# God Manifest/Conclusion/Obedience

II.
OBEDIENCE.
Two things are requisite to make a perfect man, namely Truth and Love; or, what is the same, Faith and Life; or, what is still the same, Acknowledgment and Obedience. The reason why these two are necessary, is, because God Himself is essentially Love and Wisdom, or Goodness and Truth, united: and man was created to be "His image and likeness." Man was formed with two mental receptacles, intended to receive these two Divine principles respectively, as they flow in to the mind from God. These receptacles are the understanding and the will: the understanding, to receive wisdom or truth, and the will, to receive goodness or love. And these two divisions of the mind, although distinct, must yet be in perfect unison, to make a true and complete man. If these two parts of the mind be not in perfect harmony, the mind is so far defective: if they be in complete opposition, the mind is chaotic and ruined,—it is a divided mind, and at war with itself. For instance, suppose the understanding to be well instructed and informed, and thus well stored with truth, and yet the will to be full of evil, instead of goodness, full of hate instead of love, full of selfishness instead of affection,—that mind is in a state of essential distraction and self-conflict. The truth in the understanding continually teaches what is right, but the will loves what is wrong; his understanding points the man to heaven, but his will drags ​him to earth, and towards hell. Plainly such a "house " is "divided against itself:" such a mind can have no happiness or peace.
Nevertheless, such a state of mind as this, unnatural as it may seem, is very common,—nay, it may be said, well nigh universal, at the present day. The reason is, that we all are born with innumerable bad passions and propensities, inherited from our parents and ancestors. Every one, who has any degree of self-knowledge, must be conscious of this. We have passionateness, we have pride, impure propensities, the spirit of revenge, quickness at taking offence, stubborness and obstinacy, self-will, and numberless other evils; and, what maybe said indeed, to comprehend them all,—we have self-love, the parent stock of all sins and crimes. It may be said, that self-love is natural: true, it is natural: and that remark proves the truth of the position, that man's nature, as it comes hereditarily to him at the present day, is essentially corrupted and defiled, and the very opposite of the Divine Nature and of angelic natures. For God is essential Love,—not the Love of Himself, but the love of others; longing and delighting to bless and do them good to the utmost. Similar is the character of angels: their highest delight and joy is to do good to each other and to man, without thought of themselves. Now, man's nature was intended to be the same, for he was created in "God's image and likeness," and he was intended to become an angel of heaven. Then, does not the fact, that he finds this state of feeling not natural to him but the reverse—that he is inclined, that we are all inclined, to love ourselves rather than others, and better than others,—does not this prove the ​truth of the position, that man's original nature has been departed from, that it has become corrupted and depraved?
Yet, though man's will is in this disordered state, his understanding has or may have truth enough—it may be filled with light. There lies the great standard of truth before his eyes, the Revealed Word, which God in His mercy has purposely provided for man^s fallen state. When man was in his state of integrity, there was, indeed, no need of a written Word; for the light flowing continually from God into his mind, gave him perceptions of truth, both as to principles and as to actions,—was a guide both to his thoughts and to his conduct. But when the will became selfish and evil, more and more perverted and corrupted by bad passions and propensities, each generation receiving its parents' evil tendencies, and then adding to their number by self-indulgence and a depraved life,—then, the understanding became darkened also. Perceptions of truth became less and less clear, more and more confused and doubtful; and at length men lost all perception of the true Object of their worship, the One God, their Creator, and began to adore images of wood and stone, the "work of their own hands," as also the sun and moon, and other material objects. At the same time, they lost almost completely the perception of right and wrong; they "put darkness for light, and light for darkness—bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter;" they " called evil good, and good evil." They began to think—as men too generally seem to think, at this day—that selfishness or self-love was quite natural and proper. Ambition sprung up; avarice arose; the ​selfish pursuit of wealth and distinction became their whole aim. And what made the case more desperate, was the fact, that this evil course appeared to their corrupt minds right enough: it was natural, and they did not see the evil of it. Thus it is, that evil in the will ever blinds and darkens the understanding; the fire of bad passions, burning in the heart, sends up a thick smoke which clouds the mind, till at length it is covered over with a veil of darkness. A mental night rests upon the soul: objects of thought, if discerned at all, are seen in false forms and colours: fallacies appear as truths, truths as fallacies; beauty is mistaken for ugliness, and ugliness for beauty: virtue is shunned, and vice embraced. In such a condition, man is a lost being. He has wandered far from the true path of life, and he cannot find it again; he has lost the standards of truth and right, has missed the guideposts that point the way to heaven; he is wandering about in a wilderness, and, unless help come soon, he will presently go over the precipice into the gulf of perdition.
Now, just in this condition was man, when God sent His revealed Word, to be "a lamp to his feet, and a ​light to his path." By this means, he was once more put into possession of a fixed standard of truth. That light of truth, which, in the present disordered state of his mind, he could not receive from within, was now, in the Divine mercy, put into a visible form and brought to his eyes from without. There the precious Volume lies before him, and he can go to it at will and receive instruction; there he can see the path to heaven distinctly pointed out; there he can, as it were, hear the Divine voice loudly calling to him, and appealing to him by his love for his own soul, to walk in the good way and be saved.
Within the limits of the Christian world, this Revealed Word, this Divine Standard of Truth, is now generally received and acknowledged; and hence we all have, or may attain, right views in regard to the most important subjects of thought; such as the true nature and character of our Divine Creator, the purposes for which He has made us, and the part which we have to perform in order to the full accomplishment of those purposes. On all these points we are instructed, more or less correctly, more or less perfectly, from our earliest childhood. To give such instruction ​is the object of our Suuday-schools; to illustrate and impress these truths, and to keep them constantly before the mind, are our churches erected, in which the whole people may assemble every seventh day, and hear expositions of different parts of the Revealed Word: and, above all, is it the duty of parents to store the minds of their children with these precious truths, observing the Divine command to "teach them diligently unto their children;"— "thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou risest up, and when thou liest down."
By these various means, we are, or should be, well informed, as to what is right and what wrong, as to the true end and purpose of our being, and as to the means necessary to attain that end. We are taught from the Holy Scriptures, that there are two great commandments, on which "hang the law and the prophets," that is, which comprise the substance of the whole Divine Word: these are, to "love the Lord our God above all things, and our neighbor as ourselves." We are then given various and numerous particular commands and directions, teaching what evils we are to shun, as well as what duties to perform. We are forbidden to steal, to lie, to defraud our neighbor; we are forbidden to commit murder or adultery; we are forbidden to utter blasphemies, or "take God's name in vain;" we are forbidden to covet our neighbor's house or other property, and, in general, to do him any wrong whatever. But, on the other hand, we are commanded to love our neighbor as ourselves, to do unto him in all things as we would ​wish him to do to us, and thus to cultivate that spirit of true charity, kindness, and mutual love, which is the ground-work and beginning of heaven in the soul. We are also taught the duty and benefit of Divine worship, and the importance and necessity of bringing the mind into a state of conjunction with the Lord, our Creator and Saviour, by the habit of daily prayer.
Thus instructed, in what condition do we find ourselves when we arrive at the age of maturity? Why, just in that divided state of mind, before described, in which the understanding is enlightened while the will is depraved; a state of opposition between the mind and the heart, between our convictions and our inclinations. This we all feel to be, in a greater or less degree, the case. For instance, the young man finds himself strongly drawn by various propensities and passions, which, yet, his understanding, enlightened by religious instruction, teaches him to be wrong and sinful. His mind, consequently, is not in a state of peace, but rather of combat. He is a divided man, and consequently a defective man. He cannot be said to be a true man, or in the "image and likeness" of his Maker, for God is both Love and Wisdom perfectly united and at one: whereas in this condition, man is indeed wisdom, but not love; he has a considerable knowledge of truth, but he does not love the course that truth dictates, but rather an opposite one. He has acknowledgment, but not yet Obedience. He acknowledges God and His Word; he has no doubt either of the existence and goodness of the One, or of the truth of the other. In this, he finds no difficulty. He has always been so taught, and it is easy to believe. He has from his childhood been accustomed to attend the ​services of public worship on the Lord's Day; he has also, perhaps, been accustomed to the duty of private prayer, morning and evening. Thus, with him, Acknowledgment is an easy thing: the great difficulty lies in Obedience.
Now, in this condition a great part of the Christian world may be said to be, at the present day. Look into the streets of one of our great cities on a Sunday. Behold the throng of people hastening, at the sound of the Sabbath bell, to the various places of public worship. Acknowledgment of God, and even the formal worship of Him, a belief in His Word, and an attention to it with the ear and the understanding,—these things are not difficult; they are felt by the great majority in Christian communities to be easy enough. Yet is this alone sufficient to save man, or to fit his spirit for heaven? Will these things, merely, enable him to accomplish the great end of his being, and to attain eternal happiness after death? O no! Acknowledgment without Obedience—faith without a good life—is nothing: "though I have all faith," says the apostle Paul, "so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity,—I am nothing." Charity, in its most comprehensive sense, is a state of love to the Lord and to the neighbor, a state of obedience to the Divine commandments, which enjoin such love. Says the apostle James, "Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the Word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass; for he beholdeth himself, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was." Just such, ​in truth, is one, who, going regularly to church on the Lord's Day, hears the command, "Thou shalt not steal," "Love thy neighbor as thyself,"—but, on the Monday morning, hurries away to his business, and, before the sun sets that day, defrauds or takes advantage of his fellow-man in some business transaction. What is that man's religion to him? It is a mere thing of habit, a mere customary form; or at most, it is of the head, not of the heart? "God," says the Scripture, "looks upon the heart, not on the outward appearance." A man may go solemnly to church on the Sabbath day, and wear a sanctimonious countenance, and take part in all the forms of worship,—yet if his thoughts be secretly engaged with his worldly plans, what is his religious seeming but a mocker? He is of the people, whom the Scripture describes as "drawing near to God with their mouth, and honoring Him with their lips, but their heart is far from Him. Or, even if he give all his attention to the service, join in the prayers, and listen to the reading of the Sacred Scriptures, and thus do all that man can, so far as the head is concerned,—yet, if the truth he hears stop there, and make no impression on his heart, and is not brought out into his life and actions during the six days of the coming week,—what to him is the Sabbath service worth? it is a thing of nought. "If any one among you," says the apostle James, "seemeth to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, that one's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled, before God and the Father, is this,—to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep one'sself unspotted from the world."
​Our Lord Himself has drawn a striking picture of those who are in a state of Acknowledgment, but not in a corresponding state of Obedience, and He has declared their lot hereafter:— "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever Cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: he is like a man, who built a house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man, that without a foundation built a house upon the earth; against which the stream beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great." Such a man's house—that is, his mind—is truly without a solid foundation. Let but the vehement stream of passion or of worldliness run against his religious principles—let but the floods of temptation. assail him,—and at once he falls. And "great" truly, is the fall of a ruined soul.
Still more strikingly is the future lot of such hollow professors of religion portrayed in the following words of the Saviour: "When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut-to the door, and ye begin to stand without and to knock at the door, saying Lord, Lord, open to us; and he shall answer and say unto you, 'I know you not, whence ye are;' then shall ye begin to say, 'We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.' But he shall say, 'I tell you, I know ye not whence ye are: depart from me, ye workers of iniquity.'" How plainly ​and solemnly do these words teach, that merely hearing the Lord "teach in our streets," that is, hearing His Word, weekly, in our places of worship, or even partaking of His holy sacrament, "eating and drinking in His presence,"—amounts to nothing in the Divine sight, unless joined with a good daily life, a life of obedience to His word and commandments. For by their disregard of His commands, men evince that they have no real love to the Lord in their hearts, however much they may profess Him with their lips. He Himself has given the test of true love to Him. "If ye love me," He says, "keep my commandments."—"He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me."—"He that loveth me not, keepeth not my sayings." And says the apostle Paul strikingly, "Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing,—but keeping the commandments of God."—"By their fruits;; said the Saviour, "ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me. Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." How plainly is it here declared, that not merely saying "Lord, Lord,"—no mere acknowledgment, no mere profession of religion, will take one to heaven, but that profession must be accompanied by life—by doing the Lord's will; acknowledgment must be perfected by obedience. "If ye know these things," said the Saviour, "happy are ye if ye do them."
In the picture which our Lord draws of the Judgment, what is it that is made the distinguishing test between the good and the evil—between those that are ​accepted and those that are rejected? Let us examine this picture: here it is: "Then shall the King say to those on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me."—"Then shall He say, also, to those on the left hand. Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was an hungered and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall He answer them, saying. Verily I say unto you, inasmuch, as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but those into life eternal."
This picture needs to be fixed firmly in the mind of every one of us, if we would be prepared for our own day of trial: we know, now, the questions that will be asked—let us take care to be ready with the answers. Not ready with the answers on our tongue, merely; that will avail us nothing before an omniscient Judge: but we need to be ready with the right answers in our hearts,—written there as on tablets— inscribed on our conscience itself, as "with the point of a diamond." ​This is the book of our life, to be opened after death, and from which we shall each of us be judged. The will, the heart, the love (for to our present purpose, these may be regarded as synonymous) is the essential part of man: the understanding, the thought, is but secondary. The state of the heart will determine the state of the man after death and forever. If the heart be filled with the love of evil rather than of good, then the man after death cannot but go amongst the evil: and the evil or wicked, thus collected together, form to themselves that state and place, which is called, in Scripture, hell. And such a state cannot but be an unhappy one, because it is the nature of evil to pain and torment the spirit—precisely as disease gives pain to the body; for evil is moral disease.
But what, now, it may be asked, is the kind of evil that produces this fearful consequence? Some are apt to think that destructive evil, or sin, is nothing less than the commission of some flagrant crime, or some act of open abominable wickedness: and that, consequently, those who are not guilty of such deeds are sufficiently safe. But the All-wise Saviour has not thus defined condemning sin. In the picture of the Judgment above presented, the condemned are not declared guilty of any heinous crimes, but only of a want of good deeds: it is not said what wickedness they have done, but only what goodness they have not done: "I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not." It was sufficient proof that they were evil, that they had done no good. And their doing no good, that ​is, no deeds of love, proved that they had no feelings of love towards their neighbor in their hearts, for "out of the heart are the issues of life." And he that has no love in his heart towards his fellow-men, has nothing of heaven in him; for heaven, like God, is love. And he that has not heaven in his heart, cannot come into heaven. Thus were they rejected.
But what, now, was their sentence?—let us examine the picture farther, and we shall by and by get at the exact truth. "Depart, ye cursed," were the awful words, "into everlasting fire." What fire is that? No one can suppose that there is any material fire in the spiritual world. It must, then, be spiritual fire. And what is spiritual fire? The Scripture answers that question: "Wickedness burneth as a fire." Spiritual fire, then, the everlasting fire into which the evil are to go,—is wickedness: and they are described as going into that fire, because that fire is already in their own hearts: for just as "the kingdom of heaven is within" us, as the Scripture declares, so the opposite kingdom of hell is properly within us: it is essentially a state of the mind, rather than a place;—though, after death, the state of mind becomes a place, or forms to itself a place.
But, again, what is the nature of that wickedness, that fire in the bosom, which is sufficient to cause this fearful doom? As already remarked, it is declared by the Divine Judge Himself what that state of evil is, namely, not so much being guilty of any heinous crime, as the fact of not having done any good,—which proves that there is no love to the neighbor in the heart; or, in other words, it is a state of utter ​selfishness., That is the infernal fire in the heart. For he who is utterly selfish—whose heart is filled with the love of himself alone, and who consequently is indifferent to the welfare of others,—has in his heart the germ of every bad passion; for Self-love, as often before shown, is the root of all evil. The reason that it is essential evil, is, because it is the exact opposite of essential goodness—the exact opposite of God. For God is essential Goodness, or, which is the same thing, essential Love;—not the love of Himself, but the love of others out of Himself and distinct from Himself, namely, His creatures. His Infinite delight is to bless them and do them good: this is the consequence of His Divine nature, which is Love. The angels of heaven, who are all in His image and likeness, are of a like character: their heavenly delight is to do good to each other and to men—to all who come within their influence. This proceeds from the heavenly nature which they receive from the Lord, and which, like His, is also love. Just so with men on earth: we all acknowledge men to be good and worthy of our esteem and affection, just in the degree in which they partake of the same quality, love; not self-love, but love to others—kindness, disinterestedness, benevolence. And just in that degree are they truly men, for just so far are they in the Divine image and likeness, which is the standard of a man: and they are also preparing to become, hereafter, angels of heaven.
But what, now, on the other hand, is the state of one who is utterly selfish, whose bosom is filled with the love of himself alone? who has no love of others, no nobleness, no disinterestedness; all whose plans and calculations are for his own good and his own ​advancement alone; who cares not what becomes of his neighbor or of the whole world, so that he himself gets on, and gains riches or power or pleasure, or whatever else it may be that he seeks? Is he not at heart a demon—an evil spirit? For is he not precisely opposite, in his essential character, to God and to the angels? and is not the opposite of good, evil,—and the opposite of essential good, essential evil? Then, when such a man comes to die, that is, to throw off the material body, and appear in his spirit, where else can he go than amongst his like, that is amongst the evil? Hence is the ground of the Lord's condemnation of such: "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was an hungered and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; I was a stranger and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick and in prison, and ye visited me not."
This may seem a hard test to try ourselves by; but nevertheless it is the true test; for, as above declared by our Lord Himself, the Judge, it is what will be the test at our judgment. If we have love to the Lord and our neighbor in our hearts, we shall go to the right, amongst the good: if we are found without love, wrapped up in our own selfishness, we shall go to the left amongst the evil: for there is no place for such in heaven.
Applying this Divine test, we may now see more clearly why this is called, as it truly is, at this day—"a wicked world:" it is such, because it is a selfish world; because the great mass of mankind, at the present day, are wrapped up in profound selfishness, pursuing their own narrow ends, without regard to the ​good of their neighbor. Hence all the cheating, fraud, deception in business; hence all the cunning and intrigue in high places and in low, to overreach others and get above them; hence slander, malice, and all manner of uncharitableness, springing from the spirit of detraction, and the desire to pull the neighbor down; hence, also, pride and haughtiness, in all their forms, springing from men's wish to put themselves up; hence, also, envy, jealousy, bitterness and ill-will, hate, anger, revenge. All these evil passions, which together constitute infernal fire in the soul, spring from the one hidden flame of Self-love, which lies at the bottom of the heart,—and which, when stirred up, sets the whole spirit in a blaze. We need to pray to be delivered from it, if we would see heaven after death.
But now, it may be asked, "How can man be delivered from it? We acknowledge that we are all selfish, filled with self-love: it seems to be our nature, and born with us. If this be sufficient to exclude us from heaven, then who shall be saved?" We answer: "What you have said is truth: we are all selfish by nature; it is born with us: we all inherit from our parents and ancestors a thousand propensities and tendencies to evil, and with them, of course, their general root, which is self-love. Hence the need of regeneration: hence, the solemn words of our Saviour Himself, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
​The next question, then is,—how is regeneration to be accomplished? That is, indeed, the next question, and the great question, and one which should interest every thinking man, more, infinitely more, than how to get rich, or how to win honor, even though it were to gain the whole world: for "what shall it profit a man, though he gain the whole world, and lose his soul." Honor and riches can last, at most, but for a few years—and then comes death, "and after that the judgment." Of what value will our riches and honors be to us in that trying hour, if we are not possessed of the spiritual riches of faith and love?
Yes! how to be regenerated, is the question of questions: for as heaven, that is, a happy everlasting life, is the only thing truly worth living for,—so, regeneration, which is the means of attaining heaven, ought to be the most practically interesting of all subjects. The question may be answered, in general terms, thus: the way to become regenerated is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and to keep His Commandments. The first thing is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ; that is, to look to Him as the Divine Redeemer and Saviour, from whom comes that Holy Spirit which alone can truly regenerate us; consequently, to pray to Him,—to go to Him, like little children, and ask for strength to do His will,
​remembering His Divine words, "Without me ye can do nothing,"—"Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out." This first point has already been treated of, in a general manner, in the preceding Section, under the head of "Acknowledgment." The second of the two points is that which constitutes the proper subject of the present Section, and we have designated it by the general term, Obedience. But the manner in which the performance of this duty—when conjoined with a true faith, or a belief in the Divine Redeemer,—aids in the great work of our regeneration, we proceed, now, more particularly to show.
It is first to be noted, that man's constitution is composed of two distinct systems or organisms, namely, a material organism or body, and a spiritual organism or mind. Each of these systems has its own laws. Now we know very well, that to know and to observe the laws of the material or physical system, is the way to attain and preserve health of body, and consequently a comfortable physical state. In like manner, the way to attain and preserve a state of mental health and consequent peace and happiness, is to learn and observe the laws of the spiritual or mental system. That these two systems are quite distinct, is evident from the fact that a person may be quite healthy in body, and yet be very miserable: this all know by experience. And on the other hand, a person may be in a condition of bodily disease,—may even be long confined to a sick room,—and yet, unless when actually suffering extreme bodily pain, he may enjoy an internal state of peace and deep happiness, which he would not exchange for all outward pleasures: this truth has been ​proved by the experience of hundreds of pious and spiritual-minded persons, during illness. These facts are sufficient to show that the mental and physical systems are quite distinct, and to a great extent independent of each other. It is true, indeed, that two systems, in such close connection, must mutually influence each other in a certain degree, while they remain together: still the great fact of the essential distinction between them is clear. Each system, thus, has its peculiar laws, which must be observed, if man would be in order and at peace.
Now, it is to be remarked, that the Divine commandments are all of them laws of Divine and heavenly order, and therefore laws of the mind's order; thus, in fact, they are the laws of the mental system: for the mind was created to be an image of heaven, a likeness of the Divine. Hence it is, that the Saviour said, "Neither shall they say, lo here! or lo there! for behold the kingdom of God is within you." When the mind is brought into a state of heavenly order, then the kingdom of God is within us, and consequently we are in a state of heavenly happiness. Heaven is essentially within, not without, us. Hence it is, that a bad man, although he be placed in the midst of outward scenes of beauty and delight, will still be unhappy: there is no heaven for him, because he wants the essence of heaven, which, as before said, is not without but within. Consequently, the true way, and the only way, to attain heaven and its happiness, is to have the mind brought into a state of heavenly order. Now, the Divine commandments, as just observed, are laws of heavenly order; and we are required to observe ​them, to the end that thus the mind may be brought into a state of heavenly order, and so be fitted for heaven, that is, for the society of angels, after death. The truth, that the commandments are laws of Divine and heavenly order, is evident from the fact, that they are laws of love,—either directing what is in agreement with love, or forbidding what is opposed to love. For instance, the two great commandments, which it is declared are a summary of them all, are, "to love the Lord above all things, and to love our neighbor as ourselves;" thus, they are simply laws of love. The reason why this is so, is because God Himself, from whom they are derived, is essential Love; and heaven, also, which is formed from and by Him, is essentially a state of love: and we are required to keep these laws or commandments, that so our minds may be brought into a state of love, and thus be fitted for heaven.
In this view, we may see how impossible it is for one, who has not lived according to the Divine commandments, to be received into heaven after death. We will suppose a case. A man, for instance, is avaricious, a lover of money, constantly seeking how he may get rich, and not caring what becomes of others, so that he gains his end; secretly defrauding when he can, dishonest in his dealings, taking advantage of his neighbor at every opportunity,—in a word, what is called a "sharp" and "pushing" man of business, who always looks out for himself and for "the main chance." We will suppose him respectable in the world's eyes, successful in business, well to do in the world. He also attends church regularly, for respectability's and appearance' sake. He gets on, grows rich, is flattered and honored, and looked up to, as a ​fortunate man. Very well. His years roll on. Time, which is gradually covering his head with grey, serves only to make his heart harder and more selfish. His life is beginning to draw to its decline. Days of occasional illness and feebleness come. He is fretful and morose. He has no enjoyments, except such as are afforded by the body, and are dependent on bodily health: and when this fails him, what has he left but wretchedness? At length his last hour comes: numerous expectant friends and relatives gather round the dying rich man's bed. But can they warm or cheer him? Or can they accompany him into eternity? No! he most travel that road alone. His riches can avail him nothing now: he cannot bribe the Angel of death. Neither riches nor rank count anything in that trying hour. He dies. And soon he wakes up in the eternal world, and looks about him. Where are his possessions now? He has left them all behind; being only material and earthly riches, he could not take them with him. He stands shivering in his mental rags, as the cold blasts from the eternal caverns blow upon him. Where are his sources of enjoyment now? He has none. He has never been accustomed to look within for enjoyment: but now he has only a within to look to. In a purely spiritual world, there can be neither scenes nor treasures, except those of the mind itself, and such as are derivations from the mind. There, consequently, there can be no ​such thing as place, other than such as is derived from and corresponds to, the mind's state. But what is his state of mind? for that must determine his place and final condition. Has he heaven within him? has he the "kingdom of God" within him? That will be the test whether he can dwell in heaven and in the kingdom of God. What is the kingdom of God within the soul? It is a kingdom of love! a society of good affections, lovely dispositions, pure desires! It is love to the Lord and love to the neighbor, with their innumerable joys, filling the heart. It is the knowledge of God, thoughts of heaven, spiritual principles and beliefs, and numberless lofty and elevating truths thence derived, occupying and irradiating the mind, and filling it with various and charming lights, like the golden skies of morning. These constitute the essential heaven within the mind; and he who possesses this inner heaven, will, after death, soon perceive an outward heaven forming around him. The spiritual truths in his mind will presently be seen putting themselves forth in bright and beautiful forms,—those mental flowers, those heavenly plants, that spring up in the soil of a regenerated Spirit: the good affections of his heart will set themselves forth, and become visible in the gentle forms of the lamb and the dove,—and soon he will behold a lovely and inhabited paradise gathered about him. Thus will the heaven within create a heaven without.
But what, now, is the state of that man's mind—the man of the world whom we have described? Is it not a kingdom of darkness rather than of light? a kingdom of Evil rather than of God? There, in the centre, sits enthroned, as it were, the master-passion, Self-love, selfishness. Around it are gathered ​various bad passions and evil propensities and habits,—Avarice, Fraud, Cunning, Pride, Contempt, Malice, Rage, Revenge;—and beyond, in the outskirts, the servitor, Hypocrisy, striving to throw his broad cloak over the whole, and hide them from the general view. May that not truly be called an Infernal Society? Such is the chamber of his heart. Then, in the outer apartment of his mind, the understanding, a thick mist reigns, in the midst of which appear dark forms here and there,—distorted and horrible shapes. These are thoughts of darkness, servants to the evil passions within: for the evil purpose in the heart ever seeks for its instruments of action in the darkened understanding. Here are contrived plans of deception; here are concerted the means of defrauding his neighbor or the public; here are devised schemes of over-reaching in trade; here are marked and numbered counterfeits of every description: in a word, this is the chamber of frauds and wicked devices. Over all, is spread a thick blackness covering the chamber, like a dense cloud: this is the pall of Unbelief and Denial of God, which envelopes every soul that is "dead in trespasses and sins." Every wicked man, whatever his professions or imagined beliefs, at heart denies a God.
Such is the state of this man's mind,—as it was in the world,—as it still is, after death; for man takes all his mind with him into eternity. You cannot bury any thought or feeling under clods, and leave it in the grave-yard: you must take it,—and show it too, at the judgment. Death makes not the slightest change in the character;—how can it, any more than putting off one's clothes changes the character? What we call death is simply a putting off of the garment of the ​material body, and appearing in the other world, in the spirit: and the spirit is the mind in forn. Such, then, is the spirit of the bad rich man, as he enters the eternal world. And what now must be. his outward lot, if such be his inward state? A condition corresponding, certainly; for, as before shown,—in a spiritual world, place is but the effect of state of mind, and, is derived from it. He has no heaven within—then, how can he have a heaven without? Though the Lord, in His infinite mercy, should even suffer him to enter amongst the angels—would that be heaven to him? would he by that means be in heaven? No! Has he not a hell in his own bosom? While the worms of every evil passion are gnawing at his vitals, can he have any enjoyment from outward things however beautiful, from scenery however grand—even if such scenes could continue around him? But they could not continue; for the evil within him would at once begin to form infernal scenery around him. Nor could the angels remain in his society;—they could not endure it, any more than doves could endure a hawk in their midst. They would flee from him, for his look of hardness and selfishness and cunning would terrify and torment them: and he would flee from them, for their light and glory would strike him blind. There is no heaven for such a man. He can have no existence at all, but amongst his like; and that must be—hell; for such wicked spirits associated together make hell.
Such—as both reason and Revelation attest—such must be the sad lot of the man, who has not lived in obedience to the Divine commandments, but has passed his life in deeds of avarice, selfishness, and sin.
​But now, let us reverse the picture, and let our last look be on the bright aide. It was before remarked, that the Divine commandments are all of them laws of Divine and heavenly order, and that man is required to live in obedience to them, that so his spirit may be brought into a heavenly state, and thus be fitted for heaven. Let us now observe how this process goes on, with the man who is becoming regenerated.
It will be observed, as something remarkable, that most of the commandments are negative in their form. It is not said, "thou shalt do" this or that, but, more generally, "thou shalt not do:" for instance, "thou shalt not kill," "thou shalt not steal," "thou shalt not commit adultery." This is founded in a deep law of Divine order, in reference to man and his regeneration. It is to be understood, that the Lord is continually pouring forth the influences of His Holy Spirit on all,—as the sun perpetually sends forth its streams of light and heat on all created things. This image is made use of by our Lord Himself in describing the Divine operation: "He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." It is left to man to open his heart to this Divine influence, or not, as he will. "Behold," says the Saviour, "I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Now, the way for man to open the door of his heart, so as to receive and be blessed with this Divine influence—so as to admit the Saviour and be conjoined in spirit with Him—is, first, to acknowledge Him, to believe in Him, and to look to Him in prayer. ​This is indispensable; for how is it possible to receive the Lord into the inner sanctuary, the heart, in love, when He is not even admitted into the outer court, the understanding, in thought and belief? Thus acknowledgment, belief, is the first requisite. It is this which constitutes the great distinction between true religion and a mere outward morality. A man may live a good moral life, so far as outward actions go: he may not kill, nor steal, nor commit adultery. Nevertheless, his heart may be possessed with interior evil and selfishness, and a thousand sinful inclinations. He may be possessed by a spirit of deep pride and self-conceit; which alone is sufficient to exclude him from heaven, because such a spirit is just the opposite of heaven, where all are in humility towards their Lord and Heavenly Father, and in tender love to each other. A proud man, therefore, not having the spirit of heaven in him, cannot come into heaven after death: because, as often before shown, heaven is within, not without; it is not merely a place, but a state of the mind. "Him that hath a high look and a proud heart," says the Scripture," "will not I suffer.—"Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly, but the proud he knoweth afar off." Now if the Lord will "not suffer" the proud, and if they are "afar off" from Him, plainly they cannot be in heaven; for heaven is nigh to Him, and all there are not only suffered, but loved and cherished by Him. Moreover, good actions, all good outward conduct, must proceed from one of two sources, either from the Lord or from self. If done from self, they have in them the nature of their source, and have reference to some ​selfish end, as policy and the like, and thus are not inwardly good, but evil; for not the act, but the motive, is the test. Or, at best,—as is the case with some benevolently disposed persons,—they come from "good nature," a kind of natural amiability of character; but such natural amiability is only on the surface of the heart, and often covers deep fires of pride, hate, and revenge—which occasionally break out, showing that the heart is inwardly not good nor heavenly. This we may observe every day. Such goodness is not to be trusted: it is but the green crust over the volcano. There is no such thing as deep, interior, and solid goodness of heart, but such as is attained by regeneration; and there is no possibility of regeneration, without believing in and looking to the great Regenerator and Saviour of the world.
Thus, a sincere faith is the only basis of a genuinely good life: a humble acknowledgment is the first movement towards opening the door of the heart, to admit the Divine Saviour, as He stands "knocking." But that He may really enter and take up His abode in the heart, there must be added obedience to His commandments; for we read, "Jesus answered and said unto him. If a man love Me, he will keep My words; and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him." Now, why is this condition necessary? The answer to this will show why the commandments are expressed, as before observed, chiefly in the negative form—"thou shalt not." It is because man's heart, by nature, is filled with evil inclinations and passions. This, Revelation declares, and all experience shows it to be most true. The ​Scriptures declare that "the heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked." The reason is, that man inherits the accumulated evil of his parents and ancestors. A sin committed makes its impression on the mental constitution; that constitution is transmitted to children; and the same again, with those childrens' additional corruptions, to their children, and so on. Thus we find ourselves, in childhood and youth, full of evil tendencies; which evil tendencies, if indulged and allowed to come forth into actions, then become with us actual evils or sins. Now, to prevent this result—to prevent our giving way to our evil tendencies, and so making them our own and thus condemnable, the Divine commandments are given, and chiefly in the negative form. Thus, when the young man finds himself inclined to the sin of impurity and licentiousness, he remembers the command, "Thou shalt not commit adultery;" and again the Lord's words, "he that looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." Remembering this Divine command, he turns away his eyes, he resists the evil inclination, and does not suffer it to come forth into act, or to remain in his thought. What is the consequence? When he has thus striven against the sin, by strength given him from above,—then, at once, the Spirit of the Lord, which is ever pressing for admittance, enters, and removes from his heart the evil inclination itself, and so purifies the very springs of action. This effect will not, indeed, be fully produced at once, nor the second, nor the third time,—for regeneration is a gradual work: but on every occasion of temptation and ​self-conquest, a portion of the evil is removed; the sinful indination grows less and less, and at length is purged away altogether.
So, again, the young man finds himself tempted to deceive or take advantage of his neighbor, in buying or selling, or other business transaction; for such inclination is the natural offspring of Self-love in the heart, which urges man to wealth, and disposes him to gain it at any cost, even at the expense of his fellow-man and of truth. But when just about giving way to the temptation, he calls to mind the Divine command, "Thou shalt not steal:" and stealing includes every species of fraud and deception, by which goods or property are wrongly obtained. He remembers, also, the words, "Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbor;" "ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another." As these injunctions, called up by some good angel, present themselves to his mind,—he pauses. "I was about to commit a sin," he says to himself, "away! away! the base suggestion." And' with an effort, he compels himself to speak the truth,—to show the goods just as they are, with whatever defects they may have—to take no advantage, but to be just and honest in the transaction, whether he gain or lose. This is doing as he would be done by. He has nobly conquered himself; he has the reward of a clear conscience and inward self-respect; he has the still deeper joy of peace with God. What are the paltry pounds, shillings, and pence,—to these treasures of the soul? The one may be lost to-morrow: the other remains for ever.
It is in this way, that the spirit of selfishness and ​dishonesty is cast out of the heart, and the opposite character of honesty and uprightness is formed there in its place. But how comes this? whence is derived the new feeling of sincerity and truthfulness, which the young man finds gradually growing up in his heart, after several battles of the kind just described? It is a gift from the Lord, the only Source of all good. It is the Divine Saviour entering his heart, in consequence of the young man's having put away the obstructing sin which kept the door closed. While the heart is full of evil,—though the Lord indeed stands knocking for admission, yet He cannot be received. But the moment, that, by the act of self-conquest, evil is expelled from the heart, even in the least degree,—the door opens, and the God of glory enters, bringing with Him heavenly graces and virtues. Where dishonesty was before. He substitutes honesty; where self-love was before. He substitutes love to the neighbor, kindness, uprightness. And, with these. He gives new love to the Lord; and the young man finds, together with his increased spirit of honesty, a new feeling of piety within him, a disposition to prayer and trust, a pleasure in services of worship and devotion. Thus is genuine piety the companion of true charity; and both are the result of self-conquest, in the effort to keep the Divine commandments. "He that overcometh" says the Lord, "shall sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in His throne:" "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."
Once more. The young man is tempted, on some occasion, to give way to feelings of hatred, anger, ​revenge. He has received some injury, and he feels inclined to return "evil for evil." This is natural: it is natural to man, in his present perverted state of mind: but though natural, it is not the less sinful. The Divine Master forbids it; for He knows well, that the indulgence of such passions is not for man's true good or happiness; that though revenge be "sweet," it is the sweetness of deadly poison to the soul. "Thou shalt not avenge," is His command: "thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people: but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord." The young man struggles hard against the burning passion rising in his heart. He is almost overcome: but he calls to mind the words, "Vengeance is mine—I will repay, saith the Lord." "He has wronged me," he says to himself; "but I will leave him to his God, who will see justice done between us: it is not for me to sin, because he has sinned." This is as far as the young man can go, perhaps, at present. But after a few such conquests, he will be able to go further. He will find that a spirit of forgiveness, a readiness to pardon one who has done him an injury, has gradually arisen in his heart. And persevering in the same spiritual course—every temptation being made a stepping-stone to higher states of purity and heavenly-mindedness,—he at length will come into a settled state of peace, which cannot be disturbed. He finds at length no disposition to return injury for injury, nor evil for evil: and then he begins to have some understanding of the meek spirit of the Divine Saviour, when from ​His cross of agony He cried, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
Thus, step by step, is the young man going forward in the work of regeneration: not in his own strength, indeed, but in his Saviour's strength; for he knows well that without Him he "can do nothing." It is that Saviour, who by His Holy Spirit is operating upon him: it is He who gives him power to cooperate, by acts of self-conquest and overcoming in temptation. As youth merges into manhood, his good resolutions are becoming fixed by good actions; principle is becoming practice; as evil passions are subdued, good affections and dispositions are formed. His character is becoming settled. He is getting to be known as an upright man of business, a good citizen, a just-minded and honorable man, a man of purity in life and heart. Assuming the relations of a husband and father,—together with new sources of happiness, new duties, also, and sometimes new trials come upon him. But he does not fail. Having learned where to go for strength and support under all circumstances, he finds himself at all times sustained: he feels that the Divine Eye is upon him, the Divine Arm around him. Prayer is his unfailing comfort and support. With him it is no hard task: it is but communion with a Heavenly Friend. He remembers that that Divine Friend said, when on earth, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy-laden, and I will give yon rest." He believes His words, and goes to Him whenever he is in trouble. Does the world go hard with him? he knows that it is permitted for his trial and purification; and that as soon as the pressure has ​had its due effect, it will be taken off. And, in the mean time, he prays for support under the trial, and for grace to turn it to the best advantage. Do family afflictions grieve him—the illness or the death of his children? He finds in his Lord and Saviour a comfort even under this deep affliction—an interior support, arising from that Divine presence within his bosom. The departure of those so dear to him is but one more bond to heaven. He knows that in truth they are "not dead, but gone before;" he knows that there is no death to the spirit; and that though, being divested of their clay covering, he cannot behold them with his mortal eyes, as before, still they are near to him, for with the spirit there is no space nor distance. And he knows that if, looking to his Divine Redeemer, he keep on in the heavenly way, he shall by and by meet them again, "to part no more."
Years roll by, and his head is turning grey: the garment of the material body is preparing to be put off. But as the body is decaying, the spirit is perfecting. Little by little, day by day, month by month, the work of purification has been going on. Battle after battle has been fought with the enemies within, "the foes of his own household,"—new conquests continually gained. The "old man" is becoming put off, and the "new man" put on. The original selfish and evil nature, which he, in common with all men, had inherited, is fast becoming weakened and removed: the new regenerate nature, an inheritance from his Heavenly Father, is becoming strengthened and confirmed. The love of evil is passing away,—the love of good, love to God and his neighbor, increasing. Heaven is gradually taking up its abode within him: ​for "love is heaven, and heaven is love." Thus is he, in a manner, coming into heaven as to his spirit, even while still in this world: he is in truth an angel, "all glorious within." At length his happy time comes. His attached friends are assembled at his bedside. The evening hours have been passing slowly on,—the faint ticking of the clock distinctly audible in the silence of the apartment. He is in a gentle slumber; they watch his countenance with anxious looks; they feel that his departure is near. Suddenly he awakes. "What is the hour?" he says, in a whispering yet distinct voice. "Just twelve."—"It is well—I am called—adieu, dear friends!" He closes his eyes, and, with a gentle sigh, the good man has passed into the mansions of eternity. Angels welcome him: the Lord of glory Himself receives him: "Well done," He says, "good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord." Happy, happy man! He has "fought the good fight: he has finished his course: he has kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for him a crown of righteousness" in the everlasting kingdoms. "Blessed are the dead, that die in the Lord; yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow with them."
THE END.
* ↑ Isaiah v. 20.
* ↑ Here is the error of those (of the Rationalist school) who assert the needlessness of a written Revelation, maintaining that the revelation of truth from God into man's own mind is sufficient. They forget the difference between man's state of integrity and his present inherited perversion of mind. In the present morally diseased condition of man, the truth flowing from God into his mind is either suffocated and darkened, or perverted into falsity. Consequently, man can no longer be instructed from within, as he once was; and hence the need of an outward written Revelation.
* ↑ Psalm cxix. 105.
* ↑ In those parts of the earth, which the Revealed Word has not yet reached, the Lord has provided other lights, especially the light of: traditional knowledge, as man's guide; which,—though in comparison with the Divine Word but a glimmering lamp compared with the sun,—yet is sufficient to guide the humble and sincere seeker to the mansions of life: for "in every nation, he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of Him" (Acts x. 35).—"The Gentiles, having not the law, are a law unto themselves " (Romans ii. 14, 15).
* ↑ Deuteronomy vi. 7.
* ↑ 1 Corinthians xiii. 2.
* ↑ i. 22.
* ↑ Isaiah xxix. 15
* ↑ James i 26, 27.
* ↑ Luke vi. 47—49.
* ↑ Luke xiii. 25—27.
* ↑ John xiv. 15, 21, 44.
* ↑ 1 Corinthians vii. 19.
* ↑ Matthew vii. 20, 21.
* ↑ John xiii. 17.
* ↑ Matthew xxv. 34—46.
* ↑ Isaiah ix. 18.
* ↑ John iii. 3. How mistaken, then, the idea, entertained by some, that regeneration is nothing but development. Regeneration is as different from mere development, as ingrafting is different from the growth of the original stock. The old tree developed would produce a fruit wild and sour: you insert a graft, and thence is derived fruit that is sweet and delicious. As distinct as the graft is from the original tree, so distinct is the new birth from the original nature—the new man from the old. This heavenly graft is derived from the Lord by His Word: hence we are born again; and this new spiritual mind growing up gradually within us causes us to become, truly and really, "sons of God." (John i 12, 13.)
* ↑ Matthew xvi. 26.
* ↑ John xv. 5; vi. 37.
* ↑ Luke xvii. 21.
* ↑ "The death-bed," said Daniel Webster, "brings every human being to his individuality: one may live as a magistrate, a conqueror, or a king,—but he must die as a man."
* ↑ "The rich man died and was buried: and in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments" (Luke xvi. 19—31).
* ↑ Matthew v. 45.
* ↑ Rev. iii. 20.
* ↑ Psalm ci 5; cxxxviii. 6.
* ↑ John xiv. 23.
* ↑ Jeremiah xvii. 9.
* ↑ Matthew v. 28.
* ↑ Leviticus xix. 11, 13.
* ↑ Revelation iii. 21; xxi. 7.
* ↑ Leviticus xix. 18.
* ↑ Romans xii. 19; Deuteronomy xxxii. 35.
* ↑ Matthew xi. 28.