AN auctioneer, commenting on the smallness of the bids he had been offered for some useful articles, made some piquant remarks. As far as our memory serves they were as follows:— “I have often found, in my experience, greater difficulty in selling good articles at their right value than attractively got-up goods of inferior make. The genuine well-made article is almost given away, while the showy thing finds a ready buyer. I'll give you a case in point. At a. recent sale I saw two pieces of furniture. One was made of solid mahogany, well finished, and would last for generations; but like most well-made goods it was plain in appearance. The other was ornamented with fancy woodwork, turned out by machine, and unsubstantial. A judge of furniture would soon have decided on the merit of the mahogany one. Yet it only fetched three pounds, while the showy one realized twelve. A good article, "he summed up," is generally plain but well made, well finished, and will last for years; while the inferior thing is showy, but soon wears out.”
These words are worth considering, but in their application to a far more important matter than that of furniture, or any other thing of temporary value in this world. Many who attend auctions are not buyers, but mere curious, idle loiterers. But every inhabitant of this world is an actual buyer—all are making good bargains or bad in the light of eternity.
The welfare of our never-dying souls is staked on that which we believe, and this belief is likened in Scripture to buying. It includes possession of that which is believed. The wise man says, "Buy the truth, and sell it not" (Proverbs 23:23). The truth comprehends God's testimony to man, both with regard to the declaration of Himself and man's condition (see 1 John 1:18, and Rom. 3.).
The truth is plain, but it will abide for eternity. Truth is connected with Christ; He is the Truth in its full expression. He is its embodiment. None other than a Divine Person could adequately declare God, nor speak as God. God has plainly spoken in the Son (Heb. 1.), and solved every question for faith. Only in Christ can a person learn the truth; only by subjection to Him can anyone become possessed of salvation, peace, and eternal security. He is presented as the alone Object for faith, and faith is the humblest principle on earth. Faith gives God His due place, and surrenders the heart and will to Him. In that sense, the soul by faith buys the truth. Faith cometh by hearing God's word (Rom. 10:17).
On the contrary, in the serpent's words to Eve there is the essence of all the varied theories contrary to truth, which the mind of man has foisted on the credulity of hearers of all ages.
Three statements he made:
1. "Hath God said?" in effect, "God's word is doubtful.”
2. "Ye shall not surely die"; in effect, "I boldly deny what God has said.”
3. "For God doth know... your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil"; in effect, "I have knowledge superior to yours; I possess the knowledge which God has, and if you listen to me, you will have a clearer vision; you will rise higher in the scale of creation, and have knowledge which you do not now possess.”
The offer was tempting; the fruit was pleasant to the eyes. Eve ventured on believing it; she bought “the lie. What did she give for it? Her innocence, her life! (compare 2 Cor. 5:4). Life is only truly known in the enjoyed presence of God. The purchase involved disobedience; disregard of the claimed right of the beneficent Creator—His right to the subjection of His creature. The lie was dearly bought; soon that which ornamented it was found worse than tawdry; with the knowledge of its possession came the fact of its insubstantiality. The word that God had said came to pass. Death passed on them because they had sinned, and no knowledge could avert the sentence (see Rom. 5.).
The knowledge of good was the good they had lost: the knowledge of the evil was accompanied by the consequences of the evil to which, without shelter, they nakedly stood exposed. What a sad bargain!
Man may be duped; God never. More than equal to the occasion, He spoke again in grace, in love. Yea, He has spoken in His Beloved Son., Whom it is of all importance to hear. Those who heed His word receive His gift, the gift of eternal life. "Come, buy wine and milk without money, without price," without merit of any kind. Happy they who hear His voice and become possessed of divine joys! The lie is received through hearing; the truth also is received through hearing.
Those who heed the lie give their soul for it, to their eternal loss. Those who hear the truth, and trust in Christ for salvation, receive all that is highest and best. Higher ideals, larger hopes, broader views are all inferior comparatives. EVERYTHING IN CHRIST IS SUPERLATIVE and ETERNAL. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. L. O. L.
Fragment.—"I am a bad accountant, but you are well acquainted with figures. Try what you can do in casting up this sum:
“What has God done for you?
“When did His purpose of doing you good begin?
“How many mercies have followed you all the days of your life?
“And, when will they stop?”
R.