SERMON VI.

TRUTH AND CENTRALIZATION.

"

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." (John 12: 32.)

These words embody sublime truth, which is of vast import and full of blessing, and is the central power of civilization, human brotherhood, and salvation. And when it shall every where be prevalent; when its spirit shall be diffused in literature, and shall direct the aims and results of legislation; when it shall be the basis of all action between man and man then, as the fulfilment of themes which glow on the pages of prophecy, the earth will rejoice in universal peace, and virtue be secured by a sin. cere and enlightened worship of God and the Lamb. Let us then look for this truth and its tendencies.

The plain affirmation which our Savior uttered in the text, is, that if he should be raised up from the earth on the cross, and there seal with his blood the mission upon which he was sent, he would attract all men to himself by the power of truth and love. It is true, that the certainty of drawing all men to himself rested upon a contingency, which, if not fulfilled,

would stamp the entire plan with failure. But it is important to observe with whose conduct that contingency was connected. It did not depend on the fluctuating will nor the wayward actions of man. Its basis was surer. Its aim better secured. That contingency belonged to the Savior. It could not fail, unless he became disobedient; unless his love for man ceased; unless he lost confidence in the plans of God; and, frightened by the terrors of the cross, should shrink away from enduring its horrors. It did not fail. He was raised up from the earth. He did die on the cross. He did become obedient unto death. And, as the cause was estab· lished, it follows that the end thereof is sure and certain.

An illustration will make this fact appear still stronger. Suppose, that previous to the creation of the solar system, Deity had said, "and I, if I create the sun, will make it the central source of light, heat, and motion to all the planets," it is obvious that this plan could fail only by a failure to create the sun. For just so sure as the sun was created, so surely would light, heat, and motion be imparted to the bodies which revolve around it. Nothing could be more certain.

This is a case parallel with that which the Savior presented. He connected his death, as the concluding seal of his mission, with the drawing of all men to himself. The pouring out of his blood, the final proof that he was sent from the Father, was but the finishing of the system by which he was to attract all men, as river waters run into the ocean-heart of the earth. And, as he was raised up from the earth and suffered amid the terrible scenes of the cru

cifixion; as in that hour, he said, “it is finished;” so it is evident that the result is sure, and all men will be drawn to him. There can be no failure in this work, unless the means given to the Savior are inadequate to accomplish the proposed end. And to say that they are inadequate, is to impeach the wisdom of God who formed the plan, sent his Son to execute it, and yet did not give him sufficient power to finish it. It is enough for confidence, to believe that God is a wise Master-builder and can not err. We trust implicitly in the declaration of the Savior, just as he uttered it. He will draw all men unto himself. Truth will enlighten the ignorant. Punishment will reform the sinful. Grace will redeem the erring. Immortality will deliver the dying. By these means, Jesus will attract all souls to his rule and reign, so that they will bow to his love and rejoice in his triumph over error, sin, and death.

It

Now, in this declaration of our Lord, the entire divine scheme of salvation is unfolded, with its bevenolent means and grand purposes. shows us, that God had a sublime and benignant intention in view, in the creation of men-an intention, which, going beyond present, transient evil, steadily operates for holy ends; for the deliverance of mind from all clogs to its infinite expansion and improvement. Men may wander away into midnight error and into the pollution of vice, where they find bitterness and anguish. But they can no more go beyond the influence of the love of God in Christ Jesus, than a comet can fly from the central power which holds it in its course. The Savior will draw them back, and bind them to entire submission by reconciliation, virtue, and knowledge.

This is the truth which the Scriptures teach.They proclaim it in promise, in prophecy, in the hallowed words of the Savior, and in apostolic preaching, as the subject of God's holy pleasure and wise counsel. This might easily be shown. But I purpose now to trace out a moral argument in its favor. I desire to demonstrate the position, that, as the truth shows that Jesus will draw all men unto himself, and that he is therefore the central power to which all souls must come in love and obedience, so this truth is itself the central influence, towards which, in this world, all genuine reform-movement and benevolent principle tend-and hence, that the fact which the truth embraces, must be real; must be of God; because it composes the source of all philanthropy, of every effort to elevate the condition of the race, and harmonizes with every attempt to increase the sum of hu man happiness.

We maintain the position, that God loves all his children, and that this is proved by the fact that he has given Jesus power to draw all men unto himself. This is Christian doctrine. And the moral deduction from it is, that as God loves all, so we should love all, pray for all, and do good to all as we have opportunity. This is Christian practice. This moral practice and spirit, the real offspring of God's universal love, are progressing in the world; are acquiring larger influence and nobler triumphs. Every fresh exhibition of them; every new manifestation of their tendencies; form so many proofs, that men are approaching its doctrine, and that they will finally adopt the central fact and source of all moral action, viz., that God is consulting the good of all his children, by giving

the Savior power to draw all men unto himself. With no doctrine can benevolent principles sympathize and harmonize, save with this of God's universal love, which is their kindred source and centre? For if benevolent principle and philanthropic action are ever to diffuse themselves thoroughly in society, men must cherish views of the common brotherhood of the race, and at least feel, even if they do not realizingly believe, that to do good to all, is an imitation of the Father's mercy and care. But such expansive views have no connection with errors founded in partiality. Take the old notion that God hates sinners and will never relax his hate, and what possible inducement can it fur. nish the soul for loving them and laboring for their welfare? The creed is no better, which advocates the opinion, that a certain number were elected to be saved, and the remainder were reprobated to utter and irrevocable ruin, and that these numbers are so certain and defi. nite, that they can be neither added to nor diminished. Upon individuals of certain temperaments, these dogmas are very hurtful, by inducing a peculiar kind of pride which leads them to despise reprobates. Why should it not be so ? God hates them. And if the command be obeyed, be ye followers of God as dear children, hate must follow as a legitimate result.There is much of this feeling, think of it as we may. There are thousands who despise those of a contrary faith, or those who may be sinful. And they are confirmed in this feeling, by the mistaken view, that they are the favorites of heaven, and that the others are its irreconcilable foes. It is impossible to find in these errors, any incentive, any motive, to the exercise of