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The Pathway of Safety; or, Counsel to the Awakened By the Right Rev. Ashton Oxenden, D.D. (1808-1892) CHAPTER XIII - DUTIES TO GOD; TO ONE’S FAMILY; TO ONE’S FELLOW CHRISTIANS; TO THE WORLDLY; TO THE HEATHEN; TO ONESELF. As a servant of Christ, you have not only dangers to avoid, and means of grace to help you on your way, and cautions to make you watchful, and promises to encourage you, but you have also DUTIES to discharge. FIRST—Our duty to God stands in the foreground. For one great difference between a worldly man and a Christian is this— the one considers that God has a claim, though not the chief claim upon him the other feels that his duty to God stands out as the one main object, to which all else must give way. And what is the duty which, as Christians, we owe to God? 1. We should love Him above all things. Even our nearest friends should not be dear to us, in comparison with Him. Thus David said, ‘Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.’ (Psalm 73.25) Nothing short of God Himself will satisfy the soul, which has felt the emptiness of all earthly joys, and at last has found rest in Him, I say, nothing short of God Himself. The Christian’s enjoyment of God may not be always the same. Sometimes it may he greater, and sometimes less. Sometimes his heart may be warmer towards God than at other times. But as the needle of the compass, when moved, ever turns to one particular point, and there fixes itself; so is God the one great object of attraction to the believer. There he finds a resting-place, and there alone does he love to dwell. The best of earthly things he cannot enjoy apart from God. He only enjoys them, as he enjoys God in them. Even spiritual gifts alone will not satisfy him; he wants the Giver, as well as the gifts. He desires Christ’s presence as well as His ordinances. He knows that the Fountain is fuller than the stream, and the Sun itself more glorious than its rays. This is a heavenly feeling indeed; and only grace can produce it within us. God Himself must plant this love in the barren soil of our hearts. He must ‘shed it abroad’ there ‘by the Holy Ghost.’ (Rom. 5.5) How is it that we see some Christians working so hard for Christ, and serving Him so faithfully and so happily? Their zeal never appears to flag; the fire within them never seems to cool. Let the watch you wear about you serve to answer the question. How is it that the hands are ever moving, and the little wheels always doing their work? What puts them all in motion? Look closely, and you will discover a strong, but almost unseen, spring that sets all a-going. Take away that mainspring, and the watch is useless. And there is something too within the Christian, which secretly moves his heart, his affections, and his desires. Love is the Christian’s mainspring. ‘We love Him, because He first loved us;’ ‘The love of Christ constrains us.’ Be constantly asking yourself, ‘Do I love God with all my might? Is my love on the increase? Do I love him supremely above all other objects?’ Specially ask God to endue you with this holy principle of love. Pray that you may love Him, not sometimes, but always; not a little, but with the whole heart. Let your love be firm and constant— not coming and returning, like the tide; but flowing on, like a river, with a full and even course 2. We should live to God. Our love, if it is true love, will be sure to produce obedience, and devotedness, and submission to God’s will. We should feel that our little short life may well be spent in His service, and to His glory. ‘Ye are not our own,’ says the inspired Apostle; ‘for ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s (1 Cor 6.19,20) We are not sent into this world, as many seem to think, merely to eat and drink, and get our living, and pass our time as may be most pleasing to ourselves. We are sent here for a great work—to obtain salvation for our souls, to glorify our Lord, and to serve Him in our day and generation. Christ has laid down His life for us; and in return for so vast a benefit, we should give our lives to Him. ‘He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him.’ (2 Cor. 5.15) Most of us in these days are called, not to any one great act of heroism or self-sacrifice; but Christ calls us to a life of active daily duty, and in such a life we may best glorify Him. But, oh, how difficult to live such a life! To carry out the humble duties of each day, with cheerfulness and contentment— to keep up the warmth of our piety amidst the cold and deadening cares and occupations of the world—to do everything as for God, and to have a high and holy end before us, even in our lowliest toils—this, as has been well said, needs a faith as strong as that of the man who dies with the song of martyrdom on his lips. Truly it is a great thing to love Christ so dearly, as to be ready to die for Him; but it is often a thing not less great to be ready to take up our daily cross, and to live for Him. If you are a true Christian then you will love God and live unto Him. And remember this—you cannot live to God in the world, unless you live much with Him, apart from the world. You cannot feel real devotedness to His service, unless you are in the constant habit of drawing near to Him in meditation and prayer. This is the secret of a holy, happy life devoted to god’s service. SECONDLY—Next to God comes your own Family. You have a most important and interesting duty to discharge to them. It is a happy thing for you, if the other members of your family are of the same mind as yourself, if they feel with you on religious subjects, and are seeking with you the way to heaven. Then there is a stronger cord that binds you together than even that of nature. And, in this case, your difficulties will be few, and your course comparatively smooth. But I will suppose it otherwise. Perhaps you stand alone in your family: the rest are for the world, you are for God. Those, to whom you would naturally look for a helping hand, are rather disposed to check you. Those, whom you have hitherto regarded as your counselors in everything, seem now to be a little alarmed at your earnestness, and would put a clog upon your wheels, instead of urging you onward. Now, if this be the case, do not fly off from them, and take a solitary course of your own. But try to act in accordance with their wishes, as far as you are able to do so, without wounding your own conscience. Certainly, you must obey God rather than man, in things which He clearly commands. But never act in needless opposition, especially where a Parent is concerned. Show them that it is not for opposition’s sake that you differ from them, and that it gives you real pain not to fall in with the opinion of those, whom, in other matters, it is your delight to obey and follow. Let them see by your dutiful and affectionate conduct towards them, and by your readiness to meet their wishes, that you love them just as much as before; yea, more warmly than ever, for Christ’s sake. So too with the other members of your family circle. It may be, they thwart and oppose you in your religious path. But cheerfully bear every taunt. Return with kindness every hard word. Remember what you once were yourself. Does not our Lord say, ‘I came not to send peace, but a sword?’ And does He not even foretell that ‘a man’s foes shall be they of his own household?’ (Matt.10.34, 36) You may be now feeling the truth of this. Once all was harmony and agreement in your family; but now a difference of opinion on the most vital points has sprung up. Unkind remarks are constantly made about your religious views; and your actions and feelings are often mistaken. Well, so it always has been; so it was with Christ; and so it may be now with you. But does not the Lord bid His followers to take up the cross, and bear it after him? This is one part of that cross and will you not bear it gladly, patiently, meekly, for His sake? As a Christian, it should be your earnest endeavor to be a peace-maker in your family. Whenever anything goes wrong, throw in, if possible, a healing, soothing word. Many a little bickering may thus be stopped. And the quiet, gentle, Christian spirit which you are enabled to show will be sure to have its influence on all about you. Try to win over every member of your family to the Lord’s side. Try by gentle means to lead them into the same pleasant path, into which you, through God’s mercy, have been brought. It is far better to attract them by the holiness and blamelessness of your conduct, and to draw them with the silken cord of love, than to try and force them by warmth of argument, and by condemning them for what perhaps they do not yet see to be wrong. Endeavour to win them to Christ by your words, but still more by your example. There are a thousand little acts of affection you may daily show them, and a thousand ways in which the beautiful fruits of religion may display themselves. Be cheerful and kind among them. Love your home, and try to make it happy to all. Our religion if it be true religion will make us feel more warmly than ever towards our relatives. God never intended that it should snap asunder these earthly bonds, but rather strengthen them. He will never blame us for loving them too much, but for loving Him too little. Let it not be thought that in giving your heart to Christ, you are weakening your affection to your family, but rather deepening it. I once knew a young man, a member of a large family. His duty called him into a foreign country, and while there it pleased God in His great mercy to touch his heart, and to awaken serious feelings within him. When his mind became religiously impressed, one of his first thoughts was, ‘What will they think of me, and say of me, at home?’ He boldly wrote to his father, telling him that his mind and feelings were greatly changed. But still he wrote in the spirit of meekness, and as one who needed rather to be guided, than to guide and teach others. On his return home, the same humble and affectionate spirit marked his conduct, and the same dutiful deference to his parents. There was a cheerfulness, too, about his manner, which showed that the religion which had rooted itself in his heart was not a religion of gloom, but one which produced peace within, and had a happy influence on others. Here was a beginning of larger blessings to that family, a light set up to shine in it. And God blessed that young man’s quiet, consistent example, and heard his prayers; so that he had the happiness of seeing first one, and then another, taking the same serious view of things that he had taken himself. Now, if he had pursued another course; if he had been sharp and uncharitable towards those about him; if he had borne impatiently any little opposition he might occasionally have met with; if he had tried to force his views upon others, instead of gently persuading them; he might not only have lost much of the peace which he himself enjoyed, but those most dear to him might have been checked in their religious course, rather than led on, by his example. If you should find yourself in the same situation as this young Christian, endeavor to act as he did. This is the surest and happiest course to take, and one that God will most certainly bless. But this book may, perhaps, fall into the hands of some Christian parent. Oh! What deeply interesting and affecting duties you have to discharge—to order your household in the fear of the Lord, and to bring up your children for Him. But it must be enough for me merely to hint at these most important duties. Remember your position is a most responsible one. Every child is a precious talent committed to your care. See that you employ it, as one who must give an account. Endeavour to be a spiritual, as well as a natural, parent to your children; aye, to take more care to get a portion for their souls in heaven, than to make provision for their bodies on earth. What a difference there is in family circles; and how much of that difference may depend on the parent! Think of that family at Nazareth, of which Jesus was a member. What a happy home it must have been! And if we were only more like Him, how many happy homes would there be in our own land! ‘But there are, we fear (observes a Christian writer), many unhappy homes—many wretched families—more by far than is generally supposed. And what is the cure for this? The presence of Jesus. Oh, let Him into your houses, to dwell with you, and form one of your family circle, and He will turn your homes into little Edens; He will heal your divisions; He will banish sadness and sorrow; He will cement you into one holy, happy family; and then will be realized all that imagination ever conceived of the charms of home. He would fain enter into our homes, if we would let Him. Believe me, it is His presence that sanctifies and sweetens domestic life. Without this it is a poor thing. Many fine things have been said of domestic bliss; but rest assured that the presence and love of Jesus is the sweetest drop in the cup, and that without this it will speedily turn into gall and wormwood.’ It has often been said, that Charity should begin at home; and may we not also say that Piety should begin at home? The man in public is not always the same man in private but the good man—the Christian man—in private will be sure to be the Christian man in public. THIRDLY—Towards your fellow-Christians also you have a special duty. ‘Love the Brethren,’ is the Apostle’s precept. And it was said of the early Christians, even by the heathen, ‘See how these Christians love one another!’ They are Gods people; they belong to Christ; and if you love Him, you will love them also. This special love towards the children of God is a mark which always belongs to His family ‘We know (says the beloved apostle) that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.’ (1 John 3.14) Learn to bear with the faults and failings of your fellow-Christians. They are not perfect, they have many infirmities—and remember how great, and how many are your own. Never be jealous of them, if they are preferred before you, or are more noticed than yourself. When you hear a Christian brother or sister highly spoken of, it should give you real pleasure; and instead of thrusting in a word by way of lessening the praise bestowed upon them, you should rejoice that they are honored. Again, never try to exalt yourself above others. It was the sin of Diotrephes, that ‘he loved to have the pre-eminence.’ How much more Christ-like is it to be willing to take the lower place, and to ‘esteem others better than yourself’—being ‘kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly love, in honor preferring one another.’ Show your brethren much kindness for Christ’s sake. Is it not written, ‘Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward?’ And again, ‘Let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith?’ (Matt. 10.42; Gal. 6.10) One too often sees a lack of kindness and love even among God’s people. You mourn over it perhaps, and wish it otherwise. But do not stop there. Take your part at least in promoting a more tender, loving spirit among your Christian brethren—remembering always His words, who said, ‘This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you.’ FOURTHLY—The Christian has a duty to perform also towards those whose hearts and hopes are in this present world. And this is sometimes very difficult; so much so that St. Paul gives a special caution respecting it, ‘Walk in wisdom toward them that are without.’ (Col. 4.5) To despise those who know not Christ, is clearly wrong; for let us remember that there was a time when we ourselves knew Him not. To shun and avoid them is also wrong; for we may by God’s blessing do them good. But to throw ourselves into their society, and to fall in with their ways, is to endanger our own souls. There is a safe line which may be drawn, so as to keep clear of each of these errors. Seek as much as possible the companionship of the godly. Let these be your friends and associates. And when you chance to be thrown in with worldly persons, be careful to say nothing, and to do nothing, which may give needless offence. Without falling into Peter’s sin, and shrinking from owning whose you are, try to win your way by cheerfully and good-naturedly bearing any reproachful words, which may be spoken against you; and at any rate show a kind spirit towards those who differ from you. Make great allowances for others; try to do them good; and above all, earnestly pray for them. A gentle and forbearing manner often finds the way to a man’s heart, which has been long barred and closed against the most powerful attacks; as the warm sunbeam, without any noise or violence, induced the Traveler in the fable to cast off his cloak, which all the blustering of the wind could not do, but rather made him gather it closer, and bind it faster about him. With the fixed determination then, by God’s help, to keep your own straight, consistent, Christian course, and to let nothing turn you from it, conduct yourself with all humility and love towards those, who are following the world instead of Christ, and use every effort in your power to lead them into a better path. FIFTHLY—You have also a duty to the Heathen. Many turn away from them, and say with Cain, ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’ But it must be far otherwise with you. You feel the rich blessings of the gospel; and do you not long to bring many, yea all, within its sound? You know what it is to have a Savior to flee to, and to love: then think of those to whom that Savior is unknown. Give what you are able, though the sum be small, to some Missionary Society. And if you find it a difficult matter to spare even that small sum, deny yourself, so that you may, by that means, have something to give. Thus will you enjoy the happiness of contributing your little portion towards sending ministers of the gospel to those who know not Christ; and you yourself will be helping to ‘guide their feet into the way of peace.’ Endeavour also to stir up others to take a part in this blessed Christian work. SIXTHLY—And now, is there not a further duty which you owe to yourself? You have a soul to ripen for heaven; and you have a Christian character to maintain while you are here. A soul to ripen for heaven! What an important work! You are living in the midst of a deadening and ensnaring world. God has kindled a flame in your soul; and the fire must be kept up, or it will soon burn but very dimly; for the cold, damp atmosphere of the world is all against it. How can this be done? By continued watchfulness, and by applying daily and hourly to Him in whom all fullness dwells; by using all the means of grace; and by living a life of faith on the Son of God. ‘I know (said good Bishop Beveridge), I know that I must strive, before I can enter in at the strait gate. I must win the crown, before I can wear it. I must be a member of the Church on earth, before I can be admitted into the Church in heaven. In a word, I must go through a solitary wilderness, and conquer many enemies, before I come to the land of Canaan, or else must never be possessed of it.’ A spirit of self-denial too is needed, if we would grow in conformity to our Lord, and ripen for His presence. But oh, how feebly do we often run our race! How little exertion do we make to win our prize! What a soft, easy life do many Christians of the present day live! Many of us seem to fancy, that, if we know the truths of the Gospel, and believe them, and embrace them, nothing more is needed—that our work is done. But can this be ripening for heaven? Can this be the religion of Christ? Must we not have mistaken the Gospel? For what says our Lord ‘If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.’ (Luke 9.23) Remember, then, the cross must be taken up; not once or twice, but daily. We must not shrink from it, because it galls us, but be content cheerfully to bear it. We must daily exercise some act of self-denial. Instead of doing a thing, because it is pleasing to flesh and blood, we must ask ourselves, ‘Is it pleasing to God?’ and if not, we must at once put a yoke upon our own will. Our desires, our intentions, our actions, must all be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. In short, dear reader, there must be a daily course of self-denial, if you would reach heaven—a daily dying to self, that you may live to God—a daily renouncing your own pleasure, that you may please your Lord—thinking nothing too dear to give up, nor anything too hard to bear, for Him who counted not His life too dear, nor the cross itself too heavy to bear, for you. And you must practice this self-denial in little things, as well as in great things. For it is in the everyday acts of life that the true Christian should show himself; and it is not so much on special occasions, but in the ordinary path of duty, that he most honors God by a cheerful, happy obedience to His will. Without this we cannot be growing, and ripening, and becoming fit for our Master’s presence. But further, you have a Christian character to maintain while you are here. Christ has called you to His service. You have enlisted under His banner. You are one of His people. Then, be sure the world’s eye is upon you. It will closely watch your course. It will mark every false step. The Christian is spoken of as a ‘city set upon a hill;’ as ‘a light’ that may be seen; as an ‘epistle of Christ, known and read of all men.’ How anxious you should be then in no way to dishonor your Christian profession; but to display a holy and blameless character in the world which you are living in! How carefully you should avoid even the appearance of evil! You may do immense harm to the cause of Christ by one unguarded word, by one false step, by one unbecoming act. Pray that God may keep you in the strait and narrow path, and that He may uphold you by His own grace; for most assuredly you will fall, if He supports you not. Pray too that He may enable you to ‘let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt 5.16) *************************************************** The Pathway of Safety; or, Counsel to the Awakened, Ashton Oxenden **************************************************** PREVIOUS CHAPTER -- NEXT CHAPTER ©God’sGWG
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