Milo

30 MARCH (PREACHED 25 MARCH 1787)

Stretch out a friendly hand

‘Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.’ Proverbs 14:34
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Amos 5:4–15

Much may be done by the united efforts of persons of character and influence to enforce the laws of the land. The gross and shameful profanation of the Lord’s Day, the multitudes of unhappy prostitutes who throng our streets to ensnare the unwary, the many vile prints and pamphlets exposed to sale which are calculated to excite and disseminate lewdness, are no less contrary to law and sound policy than to religion. They are a disgrace to our police, and though tolerated with impunity in a land called Christian, would not, I am persuaded, have been permitted under the ancient heathen governments of Greece and Rome. How many are the snares spread for unexperienced youth, which too frequently counteract the advantages of education and good example. But the children of the poor, destitute of these advantages, many of them without advice and without restraint if no friendly hand is stretched out for their relief, are peculiarly exposed. It is a subject of lamentation, rather than wonder, that numbers grow up in the habits of idleness, drunkenness and dishonesty, that they are bold in the way of evil and neither fear God nor regard man, that from smaller they proceed to greater wickedness, that beggars and thieves abound everywhere, that neither our persons nor our property, nor dwellings, are safe, and that so many are brought to an untimely end at every sessions and assize. Who can say how many of these evils are prevented by the charitable institutions and support of schools for poor and otherwise friendless children?

FOR MEDITATION: I spoke to them of the love of Jesus in submitting to all these indignities for our sakes, of the wickedness of man in treating him who did nothing but good in this manner. I made them observe progress in wickedness. These ungodly men who crucified Christ were once children—began with little things, and so grew hardened as they grew old—from hence I showed them the necessity of praying to God to keep us, for if he should leave us to ourselves, we know not what we may come to.
Journal of children’s meetings at Olney, 24 January 1765

SERMON: PROVERBS 14:34 [6/7] [FOR THE ANNUAL CHARITY SERMON]

29 MARCH (PREACHED 25 MARCH 1787)

Contribute to our national honour

‘Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.’ Proverbs 14:34
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Acts 17:16–34

Whether we are a people exalted by the love and practice of righteousness, or whether sin, enormous sin, be our reproach, and a just cause for fear lest it involve us in ruin, I leave to your observation and to your consciences. I hope there are amongst you many righteous persons, and many more who feel some concern for the wickedness and misery around you. May God enable you, according to your several opportunities, to contribute to our national honour and to the removal of our reproach by joining heartily in the cause of righteousness, and by discountenancing sin.
This will lead you to countenance the preaching of the gospel, which is the appointment and power of God to salvation through faith in this name. The people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. The glorious gospel of Christ is like the sun: when this light shines and is perceived, the darkness of iniquity and misery flee before it.

FOR MEDITATION: Let those lament the speed of time whose hearts and hopes are confined to the present world! I trust we may rejoice that our complete, full salvation is much nearer than when we first believed, and is still advancing apace. Months that are gone, are gone for ever, and have borne away each its own load. Our chief concern with the flight of time is to endeavour to make the most of it as it passes and to work while it is day, for the night cometh. Considered as an opportunity, which, if let slip, can never be recalled, life is precious. It is here only, that we can bear testimony to the grace of God in the midst of sinners and improve our talents and influence, be they more or less, to alleviate the miseries or to promote the welfare of our fellow creatures.
John Newton to William Wilberforce, 22 December 1795

SERMON: PROVERBS 14:34 [5/7] [FOR THE ANNUAL CHARITY SERMON]

28 MARCH (PREACHED 25 MARCH 1787)

Left to ourselves, ruin is certain

‘Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.’ Proverbs 14:34
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Daniel 9:1–19

I think it undeniable that if this righteousness were diffused among all ranks and orders of men, there would be reason to say, happy are the people that are in such a state. Discord, envy, hatred, prodigality, covetousness, sensuality and a long train of evils which fill the world with woe, would be banished from among them. Each one in his sphere would contribute to the good of the whole, and God thus served, and thus honoured, would be their bulwark and shield, a wall of fire round about them and a glory in the midst of them. But where sin, the neglect of God and of his laws, prevail—it is a present reproach—it will prove them a foolish and unwise, an ungrateful and base spirited people. A want of public spirit in superiors, a readiness to sacrifice every valuable consideration to the selfish calls of ambition or interest—and, in the inferior [socially lower] classes, impatience of subordination, licentiousness under the pretence of liberty, the indulgence of hurtful passions—in general: dissensions, riots, weak counsels, rash enterprises, ruined fortunes and constitutions, distracted families, tyrannical masters, treacherous servants, bankruptcies, robberies, rapes and murders, crowded jails and places of worship almost empty, would mark the character of the nation and of the times. And these things would in their own nature, not only be a reproach, but tend to the ruin of the people.

FOR MEDITATION: God has sometimes shown his displeasure against sin by public and severe judgements—thus he brought a flood upon the old world and destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire. But if he only leaves a people to themselves, their ruin will be equally certain, and perhaps equally terrible. He inflicted no heavier punishment than this upon the Jews after they had filled up the measure of their iniquities by crucifying the Son of God. He did not visit them with earthquakes or hurricanes, but he gave them up to the way of their own hearts. Their ruin quickly followed; they brought it upon themselves, with such a complicated concurrence of calamities as were never suffered by any other people upon earth.

SERMON: PROVERBS 14:34 [4/7] [FOR THE ANNUAL CHARITY SERMON]

27 MARCH (PREACHED 25 MARCH 1787)

Good citizens

‘Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.’ Proverbs 14:34
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Romans 13:1–4

Consider how a nation (which is composed of a multitude of individuals) would be exalted if this character was universally or even generally prevalent. Whatever be the situation of the righteous man, he is an ornament and a blessing to the community. If he be in authority, he ruleth over men in the fear of God. Whether seated upon a throne, or in a subordinate station in public life, his power, influence and example, so far as they extend, are employed in promoting the public good, to encourage the love of righteousness in others, to vindicate the oppressed, maintain order and suppress wickedness. The God whom he serves teaches him for his station and supports him. His principles render him superior to the selfish craft which often passes for wisdom in the world, and the fear of God secures him from that fear of man which bringeth a snare. The righteous man is the true patriot, who wrestles for his country by prayer in secret and devotes his talents to promote the good of all around him. The righteous man in private life is a good citizen. He respects and obeys the government and laws under which he lives. He is willingly subject to lawful authority (and obeys), not from constraint, or for the sake of filthy lucre, but for conscience’ sake. If he be rich, the grace of God teaches him to be humble, moderate and benevolent. If he be poor, it teaches him patience and contentment, to be quiet in the land, diligent in his calling. As a relative, the righteous man is a kind and compassionate master, a good husband, a punctual trader, a faithful, upright servant, in every relation endeavouring to approve himself to God and to do unto others as he would wish others in a like situation should do unto him. He is sober and temperate in all things, gentle, forbearing and forgiving, because in every situation he endeavours to adore the doctrine of God his Saviour in all things, and is no farther directly concerned in the affairs of this life, than to let his light so shine in his allotted department, that others may glorify God on his behalf.

FOR MEDITATION: ‘Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness’ (Psalm 5:8).

SERMON: PROVERBS 14:34 [3/7] [FOR THE ANNUAL CHARITY SERMON]

26 MARCH (PREACHED 25 MARCH 1787)

The character of the righteous man

‘Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.’ Proverbs 14:34
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: 1 John 2:28–3:10

I shall delineate the character of a righteous man. That mankind is very far from original righteousness is the doctrine of our Church (Article 9). But the authority of our church, or of any church, would be of small weight unless supported and proved by the testimony of Scripture. They are so very far gone, that when God looked down upon the children of men, to see if there were any good among them, the result of his enquiry is declared (Psalm 14, Romans 3), There is none righteous, no, not one, there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. That sobriety, benevolence and equity which entitle men to respect as members of society, is very far short of righteousness unless connected with the knowledge, love and fear of the great God in whom we live and move and have our being. He is our Creator, Supreme Lawgiver and Benefactor, and therefore our first and highest regards are due to him. Unless we love, serve, trust, believe and obey him, we are not righteous, we are not honest. Morality, so much praised, so little practised, implies the right discharge of all our relative duties and our first and highest relation being that in which we stand to our Maker; if he is left out, our pretence to morality is vain. The righteous man has been convinced of loving, serving or trusting the creature more than the Creator—of preferring his own will to the will of God, of seeking happiness in something short of the favour and glory of God, and, in the prophetic language, of forsaking the fountain of living waters and hewing out to himself broken cisterns that can hold no water. The righteous man has therefore seen himself to be a sinner and he has taken his measures of sin from the majesty and goodness of God against whom he has sinned. He believes the record God has given of his Son, obeys the command and accepts the invitation to trust in this Saviour, renouncing very other hope.

FOR MEDITATION: The righteous man, therefore, is he who has peace with God through Jesus Christ, who, as redeemed by blood from the desire and dominion of sin, is no longer his own. He is now the willing servant of God, devoted to his will and glory.

SERMON: PROVERBS 14:34 [2/7] [FOR THE ANNUAL CHARITY SERMON]