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THE SAINTS ARE WITNESSES FOR GOD
GOD is a jealous God, and cannot endure that any other should be put in competition with him. Hence he takes frequent occasion to reprove the idolatry into which his people were ever prone to relapse. He shews them the folly of cutting down a tree, and kindling a fire with part of the wood, and roasting their food with it, and then fashioning another part of the same tree into the image of a man, and bowing down to it as a god. He challenges them and all the world to bring any single instance of such senseless idols having ever revealed things that were long past and forgotten, or of their having ever foretold future events, or effected for their votaries any signal deliverance. He appeals to them, that He had done these things for them; and that therefore they themselves were witnesses for him, that he was the only true God.
A similar appeal may properly be made to the people of God at this day. They have within themselves very convincing proofs of his exclusive right to universal adoration;
I. In what he has taught them—
He has given them such views of Divine truth as they could not possibly obtain from any other quarter. He has shewn them,
1. The depravity of their nature—
[Others may profess in words that they are fallen creatures; but who over learned, from more study, or the instructions of man, that his “heart was deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked?” Who ever so learned it, as really to “abhor himself in dust and ashes?” — — — But God does teach all his people this lesson — — — and all who have learned it, are therefore living witnesses of his almighty power and grace.]
2. The excellency of Christ—
[To compliment Christ with honourable titles is common enough. But who can open a man’s eyes, so that he shall “behold the glory of God in his face?” — — — Yet this is done for all the Lord’s people. To every one of them “Christ is truly precious” — — — In this respect therefore they are witnesses that their teacher is the omnipotent Jehovah.]
3. The beauty of holiness—
DISCOURSE: 932
THE SAINTS ARE WITNESSES FOR GOD
GOD is a jealous God, and cannot endure that any other should be put in competition with him. Hence he takes frequent occasion to reprove the idolatry into which his people were ever prone to relapse. He shews them the folly of cutting down a tree, and kindling a fire with part of the wood, and roasting their food with it, and then fashioning another part of the same tree into the image of a man, and bowing down to it as a god. He challenges them and all the world to bring any single instance of such senseless idols having ever revealed things that were long past and forgotten, or of their having ever foretold future events, or effected for their votaries any signal deliverance. He appeals to them, that He had done these things for them; and that therefore they themselves were witnesses for him, that he was the only true God.
A similar appeal may properly be made to the people of God at this day. They have within themselves very convincing proofs of his exclusive right to universal adoration;
I. In what he has taught them—
He has given them such views of Divine truth as they could not possibly obtain from any other quarter. He has shewn them,
1. The depravity of their nature—
[Others may profess in words that they are fallen creatures; but who over learned, from more study, or the instructions of man, that his “heart was deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked?” Who ever so learned it, as really to “abhor himself in dust and ashes?” — — — But God does teach all his people this lesson — — — and all who have learned it, are therefore living witnesses of his almighty power and grace.]
2. The excellency of Christ—
[To compliment Christ with honourable titles is common enough. But who can open a man’s eyes, so that he shall “behold the glory of God in his face?” — — — Yet this is done for all the Lord’s people. To every one of them “Christ is truly precious” — — — In this respect therefore they are witnesses that their teacher is the omnipotent Jehovah.]
3. The beauty of holiness—
[However some particular virtues may be admired in the world, the holiness which the Gospel requires is odious in their eyes. Penitence is considered as melancholy; devotion, as hypocrisy: zeal for God, as enthusiasm; and an earnest expectation of glory, as consummate pride and presumption. And who can alter their views? Not an Apostle, nor even an angel from heaven. They might be silenced; but nothing less than Omnipotence can so change their sentiments, as to make them in love with a spiritual and heavenly life. But the Child of God sees that such a life is the perfection of bliss, a very heaven upon earth — — — and herein also is a witness, that the God whom he serves is the only true God.]
But the Children of God are also living witnesses of his power and Godhead,
II. In what he has done for them—
We acknowledge the creation to be an evidence that the Maker thereof is God: and so likewise is the work which God hath wrought in his saints.
1. He has created them anew—
[The change that takes place in conversion is not an outward and partial, but an inward and universal, change. It is “a new birth,” a “renovation of the inward man after the image of God” — — — But where is the power that can effect this? Let philosophy try her powers; let reason exert herself: “the old man,” the corrupt principles of nature, will laugh at them, and defy their utmost exertions — — — But is not this change actually wrought in thousands? We grant, that in many who have professed to have experienced it, it is but very imperfectly produced; yea, and that many who think it has been wrought m them only deceive their own souls: but all the Apostles were not like Judas; nor are all professors of religion hypocrites. Take then the upright and consistent Christian, and tell me whether any power on earth can produce such a character? — — — if not, he is a witness for God, that HE alone is worthy of our hope and dependence.]
2. He has elevated them above the world—
[There is among the professors of religion so great a diversity of attainment, and we are so little able to judge respecting the secret experience of their hearts, that we cannot with any certainty form our estimate of the Christian character from what we see around us: we must go to the inspired volume, and take that as the only standard of Christian experience. Now we know that Christians are there represented as “not being of the world, any more than Christ himself was of the world:” and we see there examples of persons altogether “crucified to the world,” to its cares, its pleasures, and to every thing that is in it. That there are but few Christians in the present day who have arrived at the Scripture standard, we confess with grief and shame; and it will be well if many of them do not find themselves awfully mistaken, when they shall stand at the judgment-seat of Christ: but the truth is the same, whether few or many experience it; and it is a certain fact, that every Child of God is delivered from the love of this present evil world — — — and the fewness of those, whose lives correspond with their professions, tends to prove, rather than to disprove, the point we have affirmed. For, where shall we find one person truly elevated above the world, unless amongst those who have been born of God? Some may be found who are dissatisfied with the world, and who from age or other circumstances find no relish for it: but if they were put into a capacity to enjoy the world as they once did, their love of it would be found as strong as ever. We defy the whole world to produce one, who by the mere powers of reason has been raised above the world; and this is a decisive proof that the deadness to the world which true Christians experience, is the work of an Almighty arm.]
3. He has filled them with spiritual peace and joy—
[The peace and joy which the unconverted man possesses, will vanish at the prospect of death and judgment: or if under the influences of deluded hopes they retain a confidence, the peace flowing from that confidence is as different from that which is “the fruit of the Spirit,” as the ravings of a maniac are from the suggestions of sober reason — — — But the true Christian has “a peace that passeth all understanding,” and “a joy that is unspeakable and glorified” — — — Whence does ho obtain this? Who but God can give it him? or who can take it away, when God has given it him? Here then again is he a witness for God, that his power and grace are infinite.]
Address—
Those who idolatrously exalt the creature—
[See the challenge given by God himself [Note: ver. 8, 9.]: produce the people that have obtained from any but Jehovah, either this knowledge, or this experience. We defy the whole universe. “Bring forth your witnesses, that you may be justified: or else hear ye, and acknowledge, that what we have affirmed is truth.” the more you examine the pretensions of any who profess to have acquired these things by their own power, the more evidence you will have, that God alone can produce them in the souls of men — — —]
2. Those who profess to be Christians indeed—
[Remember that it is your duty and office to be “witnesses for God.” You are to be “as lights in a dark world, and as a city upon a hill.” Be then voluntary witnesses. Wicked men, and even the devils themselves, are in some sense witnesses for him: they attest, though against their will, that his representations of the human heart are true, and that he is a God of infinite patience, majesty, and power. But you are intentionally to make your light shine before men, and to convince them by the holiness of your lives that “God is with you of a truth.” Be also steadfast witnesses. You will find many temptations to “put your light under a bushel;” but you must be resolute in glorifying God, whether by life or by death. Further, be also consistent witnesses. The world will judge, not by your words, but by your actions: and if they see these to be at variance with each other, they will rather harden themselves in their infidelity, and adduce your testimony as adverse to God. Look to it then that ye walk in all things “holily, justly, and unblameably;” and “that they who are on the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.”
Lastly, for your encouragement, think what witnesses ye shall one day be for God in heaven! How will ye there proclaim and manifest his power and grace! — — — O blessed day! Look forward to it with joy; and prepare for it by increasing zeal in the service of your God.]