The I Wills of Christ

The following pages do not pretend to exhaust the subject of the I wills’’ of Christ. Those which are to be found in the messages to the Churches in the commencement of the Revelation, and which are here left untouched would be abundantly sufficient for a volume. The author has taken but one here and there, and woven them together so as to present the reader with a picture of the Lord’s gracious work upon a soul. The book might have been, with tolerable accuracy, entitled The history of a soul exemplified in the I wills’ of Christ.” We have the sinner presented to us as invited; then on his acceptance of the invitation, as being received; then as being healed; then made a confessor of Christ; then a worker for Christ; then as comforted of Christ in life’s struggles; then as being placed wholly at Christ’s disposal; then as attaining to the highest of all points of sanctification viz.^ the subjection of the will; and finally, as being received to glory to be with Jesus where He is.

Experience has shown the author the great value of illustration both in writing and preaching; he has, therefore, gathered together many facts with which to illustrate the truths in the following pages. Some of the extracts it was impossible to shorten, as by so doing, the spiritual processes in which consist their value, would have been lost; they would have been worthless if more condensed. Some of these extracts have been printed in smaller type so as to save space.

Since this work was put to press, a volume has been published on a kindred subject, principally on the expressions of the Divine will in the Old Testament. The gifted authoress, and the writer of the following pages were employed, unknown to each other, on a similar task. The similarity between the volumes will be found to be in idea, more than in the subjects selected, or the method of their treatment; they are distinct branches of one common tree; and may they each be found to throw grateful shade, and bear precious fruit for weary, hungry souls.

The author is deeply thankful to Almighty God, for the blessing which He has vouchsafed to very many of the readers of his book, to which this is a companion. viz.5 The I Wills’ of the Psalms and he earnestly prays that a like blessing may be vouchsafed to the readers of this book. Having heard Christ’s I will” of invitation, may they hear also His I will” of glorification, and finally be with Him forever, where He is.

Christ Church Parsonage,

Worthing December, 1861.

Rest! Rest! this weary world, and all therein, are seeking rest! It may he that men little know what their hearts, in deepest truth, are craving, hut in all cases, it is Best.

For rest, the warrior draws his sword — for rest, the merchant toils behind his desk; for rest, the sailor ploughs the waves — for rest, the shepherd tarries by his flock; for rest, the young man mingles in the dance — for rest, the widow weeps in misery alone; the heart is full of craving; and hither and thither does it turn for rest. ‘T is true, heart-cravings are not alike in all; this one seeks rest in honor, and this in wealth; this in love, and this in hate; some would find it in grasping all things, and some only in being let alone; but so it is, that ever since man departed from his God, whether he be found in solitude or in a crowd, probe to the very bottom of his heart-longings and exertions, and he will be found to be in pursuit of rest.

And where will he find it? It is a part of earth’s cursCj that in some form or other it is ever claiming the sweat of the brow throwing forth thorns and thistles and that it can afford to man no rest. Arise ye and depart for this is not your rest,“’ is the voice which flowers and fruity as well as thistle and thorn have for all the sons of men. In us,” say all created things when used, even to the uttermost, man finds no abiding rest. There remaineth a rest for the of God”

And for them there is also a present rest; amid earth’s turmoil, the shaking of its thrones, and principalities, and powers, there appears one with soft and gentle voice and look, avIio proclaims Himself a king — the prince of peace — the giver of rest to all who will be the subjects of His kingdom, which was not of this world, but from above. Oh, let it be observed how distinctly Jesus declared that his kingdom was not of this world, for that if it were, then would his servants have fought. It would have been easy for Him to muster under His banner all the J ews from Dan even unto Beersheba; and the history of the siege of Jerusalem shows us, how desperately they would have fought. Had Jesus undertaken at that time to restore the kingdom unto Israel; and had He been willing to assume the headship of it to Himself, the country would have rushed to arms, and there is little doubt but that it would have been freed.

This repudiation of earthly sovereignty we find all through the life of Christ, and incidentally it comes before us here.

Had Jesus been an earthly Sovereign, about to set up an earthly kingdom, and an earthly court. He would have attracted to Himself such as would have conduced to His earthly honor, to His profit, to the stability of His throne. The monarchs of this world try to attract to their courts those who are famous for learning, wisdom, and art; they like to be surrounded by the influential and the rich; but the blessed Jesus tried to attract to Himself the wretched, the outcast, and the sad; from such were to be drawn the noblest courtiers for a spiritual throne. This is what we find Jesus doing here; yea, this is what He is doing even now; still saying, as He did of old, Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’’ Christ proposes Himself as an object of attraction now; He will be one of repulsion hereafter, when he utters those tremendous words, Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” It is an awful thought; He must necessarily be so; there is no such thing as Christ’s mere toleration of any one hereafter; the mighty power that is in Him must act; those who rejected Him, and would not be drawn by Him, shall not be able to abide with him; Christ must then exercise a throwing-off‘ power; it will be no longer, Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden;” but, “Depart into the land of unrest forever, to labor, and to be heavy laden evermore.”

May no reader of this book ever hear such words as those; rather may each have rest in Jesus here; and finally enter into the rest which remaineth for the people of God.

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