Natural State of. – Charles Spurgeon

A MUSICAL amateur of eminence, who had often observed Mr. Cadogan’s inattention to his performances, said to him one day, ” Come, I am determined to make you feel the power of music, pay particular attention to this piece.” It was played. ” Well, what do you say now f “Just what I saidbefore.” “What! can you hear this and not be charmed? I am surprised at your insensibility ! Where are your ears ?′ ” Bear with me, my lord,” replied Mr. Cadogan, ” since I too have had my surprise ; I have from the pulpit set before you the most striking and affecting truths ; I have found notes that might have awaked the dead ; I have said, Surely he will feel now ; but you never seemed charmed with my music, though infinitely more interesting than yours. I too might have said — ‘Where are his ears?“’

Man, until sovereign grace opens his ears, is deaf to the heavenly harmonies of the love of God in Christ Jesus, although these are the ravishment of angels and the wonder of eternity.

JU3T— Perversion of hii Facilities.

According to the fable, the tail of the snake obtained pre- cedence of the head and led the way in the creature’s journeying. Being altogether blind the new guide dashed against a stone at one moment, and the nest came violently against a tree, and at last drowned both itself and the head in the river of death. Here may be seen the unhappy con- dition of men in whom their baser nature is dominant,

the animal controlling the intellectual. They invert the order of nature, they rebel against common sense ; their course cannot but be unwise and dangerous, and their end must be fatal. God made man upright, and placed his thoughtful faculties aloft in the place of sovereignty, but man in his folly permits the appetites which he holds in common with the brute creation to reign supreme, while the mind, which ought to rule, is degraded to meanest servitude.