CASTLE JESUS.

"Who have fled for refuge."--HEB. vi: 18.

Paul is here speaking of the consolations of Christians. He styles
them these "who have fled for refuge."

Moses established six cities of refuge--three on the east side of the
river Jordan, and three on the west. When a man had killed any one
accidentally he fled to one of these cities. The roads leading to them
were kept perfectly good, so that when a man started for the refuge
nothing might impede him. Along the cross-roads, and wherever there
might be any mistake about the way, there were signs put up pointing
in the right way, with the word "Refuge." Having gained the limits of
one of these cities the man was safe, and the mothers of the priests
provided for him.

Some of us have seen our peril, and have fled to Christ, and feel that
we shall never be captured. We are among those "who have fled for
refuge." Christ is represented in the Bible as a Tower, a High Rock, a
Fortress, and a Shelter. If you have seen any of the ancient castles
of Europe, you know that they are surrounded by trenches, across which
there is a draw-bridge. If an enemy approach, the people, for defense,
would get into the castle, have the trenches filled with water, and
lift up the draw-bridge. Whether to a city of safety, or a tower,
Paul refers, I know not, and care not, for in any case he means
Christ, the safety of the soul.

But why talk of refuge? Who needs it, if the refuge spoken of be a
city or a castle, into which men fly for safety? It is all sunlight
here. No sound of war in our streets. We do not hear the rush of armed
men against the doors of our dwellings. We do not come with weapons to
church. Our lives are not at the mercy of an assassin. Why, then, talk
of refuge?

Alas! I stand before a company of imperiled men. No flock of sheep was
ever so threatened or endangered of a pack of wolves; no ship was ever
so beaten of a storm; no company of men were ever so environed of a
band of savages. A refuge you must have, or fall before an
all-devouring destruction. There are not so many serpents in Africa;
there are not so many hyenas in Asia; there are not so many panthers
in the forest, as there are transgressions attacking my soul. I will
take the best unregenerated man anywhere, and say to him, You are
utterly corrupt. If all the sins of your past life were marshaled in
single file, they would reach from here to hell. If you have escaped
all other sins, the fa