Heavenly Shoes
moving, progressing, ascending, hence their feet are carefully provided for.
They are feeble in themselves, and need protection: their road also is rough, and hence they need the shoe which grace provides.
1. They come from the blessed Maker. One who
is skilful in all arts, and knows by experience what is wanted, since he has himself journeyed through life’s roughest ways.
2, They are made of excellent material: “the preparation of the gospel of peace.” Well seasoned, soft in wear, lasting long.
Peace with God as to the past, the future, the present.
Peace of full submission to the divine mind and will.
Peace with the Word and all its teachings.
Peace with one’s inner self, conscience, fears, desires, etc.
(181)
182 MY SERMOTST-^OTES.
Peace with brethren in the church and the
iamily. Peace with all mankind:” as much as lieth
in you live peaceably with all men “: Rom.
xii. 18.
3. They are such as none can make except the
Lord, who both sends the gospel, and prepares the peace.
4. They are such shoes as Jesus wore, and all the
saints.
5. They are such as will never wear out: they are
old, yet ever new; we may wear them at
all ages and in all places.
II. LET US TRY THEM ON.
Observe with delight —
1. Their perfect fitness. They are made to suit
each one of us.
2. Their excellent foothold: we can tread with
holy boldness upon our high places with
these shoes.
3. Their marching powers for daily duty. No one
grows weary or footsore when he is thug
shod.
4. Their wonderful protection against trials by
the way. “Thou shalt tread on the lion,
and adder”: Ps. xci. 13.
5. Their pleasantness of wear, giving rest to the
whole man.
6. Thair adaptation for hard work, climbing, plow*
ing, etc.
7. Their endurance of fire and water: Isa. xliii. 2.
By peace of mind we learn to pass through every form of trial.
8. Their fighting qualities. They are really a
part of “the whole armor of God.” See
the chapter in which the text is found.
III. LET us LOOK AT THE BAREFOOTED AROUND us.
The sinner is unshod. Yet he kicks against the pricks. How can he hope to fulfil the heavenly pilgrimage?
The professor is slipshod, or else he wears tight shoes. His fine slippers will soon be worn out. He loves not the gospel, knows not its peace, seeks not its preparation.
The gospel alone supplies a fit shoe for all feet. To the gospel let us fly at once. Come, poor shoe less beggar!
FASTENINGS.
“Put shoes on his feet” were among the first words of welcome to the returning prodigal. To be shoe less was in Israel a mark of great disgrace, indicating a lost inheritance, a state of misery and penury. (See Deut. xxv. 10.)
The Chinese advertise shoes which enable the wearer to walk on the clouds. Compare Isa. xl. 31: “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall run, and not be weary; they ehall watte, and not faint.” “Bun with patienca looking unto Jesus.” (Heb. xii. 1 — 3.)
“Your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” (Eph. vi. 15.) The passage has been paraphrased, “Shod with the firm footing of the solid knowledge of the gospel.” The word “preparation signifies preparedness or readiness. Compare 2 Tim. iv. 2: “Instant in season, out of season”; also Rom. i. 15: “I am ready to preach the gospel.” This preparedness is well-pleasing to God. “How beautiful are thy feet with shoes, O prince’s daughter!” (Cant vii. 1; Isa. Hi. 7.) — Mrs. Gordon.
Christian in the palace Beautiful. — “The next day they took him, and had him into the armory, where they showed him all manner of furniture which their Lord had provided for pilgrims, as sword, shield, helmet, breast-plate, all-prayer, and shoes that would not wear out. And there was here enough of this to harness out as many men for the service of their Lord as there be stars in the heaven for multitude.”
Bunyan.
None can make a shoe to the creature’s foot, so that he shall go easy on a hard way, but Christ; he can do it to the creature’s full content. And how doth he do it? Truly, no other way than by under laying it; or, if you will, lining it with the peace of the gospel. What though the way be set with sharp stones? if this shoe go between the Christian’s foot and them, they cannot much be felt.
It is the soldier’s shoe that is meant, which, if right, is to be of the strongest make, being not so much intended for finery as for defence.
The gospel shoe will not come on thy foot so long as thy foot is swelled with any sinful humor (I mean <iny unrighteous or unholy practice). This evil must be purged out by repentance, or thou canst not wear the shoe of peace.
The Jews were to eat their passover with their loins girded, their shoes on their feet, and their staff” in their hand, and all in haste. (Exod. xii. 11.) When God is feasting the Christian with present comforts, he must have this gospel shoe on; he must not sit down as if he were feasting at home, but stand and eat even as he takes a running meal in an inn on his way. willing to be gone as soon as ever he is a little refreshed for his journey.
The conceited professor, who hath a high opinion of himself, is a man shod and prepared, he thinks; but not with the right gospel shoe. He that cannot take the length of his foot, how can he of himself fit a shoe to it?
Is not thy shoe, Christian, yet on? art thou not yet ready to march? If thou hast it, what hast thou to dread? Canst fear that any stone can hurt thy foot through so thick a sole? — William Gurnall.
Paul was thus shod: Rom. viii. 38, “I am persuaded, nothing shall separate me from the lovu of God.” “All things. 1 know, work together for the good of them that are beloved of God.’’ (Rom. viii 28.) And this furniture made him go such hard ways cheerfully, in which showers of afflictions did fall as thick as hailstones. This doth make God’* children, though not in the letter, yet in some sort, tread upon the adder and the basilisk; yea, to defy vipers, and receive no hurt; whereas, if the feet be bared a little with the absence of this peace, any thing causeth us sore smart.” — Paid Bayne.