April 28

Unskilful in the word. - Hebrews 5:13.

SOME persons are so ignorant and so unfamiliar with the sacred writings as not even to know what is the language of Scripture and what is not, when they hear it. Some are unskilful in finding it. How they fumble for parts of the Old Testament in the New, and for parts of the New in the Old! Some are unskilful in quoting it. Sometimes they misquote the meaning, frequently the words. Now, the meaning is unquestionably the main thing; but we love the very words, when they are the words the Holy Ghost uses.

Unskilful in defending it. A weak argument, instead of strengthening a good cause, always weakens it. It is like supporting a roof by a rotten pillar. How many doctrines are there which have been proved-that is, attempted to be proved-by passages of Scripture which have no relation to the subject! Persons have frequently endeavoured to prove the divinity of Christ by his miracles. He is divine, and we have proofs enough of it in his blessed book; but his miracles are proofs of his mission, not of his dignity. Moses performed miracles, but Moses was not divine; Paul performed miracles, but Paul was not divine.

Unskilful in applying it. “Who would give strong meat instead of milk to a babe?” says the apostle. “Who, instead of milk,” says Mr. Newton, “would give to a babe the bones of controversy, either to pick or to bite?” There are things in the Scripture “hard to be understood:” who would lead beginners to these? “Who,” as an old writer says, “would lead sinners to the university of predestination, before they have entered the grammar-school of repentance?” There are passages which regard the distressed and desponding; we should search after these, and ply them with such language as this:-“Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth;” “Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.” It requires, as Isaiah says, “the tongue of the learned to speak a word in season.” But there are some who are unwise in applying it to themselves as well as to others. “There is no driving the dog out of the house,” says a quaint author, “without making the children cry;” but some do not want to drive him out, and therefore they endeavour to soothe him, and say, “l am not angry with you.”

So it is here: when hypocrites are unmasked, and when heartless professors of religion are denounced, how often are the humble and sincere ready to seize all this, apply it to themselves, and conclude that they have no part or lot in the matter, and that their heart is not right in the sight of God! The apostle, therefore, after having uttered some very faithful things against backsliders in this epistle, by a fine turn immediately says, “But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things which accompany salvation, though we thus speak.”

There are some who are exceedingly fond of applying things to others which are suited peculiarly to themselves. A good woman said to her minister one Monday, “Oh, sir, you gave it finely to Mrs. such-a-one yesterday.” He only wanted to say, but could not, “Dear madam, that was designed for yourself.” And then, lastly, how unskilful are many in perusing the Scriptures! They are babes, and we do not expect skilfulness from babes. Excellency in every department is commonly the effect of much application and toil, and is to be looked for in those who have their senses exercised and their faculties employed.