THE

CHRISTIAN REMEMBRANCER.

APRIL, 1840.

A SERMON.

CHRIST THE SAVIOUR OF JEW AND GENTILE.

EPH. III. 8.

Unto me, who am less than the least of all the saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.

THEY who, at this day, will search the elder Scriptures, will scarcely fail to see there a broad outline of the determinate counsel of Almighty God, touching the redemption of the whole world. The spirit of prophecy, which bare testimony to Jesus, was likewise a witness to the vastness and comprehension of the purpose for the accomplishment of which he was sealed of the Father. The prophetic eye knew no distinction between Jew or Greek; or, at least, it looked onward to the day when the partition wall between them should be broken down. And the prophetic voice, accordingly, age after age, spake of it as the glory of the church, that the Gentiles should come unto her light, and kings to the brightness of her rising. There can be no doubt that what the apostle calls the fellowship of this high mystery,-the communion in which it was, eventually, to bind all nations of the earth,—— is written in the volume of that book. It was so written, indeed, that gross and carnal eyes might rest merely on the surface of that blessed revelation, and might behold there nothing but a gorgeous picture of imperial grandeur, and boundless prosperity, all reserved for the lineage of Abraham: while the part or lot of the Gentiles in that bright inheritance was to be little better than that of servitude and vassalage. They, it was thought, were to be content and thankful with a far lower station, and far scantier portion, at the board where Israel was to be seated in preeminence. But it was likewise so written, that the eye of faith might look beyond the world of types and shadows spread before it, and gaze upon the whole march of that stately triumph, in which God's manifold wisdom should hold on its course, even to the end of time.

So it was, however, that Israel was dull of sight, and uncircumcised in heart and ear; always prone to resist the Holy Ghost; and unable to read, in the Divine oracles, any thing, save the charter of his own majesty and dominion, and a sentence of reprobation upon all them that were without. So that the volume of prophecy was, to him, as a

sealed book sweet to his taste, indeed, as the mystic scroll which was delivered to Ezekiel,-yea, even as honey for sweetness,-when administered by teachers who were false and carnal like himself: but bitter as the wormwood, when the whole of its hidden virtue was unfolded and drawn out. And hence it was, that, to speak to him of the fellowship of that mystery which should make the Gentiles to be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of the promise; to speak to him of this, was, almost, to tell him that God was a liar, and repented him of his gifts and promises. The very thought was enough to make him rend his garments, and cast dust into the air, and to cry out, "What shall the children's bread be taken, and cast unto the dogs?"

You perceive, then, why it is that the apostle speaks of the mystery which was made known to him, by revelation, as of something which, in other ages, was not made known unto the sons of men, as it was then revealed unto the holy apostles and prophets, by the Spirit. Made known indeed it was, in part at least, unto the prophets of the elder Church but they had no commission to declare it, expressly and openly, unto the sons of men. They were appointed only to foreshadow it, in dark sayings and in parables; to set it forth under images and similitudes, which might conceal the substance from all gross and carnal eyes; to wrap it up in oracles, which scarcely could be read aright until the fulness of the time should come. Not so, however, with the apostles and the prophets, who followed in the train of the Messiah, at his coming. To them, the Spirit spake expressly. The time of dark sayings, and of parables, was gone by. The determinate counsel of the Lord was disclosed to them, in all its grandeur and brightness. And it was their high office to make all men see what was the fellowship, and what the comprehension of that mystery, which, from the beginning of the world, had lain hid in God; to the intent that unto the principalities and powers of heaven and earth, might be made known, by the Church universal, the manifold wisdom of God. Then did the eternal purpose, which he purposed in Christ Jesus, burst upon the astonished sight of Israel. And then was Israel to be taught, whether

he would hear, or whether he would forbear,-that, although he were the elder-born, yet the seed of faith, the children of the promise, were his brethren; yea, that the household of faith, the peculiar people and family of God, were to be adopted out of every tribe, and tongue, and nation under heaven.

But, not only was the mystery disclosed unto the holy apostles and prophets, by the Spirit. It was first declared unto all Jewry by that precursive manifestation, which has ever been honoured by the glad memorial of the Church. For three hundred years had the voice of prophecy been silent; and the fulness of time had been stealthily coming on, even as a robber in the night. Some echoes, indeed, of the ancient oracles which issued from God's sanctuary, had, doubtless, still been heard, from time to time, throughout the world; and had kept the hearts of men awake with earnest, but obscure, expectation of the appearance of Him who was the desire of all nations. And these echoes spake to them of a star which should arise out of Jacob, and a sceptre that should rise out of Israel; of one who should have dominion, and to whom should be the gathering of the nations. When, lo! on the sudden, a mysterious

light was seen in the skies; seen, not by the masters of Israel-not by the chief priests and scribes of the people-not by the Edomite who then held the sceptre of Judah; but, seen by the dwellers in a distant land, seen by strangers from the east, renowned for their wisdom, and, if tradition may be trusted, illustrious for their rank and station. And they, too, perchance, had heard, or read, of the star which should arise out of Jacob; and, perhaps, the visions of the prophet Daniel were not unknown to them; from which it might be gathered that this was the appointed time. And so, when the light appeared, they hailed it as the star of Him that was to come; and they followed it as it marshalled them forward on their way towards Jerusalem. And when they came, the heart of the king was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; while the masters of Israel declared that Bethlehem was written by the prophets as the place out of which should come the Governor, that should rule God's people. And, lo! the star which had arisen, still went before the strangers, and rested not until it stood above the spot where the wondrous child was laid. And great indeed was their faith when they came into the presence of Him whom they sought to worship as one born to wield the sceptre of Israel. They found the heir of a dominion, which seers and prophets had announced, not reposing in pomp and delicacy-not surrounded by the obsequious followers of a court; but cradled, to all appearance, in adversity and want, like one set apart, even from the womb, as the child of affliction, the future man of sorrows, who had not where to lay his head. But, nevertheless, they rejoiced with an exceeding great joy. They spread out their treasures before him-even their gold, and their frankincense, and their myrrh-and bowed down to an infant who was lying in the midst of peasants and of herdsmen ! And thus it was that the fellowship of this great mystery was first made known. It was revealed unto the world, in visible deed, by this ever memorable act of homage. While the chief priest and the scribe were pointing, in scornful apathy, unto Bethlehem, while the thoughts of Herod were swift to shed the blood of innocents, strangers, and aliens to the commonwealth of Israel were they who first found grace to recognise the Prince of Peace, albeit disguised in the form and garb of earthly servitude and indigence! And thus it was that Christ, the Saviour and the King, was manifested unto the Gentiles. Thus gloriously commenced the fulfilment of the sure word of prophecy-that the Gentiles should come unto his light, and kings to the brightness of his rising.

That scene, however, passed away for a season, like a vision in the night; and, to appearance, was forgotten. The child of adversity grew up, in silence, like a tender plant. And he increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favour with God, and, for a while, with men. And, next, as the man of sorrows, he went forth upon his painful ministry. And, in due time, followed the judgment seat of Pilate, and the horrors of Golgotha, and the bursting of the tomb, and the ascension to the majesty on high, from whence the glorified Son of Man was to shine for a light to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glory of his people Israel. But all this while, the fellowship of this great mystery was still hidden from the wise and prudent. Nay, even the babes and simple ones, to whom the mysteries of the kingdom were to be most confiden

tially revealed,-even they were still yearning chiefly after the consolation of Israel, and the restoration of Israel's dominion; while the desire of all nations was well nigh forgotten. But then came the awful solemnities of Pentecost-the rushing mighty wind, and the cloven tongues of fire-all manifestly declaring that the men of every land and every clime, were to hear, each in his own tongue, the wonderful works of God. But still, in spite of all, clouds and darkness appeared to rest heavily upon the purposes of God, and to shroud them from the sight even of his chosen servants; till the shadows were finally rolled away by the vision of the mystic vessel that descended unto Peter; and taught him that, thenceforth, he should call no man common or unclean, and that God had also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. And, lastly, to the same intent, the Saviour spake unto Paul of Tarsus from the skies; and he was made a chosen vessel unto God, to bear his name, not only to the children of Israel, but to the Gentiles and their kings. And then, at length was the mystery unfolded. Then spake the Holy Ghost, no longer in figure or in parable, but in the language of plain express commandment. Then, to the astonishment of them of the circumcision which believed, was it declared unto prophets and apostles, as it had never been made known before, that the choicest of God's gifts were likewise to be poured out upon the heathen.

Thus painfully and thus laboriously, according to all human reckoning, did the counsels of God struggle onward towards their accomplishment. And, when the time was come, and Paul was to go forth upon his warfare, as the apostle of the Gentiles, it is worthy of remark how his spirit seems bowed down beneath the exceeding weight of glory thus laid upon him. "Unto me," he exclaims, "who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. I, who made havoc of the Church-I, who persecuted Jesus of Nazareth-I, who was born, as it were, out of due time, and am not meet to be called an apostle,even I am specially ordained to this great work and labour of love. The voice which breathed out threats and slaughter, is now to proclaim the message of mercy and of peace unto the world. In this do I rejoice, with joy unspeakable and full of glory. For this cause, thongh now the prisoner of Jesus Christ for the Gentiles-for this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family of heaven and earth is named. And for this cause do I desire that my people faint not at my tribulations for their sake; but rather rejoice in them, as their own crown of glory."

And, may not we, of this land, well take up the theme which transported the soul of the apostle? For, consider-some eighteen hundred years since, the very earth on which we now walk was defiled with the tread of a foul and brutal superstition. Throughout the length and breadth of it, the land was full of dark and cruel places. Our fathers were painted savages, and their priests were ministers of Moloch. They sought to pacify their bestial deities by whole burnt offerings, and crowded sacrifices of living victims, who were consumed in the flames before the face of frantic multitudes. But, at length, the sound of the gospel was heard; and, if we may believe some who have written

the annals of the Church, Paul, the apostle of the Gentiles, was its first messenger among us; and, by his ministry it was, that Christ was made manifest unto us, who, perhaps, of all the Gentiles, were the most miserable and most degraded. And, from that moment to the present hour, has the precious leaven been at work. Its effects we see before us. In the midst of those effects we live, and move, and have our being. The unsearchable riches of Christ have been our portion; and vast and glorious has been the abundance which they have scattered abroad. The rustic spire-the stately cathedral-the village schoolthe crowded seminary of the town-the word of life spread out before the cottages-the public voice of thanksgiving and of penitence the secret triumphs of the peace which passeth understanding-the life of lowly resignation-the hope full of immortality-these are the glories. and the blessings which flowed in upon us, from the revelation of that mystery, which, from the beginning of the world, had been hid in God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. We have seen that sages and strangers from the east were the first to bow themselves before the Son of Man, when his throne was no better than the lowly cradle of poverty, and his palace was a shed where cattle were stalled, and where herdsmen were gathered together. But now, behold, the monarchs of the west have appeared before him with a gift; and their pride has been to be the nursing fathers of his Church, the heralds and the champions of his sovereignty. And still further to the west has that dominion now been spread; and the unsearchable riches of Christ are now proclaimed, by our own kindred, and in our own tongue, in places that were once the dwelling of the iron Stoics of the wilderness. And, for all this, may we be rightly partakers of the joy of the apostle, and look forward with gladness to the day when the Prince of Peace shall claim his full dominion, and take all the heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession.

But it is not good for us, who are children of the dust, to dwell only upon themes of triumph! The chorus of angels is delightful to the ear, when its utterance is, of glory to God in the highest, and of peace on earth, and of good will towards men. But even in these heavenly harmonies, there always is an under tone, which speaks most solemnly to us, in the accents of godly caution and holy self-distrust, "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. Be not highminded, but fear: for, if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell severity; but toward thee goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off." If Paul were, indeed, our apostle, let us listen to him now. And were he, at this moment, in bodily presence among us, would he, think ye, have less cause to say unto us than to them of Ephesus, "Ye were some time darkness: but now are ye light in the Lord. Walk, then, as children of the light-(for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth): and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but reprove them rather?" True is it, that the mystery of godliness has been revealed, as it never was disclosed in the ancient time. But there is much of mystery still