Page:Records of the Life of the Rev. John Murray.djvu/156

146 have questioned, in the days of Elijah, when he was opposed by eight hundred and fifty prophets: "Do you not tremble to see all these holy, and reverend priests on one side, and you alone on the other? either they must be wrong, and you right, or you wrong, and they right." So in Jerusalem, our divine Master might have been asked: "Are you not appalled at beholding all the ministers of God, all the rulers of the people, in opposition? Either they must be wrong, and you right, or you wrong, and they right; and which, pray, is the most probable?" And the people might have been asked: "Have any of our rulers believed on him? He is a Devil, and mad, why hear ye him?" "I am astonished at your daring blasphemy, in comparing yourself either to Elijah, or Christ." Why, was not Elijah a man of like passions with us? and are we not taught to put on the Lord Jesus Christ? Who is it that asks, If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub? what ought the servants of his household to expect? Elijah is a member in the same body with me; but the Redeemer is still nearer; He is my head, the head of every man; He indulges me with the privilege of denying myself, my sinful self, and he allows me to acknowledge no other than his blessed self; that, thus standing in his name, I may stand in the presence of the Father, the Divinity, with exceeding joy; that, asking in the name of his immaculate humanity, I may be sure to receive, that my joy may be full. Nor can all that you, nor any one else can say, be able to shake me from this my strong hold. "Ay, perhaps you may be mistaken—you may be deceived." If I am deceived, I am deceived; but I will venture. "You know this is not the privilege of all, and therefore it may not be yours." I do not know, that this is not the privilege of all; but, if it be of any, it is of the believer; and, as I believe, it must be mine. They shall, said my divine Master, say all manner of evil of you, falsely. You, sir, have been in Brunswick, fulfilling this scripture; and I rejoice, that I have made the discovery. You can never deceive me again; but, as I am not naturally suspicious, others may obtain a lease of my good opinion, from which they will never, but upon the strongest conviction, be ejected. I left this good man beyond measure enraged; and, no doubt, believing he should really render God service, by doing me the most essential injury. I immediately repaired to the pulpit of my friend Dunham, where, preaching peace, I recovered my lost serenity; and it gladdened my heart to believe, that the inveterate enemy, with whom I had parted upon the road, was included in the redemption it was my business to proclaim.