SUNDAY READING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6296, 21 January 1882, Page 3

SUNDAY READING.

pressing Questions of an AWAKENED MIND. BV THE IU.V. C. H. SPUKGEON. " Whc -art Thou, Loril 7 What wilt TUou baTC m " to do f"'—Acts ix. 5, <J. • Pa»i, fell to the ground overcome by the brightness of the light which outshone the midday suu t and as he lay there t # i - Who art Thou, Lord?" After ™ an answer to his first quest.on, hu m"> asks another, "Lord, what wilt Thou lia\t m This d( morning I tried to show that. we *• tin* kincdom of heaven as little must receive ttu * ,n S uu, " w . • w ; st . children, or else we cmUd not m any w sl enter into it. I wanted, if I c 0" ld a sort of practical tail-piece to that subject, some' hing that would enable me yet fully to explain the child ike spirit which comes at conversion, and wnich ,s absolutely needful as one of the first marks and consequences of the work of the Spirit of Gocl upon the heart. I cannot find a better illustration of the childlike spirit than this ivhich is now before us. Paul was a treat man, and on the way to Damascus I have no doubt he rode a very Ti.rli horse. He verily thought he was loTn" God service. He was a Pharisee of She Jfharisees, and had a very high estimate jf his own character ; and bow that he had etters from the high priest upon his person, ic felt himself to be armed with great lower, aud to be no meau man. He would et those poor Christians in Damascus know ! [-Ie would worry them out of their fanaticism. Se would take care to let them see that Saul )f Tarsus was greater than Jesus of Naza•eth. ISut a few seconds sufficed for the .Old to alter the man. How soon He irought him down 1 The manifestation of resus Christ himself from heaven soon sublued the great man into a little child, for ,he two questions which are now before us ,ra exceedingly childlike. He inquires, vith sacred curiosity, 44 Who at Thou, jord?" and then he surrenders at discreion, crying, "What wilt Thou have me to lo ?" He seems to cry, 41 1 give up my veapons. X submit to be Thy servant. .[ i.ily ask to bo taught what I aui to do, and am ready to do it. Thou hast conquered ne. Behold, at Thy feet I lie ; only raise ne up and give me something to do in Thy ervice, for 1 will gladly undertake it. To his spirit we must all come if we are to be aved. We must come to think of Jesus so a to desire to know Hiin ; and then we nust reverence Jesus so as to be willing to ibey His will in all things. Upon those wo" points I am going to speak with a meaure of brevity to-night. Our first object of thought will be —the :arnest inquirer seeking to know his Lord ; md the second will be the obedient disciple equesting directions. I. First, then, if any one of us would be aved he must be brought by Divine grace o l'e an earnest inquirer after the knowedge of Christ. He must ask the question, 4 Who art Thou, Lord ?" Notice that he is willing to be taught. Ie lies there with the Christ above him, md he asks him a question. He is not only villing to learn, but he is eager to be taught. 4 Who art Thou, Lord ?" is the utterance of lis inmost soul. He wants to know. And lo3t not thou want to know, my hearer ? There is but one name given under heaven vhereby thou must be saved. Dost thou lot wish to know something about Him vhose name it is ? Art thou indiSerent to ;hy soul's affairs, careless about what shall jecomc of thy immortal soul? Did Jesus lie, and is it nothing to thee? Dost thou lass by His cross as though it were the liarkct-cross of a village ? Dost thou hear if His death as though it were some commonplace event in history, to be once read lull then forgotten? I pray it may not be 50 with But since thou must either be lost or saved eternally, come thou and ask with d ''"p anxiety, 44 Who art, Thou, Lord ? Who art Thou by whom I am to be saved ? What right, what pswer hast Thou to save? What claim hast Thou upon my faith? Oh, tell me, for I long to know." Want of thought ruins half mankind. If men were but anxious to understand the truth they would soon learn it and receive it. If, like the Bereans, they would search the Scriptures to find the truth, or if, like Lyilia, their hearts were opened to receive it, they would soon know the Lord. Like Paul, we must be willing to learn. And, next, observe the subject that he ivished to he instructed upon. 44 Who art riiou, Lord ?" You have h?ard that Christ is the Saviour, let your ambition be to know ill about Him. I will tell you one thing : saints on earth, and ..even saints ill heaven, ire always wanting to have this question more fully answered to them— 44 Who art I'hou, Lord ?" Those who knew Him best will tell you that there is something about Him which still surpasses all their knowledge ; and I suppose that even when we see Him face to face there will remain a mystery in His matchlesj love, and a depth unsearchable in His Divine person, into which even then we shall not be able to [live. 4< Who art Thou, Lord?" may well be the question of a soul that is seeking >alvation, since it is still the question of those who have found it. 44 Who art Thou, Lord?" What is Thy person? What is Thy nature? How is it chat Thou art able to save ? Learn well that He is divine, yet human ; the Son of Mary, and yet the Son of God. He is Man, thy brother, touched with the feeling of thy ntirmities, yet is He God eternal, infinite, "nil of all power and majesty, assuredly livine. Learn thou this if thou wouldst be laved, and regard the Lord Jesus as God >ver all, blessed for aver, yet clothed in the 'orm of a. servant, and made in the likeness >f sinful flesh. Learn that. 14 Who art Thou, Lord?" What are Thy iffices ? If my eye could see Thee, I would isk Thee What titles dost Thou bear ? What iffices dost Thou sustain ? He is a prophet; ;hou must be instructed by Him, and believe Elis teaching. He is a priest; thou must be vashed by His blood, and He must offer lacrifieo for tlice; nay, rather, He has jfl'ercd it, and thou must accept it as being or thee and on thy behalf. He is a King, 00, aud if thou wilt bo saved by Him thou nust let Him govern thee. Thou must rield thyself to Him ancl he His subject, ind take up His cross and bear His easy ,-oke, which is no burden to the neck. ?rophet, priest, king, anrl a thousand other iffices does He sustain. Ask, thou craving sinner, ask, " Who art Thou, Lord?" till ;hou shalt discover something about Him that exactly suits thee, and then thy faith shall light upon it and thy heart shall cry, 44 He is all my salvation, and all my desire." 44 Who art Thou, Lord ?" It is a question you may ask about His relationships. Who is He? The Son of the Highest, and yet the brother of the lowest. Who is He ? King of angels, and King of kings, and yet the friend of sinners and the helper of the humblest that will come to Him. He stands as the head over all things to the Church j His church's husband and the world's ruler, master of providence, sovereign of heaven, conqueror of hell itself. All power is in His hands. The leather has coinmit'cd it unto Him, ami now He stands in such relationship to us that if we believe in Him He gives m eternal life, and guards us froin all ill, for He has said, "I give unto My sheep eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of My hands." Oh, beloved hearer, if thou wonldcst be saved, study deeply that question, 44 Who art Thou, Lord?" and be not BatisGed till thou knowest Christ and art known of Him—till there is a mutual knowledge between thee and Himself, for it is only so that thou canst be saved. An unknown Christ is no Christ to you. A Saviour whom you do not know is a Saviour who will not know you in tho day of his appearing. 44 Who art Thou, Lord ?" Now, that question, as I have said, concerning Christ should lie asked by us all, but it is not at all a speculative question. It is a question of the utmost practical importance to every man, and in proportion as a man knows the answer to that question he will receive its practical result. Hearken and perceive this. 44 Who art Thou, Lord?" What will be the first result of having this question answered ? , ky, when Paul knew that He whose ~,° ' shone upon him brighter than the with a tlip CBU i ° f Nazar eth, he was seized "WhiH" I deepest possible contrition. What! he seemed to say, "have X persecuted the Lord? When 1 was hunting down those poor people was I hunting down the Messiah . Was I fighting against the Christ of God ? He had not known that before, but when he ltnew who the Lord was then his heart was broken within him witl a deep sense of sin. .Now, come ye hither some of you ; you have been living for yean refusing true religion, and despising it, bu have v°u ever thought that you were re fusin" Jesus Christ the Son of God, am despising the Beloved of God who conde scended to come into the world to suffer fo love's sake ? When they put Jesus to deatl He was, as our sweet poet puts it " found guilty of excess of love." It was all that could be laid to His dea charge; but for excess of love He died

And thou hast jfetused Him. Thou hast now these: 20 years and more refused that thorn-crown head, that brow so marred, th'o3ti wounded hands, that gaßhed . and wounded side! Thou hast refused the matchless Saviour, without Whom thou art nmlono for ever ! Hast thou known this ? Hast thou done it wilfully ? I hope thou canst reply, "But I did it ignorantly, m unbelief " Therefore He winks at your illmanners' and .He bids you now come_to Him, and He will gladly receive you. He will in nowise cast you out. To know Christ, then, is a practical knowledge, because it leads to repentance. When Christ is unknown we can go on refusing and even persecuting Htm ; but when, we clearly perceive that it is the Son of (*od and the bleeding Lamb whom we have refused and persecuted, then our hearts melt; we beg His forgiveuess, and cast ourselves at Hi* feet. . - A second practical result is then that our hope is encouraged ; for though Paul at the sight of the Lord Jusus must have been full of bitter anguish, it was by that same sight that ho was afterwards cheered aud comforted. What! Art Thou in heaven brighter than the sun ? Art Thou the man of Nazareth whom I have persecuted ? Art thou He who was rejected anil despise J? 0 Thou bright and shining one, art Thou that same Christ to whom the publicans and harlots drew near? Art who came to seek and to save that which was lost? Art Thou exalted on high to give repentance unto Israel and remission of sins? Then is there hope for me. It is the sinuers Christ that is in heaven, the same that took the little children and said, "Sutler them to come to Me." Oh, then, I will trust Him. 1 feel I may, I can, X must. I yield myself to Him because I kuow-Him now. I did not before. How practical is this know"Ami it had another effect upon Paul. It led him to complete submission. He. said "Is this Christ whom I have rejected Lord of all? Then it is indeed hard for me to kick against the pricks. I will not do so any longer. Resist Him ? That I •'.are 1101 do ? If "all power be in His hands, then to oppose Him is as hopeless as it is wicked. Beheld, I surrender at discretion. O Lord Jesus, be my king. Accept me as Thy subject. I oppose Thee bo longer." How I wish that Jesus would make some here know Him who have never known Him before—that they may at this very hour yield to Him ; because if once they knew Him it would fire them with ardour in His service. There was never a man yet that did really know Christ whom Christ did not fill with an inward flame, so that he felt he could live or die for Him. Some human leaders have had such extraordinary influence over their soldiery that they have commanded, and have been cheerfully obeyed, even at the cost of life. The Christ of God has a superlatire power over all hearts that know Him. See how Paul felt His influence, and scoured the world to win OhrlHt'n lost ones. Perils of robbers, perils of rivers, the deep sea itself, scourging, stoning ; all these were nothing to the apostle from the day when he knew Christ. He had been exceedingly hot against Him, but now he burns and blazes with zeal for Him. And so will it be with all who know Jesus. Right practical, then, is the question, " Who art Thou, Lord ?" Oh, that the Spirit of God would lead every one to ask that question for himself. Only once more and I leave the question It is this. While Paul wan willing to leai-n, and his subject was important, for he wished to learn of Christ, and exceedingly practical, for it moved him to every good thing, it is worthy of remark that he sought instruction from the best possible master ; for, mv brethren, who can tell us who Christ is lmt Christ Himself ? Here is His book. Read it. It is the looking-glass. Jesus is yonder, and He looks into this book, and if you look into it with well-washed eyes, you may see bis reflected in this "lass ; darkly, however, at the best. So, too, when you hear His faithful servants preach, you may see somewhat of Christ; but let me tell you there is 110 sight of Christ like that which comes personally to your own sonl by the Holy Spirit. I do not mean that anv men among us will ever see Christ while "we are here with his eyes ; and if we did, it might not do us good, for thousands saw Him who, nevertheless, cried "Crucify Him." But Ido mean that there are eyes nside these eyes, eyes of the mind and of the soul, to which Christ Himself must revcil Himself ; and I charge you who have never seen Him so to fall 011 your knees and cry, "Show Thyself to me." You must have personal dealings with Him, each one for himself, and you may have these dealings. He is accessible to-night. He will receive you at once if you seek Him. He has declared that He will not cast any out that come to Him. Oh, will you not ask Him to show Himself to you ? If you knew He would reluse you, you might be. excused the prayer; but since He will manifest Himself to every contrite, lowly, seeking soul, will you not seek Him ? Will you not even now humbly put to Him this question, "Who art Thou, Loid?" Reveal Thyself to me, as Thou dost not to the world, but as Thou dost reveal Thyself to seeking souls. So then 1 leave that question to come to the second one. May the Holy Spirit help us while we handle it. 11. " What wilt Thou hare me to do?" The obedient disciple requesting direction. We are always telling you that whosoever believeth in the Lord Jesus Christ has everlasting life. That is the basis-doctrine of the Gospel; but recollect that we never told you that you might believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and then live as you liked. That be far from us. He who truly believes in Christ does as Christ bids Him, and becomes henceforth Christ's servant and disciple as well as His saved cne. Hence the question, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do ?"

You will notice that the apostle here puts himself into the position of a soldier waitiug for orders. He will not stir till he has received his officer's command. " Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do ?" He stands quite ready to do it; but be wauts to know what the order may be, and therefore he looks up) and prays, "Lord, direct mo. What wouldst Thou have me to do?" It is the Lord's will alone that he now means to do. "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" Before it used to be, "What will Moses have me to do ?" And with some now present it has been, "What should I like to do?" for whatsoever their soul lusteth after that have they done, and whatsoever new pleasure, no matter how sinful it might be, if it. were within their reach, they followed greedily after it; but he that would bo saved must yield up his own will to his Lord. Now, beloved, take heed unto yourselves that Christ be your master, and nobody elsa. It would never do to say. "What would the Church have me to do?" ' As far as the Church teaches what Christ taught, obey her, but no farther. It would not even be right to say, " What would an apostle have me to do ?" Paul said, " Be ye followers of me, even as I am also of Christ." But if Paul does not follow Christ, we must not follow Paul. lie says, ''Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel, let him he accursed," and so let it stand. I count it to be a sad lowering of a Christian's standard when he takes any mortal man living, or even any man now in heaven, to be his guide and master. "Oue is your Master, even Christand your question should be, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do ?" I see what I am bidden to do in the Prayer-book. 1 see what I am bidden to do by learned and godly men, but these things have no authority over my con- | science. Lord, what wouldst Thou have me to do ? I£ it be not Thy will and Thy word, I know there can be 110 light in it, but what I know not teach Thou me." And, then, see that this childlike obedience of the apostle is personal. It is, "Lord, what wilt Thou have mo to do ? I have little enough to do with my neighbours. They have their duty and their calling, but, Lord, what wouldst Thou have me to do? Other persons must follow the light they have ; but, Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do ? My father, my brother, my friend, I have no right to judge these ; to their own master they must stand or fall; but, Lord, what wouldst Thou have me to do?" You that look at your own inability when you come to Christ, must come to Him with a personal faith, pleading for strength to do His will. You must yield to Jesus a personal obedience, even should it separate you from all your family. Lot it separate the nearest ties, let it cause your past friends to give you the cold shoulder, let it subject you to persecution even unto death ; you have nothing to do with these 'consequences ; your business i 3 to say, "Show me what Thou wouldst have me to 1 do, and I will do it." I charge every young mau as soon as he believes in Christ to read and search the Bible for himself, and say, " Show me what ' Thou wouldst have me to do." I would 1 rather be right alone than be wrong with all the world ; and every honest Christian man ought to feel that he would rather follow • Jesus Christ with two or three than iun with a multitude after the traditions of men.

God help you, beloved, as soon as you are converted to become thoroughly obedient disciples, searching the Word. Ido not eet so much importance upon the result of your investigation as X do upon the investigation itself. I care less about the result you arrive at than I do for the spirit -which would lead you, ao a disciple, earnestly to desire to follow your Master, and would lead you to do everything that you believe to be His will-the little as well as the great. The Lord help us to be anxious to know and do His will in all things, fearless of consequences. . Note again, that the apostle not only puts it personally, but he pleads for grace .at once. "Lord, show me what Thou wouldst have me to do !'' As much as to say, X will do it directly." lie does not ask to be allowed a little delay, but " What, wouldst Thou have me to do? Here I, Thy willing servant, stand." Young man, if you would have salvation you must be ready to follow Christ to-night. To-night, it may be, is the time when the Spirit of God is struggling with you, and if resisted lie never may return. Just now the scales hang in an even balance. Which way shall they turn ? It may be to-night for death or life the scale shall turn for the last time. Oh, blessed Jesus in heaven, why should we hesitate if Thou wilt indeed save us? We may well make a complete sui render and say, " Now, even now, I en'ist beneath Thy banner, for I Thy willing servant am. - ' And observe, once more, that He does not make any kind of conditions. What wouldst Thou have me to do? I will do it. If unpleasant to the flesh it shall be pleasant to my heart; and if it appear stern, yet if Thou wilt help me I will <lo it. "What wilt Th-ju have me to do ?*' Saul little knew when he asked the question what the doing of His Master's will would involve, but lie meant at the time that whatever it would involve he was prepared for it. Oh, you would be Christians, do not suppose that it is just believing something—an article of creed or undergoing a ceremouy—that will save you ; you must, if you are Christ's, yield yourself up to Him. He did not come into this world to lead men to heaven by back roads and crooked paths, but He leads them into the way of righteousness, the end whereof is everlasting peace. Will you be child enough to follow Him ? Will you have the childlike spirit which only wants first to know who He is and then exclaims— " Through floods or flames, if Jesus lead, I'll follow where lie goes." The Lord grant it may be so with us ! I close with just this remark, that it is by knowing Christ that you will learn to obey Him, and the more you obey Him the more easy it will be ; and in obeying Him you will find your honour. Paul at this day stands in a most honourable place in the Church of God, simply because, being called of God to do His will, he did it faithfully even to the end. Is it not beautiful to see how Paul in one moment seems to have forgotten all his old Pharisaism ? All the hard words and bitter blasphemies he had spoken against Christ, they have all gone in a moment. What strange changes will come over some beings in an instant. One of my students, who has been a sailor, has preached the Gospel for some long time, but his English was far from grammatical. Having been in college some little time, he began to speak correctly, but suddenly theold habit returned upon him. Ho was in the Princess Alice at the time of the lamentable catastrophe, aud he escapcd in an almost miraculous manner. 1 saw him some time after, and congratulated him on his escape, and he replied that he had saved his life, but had lost all his grammar. He found himself for a while using the language of two or three years ago; and even now (October 20, 187S), though he is recovering his spirits, he declares that he cannot get back what he had learnt. He seems to have drowned his grammar 011 that terrible occasion. Now, just as we may some good thing by a dreadful accident or occurrence, which seems to sweep over the mind like a huge wave and wash away our treasures, so, by a blessed catastrophe, if Christ should meet with any man to-night, much which he has valued will be swept away. You may write on wax, and may make the record fair. Take a hot iron and roll it across the wax, and it is all gor.e. That seems to me to be just what Jesus did with Paul's heart. It was all written over with blasphemy and rebellion, and lie rolled the hot iron of burning love over his soul and the evil inscription was all gone. He ceased to blaspheme and he began to praise. May the like bo done to many here present to the praise ami glory of my Master's love and power. Ainen aud amen. _ HE GIVETH HIS BELOVED SLEEP. He sees when their footsteps falter, when thuir hearts grow weak and faint; IJo marks when their strength is failing, and listens to each complaint; lie bids them rest for a sßason, for the pathway has grown too steep, And, folded in fair, urcen pastures, He giveth His beloved sleep. Like weary and worn out cliildreu, that sigh for the daylight's close, He knows that they oft are longing for home und the sweet repose: So He cal's them in from their labours, ere the shadows round them creep, —• And silently witching o'er them, He giveth His loved ones sleep. He g-veth it, oil, so gently as a mother will hush to rest The babe that she softly pillows so tenderly on her breast. Forgotten are now the trials and sorrows that mad o them weep, For with many a soothing promise He giveth Mis loved ones sleep. He giveth it J Friends the dearaat can never this boon bestow; But He touches the drooping eyelids, and placid tho grow! Their fo-s may gather about them, and storms may round them sweep, But, guarding them safe ftom danger, He giveth His loved ones sUep. All dread of the distant future, all foard that oppress to-day, Liko mists that clear in the sunlight, have noiselessly passed away, No call or clamour can ronse them from slumbers as pure and deep, For only His voice can rcach them Who giveth His loved ones sleep Weep not that their toils are over; weep not that their race is lun ; God grant we may rest as calmly, whon our work, like their*, is done. Till then we would yield with glailness our treasures to Him to keep. And rejoice in the sweet assurance— lie giveth Hid loved one-* sleep.