228 THE FALL AND THE RISING. [SERM. XVIII. have found their first yielding the very letting out of water—the commencement of a course and life of sin, from which they have never afterwards been emancipated to this day! And therefore, while we would thank God for the encouragement given us in St Peter's bitter tears and in his restored acceptance and apostleship, we have need to lay well to heart the lessons taught us by his shameful fall. You can imagine why this subject should have come into my heart for the present time. I can have no secrets with you, my brethren; no reserves, and no evasions. Your ministers could not possibly ignore the excitement which this coming week must bring with it. And you yourselves would be the first to despise them, if, being conscious of the fact, they did not dare to mention it. It is a great pity, and, I think, a great error, when the whole of religion is practically made to turn upon abstinence from one or two particular amusements. Such statements you will not hear from this place. But there are certain things which a minister of the Gospel, if he would be faithful to his trust, is bound to say, and which his hearers, if they are true-hearted and honest men, will not only bear with, but respect. I shall close my Sermon with two or three words, as I hope and believe, of this nature. i. There is a right and a wrong in all things. Whatever it is in your own power to do or not to do, it is your business to judge whether you ought to do or to forego. And, if you cannot decide this question, in a particular case, for yourself, you are bound to ask SERM. XVIII.] THE FALL AND THE RISING. advice upon men. 229 it from older or wiser or more experienced ii. The duty of all persons under authority is absolute obedience. Children are commanded in all things to obey their parents, and servants their masters. What they bid you do (if not directly contrary to God's law) becomes on that very account your clear duty, and to disobey them is to disobey God. iii. A thing which is wrong in itself must always be wrong for you: but even a thing which is not wrong in itself may be wrong for you. If by a particular act of yours you should wound the conscience or hinder the well-doing of another, then it is your duty to abstain from that act, not for your own conscience sake, but for the sake of the conscience of that other. This is the Gospel rule, as laid down for us briefly by our Lord, and explained more at large by His holy Apostle St Paul. iv. The Gospel of Jesus Christ allows no Saturnalia. It does not permit one week, or one day, in the year, to be regarded as a time of licence. Whatever Christian duty is, whatever Christian obligation is, whatever religion is, whatever holiness is, at one season, that it is at another and at all seasons. Some men say, I cannot expect this week to be like a common week. It is a very peculiar, a very unusual week. The whole place is transfigured. Everything is in a whirl and in an uproar. Every one is beside himself. God Himself, under these circumstances, will make some allowances. A little more levity than usual, a little more frivolity, a little more indulgence, than usual-nay, some little concession, if it should be so, to sinful practices, to carnal 230 THE FALL AND THE RISING. [SERM. XVIII. lusts-is only natural, is quite venial, in a week like this. My brethren, that is not the language of the Gospel. And why not? Because the Gospel, because He who gave, because He who brought, because He who died for, the Gospel, loves us too well to speak thus to us. That language, about a time when it is not necessary and not possible to be good, is the language, not of God who loves, but of the devil who hates you. It is the language of an enemy, wanting to throw you off your guard and then to destroy you. It may be more difficult at one time than another-it is always difficult enough— to be what we ought to be: but never say that it is unnecessary, and never say that it is impossible. With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. V. In the next place, and for the same reason, we must say this: Whatever you find by experience to be bad for you, injurious to you personally with reference to your religious state, that you must avoid, that you must flee from, that you must give up, at any cost. We do not say what this thing, or these things, may be in your case. But, though we do not prescribe, you can judge. Is there any amusement, is there any society, which does harm to your soul? which makes prayer more difficult, the Bible more distasteful, heaven more distant to you? Then that amusement, then that society, you are bound to give up. I say again, we judge not for you I speak as to wise men: judge ye what I say. vi. Once more: there may be difficulties, there may be temptations, which, with all your wish to do right, you cannot get rid of. Through no fault of yours, this SERM. XVIII.] THE FALL AND THE RISING. 231 coming week may be a time of difficulty and of trial to your faith and constancy. Then I would urge you to a more diligent use than ever of God's appointed means of grace. Shall you find it unusually difficult to maintain a serious and a Christian mind? Shall you be more than commonly pressed and burdened by the cares and interruptions of life? Will temper be especially irritated, and tranquillity of mind ruffled? Then take heed lest, in proportion as your dangers increase, your safeguards be diminished. Take heed lest, as is so often the case at such times, you be tempted to abridge your prayers, to intermit your reading of Scripture, to seek or to make for yourself no quiet moments for thought and meditation, when each one of these things will be so peculiarly, so more than commonly, needful for you. Many a man, I doubt not, aud many a woman, has been able to trace back a decided and a fatal declension from good, to a week of special excitement like that which begins to-day. God give us all grace to escape that dreadful experience! vii. Finally, my beloved brethren, I would say to each one of you, Remember the end. When next Sunday comes, for those of us who are spared to see it, this week, with its trials and its interests, will be ended. Nothing will then remain but the recollection. O let not that retrospect be bitter and condemning! Do not have to confess then that the demon of gambling, or the demon of drunkenness, or the demon of lust, has made havoc of soul and body during these six days which follow! God forbid! But, that it may not be so, you must indeed, more than ever, watch and pray during them. The spirit may be willing: to-day you may be 232 THE FALL AND THE RISING. [SERM. XVIII. saying with Peter, Though all men should deny Thee, yet will not I. But the flesh is weak. Even Peter, with all his zeal and with all his love, first vowed, and then fell. God keep each one of us from that presumption, and from that fall! But O, if you fall, God grant you-for it is indeed His gift only-the grace of that recovery! May He be so with us, that, in all humility and in all patience, in all earnestness and in all love, we may bear each one his own burden, and every one that of others also! May He establish us and keep us from evil! May He, according to the words heard already in this evening's service, may He, the God of peace, beat down Satan under all our feet shortly! I shall end with a few words, not of man's but of Christ's; of Him who is our Saviour, of Him who shall one day come to be our Judge. You have heard them already in this day's service. Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY, |