Newspapers / Zion's landmarks. / April 15, 1870, edition 1 / Page 2
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'4 ZION’S LAN T) M A R K S EDITORIAL L. ]. liODENHAMKK, Uditoii. WILSON, N. APRIL 15,1S70. God's Love. The Lord Iinth appeared of old imto me, sayhijr, Yea, I have loved thee wilh ae ever- hisUne; love: therefore -H ith loving kindness have 1 drawn tliee. .lereiniah .11:8. God is (kclared to have appeared unto the Prophet of old, tliat is— ilc reveals His love to the Projihet, aud to the Church, as being ever lasting, and if it bo everlasting, it must of necessity l;c perpetual.— 1 leticG God;’s love to the Cburch, wav, fus great before time, as it is in time, and will be no greater in eternity, or after time, than it now is, and over has been. Hence the .'»iiC'CC;>sion of evidences. Firstthe pro- mir,c to our motlier Eve, in the ^■arden. Second, the types, and ligures, and the Prophets. The tvpes and figures all au.swcr, and ];oint to Christ as the love of tiie Ftcnial Father. The Prophets all describe Him a>^ the Gift of God to, and for the Church. The actual coming and death of Christ, is evi dence of the truth of God’s everlast ing 1ov,e, and Hi::; abliorrcnce to sin, and Hi:s regard for His justice and •I'inry. Hence tlie entire testimony of Seriiiture, together with the com ing, condcseension, suffering, death, resurrection, ascen.sion, and iuterccs" wion of the Lord Jcsu.s Christ, arc all for the Church, His elect, and is the s'-rongest cvideucc of what lie .saidt to us, (the eternal God,) “have loved thee,’’ (the individual Chi'Ltlan, Avhen u])piied to personal exDcrience, and the 'whole Clua’ch. when applied iti a colicctivc and general sense) “with an everlasting love” (cither personal or general, or raihor both.) And to the believer, all tiiose precious truths are fully be lieved and received by faitli, as liav- iiig been everlastingly tried or. ex perienced by him; and unto tlic be- iiever, He is much endeared: “unto you therefore, that believe. He is precious.” God’s gocidacss, im mutability in love, almiglity in ])ower, everlasting in mercy, -perpe tual ill faithfulness, to know them that are Ills, to call them into life, to give repentance, to draw them to Ilimself, to forgive their sins, and lest any should do them harm, or touch tlvcm.Avith the finger of dc.s- truction. He .neither slumbers nor •fdoeps, but watc'hc.s over them every moment .iSuch love exceeds all na tural love. The motlier may forget feel thatvoii deserve it, but if yon her sucking child, yet He will never forget thee, nor forsake thee. Christ calls our attention to natural love, as believe they love you, and your love is true, you venture iijion that love, (not upon your acts ; aind., if when you a co'Jtrast. And as natural love is I venture, to your surprise, you receive a passion of the mind, causing ns to delight in the object loved, so divine love is a principle of the great Deity, causing Him to delight in poor sin ners, in their peace, happin&ss, and eternal salvation, and to give us as surance of His perpetual Love to us, both love and klndnc.ss, instead ot bitter frowns, do you not exclaim : ‘Thou art more righteous than I, for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas 1 have rcw'ard-ed thee eN’il.” 1 Sam. 24: 17. The kindness God .shows to poor the verv He tells us “I have loved thee with j best kindness, for it is “loving kina- an everlasting love.” Aow if na- ness;” no other consideration but love ; tural love is only ended by death, j nothing seen nor foreseen iu you to Divine love can never end, for the | ])roduce it. Then can you not ven- Deity has never, nor never can die. j ture upon it, though you, like Saul, And as we, ill the natural, never have persecuted the church ; though would be disappointed nor sc})ara- ted from our love, if we had the power to have it otherwise, is it not you, like Manasseh, have caused the streets of Jerusalem to liov; 'with blood ; though you, like the thief denial of God’s'word, and a distrust | upon the cro.ss, are justly condemned of Jus love, to supjiose that He, pos-1 to death, yet it you arc now a penitent, sesslng all ])ow'cr in heaven above i and are trying to and desiring to and in the earth beneath, yea, and | come to Jesus, it is the Father draw- over hell its sell, would ever fail to! i.ugvou'with “loving-kindness.” And move and remove all opposition outl remember Jesus says, of such as .arc of His way, so that His loved one.s, | drawn by the Father to Him, by this should ever be seated iu His divine j “loving-kindness,” ‘ i will in no wise presence to behold His glory, to en-| cast out.” Theu arc you ohjeetmg to joy His smiles, and He to enjoy his [ such a sinner as you are being beloved. Hut how taint a figure is|save(F? If so, upon what ground? we are strangers and alien.s, it makes us citizens; if we are without Iiojmi and without God in the world, His loving-kindness gives us a good hope through faith in His name. Then Hi.s loving-kindness has en- gaged by oath and covenaiitfor us to be 0 u r s a r e ty, o u r i’roph e t, to 1 o r e tel I for us, our Frie.st to offer Himself once in the end of the world for out- sins, our King to reign in Zion to the conquering of all our enemies without, and tosubdue sin in us, to fit n.s to be kings and ])riests unto God; to swallow ui) death in victorv for i. ^ us, and to wipe all toans off all faces. And one evidence of His loving kindness to our souls, is euongli to sweeten solitude, make afllictions lighk cause us to count all things loss, di.spel our gloom, remove out- doubts, becalm our fears, ca.e our troubled minds, heal an afflicted con science, and lift our souls out of the du;st, and off the d-una- hill, and set them among princes iu the fiery mitural love, to couipare the'love of God with, for in the natural, the ob ject or lover has no power to cause the object to love in return, consc- quentlyanay fiul on that account, to Perhaps you may say you were born in .sin, and cannot do anything to atone for original sin. To which, wo answer : Christ was born to yov and for you, without sin; “unto you a chariots of His cvei’lasting love, drawn bv His loving- kindness. awav from time and sense, out (F reach of burning mountains, tht--. wreck of nature, and the cra.sli of Nvorlds. Fd. be Happy. But not so with God, for'child is born, unto you a son is giv en,” and His birth is to be your birtln But you may sajg that your life has he has the power to subdue sin iu us, and to cause iis to love Him. “I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comforta- blv unto lier.” Hosca ,2 :14. ifut lieen a life of sin. Ho it has, nut Je sus came to save sinners, and He lived a life of holiness, and His life iu the natural, distance may inter-[is to be your life. Can you risk vene. But not so .with God, for He your soul upon His life? But you saitli “Tliercibre with loving- kind ness nave I drawn tliee.” Then poor sinner, if you view" your self standing-a great way off-Hi sin. may say, that von have been a mighty sinner. To which -'.ve answer ; Christ is an Almighty Kaviour. But you may say that you cannot repent and feel tlie drawings of God, and | Xo whidi wc answer: His “loving you fear to come to Him, believing that I pijidiicss’’ has “exalted Christ to be your sins are so groat that He will | Prince and a Saviour, to give re thrust you down to bell; bear • pentance to Israel, and the forgive- wbat He speaks to thee | jniess of sins.” But you may say that “with loving kindness.” Though you j you arc so vile tliat you cannot "pray, h.ave been a great sinner, still He lias j XT which wo answer : But Christ for you “loving kindness;” not a j through “loving kindnc.s.s” has pray- kindnessforced or merited nor bought, Td for yon. ^T pray for them, I nor hired, nor disap])ointcd, but ever-1 ju-ay not for the world, but for tiiem lasting love, and everlasting kindness. Oh, 'wondrous love ! Oli, wondrous kindness, can it be for me. In the •natural, w'hcn your acts tiwai’d your love have been inditferent, you fcar to .see them again ; you expect to be spurned from their presence; yon which thou hast given me out oi the O world.” Then if we are far off. His loving kindness draws us; if we are dead, His loving-kindness makes us alive; if we are His enemies. His loving- kiudness makes us His ffiends; if I'or and in behalf of the ITimi- tlve J3aptists. of Forth Carolina, we invite Hider I. K. Amnraeter, of Illi nois, to visit our State,- at any con venient time to him, between iSpring and Fall, Brother Vanmeter, you may rest a.s.sured that this invitation is th« wish of every Baptist in this State; we therefore hope the Lord may im press it upon your mind to comply, “nothing doubting.” If you should conclude to eomc, inform us when you will be at Greensboro, N. C.,aud bow long you can .spend with us, and appointments will be made ae- cording. it will take you about five days to come. Gkv-e us an ansvrer.— Ed. CORRESPOMDSNGE. Germantown, Stokes Co., K. C., \ September 26rh, 18b9. j' Dear Brethren;—I pi'omised to attend Graha'm’s Church yesterday and to-day, but heavy rains have kept me at home, and this Sabbath morning, the rain continues. I will devote a portion of this holy day, writing to brethren, many thousands of -which I have not seen nor .never shalUn time. Some few years ago, I wrote ray - --JT rv
April 15, 1870, edition 1
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