Earnestness In Religion
My Christian reader, are you, as a new creature in earnest? Does the new life breathe within you? Are its earnest pulsations there? “Is it your being’s only end and aim, to add new glories to your Maker’s name?”
Everything else is earnest with its own proper life–the earth and storms–the sun and moon–the nations rushing along in strife and commotion–disease wasting at noon and night. Time is in earnest. Nothing retards the rolling of its great wheel? Ages give it momentum. As it nears the great depot, its velocity is bewildering us! God is in earnest. His government moves right on–keeps his throne amid the heavings of earth’s revolutions. How earnest in his judgments! The mighty grandeur of men he treads beneath his feet, when it rises to oppose him. How earnest is his faithfulness! Time rolls on, but not a promise fails. How earnest is redeeming love! Far, far back of creation’s morn, it anticipates, and resolves; and half way down the history of man comes the Shiloh. Floods of ungodly men have risen to drown or worry out its earnest compassion; but on it love, subdues, and saves.
How earnest is Christ in his work! see him in the manger; in the life he lived; at the sea of Galilee; at the well of Jacob; working; saving moments; seizing opportunities where his melting love might spend itself. Go with him into that last feast; join, if it be possible for the human heart, in that prayer. What earnestness of love! Spend with him that lone midnight hour in the garden! Follow him to his trial, and attend it through! Oh, see him die! No indifference, no irresolution here. Who is that low in the tomb, cold, mangled, and silent; the victim of earth’s hatred and violence! He must conquer death; and down he goes to meet him on his own domain. How earnest, earnest is all this! How earnest is the work of intercession for us! Oh, what would it avail for us if done coldly! The spirit comes down in earnest to bring us to Christ. How earnest is forgiving love. No blackness of guilt can turn it away from the penetant Christian, do you not know that divine forbearance is in earnest with you? Where had you been were it luke-warm? And now, are you too! If you are Christ’s, it must be so. The life of his kingdom is of him, and will be like its source. (The True Wesleyan, April 3, 1852 Vol. X No. 14)
January
- True Wesleyan 01/03/1852
- True Wesleyan 01/10/1852
- True Wesleyan 01/17/1852
- True Wesleyan 01/24/1852
- True Wesleyan 01/31/1852
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May
Issue: 05/15/1852 is not available
June
July
- True Wesleyan 07/03/1852
- True Wesleyan 07/10/1852
- True Wesleyan 07/17/1852
- True Wesleyan 07/24/1852
- True Wesleyan 07/31/1852
August
September
October
- True Wesleyan 10/02/1852
- True Wesleyan 10/09/1852
- True Wesleyan 10/16/1852
- True Wesleyan 10/23/1852
- True Wesleyan 10/30/1852
