(3) Self-indulgence. — Those who think too much of their mere comfort are exposed to the subtle temptation of forgetting the law of duty, the law of self-sacrifice, obedience to which is the proof and token that Christ is dwelling in our hearts by faith.
* Bacon, Essmjs, " Of Superstition." '^ David Watson, The Heritage of Youth, 90. EPH.-COL. — 10
146 CHRIST IN THE HEART
Now, of all the idols men can worship, there is scarcely a meaner than the idol of mere ease and comfort ; there is scarcely a tendency that is more destructive of lofty aims and worthy efforts ; there is .scarcely one that is more unlike the Gospel image of our Saviour, who had not where to lay His head, or more at variance with the spirit that would pray, with the Apostle, that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith.
t3>
Oh I could go through all life's troubles singing
Turning earth's night to day, If self were not so fast around me, clinging
To all I do or say.
My very thoughts are selfish, always building
Mean castles in the air; I use my love of others for a gilding
To make myself look fair.
I fancy all the world engrossed with judging
My merit or my blame ; Its warmest praise seems an ungracious grudging
Of praise which I might claim.
In youth, or age, by city, wood, or mountain.
Self is forgotten never; Where'er we tread, it gushes like a fountain,
And its waters flow for ever.
Alas! no speed in life can snatch us wholly
Out of self's hateful sight; And it keeps step, whene'er we travel slowly,
And sleeps with us at night.
0 miserable omnipresence, stretching
Over all time and space. How have I run from thee, yet found thee reaching
The goal in every race.
The opiate balms of grace may haply still thee,
Deep in my nature lying; For I may hardly hope, alas ! to kill thee,
Save by the act of dying.
EPHESIANS III. 17 147
O Lord ! that I could waste my life for others,
With no ends of my own, Tliat I could pour myself into my brothers,
And live for them alone !
Such was the life Thou livedst; self abjuring,
Thine own pains never easing, Our burdens bearing, our just doom enduring,
A life without self -pleasing ! 1
I.
The Indwelling.
1. During the days of His ministry on earth our Lord promised, " If a man love me, he will keep my word ; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him " (John xiv, 23). Again, it is said in Eev. iii. 20, in that affecting invitation given by the " Amen, the faithful and true witness " — " Behold, I stand at the door and knock : if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." This is the invitation and this the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ ; and we find Him fulfilling this engagement in various portions of His history. When He came to the city of Jericho for the conversion of Zacchaeus, we find Him saying, " Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down ; for to-day I must abide at thy house " (Luke xix. 5). We are informed also that, in the journey of the two disciples to Emmaus, they con- strained the Lord to come into their house, saying, " Abide with us : for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent " : and He was prevailed on by their entreating fervency, and " he went in to tarry with them." Now, it is a fact, that when the soul comes to the true knowledge of God, through the teaching of His Holy Spirit, and is enabled to lay hold on the Divine promises, which are all yea and amen in Christ Jesus, the Saviour enters into this soul and dwells there.
Go not, my soul, in search of Him,
Thou wilt not find Him there, — Or in the depths of shadow dim,
Or heights of upper air. » F. W. Faber.
148 CHRIST IN THE HEART
For not in far-off realms of space
The Spirit hath its throne ; In every heart it findeth place
And waiteth to be known.
Thought answereth alone to thought,
And Soul with soul hath kin ; The outward God he findeth not,
Who finds not God within.
And if the vision come to thee
Eevealed by inward sign, Earth will be full of Deity
And with His glory shine !
Thou shalt not want for company,
Nor pitch thy tent alone; The indwelling God will go with thee.
And show thee of His own.
0 gift of gifts, 0 grace of grace
That God should condescend To make thy heart His dwelling-place,
And be thy daily Friend !
Then go not thou in search of Him,
But to thyself repair; Wait thou within the silence dim,
And thou shalt find Him there.^
2. The dwelling of Christ in the heart is to be regarded as being a plain literal fact. To a man who does not believe in the Divinity of Jesus Christ, that is, of course, nonsense ; but to those who see in Him the manifested incarnate God, there ought to be no difficulty in accepting this as the simple literal force of the words before us, that in every soul where faith, however feeble, has been exercised, there Jesus Christ does verily abide. It is not to be weakened down into any notion of participation in His likeness, sympathy with His character, submission to His influence, following His example, listening to His instruction, or the like. A dead Plato may so influence his followers, but that