The Church of England Pulpit, and Ecclesiastical Review Volume 40 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1895 edition. Excerpt: ...which is the besetting fault of all who profess religion; but He aspired to no spiritual dignities, except to the grand and noble exaltation of the Cross, which placed Him, as upon a throne, above mankind; and He was no hypocrite--no actor of religion, but one who was thoroughly truthful and sincere in deed, in word, and in heart. Being such Himself, He came amongst the sin of the world with the intention of curing it. We have now to consider, How did He deal with it? There was one class of sins on which He was excessively severe. Some of us, perhaps, think in their hearts that He was too severe. These were all the self-exalting, self-asserting, self-admiring, self-glorifying sins. He laid down as a principle that everything that is lofty among men is abomination in the sight of God; and He applied that principle to every form of human self-exaltation. Of the rich, who trusted in their riches, He demanded great sacrifices, in some cases the sacrifice of all that they possessed. To the exclusive He pointed out that not persons of their own rank in life who could make them an equal return, but those from whom they could expect nothing again, were the proper subjects of Christian hospitality. Before the luxurious who were clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day, regardless of the sufferers near them, who were content with the broken meat from their tables, He set the parable, in which it is taught that those who do not share with others the good things which God gives them here, must expect evil things hereafter. But He reserved His sternest censures for religious ostentation and spiritual pride. He instituted no ecclesiastical dignities--no new form of human loftiness to replace those which His teaching was to lay...