Christ Satisfying the Instincts of Humanity; 8 Lectures (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1870. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... Matthew V. 48. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Fatlier which is in heaven is perfect. THERE is a strange melody in the sound--a combination (if the phrase might be pardoned) of discords into a harmony--let it fill the ear to-night The sinner, man, is bidden to be perfect: and that, not in any dwarfed or stunted sense of perfection, such as might bring it down, or half way down, to his level, and then flatter him with the idea, that, considering all things, he is not so far short of the ideal of his humanity: not thus--on the contrary, he is to be perfect as God is perfect: nothing less or other is the scale and the standard: it is not enough, the context says, to aim at a human perfection, a perfection which, at the utmost, you will share and divide with your fellows: high above this, far above out of your reach, yet still the only limit (if limit it can be called) of your moral, spiritual, Christian ambition, towers the perfection which your Master proposes to you-- Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. There are doubtless many considerations by which the precept is to be guarded, and we shall not close, for this evening, without adverting to them. But they scarcely affect the leading idea. No moralist, no theologian, before Christ, ever ventured, probably, upon such a direction. Visionary, fantastic, presumptuous, almost blasphemous, would it have seemed to any merely human teacher. By straining too severely (he would have said) the bow of effort, you may crack, snap, shiver it. Aim at the possible, and something--aim at the impossible, and nothing--will come of it. My brethren, our Lord Jesus Christ knew better what was in man--and here, as everywhere, He proves Himself a Master. What He appeals to in this...