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December 24, 1913,
A FAMILY PAPER.
THE CONIES.
A Sermon by the Rev. R. J. Dodds.
Prov. 30:26.
The Bible, the Word of God, never flatters man.
On the contrary, it employs various means to
humble his pride. It refers him to the loAver animals
for lessons in 'prudence, wisdom and virtue;
'lo the ant, ergo, and to the beasts of the field
and the fishes of the sea. It even compares him
with brutes to his discredit and disparagment,
with the ox, that knows his owner, and the ass,
that knows his master's crib, to the stork, that
knoAvs its appointed times; and the turtle and
the crane and the swallow, that know the time
of their coming.
The conies are referred to in our text in a
Avay to both humble our pride and point us a
useful lesson. They are commended because
though Aveak and helpless they have an instinct
for self-preservation. They make their houses in
the rocks. They also place sentinels to apprise
them of danger. In both respects their conduct
is worthy of man's imitation.
•What the rocks are to the conies God is willing
to be to all who resort to him. Corresponding
to the conies' sentries are Christ's ministers,
"watchmen to the house of Israel."
But while t'ne conies heed the alarm of their
little sentinel, men often disregard God's warnings,
and are even indignant with those whom he
employs to utter them. They prefer to be let
alone in carnal security. They prefer life on
the plains to houses in the rocks.
The expressions "entering into God" and
"dwelling in God" are highly figurative, but quite
Scriptural. They signify an acceptance of God
and a loving, obedient attitude towards him.
Alter so much by way of preface, I wish to present
three thoughts.
1. Man's only safety and salvation is in God.
It is in a urrender of himself to God and an
acceptance of his offered mercy; an acceptance'
Of each of t le three dlA'lne persons, the Mediator
in each of his three oflices and the word of
God as the rule of life.
To make such a surrender, to thus accept God,
one must feel his need of God. This is why the
first steps the Holy Spirit takes in the application
of redemption to a soul Is to convince it of
sin.
, '^
Until converted to God we are in the power of
our spiritual enemies. Man sold himself to Satan
and became much like his master. 01 all unregenerate
men it may be said "Ye are of your
father, the devil, and the works of your father
ye will do." Also Satan's inheritance must be
tieir portion. The outcome is death, "the wages
of sin is death." That man's state of bondage
Was self-chosen does not make it less real, less
bitter. Yet Satan has a deceitful way of persuading
his victims for a time that his service is
delightful, freedom, in comparison with Christ's.
It is only for a time the delusion lasts. Satan
throws off his mask and they come to feel his
power and his hate. But even then the sufEering
victims will not seek deliverance through divine
power until they are first convinced of sin, and of
the righteousness of Christ, and the judgment and
overthrow of Satan. They are then convinced
that a iperfct salvation is offered in Christ.
They flee for refuge to the hope set before
them. By faith they enter into Christ as the
conies into the rocks. The name ol the Lord becomes
to them a strong tower. They sing "God
Is our refuge and our strength, the dwelling place
of his people in all generations."
II. Degrees of safety and salvation vary with
the degree ot our entrance into God.
Perhaps you have never thought ol different
degrees of entrance into God, perhaps not even
of different degrees ol safety and salvation. They
are all, however, taught in the Avord of God.
There are degrees in the punishment ot the
wicked, corresponding to their different degrees
of guilt. Some having an imperfect knowledge of
their Lord's will when they violate it, are beaten
with a few stripes. Others who, with a full
knowledge of it, deliberately transgress it, are
beaten with many stripes.
With the knowledge ofl this fact might we not
infer different degrees of salvation for believers?
To this the Spirit appears to refer when he says,
"There is one glory of the sun, another glory of
the moon, another glory of the stars, for one star
differeth from another star in glory." The basis
of these different degrees is the degree of fidelity
to God and his truth in our present state of
probation.
This is, no doubt, a difficult matter to understand
clearly. Efforts at illustration have only
been (partially successful. Perhaps the best illustration
is that of cups of varying sizes filledwith
wine. Each may be full, yet each will not 'contain
the same amount. So all believers will, in
the future state, be fllledwith glory and blessedness
to the extent of their capacity. But their
capacities will differ.
We are living creatures. We grow and develop.
The degree of blessedness we attain depends
upon our present growth, that upon our use of
means. We develop here in the degree of our
fidelity and obedience to God.
Does it not seem strange in view of this lact,
that so little importance attaches in the minds of
many to denominational differences? Are the
different churches to be regarded as different
roads to the same place? This seems to be the
view of many. It is only partially correct. Attachment
to principle should not be set down as
a matter of prejudice. Do not be unduly moved
by the question "Do you not believe that members
of other denominations can be saved?" Of
course you believe they may be, and are in large
numbers. Faith in Christ is the only condition
of salvation. Few evangelical Christians hold
that even membership in the Covenanter Church
necessarily debars from heaven. Many who think
it too strict, for themselves at least, rejoice that
their revered ancestors lived and died firm in its
principles. The fact that you, admit that men
may be saved in other churches does not condemn
your adherence to certain principles that
are not accepted by all. The admission, when
made does not necessarily condemn all devotion
to principle or sweep testimony bearing off the
board.
We believe that men may believe and be saved
who have no connection with the visible church.
We do not, however, condemn as useless, the
church which Christ established and organized.
Nor do we say a person is as well out of the
church as in it.
We believe that men may be saved in the membership
of corrupt and apostate churches—not
by reason of, but in spite of their membership
in them. This admission, however, does not imply
that one is as safe In an apostate church as
in one quite evangelical. Membership in one
jeopardizes tbe soul instead of helping'it heaven-
Avard.
We may find much to admire in all the evangelical
churches and love their members as dear
brethren in Christ, without saying they are alike
good.
Other things being equal, must not one's spiritual
saiety be greater and his degree of salvation
greater in the degree ol the purity of doctrine
and worship ih the church with which he
chooses to be identified? God rewards men In
the degree of the honor they show the principles
ol his word in their private, civil and ecclesiastical
life. He shows them honor by according
them a greater degree ol protection from spiritual
foes and by granting them a more abundant
entrance into the kingdom of our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ.
III. The greatest degree of safety and salvation
is attained by those who enter most deeply into
God. After the previous considerations there
is no escape from this conclusion.
The conies, being exceedingly wise, doubtless
conceal themselves, when danger threatens, deep
within the crevices of the rocks. They leave no
limb exposed to be seized by 'prowling wolf or
cunning fox.
But many 'Christians, it is to be feared, do not
enter so deeply into 'Christ, by a lull surrender to
his will and acceptance ol his truth, as to malve
themselves perfectly safe. So far as we can judge,
many expose themselves culpably to danger from
the attacks of him who walks about as a roaring
lion. Does it involve no danger of entering
maimed into life?
There are many who want to be a little like
their neighbors, a little conformed to the world,
in devotion to pleasure, in disregard for the
sanctity of the Sabbath or in courting the company
of the irreligious and profane. They persuade
tliemselves there is no risk, that, go where
they may and do what they may, Christ has
pledged himself to keep them safe here and give
them a home in heaven at last. Need it be a
matter of wonder if they enter heaven in some
measure as they are plucked from the lion's
mouth, considerably mutilated, "a leg and a
piece of an ear?"
It is never safe or right to say. How far can
1 depart from the right way and still be saved?
Disobedience always involves danger and loss.
While no one can ever merit even the lowest
degree in glory, yet it is the duty ol every one
to strive for the highest. The Scriptures are
full of urgent exhortations to a strenuous Christian
life. "Fight the good fight of faith.'' "Press
toward the mark." "Take to you the whole armor
of God and stand." Do these commands seem
to countenance indolence, indifference, lukewarmness?
By diligent heed to these exhortations, men win
divine faA'or and God becomes their defence, a
wall of fire about them, their shield and their exceeding
great reward.
When tempted to relapse into a degree of unfaithfulness,
in invitation of others, consider that
it involves a great degree of present spiritual
safety and a great degree ol heavenly glory.
Seek to know and on the divine will and you
shall dwell on high; your place of defense shall
be the munitions of the rocks.
The conies require only defense. We require
an advantageous position whence to attack the
enemies ol our King. Under the wings of the
Almighty is safety and strength, a full supply
both for defense and offense.
Let us imitate the conies by establishing ourselves
behind the impregnable doctrines of the
diA'ine word, with the utmost devotion to Christ's
honor, above all taking refuge under the blood
of the everlasting 'covenant.