New-York tribune., 1874-11-09
THE RULE OF LIFE,


At the Church of the Divine Paternity, yes
terday. the Rev. E. H. Chaplin, d. d., preached sermon
upon "The Fundamental Rule Of Lfe," which should be
the guide of all In all their actions He chose his
text from Matthew, SO: "But seek ye frst the king
dom OF God ana His righteousness, and oil these things
shall be added unto you"
The Sermon on Mount said has been called the
Constitution for tho Kingdom OF Heaven. 1t has also
been observed discourse addressed primarily
to the disciples and secondary to the people, and ult
mately the whole OF Christendom Taking the words
OF Lord in this light may presume that they in
cluded some things which had special app!ca
ton fitted to the situation OF the disciples rather
than to the general condition OF men in our
days. Nevertheless. this temporary fitness Is unfoded
through the groundwork Of these essential truths which
apply to all times One or these truths is the doctrine
Divine Providence, ana nowhere Is tt taught with
such beauty and power as In this sermon on the Mount
The great processes OF existence are beyond human
control The springs OF nature are in the hands OF Him
outlines OF mans individuality aud Of his life
are ordained and and maintained .h BY the Divine vi1,
Ses our text oa snCr Inserts thread Of
human vOltiOn. Amid these great currents OF Pr0yi
to e which is to look for his soul The
nicance OF this passage, then may be said to be this;
Cause % OF hs which WITH special
phass text Start with the right principles and
and unsettled and all without will run into confu
sion. Set Gods WILL Gods truth, Gods law first, and
ask you then, 10 observe the force and significance
of this word. first" This does not mere prece-
way, have the inside track, and otherwise We
may do as we please. This suggests line whore Gods
T Es It is to be- the sarDS point and
guiding line of all our actions "Frst"-that means
sovereign supreme, the handspring OF all our doing, as
well as of our being Nor does this injunction coincide
with the practice which splits our conduct into rag-
ment diffused through the entire organization OF
being. but it is special function having little
and places; giving nod toward Heaven aud then
pitches in tho other direction. This seems to follow
out from ife But vital faith discerns God
all times and in all things Religious duty is not mere
section in life all life is to be religious duty Nor
do we think it right to De seeking Gods righteousness
for the good which is to be added unto working
the injunction for the sake OF the reward This is
the suggestion presented by the text 1t does not read
ain order that all these things shall be added you
but "and all these things shall be added unto you"
This answers the question OF the rule OF life.
Two questions First is to have any rule
do what passion desire bids him TO do is he to
observe any higher government-some principle which
sire How Is IL with man who has law OF his being
at least, OF his inward and moral being He is man
of inconsiderate impulses sort OF dslocaed raft OF
faculties floating down the rapids OF time. There
men whose employment and ambition seem 10 DO to
brutalze themselves These lives are chaotic II is very
evident that must have rule OF life OF some kind
that being kept in harmony by certain laws.
the question arises, I" WHAT shall the rule be ."
It cannot be any single element OF nature. Ger.
DESIRE for to what strange results these would lead men!
Shall DO the rule OF his life These
have not In themselves the intrinsic power OF u
minatioD They need light. II cannot take any
single element Of our nature, neither make our
condition whole the rule OF life cannot say
the rule of life Is his welfare There would order
Evidently then need something that guides and
trolls each element OF nature something which rises
above the individual 1t simply tauology TO say that
this must be sovereign rule, inexibe rule IL must
be something outside OF ourselves. Moral SANCTION a
thorative SANCTION universal sanction that which Is as
for one as another. only come from the moral
Governor OF the Unyerse Put out the idea OF God from
lfe and though there may be whose lives Will De
respectable aud pure yet they rest upon no hxed oasis
There Is no moral sanction unless rests upon the luea
OF q living, intelligent, and holy God
In this Jesus presents tins rule OF lfe as the
Kingdom OF God and HIS righteousness. Gods viii Is
stand first aud foremost. Ascertainng by our best
efforts what IL Is, that is rule OF life Men are
brought face to face with Christ, whore they must
virtually determine whether extrancous good Is to
stand first, whether their conduct Is 10 be controlled
by principle to which this outward good must be
subordinaed. In whatever form this question first
arose, He settled 1t for you and for me- and every.
body else. Men do settle 1t for Themselves
There are q great many persons who do not
stop TO think. who put their hands to that which
seems most profitable. There are Others who recognize
tho principle and sometimes adopt 1t as sort OF com
promise. They decide TO begin with worldly interests
aud work out int0 pr!neples T4eC ARGUMENT aloauIs