Transcribed from the [1864] edition , email
JANUARY17, 1864,
Being theSunday following the Funeral of
JOHN PEMBERTON PLUMPTRE,ESQ.,
OF FREDVILLE, IN THE SAMEPARISH.
BYTHE
REV. HERBERT JAMES,
Perpetual Curate of Goodnestone, Kent,
ANDTHE
REV. EDWARD HOARE,
Incumbent of Trinity Church, Tunbridge Wells.
Dover:BATCHELLER.
London:NISBET, BernersStreet.
“Remember them which have the rule over you(are the guides), who have spoken unto you the Word of God: whosefaith follow, considering the end of theirconversation.”—Heb. xiii. 7.
God’s gifts to His Church are manifold. He hasgiven Christ and eternal life in Him. He has given the Wordof Christ, the precious casket which enshrines Him and Hissalvation. He has given the Holy Ghost to lead us by theWord Inspired to the Word Incarnate. And He has givenChristians indeed—men and women saved byChrist—living embodiments of a living Saviour and a livingWord, through the living Spirit.
In all these gifts He has a special purpose in view. They are not thrown at random into the world. God doesnothing aimlessly.
When He called this world of ours into being, and gave it itsproper place in the universe as the habitation forman,—when He gathered up the light into the light-bearers,and commanded them to be for signs, and for seasons, for days,and years,—when He put the topstone to creation, and setman upon the earth to be His representative,—in all thisthere was nothing without design. “He hath made Hiswonderful works to be remembered.”
p. 4And so,brethren, has He dealt in things of higher moment. When Hegave His Son, His Word, His Spirit, His people, there was ameaning in each of these gifts. They are noaccidents. His choosing is for our using. His merciesare for our minding. His gifts are for our gain, as well asfor the glory of His own grace.
Now, this is specially true of that great, but oftenlittle-regarded, gift—a Christian indeed. Itis a mistake to suppose that such an one is here merely to workout his own salvation, and heap up treasure for himself in theworld to come.
He is not here for himself. As anunconverted man an end is to be served by his being. As aconverted man a far higher end is to be served by his being inChrist. He is God’s workmanship, God’sappointment for others;—a privilege for thoseamongst whom he is placed; a light to see by; salt to be savouredby; a leader to be marked; a guide to be followed.
The apostle recognises this truth in the scripture beforeus. He is writing to a people whom he wis