ALMIGHTY God, who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men; Grant unto thy people, that they may love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that which thou dost promise; that so, among the sundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. VIII. FAITH TOUCHING CHRIST'S GARMENT. "For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole." MATTHEW ix. 21 N many minds, the subject of religion is invested IN with peculiar and multiplied difficulties. These arise from various causes, such as early education, social influence, mental temperament, doctrinal teaching, and the natural workings of the unrenewed mind. The difficulties, take the complexion of their originating causes, and are therefore, to a greater or less extent, influential in keeping away the sinner from the sinner's only Saviour. From God's revealed character, we should not suppose that he would institute a religion for all men, that that should be so difficult to obtain or practise as to make it almost impossible for them to embrace it. On the contrary, his character as a God of infinite wisdom, goodness, and truth, leads us to believe that he would give a religion so comprehensive as that all men could enjoy it, so simple as that all could understand it, so easily found and embraced as that all could lay hold upon its hope and secure its salvation. What we should thus naturally expect, actually exists. God has instituted one religion for the whole world. It is so simple in its scheme, that "the wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err therein." It is so readily understood, that the ignorant savage, the unlettered slave, can comprehend it. It is so easily embraced, that the opening reason of childhood, and the sluggish mind of ignorance, can believe and be saved. To show the nature of the supposed difficulties of religion, and the real simplicity of the plan of redemption as it relates to sinners, I have selected these words, as one of the most conclusive illustrations of the simple nature of saving grace. While Jesus was on his way to the house of Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, to raise his little daughter from from the dead, a woman having an issue of blood, which had afflicted her for twelve years, and who, in the language of Luke, "had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, came behind him and touched the border of his garment;" "for she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole." No sooner had she touched, than "immediately her issue of blood stanched," "and the woman was made whole from that hour." The first point in this narrative which arrests attention, is the great faith this woman had in Christ's power and willingness to heal her. During many long and comfortless years had she suffered from her disease. Medical skill had in vain sought to stanch that issue. Physician after physician had been called in, until she had spent all her living; yet had she been made "nothing better, but rather grew worse." Relief from merely human agents she despaired of; her wasted body and exhausted means cut off all hope from man; yet in the midst of her distress she had heard of Jesus, of his words and his works, and as a last hope she turned to him who had so often healed the sick and comforted the afflicted. |