 Chapter 15 of Practical Religion This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Chad Practical Religion by J. C. Ryle Chapter 15, Sickness He whom thou lovest is sick, John chapter 11 verse 3. The chapter from which this text is taken is well known to all Bible readers. In life-flight description, in touching interest, in sublime simplicity, there is no writing in existence that will bear comparison with that chapter. A narrative like this is, to my own mind, one of the great proofs of the inspiration of Scripture. When I read the story of Bethany, I feel there is something here which the infidel can never account for. This is nothing else but the finger of God. The words which I specially dwell upon in this chapter are singularly affecting and instructive. They record the message which Martha and Mary sent to Jesus when their brother Lazarus was sick. Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. That message was short and simple, yet almost every word is deeply suggestive. Mark the childlike faith of these holy women. They turn to the Lord Jesus in their hour of need as the frightened infant turns to its mother or the compass needle turns to the pole. They turn to him as their shepherd, their almighty friend, their brother born for adversity. Different as they were in natural temperament, the two sisters in this matter were entirely agreed. Christ's help was their first thought in the day of trouble. Christ was the refuge to which they fled in the hour of need. Blessed are all they that do likewise. Mark the simple humility of their language about Lazarus. They call him he whom thou lovest. They do not say he who loves thee believes in thee serves thee, but he whom thou lovest. Martha and Mary were deeply taught of God. They had learned that Christ's love towards us and not our love towards Christ is the true ground of expectation and true foundation of hope. Blessed again are all they that are taught likewise. To look inward to our love towards Christ is painfully unsatisfying. To look outward to Christ's love towards us is peace. Mark lastly the touching circumstance which the message of Martha and Mary reveals. He whom thou lovest is sick. Lazarus was a good man, converted, believing, renewed, sanctified, a friend of Christ and an hour of glory. And yet Lazarus was sick. Then sickness is no sign that God is displeased. Sickness is intended to be a blessing to us and not a curse. All things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to his purpose. All things are yours, life, death, things present or things to come. For ye are Christ's and Christ is God's. Romans chapter 6 verse 28 verse Corinthians chapter 3 verse 22. Blessed I say again are they that have learned this. Happy are they who can say, when they are ill, this is my father's doing. It must be well. I invite the attention of my readers to the subject of sickness. The subject is one which we ought frequently to look in the face. We cannot avoid it. It needs no prophet's eye to see sickness coming to each of us in turn one day in the midst of life we are in death. Let us turn aside for a few moments and consider sickness as Christians. The consideration will not hasten its coming and by God's blessing may teach us wisdom. In considering the subject of sickness three points appear to me to demand attention. On each I shall say a few words. One, the universal prevalence of sickness and disease. Two, the general benefits which sickness confers on one kind. Three, the special duties to which sickness calls us. One, the universal prevalence of sickness. I need not dwell long on this point. To elaborate the proof of it would only be multiplying traisms and heaping up common places which all allow. Sickness is everywhere. In Europe, in Asia, in Africa, in America. In hot countries and in cold. In civilised nations and in savage tribes. Men, women and children, sick and die. Sickness is among all classes. Grace does not lift a believer above the reach of it. Riches will not buy exemption from it. Rank cannot prevent its assaults. Kings and their subjects. Masters and servants. Rich men and poor. Learned and unlearned. Teachers and scholars. Doctors and patients. Ministers and hearers. All alike go down before this great foe. Rich man's wealth is his strong city. Proverbs chapter 18 verse 11. The Englishman's house is called his castle. But there are no doors and bars which can keep out disease and death. Sickness is of every sort and description. From the crown of our head to the sole of our foot, we are liable to disease. Our capacity of suffering is something fearful to contemplate. Who can count up the ailments by which our bodily frame may be assailed? Who ever visited a museum of morbid anatomy without a shudder? Strange that a harp of thousand strings should keep in chin so long. It is not, in my mind, so wonderful that men should die so soon, as it is that they should live so long. Sickness is often one of the most humbling and distressing trials that can come upon man. It can turn the strongest into a little child and make him feel the grasshopper a burden. Ecclesiastes chapter 7 verse 5. It can unnerve the boldest and make him tremble at the fall of a pin. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm chapter 139 verse 14. The connection between body and mind is curiously close. The influence that some diseases can exercise upon the temper and spirits is immensely great. There are ailments of brain and liver and nerves, which can bring down a Solomon in mind to your state little better than that of a babe. He that would know to what depths of humiliation per man can fall has only to attend for a short time on sick beds. Sickness is not preventable by anything that man can do. The average duration of life may doubtless be somewhat lengthened. The skill of doctors may continually discover new remedies and effect surprising cures. The enforcement of wise sanitary regulations may greatly lower the death rate in a land, but after all, whether in healthy or unhealthy, localities, whether in mild climates or in cold, whether treated by homeopathy or allopathy, men will sicken and die. The days of our years are three-score years and ten, and if by reason of strength they be four-score years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow, or it is soon cut off and we fly away. That witness is indeed true. It is true 3,300 years ago, it is true still. Now what can we make of this great fact? The universal prevalence of sickness. How shall we account for it? What explanation can we give of it? What answers shall we give to our inquiring children when they ask us, Father, why do people get ill and die? These are grave questions. A few words upon them will not be out of place. Can we suppose for a moment that God created sickness and disease at the beginning? Can we imagine that he who formed our world in such perfect order was the former of needless suffering and pain? Can we think that he who made all things very good, made Adam's race to sicken and to die? The idea is, to my mind, revolting. It introduces a grand imperfection into the midst of God's perfect works. I must find another solution to satisfy my mind. The only explanation that satisfies me is that which the Bible gives. Something has come into the world which has dethroned man from his original position and stripped him of his original privileges. Something has come in which, like a handful of gravel thrown into the midst of machinery, has marred the perfect order of God's creation. And what is that something? I answer in a word. It is sin. Sin has entered into the world and death by sin. Romans chapter 5 verse 12. Sin is the cause of all the sickness and disease and pain and suffering which prevail on the earth. They are all a part of that curse which came into the world when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and fell. There would have been no sickness if there had been no fall. There would have been no disease if there had been no sin. I pause for a moment at this point and yet in pausing I do not depart from my subject. I pause to remind my readers that there is no ground so untenable as that which is occupied by the atheist, the deist or the unbeliever in the Bible. I advise every young reader of this paper to be as puzzled by the bold and specious arguments of the infidel to study well that most important subject in difficulties of infidelity. I say boldly that it requires far more fragility to be an infidel than to be a Christian. I say boldly that there are great broad patent facts in the condition of mankind that the Bible can explain and that one of the most striking of these facts is the universal prevalence of pain, sickness and disease. In short, one of the mightiest difficulties in the way of atheists and deists is the body of man. You have doubtless heard of atheists and the atheist is one who professes to believe that there is no God, no Creator, no first cause and that all things came together in this world by mere chance. Now shall we listen to such a doctrine as this? Go take an atheist to one of the excellent surgical skills of our land and ask him to study the wonderful structure of the human body. Show him the matchless skill with which every joint and vein and valve and muscle and sinew and nerve and bone and limb has been formed. Show him the perfect adaptation to the purpose which it serves. Show him the thousand delicate contrivances for meeting wear and tear and supplying daily waste of figure and then ask this man who denies the being of a God and a great first cause. If all this wonderful mechanism is a result of chance ask him if it came together at first by luck and accident. Ask him if he so thinks about the watch he looks at the bread he eats or the coat he wears oh no design is an insupprable difficulty in the atheists way there isn't, there is a God. You've doubtless heard of deists a deist is one who professes to believe that there is a God but who made the world and all things therein but he does not believe the Bible a God but no Bible a creator but no Christianity this is the deist's creed now shall we listen to this doctrine go again I say and take a deist to a hospital and show him some of the awful handiwork of disease and take him to the bed where lies some tender child scarce knowing good from evil with an incurable cancer sent him to the ward where there is a loving mother of a large family in the last stage of some excruciating disease show him some of the racking, pains and agonies to which flesh is air and ask him to account for them ask this man who believes there is a great and wise God who made the world but cannot believe the Bible ask him how he accounts for these traces of order and imperfection in his God's creation ask this man how snares a Christian theology and is too wise to believe the fall of Adam ask him upon his theory to explain the universal prevalence of pain and disease in the world you may ask in vain you will get no satisfactory answer sickness and suffering are insupperable difficulties in the deist's way man has sinned and therefore man suffers Adam fell from his first deceit children, sicken and die the universal prevalence of sickness is one of the indirect evidences that the Bible is true the Bible explains it the Bible answers the questions about it which will arise in every inquiring mind no other systems of religion can do this they all fail here they are silent, they are confounded the Bible alone looks the subject in the face it boldly proclaims the fact the fallen creature and with equal boldness proclaims a vast remedial system to meet his wants I feel shut up to the conclusion that the Bible is from God Christianity is a revelation from heaven the word is truth John chapter 17 verse 17 let us stand fast on the old ground that the Bible and the Bible only is God's revelation of himself to man be not moved by the many new assaults which modern skepticism is making on the inspired volume heed not the hard questions which the enemies of the faith are fond of putting about Bible difficulties and to which perhaps you often feel unable to give an answer anchor your soul firmly on this safe principle that the whole book is God's truth tell the enemies of the Bible that in spite of all their arguments that there is no book in the world that will bear comparison with the Bible none that so thoroughly meets man's wants none that explains so much of the state of mankind as to the hard things in the Bible tell them you are content to wait you find enough plain truth in the book to satisfy your conscience and save your soul the hard things will be cleared up one day what you know not now you will know hereafter two the second point I propose to consider is the general benefits which sickness confers on mankind I use that word benefits advisedly I feel it of deep importance to see this part of the project clearly I know well that sickness is one of the supposed weak points in God's government of the world on which skeptical minds love to dwell can God be a God of love when he allows pain can God be a God of mercy when he permits disease he might prevent pain and disease but he does not can these things be such is the reasoning which often comes across the heart of man I reply to all such reasoners that their doubts and questionings are most unreasonable they make us well doubt the existence of a greater because the order of the universe is disturbed by earthquakes, hurricanes and storms they might as well doubt the providence of God of the horrible massacres of Delhi and Khenpoor all this would be just as reasonable as to doubt the mercy of God because of the presence of sickness in the world I ask all who find it hard to reconcile the prevalence of disease and pain with the love of God to cast their eyes on the world around them and to mark what is going on I ask them to observe the extent to which man constantly submit to present loss for the sake of future gain present sorrow for the sake of future joy present pain for the sake of future health the seed is thrown into the ground and roots but we so in the hope of a future harvest the boy is sent to school amidst many tears but we send him in the hope of his getting the father of a family undergoes some fearful surgical operation but he bears it in the hope of future health I ask men to apply this great principle to God's government of the world I ask them to believe that God allows pain, sickness and disease not because he loves to fix man but because he desires to benefit man's heart and mind and conscience and soul to all eternity once more I repeat that I speak of the benefits of sickness on purpose and advisedly I know the suffering and pain which sickness entails I admit the misery and vettedness which it often brings in its train but I cannot regard it as an unmixed evil I see in it a wise permission of God I see in it a useful provision to check the ravages of sin and the devil among men souls if man had never sinned I should have been at a loss to discern the benefit of sickness but since sin is in the world I can see that sickness is a good it is a blessing quite as much as a curse it is a rough skill master I grant but it is a real friend to man soul sickness helps to remind men of death the most live as if they were never going to die they follow business or pleasure or politics or science as if earth was their eternal home they plan and scheme for the future like the rich fall in the parable as if they had a long lease of life and were not tenants at will a heavy illness sometimes goes far to dispel these delusions it awakens men from the daydreams and reminds them they have to die as well as to live now this I say vertically is a mighty good be sickness helps to make men think seriously of god and their souls and the world to come the most in their days of health can find no time for such thoughts they dislike them they put them away they cut them troublesome and disagreeable now a severe disease has sometimes a wonderful power of mastering and rallying these thoughts and bringing them up before the eyes of a man soul even a wicked king like bin had had when sick could think of elisha second kings chapter 8 verse 8 even heathen sailors when death was inside were afraid and cried every man to his god during the chapter 1 verse 5 surely anything that helps to make men think is a good see sickness helps to soften men's hearts and teach them wisdom the natural heart is as hard as a stone it can see no good in anything which is not of this life and no happiness accepting in this world a long illness sometimes goes far to correct these ideas it exposes the emptiness and hollowness of what the world calls good things teaches us to hold them with a loose hand the man of business finds that money alone is not everything the heart requires the woman of the world finds that costly apparel and novel reading and the reports of balls and operas are miserable comforters in a sick room surely anything that obliges us to alter our weights and measures of earthly things is a real good day sickness helps to level and humble us we are all naturally proud and high minded few even of the first are free from the infection few are to be found who do not look down on somebody else and secretly flatter themselves that they are not as the other men a sick bed is a mighty tamer of such thoughts as these it forces on us the mighty truth that we are all per worms that we dwell in houses of clay and are crushed before the moth Job chapter 4 verse 19 and that kings and subjects masters and servants rich and poor are all dying creatures and will soon stand side by side at the bar of God in the sight of the coffin and the grave is easy to be proud surely anything that teaches that lesson is good E finally sickness helps to try men's religion of what sort it is there are not many on earth who have religion at all yet few have a religion that will bear inspection most are content with traditions received from their fathers and can render no reason of the hope that is in them most useful to a man in exposing the other worthlessness of his soul's foundation it often shows him that he has nothing solid under his feet and nothing firm under his hand it makes him find out that although he may have had a form of religion he has been all his life worshiping an unknown God many a credit looks well on the smooth waters of health which turns out utterly unsound and useless on the rough waves of the sick bed the storms of winter often bring out the defects in a man's dwelling and sickness often exposes the gracelessness of a man's soul surely anything that makes us find out the real character of our faith is a good I do not say that sickness confers these benefits on it comes alas I can say nothing of the kind Marrieds are yearly laid low by illness and restored to health who evidently learn no lesson from their sick beds and return again to the world Marrieds are yearly passing through sickness to the grave and yet receiving no more spiritual impression from it than the beasts that perish until they live they have no feeling and when they die there are no bands in their death Psalm chapter 73 verse 4 these are awful things to say but they are true the degree of deadness to which man's heart and conscience may attain is a depth which I cannot pretend to fathom but does sickness confer the benefits of which I have been speaking on only a few I will allow nothing of the kind I believe that in very many cases sickness produces impressions more or less akin to those of which I have been speaking I believe that in many minds sickness in gods day of visitation and that feeling are continually aroused on sick bed which if improved by God's grace result in salvation I believe that in heathen lands sickness often paves the way for the missionary and makes the poor idolater lend a willing ear to the glad tidings of the gospel I believe that in our own land sickness is one of the greatest aids to the minister of the gospel and that sermons and councils are often brought home in the day of disease which we have neglected in the day of health I believe that sickness is one of God's most important subordinate instruments in the saving of men and that though the feelings it cause forth are often temporary it is also often a means whereby the spirit works effectually on the heart in short I believe firmly that the sickness of men's bodies has often led in God's wonderful providence to the salvation of men's souls I leave this branch of my subject here it needs no further remark if sickness can do the things of which I have been speaking and who can can say it if sickness in a wicked world can help to make men think of God and their souls then sickness can first benefit some unkind we have no right to murmur at sickness and repine at its presence in the world we ought rather to thank God for it it is God's witness it is the soul's advisor it is an a wickner to the conscience it is a purifier to the heart surely I have a right to tell you that sickness is a blessing and not a curse a help and not an injury again and not a loss a friend and not a foe to mankind so long as we have a world we're in there is sin it is a mercy that it is a world we're in there is sickness the third and last point which I propose to consider is the special duties which the prevalence of sickness entails on each one of ourselves I should be sorry to leave the subject of sickness saying something on this point I hold it to be of cardinal importance not to be content with generalities in delivering God's message to souls I am anxious to impress on each one into whose hands this paper may fall his own personal responsibility in connection with the subject I would feign have no one lay down this paper unable to answer the questions what practical lesson have I learned what in a world of disease and death what ought I to do a one paramount duty which the prevalence of sickness entails on man is that of living habitually prepared to meet God sickness is a remembrance of death death is the door through which we must all pass to judgment judgment is the time when we must at last see God face to face surely the first lesson which the inhabitant of a sick and dying world should learn should be to prepare to meet his God when are you prepared to meet God never till your iniquities are forgiven and your sin covered never till your heart is renewed and your will taught to delight in the will of God you have many sins if you go to church your own mouth is taught to confess this every Sunday the blood of Jesus Christ can alone cleanse those sins away the righteousness of Christ can alone make you acceptable in the sight of God faith simple childlike faith can alone give you an interest in Christ and his benefits would you know whether you are prepared to meet God then where is your faith your heart is unnaturally unmeet for God's company you have no real pleasure in doing as well the Holy Ghost must transform you after the image of Christ all things must pass away all things must become new would you know whether you are prepared to meet God then where is your grace where are the evidences of your conversion and sanctification I believe that this and nothing less than this is preparedness to meet God pardon of sin and meekness for God's presence justification by faith and sanctification of the heart the blood of Christ sprinkled on us and the spirit of Christ dwelling in us these are the grand essentials of the Christian religion there are no mere words and names to furnish bones of contention for wrangling theologians these are somber solid substantial realities to live in the actual possession of these things in a world full of sickness and death is the first jury which I press home upon your soul another paramount jury which the prevalence of sickness is that of living habitually ready to bear it patiently sickness is no doubt a trying thing to flesh and blood to feel our nerves and our natural force abate it to be obliged to sit still and be cut off from all our usual applications to see our plans broken off and our purposes disappointed to endure long hours and days and nights of weariness and pain all this is a severe strain on poor simple human nature what wonder if peevishness and impatience are brought out by disease surely in such a dying world as this we should study patience how shall we learn to bear sickness patiently when sickness comes to our turn we must lay up stores of grace in the time of health we must seek for the sanctifying influence of the Holy Ghost over our unruly tempers and dispositions we must make a real business of our prayers and regularly ask for strength to endure God's will as well as to do it such strength is to be had for the asking if ye shall ask anything in my name I will do it for you John chapter 14 birth 14 I cannot think it needless to dwell on this point I believe the passive graces of Christianity receive far less notice than they deserve meekness, gentleness longsuffering, faith patience are all mentioned in the word of God as fruits of the spirit they are passive graces which specially glorify God they often make men think who despise the active side of the Christian character never do these graces shine so brightly as they do in the sick room they enable many a sick person to preach a silent sermon which those around him never forget would you adorn the doctrine you profess would you make your Christianity beautiful in the eyes of others then take the hint I give you this day lay up a store of patience against the time of illness then though your sickness be not to death it shall be for the glory of God chapter 11 verse 4 see one more power mount jury which the prevalence of sickness entails on you is that of habitual readiness to feel with and help your fellow men sickness is never very far from us few are the families who have not some sick relative few are the parishes where you will not find someone ill ever there is sickness there is a call to jury a little timely assistance in some cases a kindly visit in others a friendly inquiry a mere expression of sympathy may do a vast good these are the sort of things which soften asperities and bring men together and promote good feeling these are ways by which you may come into Christ and save their souls these are good works to which every professing Christian should be ready in a world full of sickness and disease we ought to bear one another's burdens and be kind one to another Galatians chapter 6 verse 2 Ephesians chapter 4 verse 32 these things I dare say may appear to some little and trifling they must needs be doing something great and grand and striking and heroic I take leave to say that conscientious attention to these little acts of brotherly kindness is one of the clearest evidences of having the mind of Christ they are acts in which our blessed master himself was abundant he was ever going about doing good to the sick and sorrowful Acts chapter 10 verse 38 they are acts to which he attaches great importance in that most solemn passage of scripture the description of the last judgement he says there I was sick and you visited me Matthew chapter 25 verse 36 have you any desire to prove the reality of your charity that blessed grace which so many talk of and so few practice if you have beware of selfishness neglect of your sick brethren search them out assist them if they need aid show your sympathy with them try to lighten their burdens strive to do good to their souls it will keep your heart from murmuring it may prove a blessing to your own soul I firmly believe that God is testing and proving us by every case of sickness within our reach by permitting suffering try whether Christians have any feeling beware list you be weighed in the balances and found wanting if you can live in a sick and dying world and not feel for others you have yet much to learn I leave this branch of my subject here I threw out the points I have named as suggestions and I pray God that they may work in many minds I repeat that habitual preparedness to meet God habitual readiness to suffer patiently habitual willingness to sympathize heartily our plain duties which sickness entails and all they are duties within the reach of everyone in naming them I ask nothing extravagant or unreasonable I bid no man retire into a monastery and ignore the duties of his station I only want men to realize that they live in a sick and dying world and to live accordingly and I say boldly that the man who lives the life of faith and holiness and patience and charity is not only the most true Christian but the most wise and reasonable man and now I conclude all with four words of practical application I want the subject of this paper to be turned to some spiritual use my heart's desire and prayer to God in placing it in this volume is to do good to souls in the first place I offer a question to all who read this paper to which as God's ambassador I entreat their serious attention it is a question which grows naturally out of the subject on which I have been writing it is a question which concerns all of every rank and class in condition I ask you what will you do when you are ill the time must come when you as well as others must go down the dark valley of the shadow of death they are must come when you like all your forefathers must second and die the time may be near or far off God only knows but whenever the time may be I ask again to do where do you mean to turn for comfort on what do you mean to rest your soul on what do you mean to build your hope from whence will you fetch your consolations I do entreat you not to put these questions away suffer them to work on your conscience and rest not till you can give them a satisfactory answer careful not with that precious gift an immortal soul defer not the consideration of the matter to a more convenient season presume not on a death bed repentance the greatest business ought surely not to be left to the last but only one dying thief was saved that men might not despair but only one that none might presume I repeat the question I am sure it deserves an answer what will you do when you are ill if I were going to live forever in this world I would not address you as I do but it cannot be there is no escaping the common lot of all mankind nobody can die on ours dead the day must come when we must each go to our long home against that day I want you to be prepared the body which now takes up much of your attention the body which you now clothe and feed and warm with so much care that body must return again to the dust oh think what an awful thing it would prove at last to have provided for everything except the one thing needful to have provided for the body but to have neglected the soul to die in fact like Cardinal Bufort and give no sign of being saved once more I press my question on your conscience what will you do when you are ill to in the next place I offer counsel to all who feel they need it and are willing to take it to all who feel they are not yet prepared to meet God that counsel is short and simple acquaint yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ without delay repent be converted flee to Christ and be saved either you have a soul or you have not you will surely never deny that you have then if you have a soul seek that soul salvation of all gambling in the world there is none so reckless as that of the man who lives unprepared to meet God and yet puts off repentance either you have sins or you have none if you have and who will dare to deny it break off from those sins cast away your transgressions and turn away from them without delay either you need a saviour or you do not if you do flee to the only saviour this very day and cry madly to him to save your soul apply to Christ at once seek him by faith commit your soul into his keeping cry madly to him for pardon and peace with God ask him to pour down the Holy Spirit upon you and make you a thorough Christian he will hear you no matter what you have been he will not refuse your prayer he has said him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out John chapter 6 verse 37 I beseech you of a vague and indefinite Christianity be not contempt with the general hope that all is right because you belong to the old church of England and that all will be well at last because God is merciful rest not rest not without personal union with Christ himself rest not rest not till you have the witness of the spirit in your heart that you are washed and sanctified justified and one with Christ and Christ in you rest not till you can say with the apostle I know whom I have believed and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 12 vague and indefinite and indistinct religion may do very well in time of health it will never do in the day of sickness a mere formal pre-functory church membership may carry a man through the sunshine of youth and prosperity it will break down entirely when death is in sight nothing will do then but real heart union with Christ Christ interceding for us at God's right hand Christ known and believed as our priest our physician our friend Christ alone can rob death of its sting and enable us to face sickness without fear he alone can deliver those who through fear of death are in bondage I say to everyone who wants advice be acquainted with Christ as ever you would have hope and comfort on the edge of death be acquainted with Christ seek Christ apply to Christ take every care and trouble to him when you are acquainted with him he will keep you and carry you through all pour out your heart before him when your conscience is burdened he is the true confessor he alone can't absolve you and take the burden away turn to him first like Martha and Mary keep on looking to him to the last breath of your life Christ is worth knowing the more you know him the better you will love him and then be acquainted with Jesus Christ 3. In the third place I exhort all true Christians who read this paper to remember how much they may glorify God in the time of death and to lie quiet in God's hand when they are ill I feel it very important to touch in this point I know how ready the heart of a believer is to faint and how busy Satan is in suggesting doubts and questionings when the body of a Christian is weak I have seen something of the depression and melancholy which sometimes comes upon the children of God when they are suddenly laid aside by disease to sit still I have marked how prone some good people are to torment themselves with morbid thoughts at such seasons and to say in their hearts God has forsaken me I am cast out of his sight I earnestly entreat all sick believers to remember that they may honour God as much by patient suffering as they can by active work it often shows more grace to sit still than it does to go and perform great exploits I entreat them to remember that Christ cares for them as much when they are sick as he does when they are well and that the very chastisement they feel so accurately is sent in love and not in anger above all I entreat them to recollect the sympathy of Christ for all his weak members they are always tenderly cared for by him so much as in their time of need Christ has had great experience of sickness he knows the heart of a sick man he used to see all manner of sickness and all manner of disease when he was upon earth he felt specially for the sick in the days of his flesh he feels for them specially still sickness and suffering I often think make believers more like their Lord in experience than health himself took our infirmities and bear our sicknesses Isaiah chapter 53 verse 3 Matthew chapter 8 verse 17 the Lord Jesus was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief none have such an opportunity of learning the mind of a suffering saviour as suffering to silence to conclude with the word of exhortation to all believers which I heartily pray God for their souls I exhort you to keep up the habit of close communion with Christ and never to be afraid of going too far in your religion remember this if you wish to have great peace in your times of sickness I observe with regret a tenancy in some quarters to lower the standard of practical religion and to denounce what are called extreme views in daily walk in life I remark with pain that even religious people will sometimes look coldly on those who withdraw from worldly society and will censor them as exquisite narrow-minded illiberal, uncharitable sour-spirited and the like I warn every believer in Christ who reads this paper to beware of being influenced by such censors I entreat him if he wants light in the valley of death keep himself unspotted from the world to follow the Lord very fully and to walk very closely with God James chapter 1 verse 27 Numbers chapter 14 verse 24 I believe that the want of thoroughness about many people's Christianity is one secret of their little comfort both in health and sickness I believe that the half and half keep in with everybody's religion which satisfies many in the present day is offensive to God and so storms in dying pillows which hundreds never discover till too late I believe that the weakness and feebleness of such a religion never comes out so much as it does upon a sick bed if you and I want in our time of need we must not be content with the bear union with Christ Hebrews chapter 6 verse 18 we must seek to know something of heartfelt experimental communion with him never, never let us forget that union is one thing a communion another thousands I fear who know what union with Christ is know nothing of communion when after a long fight with disease we shall feel that medicine can do no more and that nothing remains but to die friends will be standing by unable to help us hearing eyesight even the power of praying will be fast feeling us the world and its shadows will be melting beneath our feet, eternity with its realities will be looming large before our minds what shall support us in that trying are what shall enable us to feel I fear no evil Psalm chapter 23 verse 4 nothing, nothing can do it but close communion with Christ Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith Christ putting his right arm under our heads Christ felt he sitting by our side Christ can alone give us the complete victory in the last struggle let us cleave to Christ more closely love him more heartily live to him more thoroughly copy him more exactly confess him more boldly follow him more fully religion like this will always bring its own reward worldly people may laugh at it weak brethren may think it extreme at even time it will bring us light and sickness it will bring us peace in the world to come it will give us a crown of glory that fear is not away the time is short the fashion of this world passeth away a few more sicknesses and all will be over a few more funerals and our own funeral will take place a few more storms and tossings and we shall be safe in harbour we will travel towards a world where there is no more sickness where parting and pain and crying and mourning are done with forevermore heaven is becoming every year more full and earth more empty the friends ahead are becoming more numerous than the friends astern yet a little time and he that shall come will come and will not tarry pen verse 37 in his presence shall be fullness of joy Christ shall wipe away all tears from his people's eyes the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death but he shall be destroyed death himself shall one day die Revelation chapter 20 verse 14 in the meantime let us live the life of death in the Son of God let us lean all our weight on Christ and rejoice in the thought that he lives forevermore yes blessed be God Christ lives though we may die Christ lives though friends and families be carried to the grave he lives who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light by the gospel he lives who said I will be thy plagues O Grave I will be thy destruction Hosea chapter 13 verse 14 he lives who will one day change our vile body and make it like unto his glorious body in sickness and in health in life and in death let us lean confidently on him surely we ought to say daily with one of old blessed be God for Jesus Christ end of chapter 15 recording by Chad Chapter 16 of Practical Religion this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Ruth Practical Religion by JC Weill Chapter 16 The Family of God The whole family in heaven and earth Ephesians 3 15 the words which form the title of this paper ought to stir some feelings in our minds at any time there lives not the man or woman on earth who is not member of some family the poorest as well as the richest has his kiff and kin and can tell you something of his family family gatherings at certain times of the year such as Christmas we all know are very common thousands of firesides are crowded then if at no other time of the year the young man in town snatches a few days in business and takes a run down to the old folks at home the young woman in service gets a short holiday and comes to visit her father and mother brothers and sisters meet for a few hours and the children look one another in the face how much there is to talk about how many questions to be asked how many interesting things to be told happy indeed is that fireside which sees gathered around it at Christmas the whole family family gatherings are natural and right and good I approve them with all my heart it does me good to see them kept up they are one of the very few pleasant things to survive the fall of man next to the grace of God I see no principle which unites people so much in this sinful world as family feeling community of blood is a most powerful tie it was a fine saying of an American naval officer when his men insisted on helping the English sailors in fighting the Taku forts in China I cannot help it blood is thicker than water I have often observed that people will stand up for their relations merely because they are their relations and refuse to hear a word against them even when they have no sympathy with their tastes and ways anything which house to keep a family feeling ought to be commended it is a wise thing when it can be done to gather together at Christmas the whole family family gatherings nonetheless are often soulful things it would be strange indeed whether to world as this if they were not few other family circles which do not show gaps and vacant places as years pass away changes and deaths make sad havoc as time goes on thoughts will rise up within us as we grow older about faces and voices no longer with us which no Christmas merriment can entirely keep down when the young members of the family have once began to launch forth into the world the heads may long survive the scattering of the nest but after a certain time it seldom happens that you see together the whole family there is one great family to which I want all the readers of this paper to belong it is a family despised by many and not even known by some but it is a family of far more important than any family on earth to belong to it entitles of man to far greater privileges than to be the son of a king it is a family of which St Paul speaks to the Ephesians when he tells them of the whole family in heaven and earth it is the family of God I ask the attention of every reader of this paper when I try to describe this family and recommend it to his notice I want to tell you of the amazing benefits which membership of this family conveys I want you to be found one of this family when its gathering shall come at last the gathering without separation or sorrow or tears hear me while as a minister of Christ and a friend to your soul I speak to you for a few minutes about the whole family in heaven and earth one, first of all what is this family two, secondly what is its present position three, thirdly what are its future prospects I wish to unfold these three things before you and I invite your serious consideration of them our family gatherings on earth must have an end one day our last earthly Christmas must come happy indeed is that Christmas which finds us prepared to meet God one, what is that family which the Bible calls the whole family in heaven and earth of whom does it consist the family before us consists of all real Christians of all who have the spirit of all true believers in Christ of the saints of every age and church and nation and tongue it includes the blessed company of all faithful people it is the same as the election of God the household of faith the mystical body of Christ the bride the living temple the church of the first born the holy catholic church all these expressions are only the family of God under other names membership of the family before us does not depend on any earthly connection it comes not by natural birth but by new birth ministers cannot impart it to their hearers parents cannot give it to their children you may be born in the godliest family in the land enjoy the richest means of grace a church can supply yet never belong to the family of God to belong to it you must be born again none but the holy ghost can make a living member of his family it is his special office and prerogative to bring into the true church such as shall be saved they that are born again are born not of blood not of the will of the flesh not of the will of man but of God John 1.13 do you ask the reason of the name which the Bible gives to the company of all true Christians would you like to know why they are called a family I will tell you A. True Christians are called a family because they have all one father they are all children of God by faith in Christ Jesus they are all born of one spirit they are all sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty they have received the spirit of adoption whereby they cry Abba Father Galatians 3.26 John 3.8 2 Corinthians 6.18 Romans 8.15 they do not regard God with slavish fear as an austere being only ready to punish them they look up to him with tender confidence as a reconciled and loving parent as one for giving iniquity transgression and sin to all who believe on Jesus and full of pity even to the least and feeblest the words are Father which art in heaven and no mere form in the mouth of true Christians no wonder they are called God's family B. True Christians are called a family because they all rejoice in one name that name is the name of their great head and elder brother even Jesus Christ the Lord just as a common family name is the uniting link to all the members of a Highland clan so does the name of Jesus tie all believers together in one vast family as members of outward visible churches they have various names and distinguishing appellations as living members of Christ they all with one heart and mind rejoice in one saviour not a heart among them that feels drawn to Jesus as the only object of hope not a tongue among them but would tell you that Christ is all sweet to them all is the for to Christ death of them on the cross sweet is the for to Christ intercession for them at the right hand of God sweet is the for to Christ coming again to unite them to himself in one glorified company for ever in fact you might as well take away the son out of heaven as take away the name of Christ from believers to the world they may seem little in his name to believers it is full of comfort hope joy rest and peace no wonder they are called a family see true Christians above all are called a family because there is so strong a family likeness among them they are all led by one spirit and are marked by the same general features of life heart taste and character just as there is a general bodily resemblance among the brothers and sisters of a family so there is a general spiritual resemblance among all the sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty they all hate sin and love God they all rest their hope of salvation and Christ and have no confidence in themselves they all endeavour to come out and be separate from the ways of the world and to set their affections and things above they all turn naturally to the same Bible as the only food of their souls and the only sure guide of their pilgrimage toward heaven they find it a lamp to their feet and a light to their path Psalm 119 105 they all go to the same throne of grace in prayer and find it as needful to speak to God as to breathe they all live by the same rule the word of God and strive to conform their daily life to his precepts they have all the same inward experience repentance, faith hope, charity, humility inward conflict are things with which they are more or less acquainted no wonder they are called a family this family likeness among true believers is a thing that deserves special attention to my own mind it is one of the strongest indirect evidences of the truth of Christianity it is one of the greatest proofs of the reality of the work of the Holy Ghost some true Christians live in civilized countries and some in the midst of heathen lands some are highly educated and some are unable to read a letter some are rich and some are poor some are churchmen and some are dissenters some are old and some are young and yet notwithstanding all this there is a marvellous oneness of heart among them their joys and their sorrows their love and their hatred their likes and their dislikes their tastes and their distastes their hopes and their fears are almost curiously alike let others think what they please I see in all this the finger of God his handy work is always one and the same no wonder the true Christians are compared to a family take a converted Englishman and a converted Hindu and let them suddenly meet for the first time I will engage if they can understand one another's language they will soon find common ground between them and feel at home the one may have been brought up at Eton and Oxford enjoyed every privilege of English civilization the other may have been trained in the midst of gross heathenism and accustomed to habits, ways and manners as unlike the Englishman as darkness compared to light yet now in half an hour they feel that they are friends the Englishman finds that he has more in common with his Hindu brother than he has with many an old college companion or school fellow who can account for this? how can it be explained? nothing can account for it but the unity of the spirit's teaching it is one touch of grace not to nature that makes the whole world kin God's people are in the highest sense a family this is the family to which I wish to direct the attention of my readers in this paper this is the family to which I want you to belong I ask you this day to consider it well if you have never considered it before I have shown you the Father of the family the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ I have shown you the head and outer brother of the family the Lord Jesus himself I have shown you the features and characteristics of the family it is members of all great marks of resemblance once more I say consider it well outside this family we remember there is no salvation none but those who belong to it according to the Bible are in a way that leads to heaven the salvation of our souls does not depend on union with one church or separation from another they are miserably deceived to think that it does to find it out to their cost one day except they awake no the life of our souls depends on something far more important this is life eternal to be a member of the whole family in heaven and earth 2 I will now pass on to the second thing which I promise to consider what is the present position of the whole family in heaven and earth the family to which I am directing the attention of my readers this day is divided into two great parts each part has its own residence or dwelling place part of the family is in heaven and part is on earth for the present the two parts are entirely separated from one another but they form one body in the sight of God they are resident in two places and their union is sure to take place one day two places be it remembered and two only contain the family of God the Bible tells us of no third habitation there is no such thing as purgatory whatever some Christians may think thick to say there is no house of purifying training or probation for those who are not true Christians when they die oh no there are but two parts of the family the part that is seen and the part that is unseen the part that is in heaven and the part that is on earth the members of the family that are not in heaven are on earth and those that are not on earth are in heaven two parts and two only two places and two only let this never be forgotten some of God's family are safe in heaven they are at rest in that place which the Lord Jesus expressly calls paradise Luke 23 43 they have finished their course they have fought their battle they have continued work they have learned their lessons they have carried their cross they have passed through the waves of this troublesome world and reached the harbour little as we know about them we know that they are happy they are no longer troubled by sin and temptation they are said goodbye forever to poverty and anxiety to pain and sickness to sorrow and tears they are with Christ himself who loved them and gave himself for them and in his company they must need to be happy Philippians 1 23 they have nothing to fear in looking back to the past they have nothing to dread in looking forward to things to come free things only are lacking to make their happiness complete these three are the second advent of Christ in glory the resurrection of their own bodies and the gathering together of all believers and of all these free things they are sure some of God's family are still upon earth they are scattered to and fro in the midst of a wicked world a few in one place and a few in another all are more or less occupied in the same way according to the measure of their grace all are running a race doing a work, warring a warfare carrying a cross, striving against sin resisting the devil crucifying the flesh struggling against the world witnessing for Christ even hearts hearing, reading and praying however feebly for the life of their souls each is often disposed to think no cross so heavy as his own no work so difficult no heart so hard but each and all hold on their way a wonder to the ignorant world about them and often a wonder to themselves but however divided God's family may be at present in dwelling place in local habitation one family both parts of it are still one in character one in possessions and one in relation to God the part in heaven has not so much superiority over the part on earth as at first sight may appear the difference between the two is only one of degree A both parts of the family love the same saviour and delight in the same perfect will of God but the part on earth loves with much imperfection and infirmity and lives by faith not by sight the part in heaven loves without weakness or doubt or distraction it walks by sight and not by faith and sees what it wants to believe B both parts of the family are saints but the saints on earth are often poor, weary pilgrims who find the flesh lusting against the spirit and the spirit lusting against the flesh so that they cannot do the things they would Galatians 5 they live in a midst of an evil world not often sick of themselves and for sin they see around them the saints in heaven on the country are delivered from the world the flesh and the devil enjoy a glorious liberty they are called the spirits of just men made perfect Hebrews 12 23 C both parts of the family are alike God's children but the children in heaven have learned all their lessons have finished their appointed tasks have begun an eternal holiday the children on earth are still at school they are daily learning wisdom they are slowly and with much trouble and often needing to be reminded of their past lessons by chastisement and the rod their holidays are yet to come D both parts of the family are alike God's soldiers but the soldiers on earth are yet militant their warfare is not accomplished their fight is not over they need every day to put on the whole arm of God the soldiers in heaven are all triumphant no enemy can hurt them now no fiery dart can reach them helmet and shield may both be laid aside they may at last say to the sword of the spirit rest and be still they may at length sit down and need not to watch and stand on their guard two last but not least both parts of the family are alike safe and secure wonderful as this may sound it is true Christ cares as much for his members on earth as his members in heaven you might as well think to pluck the stars out of heaven as to pluck one saint however feeble are to Christ's hand both parts of the family are alike secured by an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure 2 Samuel 23 5 the members on earth though the burden of the flesh and the dimness of their faith may neither see nor know nor feel their own safety but they are safe though they may not see it the whole family is kept by the power of God through faith and salvation 1 Peter 1 5 the members yet on the road are secure as the members who have got home without missing at the last day the words of the Christian poet shall be found strictly true more happy but not more secure the glorified spirits in heaven before I leave this part of the subject I ask every reader of this paper to understand thoroughly the present position of God's family and to form a just estimate of it learn not to measure its numbers or its privileges by what you see of your eyes you see only a small body of believers in this present time but you must not forget that a great company has got safe to heaven already and that when all are assembled at the last day they will be a multitude which no man can number Revelation 7 9 you only see that part of the family which is struggling on earth you must never forget that the greater part of the family has got home and is resting in heaven you see the militant part of the triumphant you see the part that is carrying the cross but not the part which is safe in paradise the family of God is far more rich and glorious than you suppose believe me it is no small thing to belong to the whole family in heaven and earth 3 I will now pass on to the last thing which I promise to consider what are the future prospects of the whole family what are the prospects of a family what a vast amount of uncertainty these words open up when we look at any family now in the world how little we can tell of the things coming on any of us what a mercy that we do not know the sorrows and trials and separations through which our beloved children may have to pass when we have left the world it is a mercy that we do not know what a day may bring forth and a far greater mercy that we do not know what may happen for us 27 1 alas for knowledge of the future prospects of our belongings will spoil many a family gathering and fill the whole party with gloom think how many a fine boy who is now the delight of his parents will by and by walk in the prodigal footsteps and never return home think how many a fair daughter the joy of a mother's heart will follow the bent of her self-will after a few years her existence and miserably mistaken marriage think how disease and pain often lay low the loveliest of a family circle and make her life a burden and weariness to herself if not to others think of the endless breaches and divisions arising out of money matters alas there is many a lifelong quarrel about a few pounds between those who once played together in the same nursery think of these things a family which meets together every Christmas or a solemn and serious subject hundreds to say the least are gathering together for the last time when they part they will never meet again but thank God there is one great family whose prospects are very different it is the family of which I am speaking in this paper and commending to your attention the future prospects of the family of God are not uncertain they are good and only good they are only happy listen to me and I'll try to set them in order before you A. the members of God's family shall all be brought safe home one day here upon earth they may be scattered tried tossed with tempests and bowed down with afflictions but not one of them shall perish John 10 28 the weakest lamb shall not be left to perish in the wilderness the feeblest child shall not be missing the role he's brought out at the last day despite the world the flesh and the devil the whole family shall get home if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Romans 5 10 B. the members of God's family shall all have glorious bodies one day when the Lord Jesus Christ comes the second time they shall all be raised and the living shall all be changed they shall no longer have a vile mortal body full of weaknesses and infirmities they shall have a body like that of their risen Lord without the slightest liability to sickness and pain they shall no longer be clogged and hindered by an aching frame when they want to serve God they shall be able to serve him night and day without weariness and to attend upon him without distraction the form of things will have passed away that word will be fulfilled I make all things new Revelation 21 5 C. the members of God's family shall all be gathered into one company one day it matters nothing where they have lived or where they have died they may have been separated from one another both by time and space one may have lived in tents with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob a lover travelled by railway in our own day one may have laid his bones in an Australian desert and another may have been buried in an English churchyard it makes no difference all shall be gathered together from north and south and east and west and meeting one happily assembly to part no more the earthly partings of God's family are only for a few days their meeting is for eternity it matters little where we live it is a time of scattering now and not of gathering it matters little where we die all grays are equally near to paradise but it does matter much whether we belong to God's family if we do we are sure to meet again at last D. the members of God's family shall all be united in minds and judgement one day they are not so now about many little things about the things needful to salvation there is a marvellous unity among them about many speculative points in religion about the things needful to salvation there is a marvellous unity among them about many speculative points in religion about forms of worship in church government they often sadly disagree but there shall be no disagreement among them one day Ephraim shall no longer vex Judah or Judah Ephraim churchmen shall no more quarrel with dissenters nor dissenters with churchmen partial knowledge and dim vision shall be at an end forever divisions and separations misunderstandings and misconstructions shall be buried and forgotten as there shall only be one language so there shall only be one opinion at last after 6,000 years of strife and jangling perfect unity and harmony shall be found a family shall at length be shown to angels and men in which all are of one mind E. the members of God's family shall all be perfected in holiness one day they are not literally perfect now although complete in Christ Colossians 2,10 though born again and renewed after the image of Christ they offend and fall short in many things Janes 3,2 none know it better than they do themselves it is their grief and sorrow that they do not love God more heartily and serve Him more faithfully but they shall be completely free from all corruption one day they shall rise again at Christ second appearing without any of the infirmities believed to them in their life not a single evil temper or corrupt inclination shall be found in them they shall be presented by their head to the Father without spot or wrinkle or any such thing perfectly holy and without blemish there as the moon and clear as the sun Ephesians 5,27 Canticles 5,10 Grace even now is a beautiful thing when it lives and shines and flows she is in the midst of imperfection but how much more beautiful or grace appear when it is seen pure, unmixed, unmingled and alone it shall be seen so when Christ comes to be glorified in His saints at the last day Ephesians 5,10 last but not least the members of God's family shall all be eternally provided for one day when the affairs of this sinful world are finally wound up and settled in the portion for all the sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty not even the weakest of them shall be overlooked and forgotten there shall be something for everyone according to His measure the smallest vessel of grace as well as the greatest shall be filled to the brim with glory the precise nature of that glory and reward it will be folly to pretend to describe it is a thing which I has not seen nor mind of mine conceived the family when He awakes up after His master's likeness shall be satisfied Psalm 17, 15 enough above all to know that their joy and glory and reward shall be for ever what they receive in the day of the Lord they will never lose the inheritance reserved for them when they come of aid is incorruptible undefiled and fade of not away 1 Peter 1, 4 these prospects of God's family are great realities they are not vague, shadowy talk of man's invention they are real, true things and will be seen as such before long they deserve your serious consideration examine them well look around the families of the earth with which you are acquainted the richest, the greatest the noblest, the happiest where will you find one among them all which can show prospects to compare with those of which you have just heard the earthly riches in many a case are in a hundred years hence the noble blood in many a case will not prevent some disgraceful deed staining the family name the happiness in many a case will be found hollow and seeming few indeed are the homes which have not a secret sorrow or a skeleton in the closet whether for present possessions or future prospects there is no family so well off as the whole family in heaven and earth whether you look at what they have now there is no family like the family of god my task is done my paper is drawn to a close it only remains to close it with a few words of practical application give me your attention for the last time may god bless what I am going to say to the good of your soul one I ask you a plain question take it with you to every family gathering which you join at any season of the year take it with you and admit all your happiness make time for thinking about it it is a simple question but a solemn one do you yet belong to the family of god to the family of god remember this is the point of my question it is no answer to say that you are a protestant or a churchman or a dissenter I want to hear something more and better than that I want you to have some soul satisfying and soul saving religion a religion that will give you peace while you live and hope when you die to have such peace and hope you must be something more than a protestant or a churchman or a dissenter you must belong to the family of god thousands around you do not belong to it I can well believe that that is no reason why you should not if you do not yet belong to god's family I invite you this day to join it without delay open your eyes to see the value of your soul the sinfulness of sin the holiness of god the danger of your present condition the absolute necessity of a mighty change open your eyes to see these things and repent this very day open your eyes to see the great head of god's family even christ jesus waiting to save your soul see how he has loved you lived for you, died for you and obtained complete redemption for you see how he offers you free, full, immediate pardon if you will believe in him open your eyes to see these things seek christ at once come and believe on him and commit your soul to his keeping this very day I know nothing of your family or past history I know not where you go to spend your leisure weeks or what company you are going to be in but I am bold to say if you join the family of god you will find it the best and happiest family in this world 2. if you really belong to the whole family in heaven and earth count up your privileges and learn to be more thankful think what a mercy it is to have something which the world can either give or take away something which makes you independent of sickness or poverty something which is your own forevermore the whole family fireside will soon be cold and tenetless the whole family gatherings will soon be past and gone forever the loving faces we now delight to gaze on have rapidly leaving us the cheerful voices which now welcome us will soon be silent in the grave but thank god if we belong to christ family there is a better gathering yet to come let us often think of it and be thankful the family gathering of all gods people will make amends for all that their religion now cost them a meeting where none is missing a meeting where there are no gaps and empty places a meeting where there are no tears a meeting where there is no parting such a meeting as this is worth a fight and a struggle and such a meeting is yet to come to the whole family in heaven and earth in the meantime let us strive to live worthy of the family to which we belong let us labour to do nothing that may cause house to be spoken against let us endeavour to make our masters named beautiful by our temper conduct and conversation let us love as brethren and uphold all quarrels let us behave as if the honour of the family depended on our behaviour so living by the grace of god we shall make our calling and election sure both to ourselves and others so living we may hope to have an abundant entrance and to enter harbour in full sale whenever we change earth for heaven 2 Peter 1 2 so living we shall recommend our fathers family to others and perhaps by god's blessing incline them to say we all go with you end of chapter 16 recording by roof chapter 23 of practical religion this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by roof practical religion by JC Ryle chapter 23 our home Lord there has been our dwelling place in all generations Psalm 90 verse 1 there are two reasons why the text which heads this paper should ring in our hearts with special power it is the first verse of a deeply solemn Psalm the first bar of a wondrous piece of spiritual music how others feel when they read the 90th Psalm I cannot tell it always makes me lean back in my chair and think for one thing this 90th Psalm is the only Psalm composed by Moses the man of God footnote I am quite aware that I have no idea for this statement except the perfetory heading at the beginning of the Psalm however ancient these headings may be it is agreed among learned men that they are not given by inspiration and must not be regarded as a part of God's word there is nevertheless a curious amount of agreement among critics that in the case of this 90th Psalm the tradition about his authorship is not without foundation end of footnote it expresses that holy man's feelings as he saw the whole generation whom he had led for from Egypt dying in a wilderness year after year he saw that fearful judgment fulfilling which Israel brought on itself by unbelief your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness and all that were numbered of you according to your whole number from 20 years old nut wood which have murmured against me doubtless you shall not come into the land Numbers 14 29 one after another he saw the heads of the families whom he had led for from Egypt laying their bones in the desert for 40 long years he saw the strong the swift the wise the tender the beautiful who had crossed the red sea with him in triumph cut down and withering like grass for 40 years he saw his companions continually changing consuming and passing away who can wonder that he should say Lord there art our dwelling place we are all pilgrims and strangers upon earth and there is none abiding Lord there art our home for another thing the 90th song forms part of the burial service of the church of England whatever fault men may find with the prayer book I think no one can deny the singular beauty of the burial service beautiful are the texts which puts into the minister's mouth as he meets the coffin at the churchyard gate and leads the mourners into God's house beautiful is the chapter from the first epistle to the Corinthians about the resurrection of the body beautiful are the sentences and prayers are pointed to be read as the body is laid in its long home but especially beautiful to my mind are the psalms which are selected for reading when the mourners have just taken their places in church I know nothing which sounds so soothing solomonizing heart touching and moving to man's spirit at that trying moment as the wondrous utterance of the old inspired law giver Lord there has been our dwelling place Lord there art our home I want to draw from these words two thoughts that may do the readers of this paper some good an English home is famous all over the world for its happiness and comfort it is a little bit of heaven left upon earth but even an English home is not forever the family nest is sure to be taken down and its inmates are sure to be scattered bear with me for few short minutes when I try to set before you the best, truest and happiest home one, the first thought that I will offer you is this I will show you what the world is it is a beautiful world in many respects I freely admit it sees and rivers it sunrises and sunsets its mountains and valleys its harvests and its forests its fruits and its flowers its days and its nights all, all are beautiful in their way cold and unfeeling must that heart be which never finds a day in the year when it can admire anything in nature but beautiful as the world is there are many things in it to remind us that it is not home it isn't in a tent a tabernacle a lodging school but it is not home a, it is a changing world all around us is continually moving, altering and passing away families, properties landlords, tenants farmers, labourers tradesmen all are continually on the move to find the same name in the same dwelling for three generations running is so uncommon that it is the exception and not the rule a world so full of change cannot be called home b, it is a trying and disappointing world whoever lives to be 50 years old and does not find his cause that it is so trials in married life and trials in single life trials in children and trials in brothers and sisters trials in money matters and trials in health how many they are not the 10th part of them perhaps ever comes to light few indeed are the families which have not a skeleton in the closet a world so full of trial and disappointment cannot be called home c, it is a dying world death is continually about us and near us and meets us at every turn few are the family gatherings when Christmas comes round in which there are not some empty chairs and vacant places few are the men and women past 30 who could not number a long list of names deeply cut for ever in their hearts but names of beloved ones now dead and gone where are our fathers and mothers where are our ministers teachers where are our brothers and sisters where are our husbands and wives where are our neighbours and friends where are the gold-old grey-headed worshippers whose reverent places will remember so well when we first went to God's house where are the boys and girls we played with when we went to school how many must reply dead dead, dead the daisies are growing over their graves and we are left alone surely a world so full of death can never be called a home d, it is a scattering and dividing world families are continually breaking up and going in different directions how rarely do the members of a family ever meet together again like the surviving parent is laid in the grave the band of union seems snapped and nothing wows it again the syringe seems withdrawn from the parts of the building and the whole principle of cohesion is lost how often some miserable squabble about trinkets or some wretched wrangle about money makes a breach that is never healed like a crack in China though riveted can never be quite cured rarely indeed do those who played in the same nursery lie down at length in the same church yard or keep peace with one another till they die a world so full of division can never be home these are ancient things it is useless to be surprised at them they are bitter fruit of sin and the soulful consequence of the fall change, trial death and division all ended into the world when Adam and Eve transgressed we must not murmur we must not fret we must not complain we must accept the situation in which we find ourselves we must each do our best to lighten the sorrows and increase the comforts of our position we must steadily resolve to make the best of everybody and everything around us but we must never never, never forget that the world is not home are you young does all around and before you seem bright and cheerful and happy do you secretly think in your own mind that I take too gloomy if you are the world take care you will not say so by and by be wise be times learn to moderate your expectations depend on it the less you expect from people and things here below the happier you will be are you prosperous in the world have death and sickness and disappointment and poverty and family troubles passed over your door up to this time and not come in are you secretly saying to yourself nothing can hurt me much I shall die quietly in my bed and see no sorrow take care you are not yet in harbour a sudden storm of unexpected trouble may make you change your note set not your affection on things below hold them with a very loose hand be ready to surrender them at a moment's notice use your prosperity well while you have it but lean not all your weight on it lest it break suddenly and pierce your hand have you a happy home are you going to spend Christmas around a family half where sickness and death and poverty and partings and quarreling have never yet been seen be thankful for it oh be thankful for it a really happy Christian home is the nearest approach to heaven and earth but take care this state of things will not last forever it must have an end and if you are wise you will never forget that the time is short to remain if that both they that have wives be as though they had none and they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoice as though they rejoice not and they that buy as though they possess not and they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away 1 Corinthians 7 verse 29 to 31 2 the second thought that I will offer you is this I will show you what Christ is even in this life to true Christians heaven beyond doubt is the final home in which a true Christian will dwell at last towards that he is daily traveling nearer to that he is daily coming we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved the building of God and house not made of hands eternal in the heavens 2 Corinthians 5 verse 1 body and soul united once more renewed, beautified and perfected will live forever in the father's great house in heaven to that home we have not yet come we are not yet in heaven but is there meanwhile no home for our souls is there no spiritual dwelling place to which we may continue to prepare in this desolate world and repairing to it find rest and peace thank God there is no difficulty in finding an answer to that question there is a home provided for all laboring and heavy laden souls and that home is Christ to know Christ by faith to live the life of faith in him to abide in him daily by faith to flee to him in every storm of conscience to use him as our refuge and every day of trouble to employ him as our priest confessor, absolver and spiritual director every morning and evening in our lives this is to be at home spiritually even before we die to all sinners of mankind to by faith use Christ in this fashion Christ is in the highest sense a dwelling place they can say with truth we are pilgrims and strangers on earth and yet we have a home and figures under which Christ is set before man I know few more cheering and comforting than the one before us home is one of the sweetest tenderest words in the English language home is the place with which our pleasantest thoughts are closely bound up all that the best and happiest home is to his inmates that Christ is to the soul that believes on him in the midst of a dying changing disappointing world a true Christian has always something which no power and earth can take away morning noon and night he has near him a living refuge a living home for his soul you may rob him of life and liberty and money you may take from him health and lands and house and friends but do what you will you cannot rob him of his home like those humblest of God's creatures which carry their shells on their backs wherever they are wherever he goes carries his home no wonder that holy baxter sings what if in prison I must dwell may I not then converse with thee save me from sin thy wrath and hell call me thy child and I am free no home like Christ in him there is room for all and room for all sorts none are unwelcome guests and visitors and none are refused admission the door is always on the latch and never bolted the best robe, the fatted calf the ring and the shoes are always ready for all comers what though in time past you have been the violence of the vile a servant of sin an enemy of all righteousness a fallacy of fallacies a Sadducee of Sadducees a publican of publicans it matters nothing there is yet hope there is a home and refuge where your soul may be admitted this very day that home is Christ come on to me he cries knock and it shall be opened on to you Matthew 11 28 7 B no home like Christ in him there is boundless and unwearied mercy for all even after admission none are rejected and cast forth again after probation because they are too weak and bad to stay oh no whom he receives then he always keeps where he begins there he makes a good end whom he admits then he wants fully justifies whom he justifies then he also sanctifies whom he sanctifies then he also glorifies no hopeless characters are ever sent away from his house no men or women are ever found too bad to heal and renew nothing is too hard for him to do who made the world out of nothing he who is himself the home have said it and willed down to it him that come upon to me our in no wise cast out John 6 37 C no home like Christ in him there is unvarying kindness patient and gentle dealing for all he is not an asturman but meek and lowly in heart Matthew 11 29 none who apply to him are ever treated roughly or made to feel that their company is not welcome a feast of fat things is always provided for them the Holy Spirit is placed in their hearts and dwells in them as in a temple leading, guiding and instruction are daily provided for them if they err they are brought back into the right way if they fall they are raised again if they transgress willfully they are chastised to make them better but the rule of the whole house is love D, no home like Christ in him there is no change from youth to age he loves all who come to him and is never tired of doing them good earthly homes alas are full of fickleness and uncertainty favour is deceitful courtesy and civility are often on men's lips and inwardly they are weary of your company and wish you were gone you seldom know how long your presence is welcome or to what extent your friends really care to see you but it is not so with Christ he is the same yesterday and today and forever Hebrews 13 8 E, no home like Christ communion once begun with him and never be broken off once joined to the Lord by faith you are joined to him for an endless eternity earthly homes always come to an end sooner or later the dear old furniture is sold and dispersed the dear old heads of the family are gathered to their fathers the dear old nest is pulled to pieces but it is not so with Christ faithful at length is swallowed up in sight hope shall at last be changed into uncertainty one day with our eyes and no longer need to believe we shall be moved from the lower chamber to the upper and from the outer court to the holy of holies but once in Christ which will never be out of Christ once let our name be placed in the lands book of life and we belong to a home which shall continue for evermore one and now before I conclude let me ask every reader of this paper a plain question have you got a home for your soul is it safe is it pardoned is it justified is it prepared to meet God with all my heart I wish you a happy home but remember my question amidst the greetings and salutations of home amidst the meetings and parting amidst the laughter and merriment amidst the joys and sympathies and affections think think of my question have you got a home for your soul our earthly homes will soon be closed forever time hastens on with giant strides old age and death will be upon us before many years have passed away oh seek an abiding home for the better part of you the part that never dies before it be too late seek a home for your soul seek Christ that you may be safe woe to the man who is found outside the ark when the flood of gods rough bursts at length on a sinful world seek Christ that you may be happy none have a real right to be cheerful merry, lighthearted and at ease accepting those who have got a home for their souls once more I say seek Christ without delay too if Christ is the home of your soul accept a friendly caution beware of being ashamed of your home in any place or company the man who is ashamed of the home where he was born the parents that brought him up when a baby the brothers and sisters that brought him up that man as a general rule may be set down as a mean and despicable being but what shall we say of the man who is ashamed of him who died for him on the cross what shall we say of the man who is ashamed of his religion ashamed of his master ashamed of his home take care that you are not that man whatever others around you please to think do you never be ashamed of being a Christian let them laugh and mock and gentle let them laugh and mock and jest and scoff if they will they will not scoff in the hour of death and in the day of judgement hoist your flag, show your colours nail them to the mast a drinking, gambling lying, swearing Sabbath breaking, idleness pride, you may well be ashamed a bible reading praying and belonging to Christ you have no cause to be ashamed at all let those laugh that win a good soldier is never ashamed of his queen's colours and his uniform take care that you are never ashamed of your master never be ashamed of your home free if Christ is the home of your soul accept a piece of friendly advice let nothing tempt you to stray away from home the world and the devil often try hard to make you drop your religion for a little season and walk with them your own flesh will whisper that there is no danger and going a little with them and that it can do you no mighty harm take care I say take care when you are tempted in this fashion take care of looking back like Lot's wife forsake not your home there are pleasures in sin no doubt but they are not real and satisfactory there is an excitement and short-lived enjoyment in the world's ways beyond all question but it is joy that leaves a bitter taste behind it oh no wisdom's ways alone are ways of pleasantness and wisdom's paths alone are paths of peace cleave to them strictly and turn not aside follow the lamb with us wherever he goes stick to Christ and his rule through evil report and good report the longer you live the happier you will find his service the more ready will you be to sing in the highest sense there is no place like home 4 if Christ is the home of your soul except a hint about your duty mind that you take every opportunity of telling others about your happiness tell them that wherever you are tell them that you have a happy home tell them if they will hear you that you find Christ a good master and Christ's service a happy service tell them that his yoke is easy and his burden is light tell them that whatever the devil may say the rules of your home will be the devil may say the rules of your home will not grieve us and that your master pays far better wages than the world does try to do a little good wherever you are try to enlist more inmates for your happy home say to your friends and relatives if they will listen as one did of old come with us and we will do you good for the Lord has spoken good concerning Israel Numbers 10 29 End of chapter 23 Recording by Ruth