III. This rule of God is not ABBiTRABr, but just and indispensable. For all that we have said may coexist along with the will alien from the will of God, the heart not yet trnly surrendered to him. It was so in that typical instance of this character to whom we have so often referred. For when brought to the test he refused the will of God. For the proof of our loyalty to God is seen, not in the many things that we are and do which are in keeping with our own inclinations, but in those that we are ready to do when they involve a real taking up of the cross and contradict those inclinations. A cultured, refined disposition may lead us, out of regard to our own self-interest, to do and be that which wins for us the applause and favour of our fellow-men. It would be a pain and grief to us to be otherwise. All the commands of the moral law we may have kept from our youth up, and hence conclude, and others —even Christ's disciples — may think also, that we lack nothing. And in fact we may lack nothing but that one thing without which all else is vain and useless for onr admission into the kingdom of God. But in that kingdom the mil of Ood must he paramount, or it ceases to be the kingdom of God. Suppose one of the heavenly bodies could choose, and did so, to swerve at times from its appointed orbit, and to take a course of its dwu ; the whole universe would be thrown out of order, and confusion and destruction must ensue. Suppose one string of harp, one pipe of organ, instead of giving its pioper note, were to resolve to ntter a sound difierent from that which was appointed for it ; what jariiiig discord must result! no true music could such harp or organ give. And so in God's kingdom, if there be one discordant will, how can the harmony and peace and blessedne.-s of heaven any longer exist? If in our homes the law of tlie house be violated by any one of its members, how little would such a household deserve the sweet name of home 1 For the good of all, therefore, and not for any aibitrary reason, one law, one will must be paramount. It is so in our earthly homes ; it must yet more be so in the home of God, the kingdom of heaven. The heart, the will, munt be surrendered to God if we are to be at last numbered amongst the inhabitants of God's eternal home.
IV. What, then, shall wb say to such? Shall we bid you set light store by those varied qualities which draw forth the affection and esteem of your fellow- men ? Shall we say — Care nothing for that which, when Jesus looked upon, even he could not but love ? Still less shall we say that all these things are of the nature of sin. On the contrary, we would say — Oive Owl thanks for these things. For, indeed, it is of his great mercy that yo'i have been led to approve of them, and to turn away with disgust
OH. XLDL 1— 39.J THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. 265
and abhorrence from that which is contrary thereto. Why were you made to hear God's voice ? — for it was his voice which called you, and his hand which led you to this good choice. Without doubt the parents of that young ruler gave God thanka again and again when they saw the character of their son unfolding and developing iii all such high-minded, pure, and amiable ways. And when we see the like in our children, do we not, ought we not to, give thanks likewise ? What, then, do we say to you but this ? — (1) Mender thanks to God that he has tlms inclined your heart ; and then (2) go on to ask him who has lieen so good to you thus far that he will be more gracious still, and giveyou that one thing which yet you lack — the new heart, the perfectly surrendered will, the faith in God of which such surrender is the chief expression. Remember that the merchantman who became the happy owner of the pearl of great price was not content with the many goodly pearls after which he had been seeking and which he had already attained. No; but when he saw that pure, all-precious, lusirous pearl, he resolved that that should be his, and hence all was surrendered that he might make it his own. Now, you resemble him in two out of the three great facts of his history. Like him, you have sought ar.d found many goodly pearls. The goodly pearls of moral excellence, virtue, amiability, many things lovely and of good report. You prize these things, as you ought to do. You have sought after them and have found them. And now, again, like that merchantman, there is shown and offered to you that pearl which is more precious than all — even the gift of God, which is Jesus Christ, the eternal salvation which comes to us alone through him. Yes, that t« offered to you — that gift of the regenerated nature, that new heart and right spirit, which they who come to Christ receive. But now, in the third and chief point of all, would that you resembled that merchantman. He was willing to part with all he had for the sake of the pearl of great price. Are you? To persuade hereto we add two words. 1. The first by way of encouragement. That merchant had to part with his goodly pearls for the sake of the one all-precious one. You not only will not have to do this, but they will become more goodly and more indisputably yours than ever if the all-precious one be yours. You will have to renounce none of them, nothing lovely and of good report, nothing wherein there is any virtue or any praise. On the contrary, they shall gain an added lustre from their association with that chief excellence which we would have you win. Like as there is so great difference between a iair landscape on a bright summer's morn, and that .same scene looked upon amid the mists of winter, so shall all that is virtuous and good in us attain to a higher beauty, a more perfect loveliness, by the briglit shining of the Sun of righteousness upon them. Apart from him they are cold, dim, vague, uncertain ; but in him and through him they become radiant and more beautiful than ever. And not only so, but they are more securely yours ; they are far less likely to be lost. 2. By way of warning, let me remind you that on the wedding- garment in which we must al! be clothed if we would enter in and share in the festivities of the marriage supper of the Lamb — on that garment there shines resplendent hut one jewel ; it is this pearl of great piice. If we have not that, no bedizening of ourselves with such goodly pearls as we may possess, or think we possess, will serve instead. Many will seek, do seek, so to adorn tliemselves. But all such righteousness is rejected, all such trust refused. Oh, then, to your virtues and other lovely ami lovable qualities add this — trust in the blessed Saviour's Name, which will include in it the heart perfectly surrendered, the will yielded up to him 1 — 0.