j F o u r , S i x a n ò
O w o
O r a c k s *
By Dr. James H. BrooJ?s.
A sheep is lost upon the mountains. It can not get back to its home, for of all ereatures it is the most senseless and the most helpless when once out of the way, if left to itself. If it! goes on it must die; if it stands still it must die. Above it is the cold storm, before it is the fierce wolf, around it are the steep rocks and deep pits. There are but four tracks in this wilfi place, for the sheep is alone; and it calls to mind what is written in God's word of every one of us whether man or child, " A l l we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own w a y , " Isa. 53:6. But there is a good Shepherd who says, What man of you having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them doth not leave the ninety- and nine in the wilder- ness, and go a f t er that which is lost, until he find i t ? " Luke 15:4. In ' another place, when speaking of children, He says, ' ' The son of man is come to save t h at which was lost. How think ye, if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave t he ninety and nine, and goeth into teh moun- tains, and seeketh that which has gone astray? . . . Even so it is not the will of your F a t h er which is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. ' ' Matt. 18:11-14. Here then we have six tracks, made by the lost sheep and the seeking Shepherd, who says, I am t he good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the s h e e p ," Jno. 10:11. Yes, " t h e Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us a l l . " He did not wound t h e ' p o or sheep when He 1. The greatest thing on earth is the soul of man. I ts value is infinitely be- yond comparison with everything else. Gen. 1:26; Mat. 16:26; 13:45, 46. 2'. The greatest work is the salvation of the soul f r om sin, condemnation and death. The salvation of one soul relieves more misery and confers more happiness than all the works of all the philanthro- pists on earth. Fsa. 44:8; Heb. 2:3; Matt. 10:28. 3. The greatest evil is sin, issuing from the heart. It is the prolific source of all suffering, sorrow and death. Jer. 44:4;
founcT'it, A>ut m He was wounded for our t r a n s g r e s s i o n s ;" He did not bruise it, but " H e was bruised for our i n i q u i t i e s ;" He did not chasten it, but " t h e chastise- ment of our peace was upon H i m . " He did not strike it, but " w i t h his stripes we are h e a l e d ," Isa. 53:5, 6. He took the sinner's place, and died in his stead, so that God can. be perfectly just, and yet save every one that believeth in Jesus. Bom. 3:26. The sinner then, old or young, is not told to do anything himself, but only to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ to save, him. He is forbidden to do anything, to wait for feelings, or to put confidence in his good works such as baptism, or join- ing the church, f o r . " t h i s is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath s e n t ," (Jno. 6:29) and " t h i s is His commandment, That we should believe on the name of His son Jesus Ch r i s t ," 1 —no. 3:23). We do good works because we are saved, but so f ar from doing works that we may be saved it is written, ' ' To him t h at worketh not but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is -counted for righteousness," Bom. 4:5. Hence a f t er the sinner believes there are but two tracks, the tracks of the Good Shepherd, " W h e n he hath found it, he layeth it on His shoulders; rejoicing. And when he Cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Bejoice "with me for I have found my sheep which was l o s t ." He bears us all the way to heaven, f or " H e shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His b o s om ," Isa. 40:11. Bom, 5:12; 7:24. 4. The Gospel is the great, sure and only remedy for sin and sorrow. All other proposed remedies are spurious and inef- fectual. Bom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 1:21; Acts 4:12. 5. The Church is the only society or- ganized by the Lord, to carry this rem- edy to sinful and suffering humanity. The Church as a consolidated body embodies the wisdom, power and promise of God for nearly all possible moral and spiritual good. Matt. 5:13; Mark 16:15, 16; Eph. 3:10. O e i n g s *
J f i v e ( B r e a t
By E. P. Marvin.
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