THE WORK AND STRENGTH OF THE CHURCH. Isaiah prophesied more than a hundred years before the captivity of Israel. Many of his predictions had to do with its termination. In his inspired anticipation, the period of Israel's desolation is now coming to a close, and the day of their redemption is drawing nigh. Hence, in these latter chapters, he calls upon the exiles, under the figure of a captive female, to arise from the ground on which she has been sitting, to shake herself from the dust with which she has been covered, to lay aside all the emblems of her degradation, and prepare to return to the enjoyment of freedom and prosperity in the land of her fathers. By a figure still bolder, he summons the holy land and the holy city to clothe themselves in their best attire, and get ready for the reception of the liberated captive. Frequently he employs the proper names, Zion and Jerusalem, in their literal sense; but at other times Jerusalem is put for its inhabitants, and Zion represents the worshippers of the true God. In this latter sense I employ the term Zion now. In the preceding chapter we see the chosen people in a suppliant attitude, sending up to heaven the cry-" Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord." In the text we listen to the responsive command of heaven, addressed to the praying Church,-"Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion." More than five-and-twenty centuries have passed away since the echo of these words first fell on expecting ears; but there is a sense in which they are as much needed by the Church of our day as by the Zion to and for which Isaiah spoke and wrote. I. THE WORK WHICH THE CHURCH HAS TO DO. 1. It has millions of heathen yet to evangelise. The kingdom which the Messiah came to set up, was to be VOL. II. bounded only by the globe; its subjects only by the entire race. But before it can reach its destined universality, its gospel must be proclaimed to all men, and the gods many and lords many of idolatry's empire must be destroyed. That is part of the work which Christ has intrusted to His Church. Glorious harvests have been reaped as the result of the Church's toil. But large portions of the earth have yet to be won to our Saviour King. From the entire regions of darkness and death that are still under the dominion of false gods, it is computed that forty immortal beings go into eternity every minute, more than 2000 every hour, and more than 50,000 every day. Fifty thousand human beings daily hastening to a tribunal of which they never heard, and ushered into the presence of a God they never knew, because His own Church has hitherto failed to make Him known to the ends of the earth! 2. It has the Mohammedan imposture yet to overthrow. The mosque still stands on the very mount of God's selection, where once Solomon worshipped, where Isaiah prophesied, where Asaph sung, and where Jesus taught. Nearly one hundred millions of the earth's population are daily heard uttering the watchword-"There is one God, and Mahommed is His prophet." Never must we consider the Church's work done until the crescent be made to give way to the cross, and the followers of the false prophet be brought to worship Jesus as the sent of God and the only Saviour of men. 2 E 3. It has multitudes of the Jews yet to convert to the faith of Christ. It is calculated that nearly six millions and a half of the seed of Abraham are, at this time, scattered about in the different nations of the earth. These must be sought, and instructed, and entreated until they are won to Christ. 429 4. It has the Papal apostasy to oppose. As far from "the truth as it is in Jesus is it now as when our own Wicklyffe began to protest against its errors. As dishonourable to God, as injurious to society, as corruptive of morals, as dangerous to souls, as when Luther hurled at the whole system the thunders of his righteous indignation. 5. It has a growing infidelity to confront. 6. It has to meet and resist a form of religion which, while it holds fast the name of Christianity, denies and denounces most of its distinctive doctrines. I refer to that system which would pluck the crown of Deity from the Saviour's brow, and reduce Him to the level of a mere man. 7. It has a vast region of indifference to invade. Wrapped in the slumbers of a spiritual death, multitudes care for none of these things. 8. It has a false liberalism to contend against. The parties that espouse this cause have a creed, and it runs somewhat in this strain-" There is something good in all religions: no church is perfect, nor persons either: it matters not what sect a man belongs to, so that he has charity in his soul, and observes justice in his dealings: it matters not what doctrines a man believes, so that he is honest in his belief, for this condition complied with-he may be an infidel and yet be saved." We must not let this evil go unchecked and unopposed. It is wrong in itself, it is dangerous and destructive in its tendency—and hence, as the witnesses for God, we must work to stop its progress and to neutralise its mischiefs. 9. It has certain tendencies of the age to keep in check. Such as the growing worldliness of professors of religion-the growing love of gaiety, amusements, and pleasure, which often leads to dangerous associations and the desecration of the Sabbath a spirit of daring speculation in trade--the deification of reason, which leads men to treat Gospel doctrines as they would mathematical problems, to question when they ought to believe, and to reject what they cannot comprehend the rage for novelties, which begets a restless dissatisfaction with old truths however sound, and old ways however safe-the irreverence with which sacred things are treated and spoken of. 10. It has lost ground to regain. The cause of spiritual religion has not kept pace with the progress which has been made in other things. Where, in some cases, the external machinery of religion has been pushed forward, there is reason to fear that the inward life of it has been "sick and ready to die." These are some of the claims which the times now passing over us present to the activities of the Church; and if the Church had nothing more to do than what has now been stated, it must be evident at a glance that its work is one of great magnitude and vast responsibility. The requirements of the case cannot be met by feeble resolves, low aims, or weak efforts. A Church asleep will not do for it. A Church reposing on the lap of its own privileges will not do for it. "Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion." II. IN WHAT THE STRENGTH OF THE CHURCH CONSISTS: AND HOW IT SHOULD PUT IT ON. 1. The first element of its renewed strength must be sought in its waking up to a sense of its past neglects and its present duties. Misconceptions on these points will be fatal to its power. 2. The Church's love to Christ must be augmented. What was the secret of Apostolic doing, daring, and suffering? It was love-"the love of Christ constraining us." Could we but get the same hallowed fire in our hearts -could we but get it to burn on, with a steady, constant, and augmenting flame, no service would be a weariness to us, no sacrifice a hardship, and no labour commanded by our Divine Master would be refused or neglected. If we can but get our hearts filled with the expansive and impulsive energy of Divine love, we shall soon be clad in the mantle of Divine strength. 3. There must be an increase of faith. Our warfare is the fight of faith, and our work is the work of faith. The Master whom we serve is the invisible God; the rewards we expect are unseen and future. The results of our labours are uncertain, except as we anticipate them by faith. Our obstacles are seen, our difficulties are felt. The natural exclamation of conscious weakness is-the work is too great for us. Too great indeed it would be, if we had to do it alone. But Omnipotence is pledged to help us, and success is guaranteed by Divine promise. We must have faith in that promise. Going forth strong in the power of faith, we may expect to see much greater things than we have ever yet beheld. 4. There must be an increase of fervent prayer. First must we become princes with God, and then shall we prevail with men. The Holy Spirit is given in answer to prayer. The special outpouring of that Spirit on the Church in its infancy, was preceded by special prayer. Gifts, zeal, activity, eloquence, fervour, will all be in vain without the Spirit of God. What the steam is to the engine, and what the winds of heaven are to the canvas-clad vessel, the influences of the Spirit are to the plans and activities of the Church. Without these influences there may be much husbandry but no harvest, much work but no progress. The known readiness of the Spirit to help and bless, should not supersede prayer but stimulate it. 5. There must be a deepened sense of personal responsibility. When charged with past neglects and sins, we must not attempt to shift the blame from ourselves and fasten it upon others. "Against Thee, O Lord, have I sinned, and done evil in Thy sight." With respect to the future and its duties, we must be on our guard against being deluded by what may become to us the fiction of the Church. When we speak of the Church's work and responsibilities, we must not give the least indulgence to the idea that we are speaking of some imaginary being or body, altogether separate and distinct from ourselves. The Church is composed of individual Christians, and the only responsibility of the Church as a whole is that which is brought into it by the individual responsibility of its separate members. Go daily to the throne of God with the inquiry"Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" Be willing that God should answer it in any way He sees fit; and then as soon as it is answered, do that thing, whatever it may be, do it willingly, do it diligently, do it well. 6. There must be enlarged liberality. As compared with the givings of some bygone ages, the present scale of contributions to the cause of God may be admitted to be liberal. But what is given now, in a general way, bears but small proportion to what was given by the devout Jew to meet the requirements of the ceremonial law. The givings of both rich and poor to the cause of Popery-the princely sums of English earls, and the hard-earned pennies of Irish labourers-might well shame the stinted offerings of those who profess purer faith. The sacrifices made by deluded multitudes in the worship of their false gods, make our ordinary rate of giving appear more like an insult than an offering. The servants of sin give incomparably more to the cause of corruption and death, than do the servants of the living God to the cause of religion and salvation. How will rich professors answer for themselves before God, who hoard up wealth for themselves and their heirs, and leave the cause of God to languish and die for want of support? The Church's work will not be done until those of His servants, whom He makes stewards of His wealth, shall honour Him with something better than "the crumbs" which fall from their own table. 7. There must be more directness of aim in the pulpit. To preach before a congregation is one thing, to preach to it is another. To preach to men in the mass, is the method of some, to preach so as to make each man feel-it is I, was the method of Paul (Col. i. 28). 8. There must be more of a devout and teachable spirit in the pew. The extravagant and often ridiculous demand for "talent" in the pulpit, must be moderated. When this is made the alpha and omega of ministerial fitness, of course the people take upon themselves to judge whether or not it exists in sufficient measure. Hence many go to the house of God, not to be instructed, edified in the faith, helped on in their way to heaven; but to sit in judgment on the preacher's intellectual powers, that they may go and pronounce for or against what they have heard. Spiritual growth is the last thing thought of and least cared about. But this must be altered before Christians will advance and churches will work as they ought to do. When our people come to a right state of mind on this subject, they will think that man the best minister whose preach ing brings the greatest number of souls to Christ, and is most successful in promoting the knowledge, purity, consistency, and usefulness of his flock. Men who really want to do God's work, will feel that they have no time to waste in fruitless criticisms; and that human life is far too precious a thing to be frittered away in either compliments or complaints of God's workmen. 9. The promotion of family piety must be made more a matter of business at home. 10. There must be more of mutual sympathy between Christians and churches. There must be co-operation for mutual support and for aggressive work in the name of Christ.-John Corbin. THE PERILS AND STRENGTH OF THE CHURCH. The words of the text were addressed by God to His people when in a state of peril. The enemy, like Delilah, about taking advantage of their drowsy condition, to deprive them of their strength. I. THE COMMAND UTTERED TO THE CHURCH. "Awake, awake." The words, though indicating the low condition of the Church, in reference to its moral and spiritual mission, are still consoling; they prove that it was not dead. It was sleeping, and life is an essential condition of sleep. The Church at the time was in the nearest position possible for the living to be to the dead. Sleep resembles death in many respects. But it is not death. Hence the propriety of the command. Why the Church to-day should obey the command. 1. "Awake, awake," because the foundations of thy faith are threatened. Threats spring from various sources-from the sceptical teachings of the age, from the oscillation of its own members, and especially from the fact, that so many of its teachers endeavour to persuade men that it matters not what they believe if they live properly. This is an attempt to deprive the Church of the fundamental truths of its creed that have enabled it to stand the storms of persecutions, that inspired its reformers, clothed its martyrs with power to suffer death on its behalf, and form the basis of this grand edifice the Christian Church (1 Cor. iii. 11). 2. " Awake, awake," because there are elements within thee that rapidly lead to apostasy, decay. The injury received by the Church from without, compared with that done within, is but very little. Joshua and his people had many evils to withstand and powerful enemies to conquer in taking the fortified cities of Canaan; but they had a greater loss and more shame through the action of Achan in their own camp than from all the enemies without. There are things still in the Church that demand that it should listen to the alarm of our text. (1.) The ritualistic tendencies of a great number of its members. People that think more of the form than the spirit of the service, more of the person that speaks, than what he says; that clothe themselves in the ritual of religion and feel satisfied. (2.) “Worldliness." This evil principle manifests itself in various forms in Church life. There are some people that join the Re Church for mercenary purposes. ligion in our days is considered so respectable a thing, that a profession of it gives a person reputation, and helps him on; but mark this, it is possible to obtain a reputation by a mere profession of Christianity, and at the same time be void of its power (2 Tim. iii. 5). It manifests itself also in the lack of liberality, shown by many of its members in sustaining its funds. The poorer classes cannot afford to contribute large sums for this purpose; but when we find people enjoying all the luxuries of life and contributing mea grely towards the funds of the Church of the Most High, we feel it our duty to deal plainly with them. What converted Lot's wife into a pillar of salt, brought Haman to the gallows, and sent "Demas" out of the Church into the world? Worldliness! And worldliness will again affect its victims in a similar manner, and the presence of such an enemy in the Church is a sufficient reason that it should listen to the voice of its Maker in our text. (3.) The carelessness of a great number of its members with reference to purity of life. The standard of Christian morality is certainly too low in the minds of thousands of our fellow-Christians. The ripe fruits that adorn the Christian life (Gal. v. 22, 23) are unknown to many professing Christians in our day. In the presence of many enemies, the duty of the Church is clearly defined. "Awake, awake, put on thy strength." She need not seek power outside her own resources. "Put on thy beautiful garments." Open thine own wardrobe, clothe thyself in thine. own apparel, that thy beauty and power may be perceptible. II. IN WHAT DOES THE STRENGTH OF THE CHURCH CONSIST? 1. In its devoting itself entirely to the work which it has to perform. The work of consecrating oneself to the moral and spiritual objects of the Church is too often neglected in these days. Remember, it is the men who entirely devoted themselves to the Lord's service, independent of their own personal interest and safety, or of the sect or party to which they were connected, who have left their mark on the kingdom of evil. 2. In meditation. There is nothing so effectual to inspire the mind, and clothe the soul with courage, as meditation on the Lord's dealings with His children (Ps. lxxvii. 11-20). 3. Prayer. With this the Church on earth is able to command the forces of heaven to the battle-field to fight on its behalf (2 Chron. xx.) 4. The word of God, which is called by Paul "the sword of the Spirit," and is the offensive weapon of the Church. The Christian armour consists of both defensive and offensive weapons (Eph. vi.), and the Church is commanded to take "the whole armour of God, that it may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."-J. P. Williams. I. Put on strength by wakefulness. Sleep of the body, up to a certain point, is needful and wholesome; but beyond that it is harmful. The drowsiness of the sluggard is injurious. Still more hurtful is spiritual drowsiness. A slumbering life results in moral death. Sleepy men are the easy prey of false teachers; their moral vision is obscured, and they do not easily discern between the true and the false; their critical faculties are paralysed, and they are not in a condition to "try the spirits," whether they be of God. These times require men who are awake. The first two words of the text are not to be disconnected from the others, for by wakefulness we do put on strength. Awake from your dreams, open your eyes to behold the realities of life, and address yourselves to the duties to which God calls you. II. Put on strength by activity. Activity develops strength-of body, of mind, of soul. Slothfulness is the secret and the cause of the spiritual weakness that abounds in our churches. What God requires of us is that by exercise we should develop the strength with which we have been endowed. It is not our possession of |