according to their design. He is to bring forth things new and old; to
My brethren, we are at this present hour "set for the defense of
the gospel." If ever men were called to this office, we are so called.
These are times of drifting: men have pulled up their anchors, and
are driven to and fro with winds and tides of divers kinds. As for me,
I have in this hour of danger not only let down the great bower
anchor, but I have cast four anchors out of the stern. That may be
quite the wrong place; but in these times we need anchoring both
fore and aft. Now am I fixed. Skeptical reasonings might have moved
me at one time, but not now. Do our enemies ask us to lay down our
swords, and cease to fight for the old faith? Like the Greeks said to
Xerxes, we answer, "Come and take them." The other day, the
advanced thinkers were going to sweep the orthodox into limbo; but
as yet, we survive their assaults. These boasters do not know the
vitality of Evangelical truth. No, glorious gospel, you shall never
perish! If we are to die, we will die fighting. If we shall personally
pass away, fresh evangelists will preach upon our graves. Evangelical
truths are like the dragon's teeth which Cadmus sowed, they breed
men all armed for the fray. The gospel lives by dying. Brethren, at
any rate, in this contest, if we are not victorious, we will at least be
faithful.
6. A steward's business is to dispense his master's goods
according to their design. He is to bring forth things new and old; to
provide milk for babes and strong meat for men, giving to each one
his portion of meat in due season. At some tables, I fear the strong
men have been waiting a long time for the meat, and there is small
hope of its yet appearing; the milk-and-water is more plentiful by far.
Someone went to hear a certain preacher, last Sunday, and
complained that he did not preach Christ. Another remarked that
perhaps it was not the due season; but, my brethren, the due season
for preaching Christ is every time you preach. God's children are
always hungry, and no bread will satisfy them but that which comes
down from Heaven.
A wise steward will maintain the proportion of truth. He will
bring forth things new and old; not always doctrine, not always
practice, and not always experience. He will not always preach
conflict, nor always victory; not giving a one-sided view of truth, but
a sort of stereoscopic view, which shall make truth stand out
"evidently set forth" before them. Much of the preparation of
spiritual food lies in the correct proportion of the ingredients. One
spoke incorrectly of using in his sermons three grains of Calvinism
and two of Arminianism; meaning, as I afterwards learned, that he
preached both a full gospel and a free gospel: in that which he
intended, I fully agree with him. Let us give a wide range of
experience, not forgetting that higher life which consists in increased
lowliness of mind. To make full proof of our ministry, will require
great discrimination; for a want of balance in preaching has done
serious injury to many a church. The line of wisdom is as fine as a
razor's edge, and we shall need Divine wisdom to keep us to it. We