EPC Australia

Not as if his undertaking our cause was against his will, or that he ever felt it to be a task, and a grievance. He was voluntary in the engagement, and cheerful in the execution, and could say, I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! But he never followed the indulgence of his natural inclination in the days of his flesh. He preferred the glory of God and our benefit to his own gratification. He did not consult his ease; but denied the demands of sleep when duty required exertion. He rejected, with anger, Peter's proposal to spare himself from suffering. He did not consult ambitious feeling, but refused the people, when they would have made him a king. He stood not upon rank and consequence, but washed the disciples' feet, and was among them as one that serveth. He was far more delighted with Mary's reception of his word than with Martha's preparation for his appetite. He was not only thirsty, but hungry, when the disciples left him at the well to go and buy meat; but when they returned, and said. Master, eat, he replied, "I have meat to eat which ye know not of. In your absence I have had something above corporeal satisfaction: I have been saving a soul from death, and hiding a multitude of sins. My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish his work."

When the collectors of the Temple-tax came to Peter, he said to him, "What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? Peter saith unto him. Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him. Then are the children free. The Temple is the house of my Heavenly Father, and I am his only begotten Son." But, though not bound like others, he foregoes his right, in order to avoid offence: "Notwithstanding, lest we should offend;" that is, excite pain, or dislike, or reflection, by their thinking we have not a proper regard to the Sanctuary and ordinances of God — "lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook. and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money; that take, and give unto them for me and thee." This he exemplified all through life. He was, therefore, well prepared, and authorized to say, "If any man will be my disciple, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."

And observe the use the Apostle makes of it. Because Christ pleased not himself, therefore "let the strong bear the infirmities of the weak, and not please themselves." "Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification." He, indeed, limits the duty. We are not to humour our brethren in a sinful course, but only in things innocent and lawful; and we are to do this, with a view to secure and promote his welfare, and not for any advantage of our own. But we are not to consult our own little conveniences, and appetites, and wishes. We are not even to follow our convictions in every disputed matter. "Let us not, therefore, judge one another any more; but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died." Here, again, the Apostle calls in Jesus, as a motive, and an example. He denied himself so as to die for this weak brother, and will you, says he, refuse to deny yourselves in a trifling forbearance on his behalf?" "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak."

Herein, too, Paul enjoins no more than he practised, for he drank deep into the Saviour's spirit: "I please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved." "If meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend." And how noble does he here look! And how below his principles does a Christian act, when he thinks of himself only, his own accommodation, yea, even his own conscience. He is to regard the satisfaction of another's mind, as well as his own; and is to walk, not only righteously, but charitably. Yet some say, "I do not think it sinful; therefore I am not obliged to abstain." And was Paul obliged to abstain? All things were pure to him, but he would not eat with offence. Some seem never to regard how their conduct will affect others; but the Scripture says, "Give none offence; neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God." Asaph was checked in his improper language by remembering, that if he so spake, he should "offend against the generation of the upright." Let us, therefore, beware of throwing stumbling-blocks in the way of the blind. "Let us make straight paths for our feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way: but let it rather be healed."

Christianity is designed to refine and soften; to take away the heart of stone, and to give us hearts of flesh; to polish off the rudenesses and arrogances of our manners and tempers; and to make us blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke. Lord Chatham, in one of his Letters to his Nephew, finely says, "Politeness is benevolence in little things." Religion should make us the most polite creatures in the world and what persons of rank do from education, we should do from principle, yielding our own desires and claims, to become all things to all men, if by any means we may gain some; and be not only sincere, but without offence, until the day of Christ.

If so, some professors of religion have much to learn. They think of nothing but their own indulgence. They know nothing of bearing with infirmity, of waiting for improvement, of watching for opportunity. They are decisive, and dictatorial, and hasty, and severe. They pride themselves only on what they call faithfulness, and which is the easiest thing in religion to them, because it falls in with their own natural temper — not to say, that frequently what they mean by fidelity is only rudeness and insolence. But while we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth, we are required to be courteous, and to pursue whatsoever things are lovely, and of good report.

And without this, professors will not only render religion unamiable and repulsive, but will lower themselves in general estimation, and lose the influence which is derivable from reputation and esteem. Who can regard the haughty, and the selfish? But for a good man some would even dare to die. An inoffensive, self-denying, lovely disposition and carriage wins the heart. It is not in our power to love, but it is in our power to be loved. Our loving another depends upon him, and here we have no control; but another's loving us, depends upon ourselves, and he that will have friends, must show himself friendly.

Doddridge buried a most interesting child at nine years of age. The dear little creature was a general favourite; and he tells us in his Funeral Sermon, that when he one day asked her, how it was that every body loved her, "I know not," she said, "unless it be that I love every body." Tell your children this. Also read to them, "The child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the Lord and also with men."

"For he that in these things serveth Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us, therefore, follow after things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another."

Morning Exercises For Everyday In The Year
By Rev. William Jay