Funeral Sermon for the Rev. J. J. Janeway

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BY THE REV. CHARLES HODGE, D.D. 295which he has committed to the church for the salvationof men. We bring in the millennium when webring all men thus to love and worship Christ, thusto believe his doctrines, and to obey his will. Thisis the only way in which the good of society, or theconversion of the world can be promoted. This isthe mission of the church and of all her members,and therefore, while here on earth she is and mustremain the church militant. Men will call out forpeace. They will clamor for the cessation of controversy.They will denounce as bigots all who arezealous for the truth. This is part of the heat and dustof the conflict which we are called to sustain. Wemust endure to be evil spoken of. We must expectto be denounced as men who turn the world upsidedown. But we must with humility, meekness andlove, hold fast the truth, and insist that obedienceto the faith is an essential part of the allegiancewhich every man owes to Christ.We have seen that we are of necessity partakersof a conflict which is going on around us; that bybirth we have our position in the kingdom of darkness;that the change by which we are translatedfrom the kingdom of Satan into Christ’s kingdom isnot dependent on our will, but is effected by thepower of Christ, and consists in the recognition ofChrist as our God and Saviour. Hence, it follows,that the principle of the Christian life is loyalty toChrist, not piety, not benevolence. Hence, also, theend of this conflict is to bring ourselves and othersinto obedience to Christ. This obedience includes the
296FUNERAL SERMONsubjection of the understanding, conscience, heart,and life. It is the same with regard to others. Itremains only to remark that the weapons of thiswarfare are not carnal. Overcoming Satan andbringing ourselves or others into subjection to Christ,is not a natural process. It is not a matter of moralculture or discipline. It belongs to an entirely differentsphere. It is a supernatural work, carried onby divinely appointed means, which means are inthemselves entirely inadequate and inoperative, butwhich are rendered effectual by the Almighty powerof the Spirit of God. Hence, the Apostle makeshope, righteousness, faith, zeal, prayer and the wordof God the panoply of the Christian—the armour ofoffence and defence by which he is to overcome thepowers of darkness; not only the evils of his ownheart, and the ignorance, errors, and vices of men,but the whole power of Satan, the dreadful hierarchyof hell, the principalities, the powers, the worldrulers,spiritual wickednesses in high places.The issue in all worldly conflicts is more or lessuncertain. Multitudes, even of the victors, receiveno benefit from their success; but in this conflict certaintriumph and an eternal weight of glory are theportion of every soldier, however humble his position.He may be unknown by name to any but the mostrestricted circle, and yet the King whom he serves willsecure to him complete success over all his enemies.His own soul shall be delivered from every defilement,and be presented at last faultless before thethrone of His glory. Success also is to crown the
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Funeral Sermon for the Rev. J. J. Janeway

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