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crossChrist ever interceding for me at God's right handChrist
dwelling in my heart by faithChrist soon ing again to gather me
and all His people together to part no more； Christ is enough for me。
Having Christ； I have unsearchable riches。'〃
〃The good I have is from His stores supplied；
The ill is only what He deems the best；
He for my Friend； I'm rich with nought beside；
And poor without Him； though of all possess'd：
Changes may e； I take or I resign；
Content while I am His； and He is mine。
〃While here； alas！ I know but half His love；
But half discern Him； and but half adore；
But when I meet Him in the realms above；
I hope to love Him better； praise Him more；
And feel； and tell； amid the choir divine；
How fully I am His； and He is mine。〃
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＇47＇ Every well…informed person knows that； to the apprehension of most
people； the Quakers and Plymouth Brethren appear to ignore the
ministerial office altogether。
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XIX。
WANTS OF THE TIMES
Men that had understanding of the times。〃1 Chronicles xii。 32。
THESE words were written about the tribe of Issachar； in the days when
David first began to reign over Israel。 It seems that after Saul's
unhappy death； some of the tribes of Israel were undecided what to do。
〃Under which king？〃 was the question of the day in Palestine。 Men
doubted whether they should cling to the family of Saul； or accept
David as their king。 Some hung back； and would not mit themselves；
others came forward boldly； and declared for David。 Among these last
were many of the children of Issachar； and the Holy Ghost gives them a
special word of praise。 He says； 〃They were men that had understanding
of the times。〃
I cannot doubt that this sentence； like every sentence in Scripture；
was written for our learning。 These men of Issachar are set before us
as a pattern to be imitated and an example to be followed； for it is a
most important thing to understand the times in which we live； and to
know what those times require。 The wise men in the court of Ahasuerus
〃knew the times。〃 （Esther i。 13。） Our Lord Jesus Christ blames the Jews
because they 〃knew not the time of their visitation；〃 and did not
〃discern the signs of the times。〃 （Matt。 xvi。 3； Luke xix。 44。） Let us
take heed lest we fall into the same sin。 The man who is content to sit
ignorantly by his own fireside； wrapped up in his own private affairs；
and has no public eye for what is going on in the Church and the world；
is a miserable patriot； and a poor style of Christian。 Next to our
Bibles and our own hearts； our Lord would have us study our own times。
Now I propose in this paper to consider what our own times require at
our hands。 All ages have their own peculiar dangers for professing
Christians； and all consequently demand special attention to peculiar
duties。 I ask my readers to give me their minds for a few minutes while
I try to show them what the times require of English Christians； and
particularly of English Churchmen。 There are five points which I
propose to bring before you； and I shall speak of them plainly and
without reserve。 〃If the trumpet give an uncertain sound； who shall
prepare himself to the battle？〃 （1 Cor。 xiv。 8。）
I。 First and foremost； the times require of us a bold and unflinching
maintenance of the entire truth of Christianity； and the Divine
authority of the Bible。
Our lot is cast in an age of abounding unbelief； scepticism； and； I
fear I must add； infidelity。 Never； perhaps； since the days of Celsus；
Porphyry； and Julian； was the truth of revealed religion so openly and
unblushingly assailed； and never was the assault so speciously and
plausibly conducted。 The words which Bishop Butler wrote in 1736 are
curiously applicable to our own days：〃It is e to be taken for
granted by many persons； that Christianity is not even a subject of
inquiry； but that it is now at length discovered to be fictitious。 And
accordingly they treat it as if； in the present age； this was an agreed
point among all people of discernment； and nothing remained but to set
it up as a principal subject of mirth and ridicule； as it were by way
of reprisals for its having so long interrupted the pleasures of the
world。〃 （Butter's Analogy； Introduction。） I often wonder what the good
Bishop would have now said； if he had lived in the present day。
In reviews； magazines； newspapers； lectures； essays； and sometimes even
in sermons； scores of clever writers are incessantly waging war against
the very foundations of Christianity。 Reason； science； geology；
anthropology； modern discoveries； free thought； are all boldly asserted
to be on their side。 No educated person； we are constantly told
nowadays； can really believe supernatural religion； or the plenary
inspiration of the Bible； or the possibility of miracles。 Such ancient
doctrines as the Trinity； the deity of Christ； the personality of the
Holy Spirit； the atonement； the obligation of the Sabbath； the
necessity and efficacy of prayer； the existence of the devil； and the
reality of future punishment； are quietly put on the shelf as useless
old Almanacs； or contemptuously thrown overboard as lumber！ And all
this is done so cleverly； and with such an appearance of candour and
liberality； and with such pliments to the capacity and nobility of
human nature； that multitudes of unstable Christians are carried away
as by a flood； and bee partially unsettled； if they do not make
plete shipwreck of faith。
The existence of this plague of unbelief must not surprise us for a
moment。 It is only an old enemy in a new dress； an old disease in a new
form。 Since the day when Adam and Eve fell； the devil has never ceased
to tempt men not to believe God； and has said； directly or indirectly；
〃Ye shall not die even if you do not believe。〃 In the latter days
especially we have warrant of Scripture for expecting an abundant crop
of unbelief：〃When the Son of man eth； shall He find faith on the
earth？〃〃Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse。〃〃There
shall e in the last days scoffers。〃 （Luke xviii。 8； 2 Tim。 iii。 13；
2 Peter iii。 3。） Here in England scepticism is that natural rebound
from semi…popery and superstition； which many wise men have long
predicted and expected。 It is precisely that swing of the pendulum
which far…sighted students of human nature looked for； and it has e。
But as I tell you not to be surprised at the widespread scepticism of
the times； so also I must urge you not to be shaken in mind by it； or
moved from your steadfastness。 There is no real cause for alarm。 The
ark of God is not in danger； though the oxen seem to shake it。
Christianity has survived the attacks of Hume and Hobbes and Tindalof
Collins and Woolston and Bolingbroke and Chubbof Voltaire and Payne
and Holyoak。 These men made a great noise in their day； and frightened
weak people； but they produced no more effect than idle travellers
produce by scratching their names on the great pyramid of Egypt。 Depend
on it； Christianity in like manner will survive the attacks of the
clever writers of these times。 The startling novelty of many modern
objections to Revelation； no doubt； makes them seem more weighty than
they really are。 It does not follow； however； that hard knots cannot be
untied because our fingers cannot untie them； or formidable
difficulties cannot be explained because our eyes cannot see through or
explain them。 When you cannot answer a sceptic； be content to wait for
more light； but never forsake a great principle。 In religion； as in
many scientific questions； said Faraday； 〃the highest philosophy is
often a judicious suspense of judgment。〃 He that believeth shall not
make haste： he can afford to wait。
When sceptics and infidels have said all they can； we must not forget
that there are three great broad facts which they have never explained
away； and I am convinced they never can； and never will。 Let me tell
you briefly what they are。 They are very simple facts； and any plain
man can understand them。
（a） The first fact is Jesus Christ Himself。 If Christianity is a mere
invention of man； and the Bible is not from God； how can infidels
explain Jesus Christ？ His existence in history； they cannot deny。 How
is it that without force or bribery； without arms or money； He has made
such an immensely deep mark on the world； as He certainly has？ Who was
He？ What was He？ Where did He e from？ How is it that there never has
been one like Him； neither before nor after； since the beginning of
historical times？ They cannot explain it。 Nothing can explain it but
the great foundation principle of revealed religion； that Jesus Christ
is God； and His Gospel is all true。
（b） The second fact is the Bible itself。 If Christianity is a mere
invention of man； and the Bible is of no more authority than any other
uninspired volume； how is it that the Book is what it is？ How is it
that a Book written by a few Jews in a remote corner of the
earthwritten at distant periods without consort or collusion among
the writerswritten by members of a nation which； pared to Greeks
and Romans； did nothing for literaturehow is it that this Book stands
entirely alone； and there is nothing that even approaches it； for high
views of God； for true views of man； for solemnity of thought； for
grandeur of doctrine； and for purity of morality？ What account can the
infidel give of this Book； so deep； so simple； so wise； so free from
defects？ He cannot explain its existence and nature on his principles。
We only can do that who hold that the Book is Supernatural and of God。
（c） The third fact is the effect which Christianity has produced on the
world。 If Christianity is a mere invention of man； and not a
supernatural； Divine revelation； how is it that it has wrought such a
plete alteration in the state of mankind？ Any well…read man knows
that the moral difference between the condition of the world； before
Christianity was planted and since Christianity took root； is the
difference between night and day； the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom
of the devil。 At this very moment； I defy anyone to look at the map of
the world； and pare the countries where men are Christians with
those where men are not Christians； and to deny that these countries
are as different as light and darkness； black and white。 How can any
infidel explain this on his principles？ He cannot do it。 We only can
who believe that Christianity came down from God； and is the only
Divine religion in the world。
Whenever you are tempted to be alarmed at the progress of infidelity；
look at the three facts I have just mentioned； and cast your fears
away。 Take up your position boldly behind the ramparts of these three
facts； and you may safely defy the utmost efforts of modern sceptics。
They may often ask you a hundred questions you cannot answer； and start
ingenious problems about various readings； or inspiration； or geology；
or the origin of man； or the age of the world； which you cannot solve。
They may vex and irritate you with wild speculations and theories； of
which at the time you cannot prove the fallacy； though you feel it。 But
be calm and fear not。 Remember the three great facts I have named； and
boldly challenge sceptics to explain them。 away。 The difficulties of
Christianity no doubt are great； but； depend on it； they are nothing
pared to the difficulties of infidelity。
II。 In the second place； the times require at our hands distinct and
decided views of Christian doctrine。
I cannot withhold my conviction that the professing Church of the
nineteenth century is as much d