aching clay...

Born the son of a baker in Worcester, MA in 1789,  John Brazer attended Harvard where his academic ability was clear. He was tutor in Greek and Professor in Latin before becoming minister at Salem, MA, where he served until his death in 1843.  This from his sermon

"THE GREAT SALVATION

"HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE, IF WE NEGLECT SO GREAT SALVATION? "— Hebrews ii. 3.

There are two thoughts of infinite concernment involved in this inquiry. One is, that there is a " great salvation " offered to our acceptance, and the other is, that there is great danger in neglecting to accept it and avail ourselves of it.

There is a " great salvation" offered to our acceptance. But, it may be asked, do we need to be reminded of this ? Have we not heard of it all our lives long ? Has it not been reiterated a thousand times, in a thousand ways? Has it not been taught to us in infancy, and repeated in every advanced step in life, and virtually recognized, even when not repeated, in the whole history of the past ? Yes, undoubtedly, in regard to most of us, this is the fact, and it is on this very account, paradoxical as it may seem, that this " great salvation " needs to be presented to the mind anew. Our very familiarity with the subject, or rather with certain forms of expression by which it is indicated, has served to deaden its impression on the mind. It has become a trite theme, and therefore, like the familiar murmur of a stream, falls upon our ears without any distinct significance. For this very reason, then, it becomes necessary to quicken our " spiritual apprehension " of it, to place ourselves in the position of those to whom it was first preached, and to listen to it as to a voice from heaven, which is intended to call the dead to life.

" So great salvation," says the writer to the Hebrews. Why great ? To what degree, in what manner, for what reason, " great " ?

It is great in its object. This is none other than the human soul. Its object is not that aching clay which forms our bodies, and which, by a resistless attraction, is hastening down to mingle with its parent earth. It is not that " life in others' breath " which is called reputation. It is not that wealth which must soon leave us or be left. It is not that little round of duties, cares, interests, and enjoyments that fill up these transitory hours. But its object is the human soul; that principle which lives and thinks and wills and feels ; that makes a man a man, that connects him with God, and endows him with a life which, outlasting suns and stars and worlds and all material things, shall still live on, eternal as is God himself. And is not a salvation great that can save, rescue from perdition, so august a creation as the human soul ?"

Blessings