The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-12-10
ILL USAGE.
BY REV. WILLIAM s. PLUMER, D. D.

abuse. The whole lifetime of few is
filed up with injuries and suferings not
deserved from men.
1t was so with our blessed Lord He
came to His own, and His own received
Him not He was our best friend, yet we
hid, as it were, our faces from Him He
was despised, and we esteemed Him not.
He was Lord of all, yet treated as the
worst and vilest of men.
So, also, His servant Paul was often
misrepresented and hated by wicked men,
Of the Jews he five times received forty
stripes, save one; thrice was he beaten
with rods; once was he stoned. He was
in perils by robbers, by his own country
men, by the heather, and among false
brethren. The cruelty practised on him
was wanton, inexcusable, and long con-
tinued His motives were impugned, his
words wrested his life full. sorrows
His best services were i'll requited. Hear
him: II will very gladly spend and be
spent for you, though the more abundant
| ly l love you, the less I be loved.
Things have always been thus since
man became a sinner. Ingratitude is no
new thing. "Were it actionable, there
would not be courts enough in the whole
world to try the causes In" So that if
one never does good till he knows that
men will either understand him or meetly
reward him, he will never begin a course
of benefeence. The great motives and
the best rules for doing good, must be
drawn from the example Of God and the
rewards He has promised.
There must be future life. If every
thing is finished here, the servants of God
are of all men most miserable 1t is
right that there should be Judge of all
the earth. 1t is fitting that He should
hold the assizes of the universe. To those
having spiritual discernment the work
ing of the everlasting law of requital is
often manifest even here. But when Je-
hovah shall weigh and fully reward the
deeds of all men, in the presence of men
and angels, even the blind shall see that
verify there is God that judgeth among
His creatures. Therefore we ought to
live and act as unto the Lord, and not
unto men. Those who make a show of
serving God, and are moved by sordid
and selfish considerations, may so far sue
coed as to secure the applause of men,
and so get their reward-all they seek
after-in this world; but they lay up for
themselves no treasure in heaven. In
eternity they will be ever so poor; they
are not rich towards God
We who live in this day ought to re-
member that we fare no worse than the
men of former days. Since those sad
transactions in Eden, the world has never
been very good. Mans fallen nature
works out the same results from age to
age:
The thing that hath been, it is that
which shall be and that which is done,
is that which shall be done; and there is
no new thing under the sun. Say not
then, what is the cause that the former
days were better than these? for thou
dost not inquire wisely concerning this. .
Fec. / 9, vii. 10.
The way in which the world treats
both good and bad men, proves it wick
ed. 1t fatters and courts many of the
worst of its inhabitants, as long as they
are gay, or rich, or invested with power
while it derides, detests, and persecutes
many of its best people. It does moi
weaken the force of this statement to say
and prove that the world itself expresses
its contempt of the wicked when they are
gone, or whitens the sepulchres Of the
good men it once hated and bounded to
death. Therefore let us have right aims
and right motives, and leave our case
with God the Judge Of all And let us
not be weary in well doing; for in due
time we shall reap, if we faint not. Let
us do our duty, stand in our lot and leave
results with God. He will give the final
award, and it will be more than satisfac-
tory to every right-minded man.
Let us be very careful what rules Of
life we adopt To render good for good
is in itself right, but it is very low at
tainment. Even pubicans go as far as
that. To render evil for evil is quite
common. 1t well consists with a spiteful
and malignant nature-indeed with a
very low depravity Men are sadly de-
based when revenge is sweet. To render
evil for good, is devilish. Even men Of
the world, whatever may be their prac-
tice, cry out against conduct so marked
with ingratitude To render good for
evil, is God-Iike for the Lord is good to
the unkind, and to the unthankful, and
sends rain and sunshine on the just and
on the unjust, and fills their hearts with
food and gladness. Oh, be like God
Love your enemies, bless them that curse
you, do good to them that hate you, and
pray for them that despitefully use you
and persecute you; that We may be the
children of your Father which is in heav-
ON - AZ Y El.o,ll,aLst