children that, when they are grown up, have no regard for them, perhaps set them at nought, and are ready to pick out their eyes! Why is this, but because their wills were not broken at first? -- because they were not inured from their early infancy to obey their parents in all things, and to submit to their wills as to the will of God? -- because they were not taught from the very first dawn of reason, that the will of their parents was, to them, the will of God; that to resist it was rebellion against God, and an inlet to all ungodliness?

II. 1. This may suffice for the explication of the text: I proceed to the application of it. And permit me, First, to apply to you that are parents, and, as such concerned to teach your children. Do you know these things yourselves? Are you thoroughly convinced of these important truths? Have you laid them to heart? and have you put them in practice, with regard to your own children? Have you inured them to discipline, before they were capable of instruction? Have you broken their wills from their earliest infancy; and do you still continue so to do, in opposition both to nature and custom? Did you explain to them, as soon as their understanding began to open, the reasons of your proceeding thus? Did you point out to them the will of God as the sole law of every intelligent creature; and show them it is the will of God that they should obey you in all things? Do you inculcate this over and over again till they perfectly comprehend it? O never be weary of this labour of love! and your labour will not always be in vain.

2. At least, do not teach them to disobey, by rewarding them for disobedience. Remember! you do this every time you give them anything because they cry for it. And herein they are apt scholars: If you reward them for crying, they will certainly cry again. So that there is no end, unless you make it a sacred rule, to give them nothing which they cry for. And the shortest way to do this is, never suffer them to cry aloud. Train them up to obedience in this one instance, and you will easily bring them to obey in others. Why should you not begin to-day? Surely you see what is the most excellent way; best for your child, and best for your own soul. Why then do you disobey? Because you are a coward; because you want resolution. And doubtless it requires [no small resolution to begin and persist herein. It certainly requires] no small patience, more than nature ever gave. But the grace of God is sufficient for you; you can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth you. This grace is sufficient to give you diligence, as well as resolution; otherwise laziness will be as great a hindrance as cowardice. For without much pains you cannot conquer: Nothing can be done with a slack hand; labour on; never tire, lay line upon line, till patience has its perfect work.

3. But there is another hindrance that is full as hard to be conquered as either laziness or cowardice. It is called fondness, and is usually mistaken for love: But, O, how widely different from it! It is real hate; and hate of the most mischievous kind, tending to destroy both body and soul in hell! O give not way to it any longer, no, not for a moment. Fight against it with your might! for the love of God; for the love of your children; for the love of your own soul!

4. I have one word more to say to parents; to mothers in particular. If, in spite of all the Apostle can say, you encourage your children by your example to "adorn" themselves "with gold, or pearls, or costly apparel," you and they must drop into the pit together. But if they do it, though you set them a better example, still it is yours, as well as their fault; for if you did not put any ornament on your little child that you would not wear yourself, (which would be utter distraction, and far more inexcusable than putting it on your own arms or head), yet you did not inure them to obey you from their infancy, and teach them the duty of it, from at least two years old. Otherwise, they would not have dared to do anything, great or small, contrary to your will. Whenever, therefore, I see the fine-dressed daughter of a plain-dressed mother, I see at once the mother is defective either in knowledge or religion. Either she is ignorant of her own or her child's duty, or she has not practised what she knows.

5. I cannot dismiss this subject yet. I am pained continually at seeing religious parents suffer their children to run into the same folly of dress, as if they had no religion at all. In God's name, why do you suffer them to vary a hair's breadth from your example? "Why, they will do it?" They will! Whose fault is that? Why did not you break their will from their infancy? At least do it now; better late than never. It should have been done before they were two years old: It may be done at eight or ten, though with far more difficulty. However, do it now; and accept that difficulty as the just reward for your past neglect. Now, at least carry your point, whatever it costs. Be not mealy-mouthed; say not, like foolish Eli, "Nay, my children, it is no good report which I hear of you," instead of restraining them with a strong hand; but speak (though as calmly as possible, yet) firmly and peremptorily, "I will have it so;" and do as you say. Instil diligently into them the love of plain dress, and hatred of finery. Show them the reason of your own plainness of dress, and show it is equally reasonable for them. Bid defiance to indolence, to cowardice, to foolish fondness, and at all events carry your point; if you love their souls, make and keep them just as plain as yourselves. And I charge you, grandmothers before God, do not hinder your daughters herein. Do not dare to give the child anything which the mother denies. Never take the part of the children against their parent; never blame her before them. If you do not strengthen her authority, as you ought to do, at least do not weaken it; but if you have either sense or piety left, help her on in the work of real kindness.

6. Permit me now to apply myself to you, children; particularly you that are the children of religious parents. Indeed if you have no fear of God before your eyes,"I have no concern with you at present; but if you have, if you really fear God, and have a desire to please him, you desire to understand all his commandments, the fifth in particular. Did you ever understand it yet? Do you now understand what is your duty to your father and mother? Do you know, at least do you consider, that by the divine appointment their will is law to you? Have you ever considered the extent of that obedience to your parents which God requires? "Children, obey your parents in all things." No exception, but of things unlawful. Have you practised your duty in this extent? Did you ever so much as intend it?

7. Deal faithfully with your own souls. Is your conscience now clear in this matter? Do you do nothing which you know to be contrary to the will either of your father or mother? Do you never do anything (though ever so much inclined to it) which he or she forbids? Do you abstain from everything which they dislike, as far as you can in conscience? On the other hand, are you careful to do whatever a parent bids? Do you study and contrive how to please them, to make their lives as easy and pleasant as you can? Whoever you are that add this to your general care to please God in all things, blessed art thou of the Lord! "Thy days shall be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee."

8. But as for you who are little concerned about this matter, who do not make it a point of conscience to obey your parents in all things, but sometimes obey them, as it happens, and sometimes not; who frequently do what they forbid or disapprove, and neglect what they bid you do; suppose you awake out of sleep, that you begin to feel yourself a sinner, and begin to cry to God for mercy, is it any wonder that you find no answer, while you are under the guilt of unrepented sin? How can you expect mercy from God till you obey your parents? But suppose you have, by an uncommon miracle of mercy, tasted of the pardoning love of God, can it be expected, although you hunger and thirst after righteousness, after the perfect love of God, that you should ever attain it, ever be satisfied therewith, while you live in outward sin, in the wilful transgression of a known law of God, in disobedience to your parents? Is it not rather a wonder, that he has not withdrawn his Holy Spirit from you? that he still continues to strive with you, though you continually grieve his Spirit? O grieve him no more! By the grace of God, obey them in all things from this moment! As soon as you come home, as soon as you set foot within the door, begin an entirely new course! Look upon your father and mother with new eyes; see them as representing your Father which is in heaven: Endeavour, study, rejoice to please, to help, to obey them in all things: Behave not barely as their child, but as their servant for Christ's sake. O how will you then love one another! In a manner unknown before. God will bless you to them, and them to you: All around will feel that God is with you of a truth. Many shall see it and praise God; and the fruit of it will remain when both you and they are lodged in Abraham's bosom.

ANG AKING PATOTOO - Sis. Daisy Sevellena

Purihin po ang ating mahal na Panginoon. Ibig ko Siyang pasalamatan sa kabutihan at kadakilaan Niya sa aking buhay. Maraming salamat sa ating Panginoon na maibahagi ko rin po yong himala na ginawa ng ating Panginoon sa aking buhay, na dati rin akong isang makasalanan, ngunit nang ako'y makakilala sa ating Panginoon ay binago Niya ang aking buhay. Nagkaroon ng kabuluhan ang aking buhay sa harapan ng Dios. Ibig ko pong ipahayag sa inyo ang aking buhay noong ako ay hindi pa nakakakilala sa ating Panginoon at hindi pa nakapakinig ng kanyang Evangelio.

Ako ay ipinanganak sa bansang Malaysia, doon na rin ako lumaki, bale taga Mindanao po ako. Subalit hindi ko kapiling ang aking mga magulang. Ang lola ko ang nagalaga sa akin, kaya laki ako sa lola. Lumaki ako at nagkaisip na hindi ako nakadama ng pagmamahal ng mga magulang. Solong anak po ako. Naging rebeldeng anak ako napabarkada, sinungaling, mabisyo at umuuwi ng dis oras sa gabi. Pinag-aral ako ng lola ko ng nursing ngunit hindi ko natapos ito. Hanggang dumating yong panahon na pinalo ako ng Panginoon. Binigyan ako ng pagsubok sa buhay. Naranasan kong magmahal sa isang lalaki na hindi naman pala kami puede sa isat isa at dahil doon nabalitaan kong siya'y nagpakamatay. Sa mga oras na yon naging magulo ang isip ko. Naisipan ko din ang magpakamatay. Salamat na lang sa Dios na may malapit akong pinsan na pinayuhan ako na huwag kong gawin ang bagay na iyon. Gusto kong magpakamatay dahil halos lahat ng kamaganak ko, ako ang sinisisi sa pagkamatay niya.

Nagkaroon ako ng pagkakataon na makaalis sa bahay namin at sumama ako sa isa kong tita sa pagluwas sa Myanila. Pumasok ako sa promotion at doon ko nakilala si Laila na dati ng tumanggap sa Panginoon. Marahil niloob ng Dios na mawala ang promotion at nagpasya si Sis. Laila na pumunta kami sa lugar ng Paniqui, Tarlac. Doon ko nakilala sina Bro. Jet at Sis Judith na tunay na mga naglilingkod sa ating Panginoon.

Purihin ang Panginoon sapagkat isa sila sa ginamit ng Panginoon upang magkaroon ng kabuluhan ang aking buhay. Sapagkat inilapit ko sa Dios ang aking buhay at hiningi ko sa Dios ang kapatawaran ng mga nagawa kong mga kasalanan. Sumampalataya ako sa kanya na ako'y pinatawad sa lahat ng kasalanang ginawa ko. Labis akong nagpapasalamat sa ating Dakilang Dios na binigyan nya ako ng kalakasan sa buhay kong ito upang magpatuloy. Alam ko na hanggat narito ako sa mundong ito hindi ako pababayaan ng Dios. Kaya't huwag tayong manghimagod sa paglilingkod sa Kanya. Matuto tayong magtiis sa mga pagsubok sa sanglibutan ito. Kumapit tayo at magtiwala sa Kanya dahil walang ibang makapangyarihan sa lahat kundi Siya lamang. Purihin ang Panginoon.

(Si Sis. Daisy ay ginagamit ng Panginoon ngayon sa ating Radio Ministry bilang anchorwoman ng The Way of Truth Broadcast)

"MY COMMITMENT"

“I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Ghost power. The dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I’m a disciple of Christ! I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.

“My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure. I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed vision, mundane talking, cheap living, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotion, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His Presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power.

“My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my guide reliable, my mission clear. I can not be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed, I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

“I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He will have no problem and recognizing me- my banner will be clear!”

"I ACCUSE MY PARENTS"

I am standing before the great white throne of Almighty God. I hear the condemnation of the great judge of the universe saying, “You are condemned. Get away from my presence, you worker of iniquity, go to the everlasting fire of hell!”

Lord, spare me, spare me for it is not all my fault be ignorant of your will. Lord, forgive me, forgive me, listen to me Lord, for I was not given a chance to learn of thee. Nobody have told me about your love, nobody have told me about salvation, more than anybody else, I accuse my parents, I accuse my parents, I accuse my parents. They have given me everything but not God. They have provided me nourishing food, they have bought me nice dresses, they gave me warm clothing, but they never gave me a Savior. They gave me good education but not the Gospel. They have showered me with precious gifts but have not provided a family alter. They have protected me from harm but they have not thought of the punishment I will spend forever and ever. They never cared about the everlasting torment that will have no end.

They have bought me different kinds of books but not the Bible. They have taken me to the movies but not to the Sunday school. I have heard them cursed and blasphemed but not heard them pray to God. Lord, my Lord, give me a chance once more. I never thought this would happen to me. Have mercy on me, my God have mercy.

Yes, I accuse my parents, I accuse my father! I accuse my mother! I accuse them, I accuse them! They have neglected us their children. They have neglected my spiritual needs. They were busy looking for money but they do not know that the most precious wealth is Jesus. They bought a beautiful house for our family. It was furnished with the most modern furniture. The floor was carpeted. But who were living there? They are all sinners. Yes, we are all sinners! My father usually comes home late in the night groggy with alcohol. My mother was most of the time at the mahjong table. We, their children, tried almost all of the pleasures of this world. But they did not give us real satisfaction. Our parents said that it is just natural for us to enjoy life.

Yes, we have a beautiful house on earth but do not have a mansion in heaven. I wish I had not been born. Was I born to go to hell? Was I born to be punished? NO! NO! I was born to be with God. I was not born to go to hell! I was born to go to heaven! But now my chance is all gone. So, I accuse my parents, I accuse you, my parents before this judgment throne of God, you were never been good parents to me!

I felt someone dragging me…who are you? Get away from me, Satan. Do not take me! Do not take me to go to hell! I see the burning hell…I see the burning hell… do not take me there, Satan… do not take me there! Help! Help! Help! Help me….oh…oh…oh. oh.. I accuse you my parents. I accuse you…I accuse you…you are the cause of all of these.

SAVED TO SERVE

Our Lord Jesus Christ said, “Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.” On the other hand Paul stated, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” He added, “Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness.” These statements are perfectly true; If they are truth, then all have sinned and became servants of sin. Men did not only serve sin, but also the devil.

Perhaps there are some in this august audience that are still servants of sin. You are indeed servants of sin if not yet liberated from it. Jesus told the Jewish sinners, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” Nobody would like to be a child of the devil. But the Bible says, “He that committeth sin is of the devil.” What a sad and ugly thing to be a child of the devil. If you commit sin, you like it or not, you are a child of the devil.

Man was created a free human agent. He is free to serve sin and the devil. In reality, man can not liberate himself from the power of sin. But he is free to choose Christ as his liberator from the devil. In the moment he repents and claims the power of the blood of Christ by faith, he is forgiven and made free from the dominion of Satan. But, why was man saved from sin and the devil? He was saved to serve God and his fellowmen.

At the moment a sinner was liberated from sin, it becomes his nature to love God and men. It becomes spontaneous for him to have the desire to help others to find the Savior. When Andrew found Jesus as his Savior, he sought for Simon Peter, his brother, and led him to the Christ.

By the way, to those who are saved here, how did you happen to find the Lord? Were you the first to seek for Him or somebody serving God led you to Him? I am sure you were not the first to seek for Jesus. Christ used someone to seek for you. Someone saved, serving God in His kingdom, led you to Christ in one way or the other. He may be a pastor, a Christian worker, or just a plain and simple Christian layman.

An English rich young man was converted and became a missionary to dark Africa because he was convicted by the Holy Spirit by using Cripple Tom’s copied Bible verses which he dropped from his attic on the side-walk of London. Cripple Tom was saved to serve God in His Kingdom.

When He saw the holiness of God in a vision, Isaiah found himself undone and sinful. He exclaimed, “Woe is me: for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of unclean lips.” A Seraphim took a live coal from the altar and laid it upon Isaiah’s mouth, saying “Thine iniquity is taken away and thy sin purged.” Immediately Isaiah heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send and who will go for us?” Isaiah answered, “I, here am I; send me.” Isaiah was saved to serve to God of heaven.

When he was convicted of his sin, King David repented to God, saying, “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight…purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean, wash me, and I shall be whither than snow…. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me…restores me the joy of thy salvation…then will I teach transgressors thy ways: and sinners shall be converted unto thee.” David was saved to serve in God’s Kingdom.

Saints of God, why were you saved from sin? You were saved to serve God and men. Jesus said to his disciples while He was in Samaria, “say not ye, there are yet four months and then cometh harvest? Behold, I say unto you, lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.”

My co-young saints and all lift up your eyes and look on our people; for they are white already to harvest. Shall we let these people die without a Savior from their Sins? O, no! We can not do that. We can not deny our people from their greatest need of salvation; for we are SAVED TO SERVE!

SHOW OUR LOVE TO THE PEOPLE

The greatest privilege young Filipino can have is to show his love to his country and people. The immortal words of our great hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, still rings in our ears which says, “The youth are the hope of the Fatherland”. From the time these words were spoken up to this time, our Fatherland was never given a ray of hope to prosperity. It is not that I don’t believe in our national hero but that I would like to amend his statement and I say, “The Christian youth are the hope of the Fatherland”. As Christian young people how could we show our love to our people?

There are many ways our people seem to show their love to our country. Many are ready to go to the rescue if their love to our country s being invaded by a foreign enemy. They are ready to die to the last drop of blood to defend the country. This is heroic indeed! But what does it profit the country though she was delivered from the foreign ruler when it is being ruled by a native tyrant? Some would show their love by sharing their technological talents to the progress of the economy. But again what will profit the people though they are full in their stomachs but have empty souls. What if they all have nice dwellings but do not have true love with one another? But we Christians dare to show our love to our people through the spiritual means! Only the Christians can accomplish this. This is the only lasting service we can give to our people. We have to realize that as citizens of this country it is our duty to cherish her and to serve her. But we can only do this if we are real Christians. We are the only ones that could love our people. Sinners who seem to love our country are just plain hypocrisy. They serve just for and self aggrandizement.

How can we show our love to our people as Christians? How could we show our Christian services? We have to start from the grass root. Our people need to know God and His Salvation. We need to testify about the love of Jesus. We shall witness not only in words but in deeds. We can give away tracts and gospels and do visitation evangelism. Our young people who are talented can preach the gospel. Some should teach the Word of God. We need to begin from the small children in community. If we get the children for Christ we can get the nation for God. We need to witness in the schools. Instead of joining demonstrations and rallies, we can organize Christian rallies and evangelistic meetings. We can have many ways to show our Christian service to our people.

In our respective places we have around us hundreds of people who do not know Christ. I challenge to witness to them about the love of God! Spiritual blessings are more precious than gold. These are the riches that do not pass away. These are the treasures that are laid up in heaven: “For what shall it profit our people if they gained the whole world and lost their souls? Our service to our people is not oriented to material gains but to spiritual blessings. There will be a day when this world shall be no more. What our people gained spiritually will last forever.

Dedicate your lives to Christ and our people! This is the way we can love God and our people.

GIVE YOUR BEST TO THE MASTER

My fellow Christian Youth and Friends

The noblest sacrifice we can show to the world is by giving. The Creator of this world manifested His divine concern by giving. Before He created man, the masterpiece of His creation; He had created all the things he needs. A perfect environment was made for him. There was a perfect climate. There was perfect beauty where flowers never fade. Man was in perfect physical state. Hunger and sickness were unknown to him. He was given a perfect mind and a perfect heart to appreciate all what God had given him.

When man fell into sin he was promised a Redeemer. Though the earth was cursed because of sin, man was promised a heavenly city for his habitation. Through Christ's atonement salvation was offered to all. Man can still live a life that is pleasing in the sight of God. He can live righteously and godly in this present world.

My fellow Christian, what will you give in return to the Master who has given all for you? How could you reciprocate His love? What will you give to the Master! You are in the prime age of your life. You have strong bodies keen minds diverse abilities & spiritual gifts from God. Consecrate all these things to Him. He needs you. He needs me. He needs us all! He has no hands but our hands. He has no feet but our feet. He has no mouth but our mouth. Do not wait to be older to serve the Lord! “Remember your creator in the days of your youth”, said the wise Solomon. Enter into God’s labor today!

God has supreme concern for the salvation of the sinners. Heed to the challenge of the winning souls for Christ! The greatest and most precious labor we can have is to take part in the salvation of men; God is calling you to preach the gospel. He is calling some to be pastors. You can be deacons and deaconesses. Some can be teachers. All can visit homes for Jesus. Everybody can witness; in the streets, in the schools, in public places and so forth.

Now, let us prepare ourselves in giving our best to the Master. Paul said to young Timothy, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth”, Let us all study to be equipped with the knowledge of the Word of God. We need the power of the Holy Spirit in this noble task. Knowledge, & power saturated with prayer spell sure victory.

My fellow Christian, give your best to the Master! This is what God requires of you, no more and no less. He had given His best. He is giving His best and now He will give His best for you and me. We are the object of His love! After giving His only begotten Son to die on the Cross of Calvary, heaven is open for all the over comers, to those who have given their best to the Master. The day will come when time shall be no more. I am giving my last word to you, “Give your best to the Master”!

I, thank you.

A CALL TO BACKSLIDERS - John Wesley

The Sermons of John Wesley
1872 Edition
(Thomas Jackson, editor)
SERMON EIGHTY-SIX
A Call To Backsliders

"Will the Lord absent himself for ever? And will he be no more entreated? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? And is his promise come utterly to an end for evermore?" Ps. 77:7, 8.

1. Presumption is one grand snare of the devil, in which many of the children of men are taken. They so presume upon the mercy of God as utterly to forget his justice. Although he has expressly declared, "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord," yet they flatter themselves, that in the end God will be better than his word. They imagine they may live and die in their sins, and nevertheless "escape the damnation of hell."

2. But although there are many that are destroyed by presumption, there are still more that perish by despair. I mean, by want of hope; by thinking it impossible that they should escape destruction. Having many times fought against their spiritual enemies, and always been overcome, they lay down their arms; they no more contend, as they have no hope of victory. Knowing, by melancholy experience that they have no power of themselves to help themselves, and having no expectation that God will help them, they lie down under their burden. They no longer strive; for they suppose it is impossible they should attain.

3. In this case, as in a thousand others, "the heart knoweth its own bitterness, but a stranger intermeddleth not with his grief." It is not easy for those to know it who never felt it: For "who knoweth the things of a man, but the spirit of a man that is in him?" Who knoweth, unless by his own experience, what this sort of wounded spirit means? Of consequence, there are few that know how to sympathize with them that are under this sore temptation. There are few that have duly considered the case; few that are not deceived by appearances. They see men go on in a course of sin, and take it for granted, it is out of mere presumption: Whereas, in reality, it is from the quite contrary principle; -- it is out of mere despair. Either they have no hope at all, -- and while that is the case, they do not strive at all, -- or they have some intervals of hope, and while that lasts, "strive for the mastery." But that hope soon fails: They then cease to strive, and "are taken captive of Satan at his will."

4. This is frequently the case with those that began to run well, but soon tired in the heavenly road; with those in particular who once "saw the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ," but afterwards grieved his Holy Spirit, and made shipwreck of the faith. Indeed, many of these rush into sin, as a horse into the battle. They sin with so high an hand, as utterly to quench the Holy Spirit of God; so that he gives them up to their own heart's lusts, and lets them follow their own imaginations. And those who are thus given up may be quite stupid, without either fear, or sorrow, or care; utterly easy and unconcerned about God, or heaven, or hell; to which the god of this world contributes not a little, by blinding and hardening their hearts. But still even these would not be so careless, were it not for despair. The great reason why they have no sorrow or care is, because they have no hope. They verily believe they have so provoked God, that "he will be no more entreated."

5. And yet we need not utterly give up even these. We have known some even of the careless ones whom God has visited again, and restored to their first love. But we may have much more hope for those backsliders who are not careless, who are still uneasy; -- those who fain would escape out of the snare of the devil, but think it is impossible. They are fully convinced they cannot save themselves, and believe God will not save them. They believe he has irrevocably "shut up his lovingkindness in displeasure." They fortify themselves in believing this, by abundance of reasons; and unless those reasons are clearly removed, they cannot hope for any deliverance.

It is in order to relieve these hopeless, helpless souls, that I propose, with God's assistance,

I. To inquire what the chief of those reasons are, some or other of which induce so many backsliders to cast away hope; to suppose that God hath forgotten to be gracious. And,

II. To give a clear and full answer to each of those reasons.

I. I am, First, to inquire, what the chief of those reasons are, which induce so many backsliders to think that God hath forgotten to be gracious. I do not say all the reasons; for innumerable are those which either their own evil hearts, or that old serpent, will suggest; but the chief of them; -- those that are most plausible, and therefore most common.

1. The first argument which induces many backsliders to believe that "the Lord will be no more entreated," is drawn from the very reason of the thing: "If," say they, "a man rebel against an earthly prince, many times he dies for the first offence; he pays his life for the first transgression. Yet, possibly, if the crime be extenuated by some favourable circumstance, or if strong intercession be made for him, his life may be given him. But if, after a full and free pardon he were guilty of rebelling a second time, who would dare to intercede for him? He must expect no farther mercy. Now, if one rebelling against an earthly king, after he has been freely pardoned once, cannot with any colour of reason hope to be forgiven a second time; what must be the case of him that, after having been freely pardoned for rebelling against the great King of heaven and earth, rebels against him again? What can be expected, but that `vengeance will come upon him to the uttermost'"

2. (1.) This argument, drawn from reason, they enforce by several passages of Scripture. One of the strongest of these is that which occurs in the First Epistle of St. John: (1 John 5:16.) "If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and God shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death. I do not say that he shall pray for it."

Hence they argue, "Certainly, I do not say that he shall pray for it, is equivalent with, I say he shall not pray for it. So the Apostle supposes him that has committed this sin, to be in a desperate state indeed! So desperate, that we may not even pray for his forgiveness; we may not ask life for him And what may we more reasonably suppose to be a sin unto death, than a wilful rebellion after a full and free pardon?

(2). "Consider, Secondly," say they, "those terrible passages in the Epistle to the Hebrews; one of which occurs in the sixth chapter, the other in the tenth. To begin with the latter "If we sin wilfully, after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no other sacrifice for sins; but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and done despite to the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance is mine; I will recompense, saith the Lord. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God!' (Heb. 6:26-31.) Now, is it not here expressly declared by the Holy Ghost, that our case is desperate? Is it not declared, that `if, after we have received the knowledge of the truth,' after we have experimentally known it, 'we sin wilfully,' -- which we have undoubtedly done, and that over and over, -- 'there remaineth no other sacrifice for sin; but a certain looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries?'

(3.) "And is not that passage in the sixth chapter exactly parallel with this? `It is impossible for those that were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, -- if they fall away,' (literally,and have fallen away,) `to renew them again unto repentance: Seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.' (Heb. 6:4-6.)

(4.) "It is true, some are of opinion, that those words, it is impossible, are not to be taken literally as denoting absolute impossibility; but only a very great difficulty. But it does not appear that we have any sufficient reason to depart from the literal meaning; as it neither implies any absurdity, nor contradicts any other Scriptures. Does not this then," say they, "cut off all hope; seeing we have undoubtedly, `tasted of the heavenly gift, and been made partakers of the Holy Ghost?' How is it possible to `renew us again to repentance;' to an entire change both of heart and life? Seeing we have crucified to ourselves `the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame"?'

(5.) "A yet more dreadful passage, if possible, than this, is that in the twelfth chapter of St. Matthew: `All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: But the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men: And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him. But whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.' (Matt. 12:31, 32.) Exactly parallel to these are those words of our Lord, which are recited by St. Mark: `Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they blaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven, but is in danger of eternal damnation.' (Mark 3:28, 29.)

(6.) It has been the judgment of some, that all these passages point at one and the same sin; that not only the words of our Lord, but those of St. John, concerning the `sin unto death,' and those of St. Paul concerning `crucifying to themselves the Son of God afresh, treading underfoot the Son of God, and doing despite to the Spirit of grace, `all refer to the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost; the only sin that shall never be forgiven. Whether they do or no, it must be allowed that this blasphemy is absolutely unpardonable; and that, consequently, for those who have been guilty of this, God `will be no more entreated.'

3. To confirm those arguments, drawn from reason and Scripture, they appeal to matter of fact. They ask, "Is it not a fact, that those who fall away from justifying grace, who make `shipwreck of the faith,' that faith whereof cometh present salvation, perish without mercy? How much less can any of those escape, who fall away from sanctifying grace! who make shipwreck of that faith whereby they are cleansed from all pollution of flesh and spirit! Has there ever been an instance of one or the other of these being renewed again to repentance? If there be any instances of that, one would be inclined to believe that thought of our poet not to be extravagant: --

"E'en Judas struggles his despair to quell,
Hope almost blossoms in the shades of hell."

II. These are the principal arguments drawn from reason, from Scripture, and from fact, whereby backsliders are wont to justify themselves in casting away hope; in supposing that God hath utterly "shut up his lovingkindness in displeasure." I have proposed them in their full strength, that we may form the better judgment concerning them, and try whether each of them may not receive a clear, full, satisfactory answer.

1. I begin with that argument which is taken from the nature of the thing: "If a man rebel against an earthly prince, he may possibly be forgiven the first time. But if, after a full and free pardon, he should rebel again, there is no hope of obtaining a second pardon: He must expect to die without mercy. Now, if he that rebels again against an earthly king, can look for no second pardon, how can he look for mercy who rebels a second time against the great King of heaven and earth?"

2. I answer: This argument, drawn from the analogy between earthly and heavenly things, is plausible, but it is not solid; and that for this plain reason: Analogy has no place here: There can be no analogy or proportion between the mercy of any of the children of men, and that of the most high God. "Unto whom will ye liken me, saith the Lord?" Unto whom either in heaven or earth? Who, "what is he among the gods, that shall be compared unto the Lord?" "I have said, Ye are gods," saith the Psalmist, speaking to supreme magistrates. Such is your dignity and power compared to that of common men. But what are they to the God of heaven? As a bubble upon the wave. What is their power in comparison of his power? What is their mercy compared to his mercy? Hence that comfortable word, "I am God, and not man, therefore the house of Israel is not consumed." Because he is God, and not man, "therefore his compassions fail not." None then can infer, that because an earthly king will not pardon one that rebels against him a second time, therefore the King of heaven will not. Yea, he will; not until seven times only, or until seventy times seven. Nay, were your rebellions multiplied as the stars of heaven; were they more in number than the hairs of your head; yet "return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon you; and to our God, and he will abundantly pardon."

3. "But does not St. John cut us off from this hope, by what he says of the `sin unto death?' Is not, `I do not say that he shall pray for it,' equivalent with, `I say he shall not pray for it?' And does not this imply, that God has determined not to hear that prayer? that he will not give life to such a sinner, no, not through the prayer of a righteous man?"

4. I answer: "I do not say that he shall pray for it," certainly means, he shall not pray for it. And it doubtless implies that God will not give life unto them that have sinned this sin; that their sentence is passed, and God has determined it shall not be revoked. It cannot be altered even by that "effectual fervent prayer" which, in other cases, "availeth much."

5. But I ask, First, What is the sin unto death? And, Secondly, What is the death which is annexed to it?

(1) And, First, what is the sin unto death? It is now many years since, being among a people the most experienced in the things of God of any I had ever seen, I asked some of them, What do you understand by the "sin unto death," mentioned in the First Epistle of St. John? They answered, "If anyone is sick among us, he sends for the elders of the Church; and they pray over him, and the prayer of faith saves the sick, and the Lord raises him up. And if he hath committed sins, which God was punishing by that sickness, they are forgiven him. But sometimes none of us can pray that God would raise him up. And we are constrained to tell him, We are afraid that you have sinned a sin unto death;' a sin that God has determined to punish with death; we cannot pray for your recovery. And we have never yet known an instance of such a person recovering."

(2.) I see no absurdity at all in this interpretation of the word. It seems to be one meaning (at least) of the expression, "a sin unto death;" a sin which God has determined to punish by the death of the sinner. If, therefore, you have sinned a sin of this kind, and your sin has overtaken you; if God is chastising you by some severe disease, it will not avail to pray for your life; you are irrevocably sentenced to die. But observe! This has no reference to eternal death. It does by no means imply that you are condemned to die the second death. No; it rather implies the contrary: The body is destroyed, that the soul may escape destruction. I have myself, during the course of many years, seen numerous instances of this. I have known many sinners (chiefly notorious backsliders from high degrees of holiness, and such as had given great occasion to the enemies of religion to blaspheme) whom God has cut short in the midst of their journey; yea, before they had lived out half their days: These, I apprehend, had sinned "a sin unto death;" in consequence of which they were cut off, sometimes more swiftly, sometimes more slowly, by an unexpected stroke. But in most of these cases it has been observed that "mercy rejoiced over judgment." And the persons themselves were fully convinced of the goodness as well as justice of God. They acknowledged that he destroyed the body in order to save the soul. Before they went hence, he healed their backsliding. So they died that they might live for ever.

(3.) A very remarkable instance of this occurred many years ago. young collier [coal miner] in Kingswood, near Bristol, was an eminent sinner, and afterwards an eminent saint. But, by little and little, he renewed his acquaintance with his old companions, who by degrees wrought upon him, till he dropped all his religion, and was two-fold more a child of hell than before. One day he was working in the pit with a serious young man, who suddenly stopped and cried out, "O Tommy, what a man was you once! How did your words and example provoke many to love and to good works! And what are you now? What would become of you, if you were to die as you are?" "Nay, God forbid," said Thomas, "for then I should fall into hell headlong! O let us cry to God!" They did so for a considerable time, first the one, and then the other. They called upon God with strong cries and tears, wrestling with him in mighty prayer. After some time, Thomas broke out, "Now I know God hath healed my backsliding. I know again, that my Redeemer liveth, and that he hath washed me from my sins with his own blood. I am willing to go to him." Instantly part of the pit calved in, and crushed him to death in a moment. Whoever thou art that hast sinned "a sin unto death," lay this to heart! It may be, God will require thy soul of thee in an hour when thou lookest not for it! But if he doth, there is mercy in the midst of judgment: Thou shalt not die eternally.

6. "But what say you to that other scripture, namely, the tenth of the Hebrews? Does that leave any hope to notorious backsliders, that they shall not die eternally; that they can ever recover the favour of God, or escape the damnation of hell? "If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no other sacrifice for sins; but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy. Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and done despite unto the Spirit of grace?"

7. "And is not the same thing, namely, the desperate, irrecoverable state of wilful backsliders, fully confirmed by that parallel passage in the sixth chapter? "It is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and partakers of the Holy Ghost, -- and have fallen away," -- so it is in the original, -- "to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.'"

8. These passages do seem to me parallel to each other, and deserve our deepest consideration. And in order to understand them it will be necessary to know, (1.) Who are the persons here spoken of; and (2.) What is the sin they had committed, which made their case nearly, if not quite, desperate.

(1.) As to the First, it will be clear to all who impartially consider and compare both these passages, that the persons spoken of herein are those, and those only, that have been justified; that the eyes of their understanding were opened and "enlightened," to see the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. These only "have tasted of the heavenly gift," remission of sins, eminently so called. These "were made partakers of the Holy Ghost," both of the witness and the fruit of the Spirit. This character cannot, with any propriety, be applied to any but those that have been justified.

And they had been sanctified too; at least, in the first degree, as far as all are who receive remission of sins. So the second passage expressly, "Who hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctifed, an unholy thing."

Hence it follows, that this Scripture concerns those alone who have been justified, and at least in part, sanctified. Therefore all of you, who never were thus "enlightened" with the light of the glory of God; all who never did "taste of the heavenly gift," who never received remission of sins; all who never "were made partakers of the Holy Ghost," of the witness and fruit of the Spirit; -- in a word, all you who never were sanctified by the blood of the everlasting covenant, you are not concerned here. Whatever other passages of Scripture may condemn you, it is certain, you are not condemned either by the sixth or the tenth of the Hebrews. For both those passages speak wholly and solely of apostates from the faith which you never had. Therefore, it was not possible that you should lose it, for you could not lose what you had not. Therefore whatever judgments are denounced in these scriptures, they are not denounced against you. You are not the persons here described, against whom only they are denounced.

(2.) Inquire we next, What was the sin which the persons here described were guilty of? In order to understand this, we should remember, that whenever the Jews prevailed on a Christian to apostatize, they required him to declare, in express terms, and that in the public assembly, that Jesus of Nazareth was a deceiver of the people; and that he had suffered no more punishment than his crimes justly deserved. This is the sin which St. Paul, in the first passage, terms emphatically "falling away;" "crucifying the Son of God afresh, and putting him to an open shame." This is that which he terms in the second, "counting the blood of the covenant an unholy thing, treading under foot the Son of God, and doing despite to the Spirit of grace." Now, which of you has thus fallen away? Which of you has thus "crucified the Son of God afresh?" Not one: Nor has one of you thus "put him to an open shame." If you had thus formally renounced that "only sacrifice for sin," there had no other sacrifice remained; so that you must have perished without mercy. But this is not your case. Not one of you has thus renounced that sacrifice, by which the Son of God made a full and perfect satisfaction for the sins of the whole world. Bad as you are, you shudder at the thought: there fore that sacrifice still remains for you. Come then, cast away your needless fears! "Come boldly to the throne of grace." The way is still open. You shall again "obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

9. "But do not the well-known words of our Lord himself cut us off from all hope of mercy? Does he not say, `All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: But the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: But whosoever speaketh a word against the Holy Ghost, it shall never be forgiven him; neither in this world, nor in the world to come?' Therefore, it is plain, if we have been guilty of this sin, there is no room for mercy. And is not the same thing repeated by St. Mark, almost in the same words? `Verily I say unto you,' (a solemn preface! always denoting the great importance of that which follows,) `All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is under the sentence of eternal damnation.'"

(1.) How immense is the number in every nation throughout the Christian world of those who have been more or less distressed on account of this Scripture! What multitudes in this kingdom have been perplexed above measure upon this very account! Nay, there are few that are truly convinced of sin, and seriously endeavour to save their souls, who have not felt some uneasiness for fear they had committed, or should commit, this unpardonable sin. What has frequently increased their uneasiness was, that they could hardly find any to comfort them. For their acquaintances, even the most religious of them, understood no more of the matter than themselves; and they could not find any writer who had published anything satisfactory upon the subject. Indeed, in the "Seven Sermons" of Mr. Russell, which are common among us, there is one expressly written upon it; but it will give little satisfaction to a troubled spirit. He talks about it, and about it, but makes nothing out: He takes much pains, but misses the mark at last.

(2.) But was there ever in the world a more deplorable proof of the littleness of human understanding, even in those that have honest hearts, and are desirous of knowing the truth! How is it possible that any one who reads his Bible, can one hour remain in doubt concerning it, when our Lord himself, in the very passage cited above, has so clearly told us what that blasphemy is? "He that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness: Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit." (Mark 3:29-30.) This then, and this alone, (if we allow our Lord to understand his own meaning,) is the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost: The saying, He had an unclean spirit; the affirming that Christ wrought his miracles by the power of an evil spirit; or, more particularly, that "he cast out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils." Now, have you been guilty of this? have you affirmed, that he cast out devils by the prince of devils? No more than you have cut your neighbour's throat, and set his house on fire. How marvellously then have you been afraid, where no fear is! Dismiss that vain terror; let your fear be more rational for the time to come. Be afraid of giving way to pride; be afraid of yielding to anger; be afraid of loving the world or the things of the world; be afraid of foolish and hurtful desires; but never more be afraid of committing the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost! You are in no more danger of doing this, than of pulling the sun out of the firmament.

10. Ye have then no reason from Scripture for imagining that "the Lord hath forgotten to be gracious." The arguments drawn from thence, you see, are of no weight, are utterly inconclusive. Is there any more weight in that which has been drawn from experience or matter of fact?

(1.) This is a point which may exactly be determined, and that with the utmost certainty. If it be asked, "Do any real apostates find mercy from God? Do any that have `made shipwreck of faith and a good conscience,' recover what they have lost? Do you know, have you seen, any instance of persons who found redemption in the blood of Jesus, and afterwards fell away, and yet were restored, -- `renewed again to repentance?'" Yea, verily; and not one, or an hundred only, but, I am persuaded, several thousands. In every place where the arm of the Lord has been revealed, and many sinners converted to God, there are several found who "turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them." For a great part of these "it had been better never to have known the way of righteousness." It only increases their damnation, seeing they die in their sins. But others there are who "look unto him they have pierced, and mourn," refusing to be comforted. And, sooner or later, he surely lifts up the light of his countenance upon them; he strengthens the hands that hang down, and confirms the feeble knees; he teaches them again to say, "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour." Innumerable are the instances of this kind, of those who had fallen, but now stand upright. Indeed, it is so far from being an uncommon thing for a believer to fall and be restored, that it is rather uncommon to find any believers who are not conscious of having been backsliders from God, in a higher or lower degree, and perhaps more than once, before they were established in faith.

(2.) "But have any that had fallen from sanctifying grace been restored to the blessing they had lost?" This also is a point of experience; and we have had the opportunity of repeating our observations, during a considerable course of years, and from the one end of the kingdom to the other.

(3.) And, First, we have known a large number of persons, of every age and sex, from early childhood to extreme old age, who have given all the proofs which the nature of the thing admits, that they were "sanctified throughout;" "cleansed from all pollution of the flesh and spirit;" that they "loved the Lord their God with all their heart, and mind, and soul, and strength;" that they continually "presented" their souls and bodies "a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God;" in consequence of which, they "rejoiced evermore, prayed without ceasing, and in every thing gave thanks." And this, and no other, is what we believe to be true, scriptural sanctification.

(4.) Secondly. It is a common thing for those who are thus sanctified, to believe they cannot fall; to suppose themselves "pillars in the temple of God, that shall go out no more." Nevertheless, we have seen some of the strongest of them, after a time, moved from their steadfastness. Sometimes suddenly, but oftener by slow degrees, they have yielded to temptation; and pride, or anger, or foolish desires have again sprung up in their hearts. Nay, sometimes they have utterly lost the life of God, and sin hath regained dominion over them.

(5.) Yet, Thirdly, several of these, after being thoroughly sensible of their fall, and deeply ashamed before God, have been again filled with his love, and not only perfected therein, but stablished, strengthened, and settled. They have received the blessing they had before with abundant increase. Nay, it is remarkable, that many who had fallen either from justifying or from sanctifying grace, and so deeply fallen that they could hardly be ranked among the servants of God, have been restored, (but seldom till they had been shaken, as it were, over the mouth of hell,) and that very frequently in an instant, to all that they had lost. They have, at once, recovered both a consciousness of his favour, and the experience of the pure love of God. In one moment they received anew both remission of sins, and a lot among them that were sanctified.

(6.) But let not any man infer from this longsuffering of God, that he hath given any one a license to sin. Neither let any dare to continue in sin, because of these extraordinary instanced of divine mercy. This is the most desperate, the most irrational presumption, and leads to utter, irrecoverable destruction. In all my experience, I have not known one who fortified himself in sin by a presumption that God would save him at the last, that was not miserably disappointed, and suffered to die in his sins. To turn the grace of God into an encouragement to sin is the sure way to the nethermost hell!

(7.) It is not for these desperate children of perdition that the preceding considerations are designed; but for those who feel " the remembrance of their sins is grievous unto them, the burden of them intolerable." We set before these an open door of hope: Let them go in and give thanks unto the Lord; let them know that "the Lord is gracious and merciful, longsuffering, and of great goodness." "Look how high the heavens are from the earth! so far will he set their sins from them." "He will not always be chiding; neither keepeth he his anger for ever." Only settle it in your heart, I will give all for all, and the offering shall be accepted. Give him all your heart! Let all that is within you continually cry out, "Thou art my God, and I will thank thee; thou art my God, and I will praise thee." "This God is my God for ever and ever! He shall be my guide even unto death."