The Democratic advocate., 1886-06-19


ofthat chief good arise from no other
cause than that the person who has it not whatever
else he may have is out of the kingdom of heaven,
and by no possibility can possess the chief good
without becoming subject of that Kingdom
Hence the introduction into that kingdom is called
the new birth, the being brought out of darkness
into light and from the kingdom of Satan, which is
the opposite into the marvellous light and domin-
ion of the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus
Christ The new birth the Saviour tells US is effect
ed only and wholly by the Spirit of God; and that
mans part in regard to it is simply that of recep-
tvity including not only willingness but solicitude
to have the great blessing. Christ Himself is the
Way to it, the Truth concerning it, and the Life of
it. 1t is a blessing conferred through Him alone,
from the Father and by the Holy Spirit In it, thus,
the whole Deity is concerned, or l would say, is
gracously pleased take concern for it is the mar
vel of all marvels that He should. Ages ago the
Psalmist wrote, Lord, what is man that Thou art
mindful of him. the Of man that Thou yisitest
him?" and it is still an unexplained mystery that
God should have done and that He still continues
to do for the rebeious of man what the Gospel
declares Perhaps we shall be better able to COM
prehend this mystery in the light OF eternity, Dut
the grand fact even unable as we are to compre-
hend all the fullness of its import, must cause
every thoughtful mind to wonder praise and adore,
and every person who is wise will gladly embrace
the salvation offered at whatever cost to himself,
seeing at what cost on the divine side it has been
made available to him. With reverence we may
say that God Himself has been graciously pleased to
set us an example in that which He requires of US.
What is it that we should think strange of in the
of our all for Christ, when we remem-
Der the Fathers love in giving Him for us, and His
own humbling of Himself unto. death, even the
al,- vhaF,t hIIfQ q
glimpse of the value of the kingdom of God, which
is Righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy
Ghost we shall be ready with Paul to count all
things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus our Lord and the more we perceive
and appreciate its value the fully shall de-
light TO give up everything else for it.
have dwelt thus far upon Christianity as intrin-
scally considered Our of its value from this
point of view will not indeed be increased, for
there can be no addition to absolute perfection and
this the characteristic of Christianity in itself con-
sidered; but it may serve to confirm our high and
inst estimate of it. to view it in conrdst-I say not
other systems of teaching which
are spoken of among men as religious systems
ave study" says Canon Farrar in his Preface to
the Life of Christ 1--WE study the sacred books OF all
the great religions of the world we see the effect
exercised by these religions on the minds OF thelr
yotaries and in spite of all the truths which we ad-
nit that even the worst of them enshrned we wateh
the failure of them all to produce the inestmaoie
blessings which we have ourselves enjoyed from in
fancy which we treasure as dearly as our life ana
which we regard as solely due to the spread and es
tablishment of Christianity. We read the systems
and treatises of ancient philosophy, and in spite of
all the great and noble elements in which we admit
thew abound we see their total incapacity to con-
sole or support or regenerate the world. Then we
see the light of Christianity dawning like tender
day-spring amid the universal and intolerabe spr-
itual darkness From the first it allies itself with
the worlds utter eeblenesses and those very feeble
nesses it shares; yet without wealth. without learn
ing without genius, without arms without anything
to dazzle and attract the religion of outcasts ana
exiles of fugitives and prisoners, - numbering
among its earliest converts mot many wise ot many
noble not many mighty, but such as the Jalior OF
Philippi and the runaway slave of Colosse-wlthn no
blessing apparently upon it but such as cometh
from above-it puts to flight kings and their armles'
it breathes new life, and new hope, and new
and otherwise unknown holiness into guilty ana
decrepit world" Of this religion, the only demon
straby true and divine. comprizing all thatnatural
religion teaches" together with "a new system in
entire harmony with it, but which could not have
been produced from it, of this relgion-ths king
dom of God-and of it alone, can We say that it is
perfecty adapted to meet all mans moral and spir-
itual needs ito recty all the disorders that sin has
introduced into our world and both in a natural
and moral sense to restore q lost Paradise Like
that mighty Spirit which in the beginning moved
upon the face of the deep, when the earth was as
vet without form and void it corrects the confusion
of the moral system pervades and recognizes the
formless mass of depraved society, and pacifies
the turbulence Of human passions. With majesty
that oyerawes voice that will be heard and an IN
uence that cannot be resisted, it renews the world
and will eventually diffuse its unsetting glory
through every part of the habitable earth.
Now if this kingdom of God. this grand subject OF
all our saviours teachings, this holy religion, Chris
tianity, thus transcends in value everything ese'
whether we consider it in itself or in its contrast
with all other religions philosophers, it needs no
argument to show that it is the dllimportdt thing,
"the one thing needful" to every person who would
possess himself of the chief good. Trench in his in
PRODUCTION to his exposition of the two parallels be-
fore us well remarks that ''The kingdom of God is
not merely a general thing-as indicated in the
other parab les of this chapter-but it is also an IN
diyidual thing; it is not merely tree overshadow-
ing the earth eaven leavening the world, but each
man must have it for himself and make it his own
by a distinct act of his own will. He cannot be
Christian without knowing it. He may come under
the shadow of the great tree, and partake Of many
y, ", tHe -. 49,, ,oo,,oroa and CO in a
NH i0'eiN- - -, ,.a,,o,,,r'. !, (,t to,,,
hialiiei '"io -, 'Ae 80 =, - - -.
many are .nuS piesseu e.eii IN sp4'e o 90
uhreasohaoie inuiSpoSi''o.i "H, ,,,....
wei say Dase reiusal W acAho"ieuse H.
tnan inns Is heeueu' anu rnoie man ti'-' -
elect soul VIII hnu plaee, tnere wiz Ie nc.
apProPra'on Vi 'iio -'-'>,
'ois VI .i' ~ ,,osa .',,;,,o,,t ;, h,
hot 10 tne niui'''uuo ~. :s;oto ,so;
wi'iiin tne nouse " 49,
pies' Miio aie - r -
the hiu treasure, Tue ole peaii VI snu
are now is'ruc'eu as " tne ~ NC.
Oh 1ou Oh "hen .ney arc a.u ~ ~
SAKE Oh wnich e,ae -.
So,,;or hsd roonired Of tber
from the rst. and inst what He requires now of all
II, o,,I5 no u; d;soinles and tr,e folIovvers aHe
,,r,,,a f,or M, 90 os really N know the
,-.,, sa1aat;on orr saviour teaches
"must DENY himself and take up his cross daily,
and follow me-" whoever would be a true Chris
trian must make an entire and hearty surrender of
himself to God in Christ, be willing to come under
His government and control in all things and desire
that in himself and in all the world Gods kingdom
NAV come that il that Gods will may be done on
oo-,b avon as IL is dome i'm heaven. If il seem to
,hat This demand is too high or that it deprives
man ofanv real good this is only seemingly So for
He who Knows all things assures us that in parting