Gratitude
Gratitude for Spiritual Blessings. — I was preaching this week for a young minister, and being anxious to know his character, I spoke of him with apparent coolness to an estimable lady of his congregation. In a very few moments she began to warm in his favor. She said, “You must not say any thing against him, sir; if you do, it is because you do not know him.” “Oh,” I said, “I knew him long before you did; he is not much, is he f” “Well,” she said, “I must speak well of him, for he has been a blessing to my servants and family.” I went out into the street, and saw some men and women standing about; so I said to them, “I must take your minister away.” “If you do,” they said, “we will follow you all over the world, if you take away a man who has done so much good to our souls.” After collecting the testimony of fifteen or sixteen witnesses, I said, “If the man gets such witnesses as these let him go on; the Lord has opened his mouth, and the devil will never be able to shut it.” These are the witnesses we want — men who can sing with the angels because their own households are converted to God.
Gratitude for Salvation. — It strikes me with wonder when I see how many of the very greatest of sinners have be come the most useful of men. Do you see John Bunyan yonder? He is cursing God. He goes into the belfry and pulls the bell on Sunday, because he likes the bell-ringing; but when the church door is open, he is playing bowls upon the village green. There is the village tap, and there is no one that laughs so loud as John Bunyan. There are some people going to the meeting-house; there is no one curses them so much as John. He is a ringleader in all vice. If there is a hen-roost to be robbed, Jack’s your man. If there is any iniquity to be done, if there is any evil in the parish, you need not guess twice, John Bunyan is at the bottom of it. But who is it stands there in the dock before the magistrate1? Who is it I hear just now — “If you will let me out of prison to-day, I will preach the gospel to-morrow, by the help of God?” Who was it that lay twelve years in prison, and when they said he might go out if he would promise not to preach, replied, “No, I will be here till the moss grows on mine eyelids, but I must and will preach God’s gospel as soon as I have liberty f” Why, that is John Bunyan, the very man who cursed Christ the other day. A ringleader in vice has become the glorious dreamer, the very leader of God’s hosts. See, what God did for him, and what God did for him he will do for you, if now you repent and seek the mercy of God in Christ Jesus.
“He is able, he is willing, doubt no more.”
Expressing Gratitude. — We read in the paper some time ago that the King of Italy, to his great honor, appeared in a court of law on behalf of a man brought under charge of causing death. The king had seen the accident, and he came forward as a common witness in the court to say that the horse had mastered the driver, and the man was not to be blamed. I do not know the name of the man, but I feel pretty sure that Jacobi or Antonio, whoever he may be, if ever King Humbert wants somebody to speak up for him, he will find a friend in him: he will say, “My King came into court and spoke for me, and I will as long as ever I live speak up for him.” Now, the Lord Jesus Christ is an advocate for you, therefore be an advocate for him. Can you ever Tie silent for Christ now that the Lord Christ has redeemed you from the curse of the law and the penalty of sin? I tell you, if you can be quiet and do nothing for Christ, I am afraid you have never tasted of his love and grace.