The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-04-11
COMFORT TO GODS PEOPLE.
a GREAT SERMON BY STURGEON.
The Sanctuary Place of Refuge, Worship
and Mercy-The Goodness of the World
an Occasion for Gods Tenderness
His Loving Kindness.


though have cast them far OF among the heather,
and although have scattered them among the eOun-
tries, yet will be to them little sanctuary
IN the countries where they shall come-"-E-eE
sS:i6.
The text begins with therefore"
There was reason for Gods speaking in
this Wav 1t is profitable to trace the
why and the wherefore of the gracious
words of the Lord. The way 10y which a
promise comes usually shines with trail
OF light. Upon reading the connection
We observe that those who had been car
RED captive were insulted by those who
tarried at Jerusalem. They spoke in a
very cruel manner to those with whom
they should have sympathized. How
often do prosperous brothers look with
scorn on the unfortunate! Many time
the cruel word of man has been the cause
of a tender word from God. Because of
the unkindness OF these people, therefore
God, in loving kindness, addressed in
words of tender grace those whom they
despised. As in our Savlours days the
opposition of the Pharisees acted upon
the Savior like a steel TO the flint, and
fetched bright sparks OF truth out of Him,
so the wickedncss OF man has often been
the cause why the grace OF God has been
more fully revealed Offences, therefore,
will come. But why should we fret un-
duly under this trial when we perceive
that out OF opposition to the cause OF God
occasions arise for the grandcst displays
of Gods love and power? Ii from the
showers We gain our harveSts, we will not
mourn when the heavens gather black
ness and the rain pours down.
Now to proceed at once to our text,
seeing
Il. Where Gods people may be. First,
they may be under chaStisement. If YOU
IlYV-N
omy, God threatened Israel that If they,
as a nation, sinned against Him, they
should be scattered among the nations
and cast far off among the heather.
Many time they SO sinned. The Lord
was slow to fulfill His utmost threaten
ings, but put forth His utmost patience,
till there was no more room for iong-suf-
fering. At last the threatened chastise-
ment fell upon them, and fierce nations
carried them away in bonds to the far-oh
lands of their dread. They were not ut
terly destroyed their being scattered
among the people showed that they still
existed. Though they were scattered and
peeled, yet they were people, even as at
this day.
The instructed among them knew that
their being in exile was the fruit of the
transgressions of their fathers and the re-
suit of their own offenses against God.
And yet, though they were under chas-
tisement, God loved them, and had a
choice word for them.
Beloved, YOU and may lie under the
rod of God, and we may smart sorely be-
cause of our iniquities, even as David did;
and yet we may be the children of God
toward whom He has thoughts of grace.
We may he in great spiritual darkness,
and may be compelled TO confess that our
own sins have procured this unto our
selves. And yet, Tor all that, the Lord
NAV have sent the chastisement in love.
and in nothing else but love; and He may
intend by il, not our destruction, but the
destruction OF the flesh not our rejection,
but our refining; not our curse, but our
cleansing. Let us take comfort seeing that
God has a word to say to His mOurners and
70 His afflicted, and that word in the text
is as 'yet" which serves to show that there
is clear limit to His anger.
But, secondly, wherever they are,
whether they are under chastisemC mt or
not, they are where the Lord has put
them. The Lords hand was in their
Punishment and dispersion; Jehovah him
SELF inflicted the chastisement for sin.
You say to me, "Why, it was Nebuchad-
nezzar who carried them away; the Baby
ioniaEs and the Chaldeans took them cap
tive" Yes, | know it was so; but the
Lord regards these as instruments il His
iiPnd, and he says IL have done it, Just
~ Job when the Chal leans and the
S,Foeans had swept away his property,
and his children had been DESTROYED
Though the agency of satan, yet said,
THE Lord gave, and the Lord hath
taken away" The Lold was truly in
the taking away as He was in the giving.
1t is well To look beyond all second causes
II. - n
with those who are the nearer age VS.,
but look to the first cause
Note next that the people of God may
dwell in places of great discomfort. The
Jews were a home-loving people who set
tied each one upon his own patch of
ground, and sat down under his vine and
fgtree, none making him afraid. Their
Lord had driven them into foreign coun-
try, where everything was different from
their ways-where all the customs of the
people were strange and singular. They
would be marked and despised people,
nobody would fraternize with them, but
all would pass them by in scorn.
IL must have been great discomfort to
Gods people to dwell among idolaters,
and to be forced TO witness obscene rites
and revolving practices. Gods own IA
vored ones in these days may be living
where they are as much ont OF place as
lambs among wOvles or doves among
hawks Do not imagine that God makes
a nest of down for all His eagles. Why,
they would never take to flying if He did
not put thorns under them and stir up
their nest that they may take to their
wings and learn the heavenward flight to
which they are predestinated And so
he often puts where very un-
comfortable. Some OF Gods servants feel
this in very peculiar manner, for their
souls are among lions and they dwell
among those whose tongues are set on fire
of bell
We are not kept apart from the wicked
by high walls or guards of heavenly sol
diery. Even our Lord did not pray that
we should be taken out of the world.
Grace builds neither monasteries nor nun
neries. Cur education for eternity may
necessitate tribulation, and bereavement
from visible comforts. To be weaned
from all reliance outward means may he
for our good. that we may be driven i'm
upon the Lord, and made to know that
He is all in all.
Worse still, the Lords chosen may be
under oppression through surrounding
ungodliness and sin. Is il not still true OF
us, as we'll as OF our Savior, "Out Of Egypt
have called my son?' Expect still to
meet with opposition and oppression
while you are passing TO the land where
-