Family Sermons Volume N . 1

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1863 edition. Excerpt: ...The office of faith is not to seek an absent, but to recognise a present Lord. And what a mighty difference there is between these two things! Unbelief seeks an absent, faith recognises a present Lord. Recognition is faith's special Qfice; and the Saviour whom we preach is not far distant and inaccessible in yonder heaven, but near; and not only near, but the nearest of all near beings; the nearest thing to you on earth or in heaven. We preach a present Christ. Let faith simply recognise him as such, and all is well. And just as faith recognises this present Christ, instead of going in quest of him as if he were absent, unbelief blinds the eye to him. It cannot, indeed, thrust him away; that is impossible. It cannot, with all its efforts, make him the absent one; it cannot empty him of blessings, but it refuses to recognise him. It knows him not, it treats him as the distant one, in order thereby to be furnished with a ground for self-righteous eflbrts in seeking him. It treats him as an unloving one, as one hiding himself, one reluctant to appear; and thus it puts away that blessing which is at hand, in all its fulness. It keeps us in sorrow and in darkness; it prevents communication between us and the Lord. For, let us remember, that earnestness is not faith. There is an earnestness which is pure unbelief; and this earnestness of unbelief shews itself by going in quest of an absent Saviour while the earnestness of faith shews itself in recognising a present one. Yes; Christ is at our side, though unseen and unknown. When he works in us, effectually drawing the soul to himself, he cannot be hid; but, for a time he may. A man does not always recognise him at first, even when he is really working in him, and drawing him to himself....