THE WORK OF GOD THE SPIRIT

Of late years the Highlands of Scotland have very much engrossed the attention of travellers; and there are few men of taste and leisure in Britain of sufficient means who have not visited the romantic scenery of the North. One amongst the visitors, a preacher, called at the house of an old woman, who, as he was informed, was a good person; and after being introduced, he said to her, "You are an old servant of Christ; how long is it since you entered into His service? I am sure you must have found Him a good Master."

"Serve Christ!" said she. "Alas, I can say little about that. I have been a poor sinner all my days and was never worthy of being called a servant of such a Master. But it is now forty-nine years since Christ first began to serve me. Nay, I may say it is twenty years more, for I have been cast on His care from the womb till now. But f count from the time when I was led, by the mercy of God, to know Him as my Saviour; and I am sure He has served me ever since."

'What do you mean by Christ serving you?" asked the preacher. "That is saying a great deal for yourself, is it not?"

She replied, "It is saying a great deal, but not for myself. I am one of the most worthless creatures that ever lived; that is all I can say for myself. But I can never say anything too great about Christ; and I never see so much of His greatness as when I think of Him stooping down to serve such a vile sinner as I am. Do you not know, that in the house of Christ, the Master serves all the guests? When He brought me home to Himself, He began to serve me; He took away my filthy garments, and gave me change of raiment; He clothed me with His own righteousness, which presents me without spot before the throne of God; He gave me His Spirit to instruct me, to lead me and sanctify me. Ever since He has taken care of me. He led me gently and carried me in His arms as one of the weak of the flock; He was borne with me and forgiven me ten thousand provocations; He fills my mouth abundantly with good things and crowns me with loving kindness and tender mercy."

'Well," said the preacher, "but I hope you are a servant of Christ for all that, and bound to His service by the strongest ties. You know, it is said of the state of glory to which I doubt not you are approaching, "There His servants serve Him," and what is perfected in that state must be begun in the present life. The Lord has crowned you with loving kindness and tender mercy; now I am sure this will lead you to obey and serve Him."

"This is all very true," replied the good woman. "I know that I am bound by His authority as well as as by every consideration of love and gratitude, to obey Him in all things; in this I hope the same Spirit of truth has instructed me. But somehow, I do not like to think so much about my serving Christ as His serving me. I can draw no comfort from my services. The more I think on that subject, the more I am filled with alarm and anxiety, because I know that in everything I come short. I am a poor sinner, and not worthy to lie at His footstool. I see myself poor, vile, and worthless, as much as ever I did; and though I have been for so many years an object of His kindness and mercy, I cannot recollect that ever I made Him a proper return for the least of His favours. Whenever, therefore, I think of my doings or services, I am filled with shame and confusion of face. But when I think of what Christ has done for me, I am satisfied that my mind gets hold of something that keeps it up. I think of Him humbling Himself, and laying down His life for me; I think of Him exalted to heaven to help and save me; I think of Him as my Advocate within the veil, the interceding for me before His Father's throne; I trust in Him, and am sure that He will not fail me, for none perish that trust in Him. Now I like to think and speak about these things, for they are the very life of my soul. When I look to myself and think about my serving Christ, I see nothing that is worthy of the name, but everything the opposite; but when I look at Christ I see nothing but perfection; and for my' peace of mind just now as well as for my eternal salvation, I know none but Christ.' I must ever say, 'None but Christ!'"

"No doubt you are right," said the preacher. "To everyone that believes in Christ, He is all in all. While you trust Him you are safe. But you know, everyone that has hope in Christ, purifies himself, even as He is pure. You said just now you are as vile as ever you were. Do you not feel yourself different from what you were in the days of your ignorance? It is said of believers, 'Once they were darkness, now they are light in the Lord'; that they were the servants of sin, but, having obeyed the truth, they have their fruit unto holiness. You must have learned that Christ has not only done all the work of salvation for you, but that He has also performed and is performing His work in you, that is, by the knowledge of His word, the discipline of His providence accompanied by the grace of the Holy Spirit, making you more like Himself, more dead to this world and more alive to that which is to come."

"All that is true," she replied, "but that does not make me think myself a bit better. I have all this in Christ, and to His Name be all the glory. When I think of any difference in myself, I think it is all for the worse; I see nothing about myself but sin, and the worst of all sin, that which is done against my kind and gracious Saviour. I am glad to turn from the view of my wretched self and look at the glorious righteousness of my God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. O happy me, for there is nothing wrong there. I never knew my own character till I saw Christ in the riches of His mercy and the glory of His perfect righteousness as revealed in the Gospel for the salvation of poor sinners. When this was brought home to my heart, I saw how vile I was, and, Oh how I abhorred myself. Blessed be His Name that He ever turned me from the love of sin and a vain world. But still I see so much of sin in me, that instead of thinking of any difference of character, or of being more holy than before, I am led to say, Oh, wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?' "

(Gospel Standard 1853)

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