The Portland daily press., 1874-11-16
SUNDAY SERVICES.
SECOND PARISH CHURCH.

SECOND PARISH CHURCH.
The pastor, Rev. j. j. Carruthers D. d.
preached in the forenoon from Romans With
chapter, 18th verse. The preacher, on the
preceding Sabbath had spoken from the words
of Paul in his Epistle to the Galatians, I'VE
are all the children of God by faith in Christ
Jesus" BY the Savior's substitution, huml-
iation, and obedience unto death, he has ac-
quired the moral power of comforting on all
who trust in him as their Redeemer, the priv
ileges that have been forfeited by human
trangression. $40 as many as receive him, to
them gives he power to become the children of
God even to those that believe in his name"
They thus come under divine tuition; they are
all subjected to his wise and well-adapted dis
cipline; they have access at every hour, in
every place, to his gracious presence and his
paternal fellowship; they are severally and
collectively under his paternal government.
and they are furnished with abundant and in
exhaustible sources of enjoyment. These are
present privileges. They belong to all who are
born again by the regenerating power of the
Holy Spirit, raised to newness of life and thus
morally qualified to show forth by word
and act, by grateful song and willing services,
the praise of him who calleth them out of
darkness into his marvellous light
Our present text found in Romans VIII,
II: ''If children, then heirs heirs OF God and
joint heirs with Christ" directs US to the
future of their history. No design nor act OF
reprobation, no doctrine or denunciation OF
Gods word closes the gate of heaven against
any who believe in Christ and truth for their
salvation in the atoning and sanctifying virtue
ofihs sacrifice. To you, dear nearer, that gate
is open. 1t is accessible, indeed, but by one
avenue, leading directly from the cross. Here,
at the cross you gain your title to admission.
From this, the starting point of your career as
child of God and an expectant citizen OF
heaven, you pass on, over divinely constructed
pathway to your perpetual abode. Entering,
by sincere repentance and true faith in Christ,
the gate OF Gospel grace, you will pass
unchallenged through the gate of glory. You
will be welcomed there to the society of un-
fallen angels and Of just men made perfect, and
come into perpetual possession of you inheri-
lance on high. There is a dread alternative
which it We're madness and mockery of heav-
ly truth to overlook or to neglect. There is a
heritage of woe awaiting all who live and die
in willing ignoranbe, impenitence. and unbe-
lief. Exclusion from heaven-the just conse-
quence of these-will give stings to conscience,
and be itself an element of enduring misery.
Come not, beseech you, into this condemna-
ton. Lay hold, by faith in Jesus, on eternal
life. Set your affection on things above. Re.
solve in the spirit of true manhood, TO make
provision for destiny that cannot be avoided,
and to turn the penalty of death into a precious
and priceless privilege. |
l. The earthly inheritance is suggestive of |
wealth and worldly estate passing, by a legal |
lied arrangement from one proprietor to anoth- |
er who then holds it as his own. But earthly |
things in possession or in prospect, are very |
poor representatives of heavenly realities. We |
cannot doubt that, as the bodies of the saints |
will hereafter be immortalzed, their future |
abode will be replenished with all that of ma |
terial beauty can crafty the eye, and all that |
harmony can please the ear, and all, in short, |
that through the avenues and vehicles of sense, |
can convey delight and satisfaction to the soul. |
But it would be to degrade a ransomed and re- |
newed humanity-to pervert to the meanest |
purposes, the sure sayings of God, to do vio- |
lence to the antcipations and yearnings of |
Christian hope, to imagine that sensuous en- |
an integral part of heavens pure and perfected |
felicity. The main elements of this will be in |
that knowledge, righteousness aud true holt |
ness which we said to be the characteristic, of |
ance being removed from the mental eye, the |
evil suggestions of unbelief being now. un-
known, the soul being unencumbered by phYsi- |
cal impedimenrs, there will, in each case, be |
rapid and even advancing growth OF such IDEAS
and conceptions as will minister per-
petually to the satisfaction and delight |
of heavens happy population From |
the wonders of creation, from the ways |
of Providence, from the plan of redemption in |
its origin, evolution and effects, streams of |
will flow forth. so full, so fresh, SO
free from all earthly and corrupt adhesions,
as to keep the faculties of each human inhab-
liant of heaven in constant, unwearied and |
ever gladdening exercise.
III. Righteousness is another Characteristic |
of the heavenly kingdom.
Ill. A third is found in true holiness or |
that moral likeness to Christ which is the end |
and object of all sanctifying influences upon |
earth. This will qualify heavens inmates for |
communion with their Saviour, and will give |
zest and relish to that mutual intercourse |
which shall still ia ther enhance their felicity.
After largely expanding these various par |
ticulars and contrasting the inheritance of |
heaven with all earthly possessions, the preach |
er closed by entreating his hearers to examine |
their title to eternal life, bring it to the light
of heavenly truth and read it with devout So |
lcitude and care. Let these sure sayings of |
God guide your deliberations and dictate your |
decisions When assured by such unerring |
testimony that you are child of God-and if |
child, then an heir of God and joint heir |
with Christ-then take all the comfort which |
such an assurance should inspire, and rejoice |
in hope of the glory of God. |