The Unique Element in Christ’s Gospel

‘‘ When Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with Him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat.” — Nom. vii. 89.

IT is only when we go into the tabernacle to

speak with God that we find a mercy seat. When we go to speak with man we find only a judgment seat. Even the apostles have not waited for the twelve thrones Christ has promised them. They have set up little thrones on their own account — have sentenced Samaria to fire and a Roman soldier to mutilation. Nor, if we go into the temple of Nature, shall we find exactly a seat of mercy. We shall find a seat of medicine — an instrumentality for effecting repairs. It is proverbial in the medical world to speak of leaving things to Nature. And Nature does indeed tend to bind up her own

wounds, to heal the bones that have been 134 - broken. Yet this is not quite a mercy seat. Nature says, “I will heal thee, and then I shall love thee.” It is something far above indifference; but is it yet Divine? No, because it does not yet meet the full need of the human. I want to be loved unhealed — loved in my rags, loved in my destitution. He who sits upon a mercy seat must summon before him not a white-robed multitude, but a company clothed in sackcloth. Am I to wait for the music and the dancing ere I can say, “I will arise and go to my Father”! If Nature be my Father, it would seem so. But I hear the voice of a deeper paternity — ‘“Come unto Me, all ye that labour, and I will give you rest.” It bids me wait for no music, wait for no dancing, wait neither for ring nor robe. It bids me come in my hunger, in my sickness, in my squalor. It cries, “Tarry not till you are better! Delay not till you have put on your fairest robe! Linger not till you have found an attire fit for presentation to the King of kings! Come now — just as you are — without one plea — with the grave-clothes hanging round you!” This is counted one of the platitudes of evangelicalism. It is in truth the most unique experience which the present world reveals — the unfolding of a mercy seat. No such invitation is given by Nature; no such invitation is given by man; no such invitation is given by the creeds of man. One alone has proclaimed that startling paradox. One alone has dared to say a thing so original, so new. It is He who spoke as never man spake.

Jesus, Thou hast brought a new thing out of Thy treasure — a gem never seen before. The wise men of the East have shown us many precious things — gold and frankincense and myrrh and the light of ancient stars. But amid all their bright things there was one jewel wanting, one star absent from the sky; there was no mercy seat. They brought pearls to the purified, hopes to the healed, robes to the reformed; but they had nothing for the leper, nothing for the dying, nothing for the unregenerate. Thou alone hast brought that treasure,O my Lord. Thou alone hast a ring for the uncleansed hand, sandals for the unwashed feet, raiment for the ungainly form. Thou alone hast an invitation for the highways and the hedges. Others have bidden those from whom they can receive; Thou hast called the destitute. Others have bidden those who have the promise and potency of life; Thou hast called the dead. Others have bidden those who have seen the King in His beauty; Thou hast called the blind. Others have bidden those who have heard the music; Thou hast called the deaf. Others have bidden those who run towards the prize; Thou hast called the lame. Others have bidden those who bear the fruits of repentance; Thou hast called sinners unto Thee. Only in Thy tabernacle shall I find the mercy seat.