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The Pathway of Safety; or, Counsel to the Awakened By the Right Rev. Ashton Oxenden, D.D. (1808-1892) CHAPTER XI – DIFFICULTIES WEAKNESS OF FAITH; A SENSE OF SINFULNESS; WNADERINGS IN PRAYER; THE DUTY OF CONFESSING CHRIST; PERPLEXING PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE THE very title of this book is encouraging—The Pathway of Safety. And you will perhaps think that I have said so much of the Christian’s Dangers and Temptations, that I might well stop here, and turn to something a little more cheering. But no; such was not our Lord’s method. He concealed not one single difficulty from His beloved followers. He told them all they would have to encounter in their Christian course. And with this He mingled a joyful assurance, that He Himself was with them, to strengthen them with His grace, and to carry them safely to their journey’s end. And should I be a faithful guide to you, if I only spoke to you of the happy home before you, and the pleasant objects by the way; and said nothing of the rugged path you are now and then called to tread, and the toils and trials you may chance to meet with by the way? Should I be a faithful guide, if I made the pathway of safety a downhill road, and the journey all sunshine? Why, your own experience, short as it is perhaps, will answer that question. It is far better that I should speak openly to you of your difficulties, and show you the best way of meeting them. You have difficulties of various kinds, I doubt not, even now, and many more you are sure to meet with. But before we go into particulars, let me say a word for your comfort. Others have met with them before you. God’s dearest children have met with them in abundance. Nay, more, it is good for us to meet with them. The softest road is not always the best road. It is on the smooth ice we slip: a rougher path is usually safer for our feet. Our difficulties make us watchful. They plainly show us our weakness, and send us to Christ for help. They humble us before God. Now, let me mention a few of these Difficulties, which are likely to perplex you. 1. Weakness of Faith. This is what God’s people oftentimes complain of. Perhaps when you first drew near as a penitent to Christ, you felt that He was all you needed, and your whole heart went out towards Him. There was an earnestness about you, which lifted you as it were above the world, and led you to accept with thankful eagerness the salvation offered to you. But now that the first fervor is over, you find so much weakness in your faith, that you are at times almost ready to doubt whether it is faith at all. ‘Oh, that I could get rid of this unbelieving heart,’ is your constant complaint. My dear friend, it is well that you have begun to find out that in you ‘dwelleth no good thing.’ The Christian’s love—what is it at best? A poor and changing thing—sometimes warm and glowing, and at other times cold and weak! His obedience—how scanty! His faith—how weak and doubting! It was so with St. Peter. At one moment his faith was so strong, that he prayed, ‘Lord, bid me come unto thee on the water.’ And a few minutes after it was so weak that a little wind terrified him, and he cried out, ‘Lord, save me.’ We find him one day exclaiming, ‘Lord, I am ready to go with thee both into prison and to death;’ and yet that very night he played the coward’s part, and denied his Lord. Learn, then, that everything on your part is, and must be, worthless and defective: all on your Lord’s part is full and perfect. Learn also that it is not our Faith, but Christ, that saves us. Yes, He will save you, weak and helpless though you are, if you cast yourself unreservedly on him. But this littleness of faith distresses you. And yet that was no grief to you once. You had no misgivings then about your trust in Christ, because you had no trust at all. You once thought it easy to believe; for the only belief you knew of was a cold assent to the truths of the gospel, and a bare acknowledgment that Christ was your Savior, but nothing more. This was easy enough; there was no heart-work in this. But now you feel faith to be a very difficult thing. The fact is, that when a man first endeavors really to believe at all, he discovers that this is beyond his power. And then he finds out to his sore grief the hardness and unbelief of his heart. He earnestly desires to draw nearer to Christ, and to trust Him but he discovers that what he formerly took for faith is utterly worthless—it deserves not the name of faith. Then, surely, the very questioning in your heart is a sign of spiritual life, and that the Holy Spirit is indeed at work within you. It has been said, that no man ever truly believed who had never doubted.’ Consider from whence your faith comes. Not one single spark of real saving faith can be kindled in your heart but by God Himself. Go, then, to Him day by day, and ask Him to give you the supply you so much need. Say, Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief.’ Lord, increase my faith.’ Be constantly looking to Christ, and lifting your heart above this world of sight. Oh, how difficult this is. But make the effort, and God will bless it. The very attempt to believe will be good for you. As a weak limb grows stronger by exercise, so will your faith be strengthened by the very effort you make in stretching it out towards thugs unseen. How was it with him who had the withered hand? When Jesus said to him, ‘Stretch forth thine hand,’ did he reply, ‘I have no power to do so?’ No, he made a great effort to thrust it forth: and in the very act of so doing, Jesus gave the needed strength. (Matt. 12.10-13.) And now I say to you, Go and do thou likewise. Stretch out the poor weak hand of faith and the more you do so the stronger will it become. 2. A feeling of your great sinfulness may also at times disturb you. You may say to yourself, ‘I am too great a sinner to be saved.’ But, as I observed in a former chapter, the time was when Satan tempted you with a very different bait. He then persuaded you that you had no need of a Savior; that all was well with you that your soul was in health; and so your sins gave you not the slightest concern. But now he is forced to change his ground with you. He will make you now feel, if he can, that you are so desperately sinful, that mercy cannot reach you. ‘Ah!’ you will perhaps say, ‘if my sins were not so grievous, Christ would save me.’ But what says the word of God? ‘Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.’ (Isa. 1.8) You may well feel that your sins are great, but do not let this keep you from the Savior. No, my dear reader, this must not be; it should rather send you to Him. Or, perhaps, your feeling is that, if Jesus was upon earth, you would then have some hope. You would go to him, and cast yourself down at his feet, and entreat Him to save you. Listen, again, to God’s word—that word which is the sinner’s only guide—and what does it say? ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.’ Your Savior is in heaven. There He sits at God’s right hand. But He is just as able to save, and as ready to save, now, as He was when walking through the streets of Jerusalem. Believe in this unseen Savior. Flee to Him In faith, and you will find him waiting to receive you into the arms of His mercy. Saul of Tarsus believed on Him; the Jailor at Philippi believed; hundreds have believed, and do believe on Him; and their souls are saved. You may feel that your sins are great and numberless; but, great as they are, the power of Christ is greater. He is ‘able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him.’ (Heb. 7.25) Paul was ‘the chief of sinners;’ but he ‘obtained mercy ‘—and so will you, if you are making an earnest application for it. There is also another mistake of the same kind which you possibly may fall into. You may fancy that you must make yourself acceptable to Christ, by some act of goodness on your part, or by some course of preparation; that you must, in fact, do something in order to make yourself worthy of Christ’s salvation. What is this, but trying to set up a ladder of your own by which to climb heavenwards? Satan will look on, and rejoice. He will delight in seeing you toiling up it. But you will only be disappointed; for your ladder will most surely break from under you. No, you must come to the cross, stripped of all goodness, simply asking the Savior to accept you just as you are. Again, you may be tempted to think that by waiting a little while, you may perhaps be in a better condition for acceptance. Here is the same mistake, only under another form. And if Satan can but keep you from Christ, this is all he desires. The truth is that, as long as we remain away from Christ, our condition only becomes worse and worse. If we were to wait for years, we could never make ourselves worthy. The only worthiness which He looks for, when He receives a penitent sinner, is a deep and contrite feeling of his own unworthiness. Would it, think you, be wise of the sick man, who is hastening to the grave, to say, when it is proposed to send for the physician, ‘No, wait a day or two, till I am better?’ Would it be wise, if you had ruined yourself by your extravagance, and your creditors were making pressing demands upon you, and some one offered to pay all your debts, to say, ‘I will accept your kind offer when I am a little better off in the world: I am now too poor to accept it?’ Is not the desperate nature of our spiritual sickness the very plea which we should urge for our Physician’s help? Is not our destitution the very reason why we should apply for His immediate aid? And who so fit an object for the Saviors mercy as a poor ruined sinner? Who so likely to he accepted of Him as one who feels undone without Him? The Publican did not wait. The Prodigal did not stay away till he felt worthy. He went with this very acknowledgment on his lips, ‘I am not worthy to be called thy son.’ Christ is willing to save you, not for any goodness or fitness in yourself but of His own free grace and mercy. He is willing to save you just as you are—sinful, worthless, undeserving. And it is those who feel this to be their state, who are welcome to the Savior. ‘They that be whole,’ He says, ‘need not a physician, but they that are sick. I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’ (Matt. 9.12, 13) Go, then, with the full burden of your sins, heavy though it be, and throw yourself at the feet of Christ. He loves to pardon the guilty, and to save the lost. No sin can be too great, no stain too deep, but that His blood can wash it out (1 John 1.7). Is He not the friend of sinners, and the Savior of the lost? Then He is the very Savior for you. Ask not that you may feel your sins less, but that you may feel His pardoning love more. Ask to be relieved, not only from the painful conviction of unforgiven sin, but also from its hateful power over you. From Calvary’s cross a fountain flows, Of water and of blood, More healing than Bethesda’s pool, Or famed Siloam’s flood.
The dying thief rejoiced to see This fountain in his day: And there would I, though vile as he, Wash all my sins away. 3. Wandering in Prayer. Here is another difficulty which is peculiarly distressing to God’s children. You are not the only one who has had to mourn over it. Every one who prays feels it at times. We kneel down in God’s house, or in our own private chambers. We wish to speak to our Father who is in secret. And perhaps for a moment or two we really pray in earnest. Then, almost without our being aware of it, our attention flags. Some thought of quite another kind springs up, uncalled for, in our minds. And thus we presently find ourselves speaking to God with our lips, while our hearts are far from Him. And it is very humbling to confess that sometimes the most trifling thoughts steal into our minds at such solemn moments. It is not that we are merely drowsy; that would be bad enough. But our thoughts fly off at times to matters of the most trivial nature. The world and sin still hover about us, even when we are upon our knees before God. Now, is there any remedy for this? I believe there is; and if we use it, the evil will grow less and less, and we shall in the end master it. First, look upon such wandering in prayer as a direct offense against God. Ask Him to forgive it for Christ’s sake, and to grant you power to resist it. Next, watch against it beforehand. Our Lord couples watchfulness and prayer together. He says, ‘Watch and pray.’ (Mark 13.33) And St. Peter says, ‘Watch unto prayer.’ (1 Pet. 4.7) try and get your mind into a serious frame before you begin to pray. For if you rush at once from your worldly occupations into God’s presence, you will be pretty sure to have your heart full of them all the while thus your mind will he distracted; and though your lips may pray, your thoughts will he roving elsewhere. Set a watch too upon your heart while you are praying. Keep before you, all the while, the fact that you are speaking to a God who hears you, and that you are in His presence. Make prayer a real thing. You are confessing real sins. You are begging for real blessings. You really want to be heard and answered. In this manner you may, with Gods help, in some measure at least, remedy the evil. I do not say you will entirely overcome it for I believe that few Christians, if any, have gained such perfect control over their thoughts, that at all times, when on their knees, they are able completely to shut out everything else, and to realize the presence of God only. But you may, by watchfulness and perseverance, do much towards keeping your mind clear of those worldly intruders, which so much disturb our devotions. I ought perhaps to mention that the power of keeping the heart and mind fixed in prayer often depends upon the state of the body. Hence, in the time of sickness, or of any bodily suffering, how difficult it is to give the whole mind to prayer, or to any other spiritual exercise! Many have found thus, and it has greatly distressed them. But let not such be discouraged. There is one above who can feel for us, and bear with our infirmities. Happy is it for us that He ‘knows our frame, and remembers that we are dust.’ 4. I shall now call your attention to another point, on which many, who have just entered upon the hearty service of Christ, find a difficulty. ‘Ought I (they ask) to declare openly the change in my feelings?’ You are perhaps living in a worldly family. Those whom you are thrown among are, for the most part, worldly people. And such were you yourself lately: but now you are a candidate for heaven, and you are wishing to serve your new Master. ‘Ought I then (you will ask) to avoid observation, by keeping my feelings secret; or should I openly declare the change that has taken place in me?’ Perhaps the safest line to take will be this—Let men first see, by your altered conduct, that you are an altered person. And, then, if at any time you are spoken against for choosing the Lord’s service, be ready to make a full avowal of what you feel. Bear the cross willingly, cheerfully, and fearlessly. But let the confession of a holy life, if possible, come first, for that is something real; and let the confession of the lips follow. It was well said by a Christian of former days, named Ignatius, that it is ‘better for a man to hold his peace and be, than to say he is a Christian, and not to be.’ It becomes one in your condition to say but little concerning yourself. ‘Let your religion (as a Christian writer observes) be impressive by its consistency, and attractive by its amiableness. A word fitly spoken is valuable; but, in general, it is better for persons to see your religion than to hear it; it is better to hold forth the truth in your life than in your language; and by your temper rather than by your tongue.’ There are times however, when we ought to speak. And if, on such occasions, you shrink from the cross, and are ashamed of Christ and His service, this is a positive sin against your Lord. ‘The fear of man (we are told) brings a snare.’ (Prov. 29.25) And so sure as we are cowards in our Master’s service, and yield to the fear of reproach, we shall be kept from doing many things, which become us as His followers. It is not only your duty to confess Him manfully and openly, but it will be your happiness too. It will often be found a great relief to a young convert to unfurl his banner, and to let his character, as one who seeks heaven, be no longer concealed. This may cost you a struggle or two. But, when it is once done—when the bold step is once taken—many after-difficulties disappear. I will give you an instance of this. A young naval Officer of my acquaintance became a truly religious man. At first he was naturally a little shy in his intercourse with his brother-officers. For a time he concealed his religious feelings, from fear of ridicule. Frequently, however, his conscience told him that this was wrong, and that he ought to declare the change in his views. So there was a daily struggle, a constant compromise between right and wrong; one moment a step forward, and then a step back, to save appearances, as though he had gone too far. Happily a circumstance occurred which delivered him from this difficulty. It was the custom on board his ship, as it is in most, to have service every Sunday on deck. Now, it had long distressed him, that during the prayers no one knelt. He felt it was wrong, and the sin lay like a weight upon his mind. He determined, on the following Sunday, to do what he believed to be right, though in doing it he should act alone So, when the general Confession was read, down he knelt. Instantly a look of astonishment, as he afterwards told me, proceeded from every eye. He was now a marked man. He had lost his character with the worldly. He was henceforth looked upon as a ‘Methodist’ and a ‘saint.’ He, no doubt, had to take up his cross, and bear something; but his course was now tenfold easier than it was before. He had come out in his true character, as a servant of God; and many of his former difficulties vanished away. While however it is your duty to make a manly avowal of ‘the good part’ which you have chosen, I would again caution you not to be too free in speaking of a change within, lest your outward conduct should not bear sufficient evidence of it—not to be too forward in proclaiming yourself a servant of Christ, unless you have counted the cost, and have heartily entered upon His service. But when you have done this, when you have earnestly and decidedly chosen Christ for your Master, let there be no compromise, no desire to keep well with the world, no shrinking from the Savior’s cross; but a dear, bold, and upright walk in the heavenward path. ‘Whosoever,’ says our Lord, ‘shall be ashamed of Me, and of My words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.’ (Mark 8.38) I am quite aware that there are many other difficulties which my Christian brother or sister will probably meet with in the journey to heaven. But I shall only mention one more. 5. In reading Scripture, you will find many Difficult Passages which you cannot understand. I have already (in the tenth chapter) called your attention to certain disputed and doubtful questions, which Satan often tries to busy us with; and these I have recommended you altogether to avoid. But I wish now to speak of those passages of Scripture which are ‘hard to be understood,’ and those difficult doctrines connected with God’s truth, which must occasionally come before you. These may perplex you. They are like steep places in your journey, and you may find a little difficulty in getting over them. You will perhaps wish to untie every knot, and to have all made plain to you. But why should you expect this? Does not God speak to us there of many deep things? And are we not very ignorant, even the wisest of us? How natural then that there should be much in the Bible beyond our reach! When you come to a difficult chapter, or a hard verse, and, after a careful examination of it, you cannot understand its meaning, leave it for a while. You may, perhaps, as you read on, meet with some other passage which will throw light upon it. The more you read God’s word, the plainer it will become to you. Further, I would recommend you to dwell chiefly on those parts of the Bible which are the least difficult Let these be your favorite study. Try to get a simple, child-like view of truth, and do not puzzle yourself with the more difficult matters. It has been well said, that the best way to understand the difficult and mysterious doctrines in the opening of St. Paul’s Epistles, is to begin to practice those plain rules and precepts which we find at the close of them. Set yourself to practice these; and then more understanding will be given you. The way to arrive at more knowledge is to obey what you already know. ‘A good understanding have all they that do His commandments.’ (Ps. 111.10) A Lady of my acquaintance once fell into conversation with a Bricklayer. He told her that he was a good deal harassed about the doctrine of election. Her reply to him was a very sensible one. ‘When you build a house,’ she said, ‘do you begin with the chimneys? Do you not first concern yourself about the foundation? Well, now, you are a plain, simple man, and you are in earnest about your soul. Look well to the foundation then. Try and get a clear view of those great truths, which are plainly revealed to us. These are what you have chiefly to do with at present. Leave the high things of God for a while. They will all be made plain by degrees. The chimneys will come in their proper place.’ This was good and wise advice; and you, my reader, will do well to follow it. There arc many doctrines of the Gospel far beyond our reach. They are too high for our puny stature. They are not contrary to our reason, but they are above our reason. The doctrines of the Holy Trinity for instance, of the union of the Godhead and the manhood in the person of Christ, &c., are matters which we can neither hope to understand, nor attempt to explain. What then? Should we reject them, merely because they are beyond our comprehension? Or should we be disposed to murmur, because we are not as wise as God? Surely not: this would be folly. Let us be content simply to receive them, as truths which God has made known to us. Let us accept them in humble faith; and not attempt to bring them down to the level of our own shallow understanding. Meanwhile, wait humbly upon God. Read patiently and prayerfully His word. And the promise is, that ‘we shall know, if we follow on to know the Lord.’ (Hosea 6.3) ‘The meek will He guide in judgment, and the meek will He teach His way.’ (Psalm 25.9) ‘If thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God for the Lord giveth wisdom.’ (Prov.2.3, 4) Let it never trouble or surprise you that you sometimes meet with difficulties in Scripture. Rather be thankful that there is so much that is plain and easy. There are many dark things, that you will never comprehend fully here. But the dawn will soon break, and the shadows flee away. All will one day he light. ‘Now,’ says the apostle, we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face. Now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.’ (I Cor. 13.12) **************************************************** The Pathway of Safety; or, Counsel to the Awakened, Ashton Oxenden **************************************************** PREVIOUS CHAPTER -- NEXT CHAPTER ©God’sGWG |