An Exhortation to a Right Conversation After This Ordinance
We will now suppose the new moon to be gone, the Sabbath to be past, and the solemnities of the sacrament day to be over; and is our work now done? No; now the most needful and difficult part of our work begins; which is, to maintain such a constant watch over ourselves, as that we may, in the whole course of our conversation, exemplify the blessed fruits and effects of our communion with God in this ordinance. When we come down from this mount, we must, as Moses did, bring the tables of the testimony with us in our hands, that we may in all things have respect to God’s commandments, and frame our lives according to them. Then we truly get good by this ordinance, when we are made better by it, and use it daily as a bridle of restraint to keep us in from all manner of sin, and a spur of constraint to put us on to all manner of duty.
I shall endeavour, first, to give some general rules for the right ordering of the conversation after we have been at the Lord’s Supper; and then, secondly, I shall instance in some particulars, wherein we must study to conform ourselves to the intentions of that ordinance, and abide under the influence of it.
For the first, the Lord’s Supper was instituted not only for the solemnizing of the memorial of Christ’s death at certain times, but for the preserving of the remembrance of it in our minds at all times, as a powerful argument against every thing that is ill, and a prevailing inducement to every thing that is good; in this sense we must” bear about with us continually the dying of the Lord Jesus, so as that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal bodies.’^ It was instituted, not only lor the sealing of the covenant, that it may be’’ ratified, but for the imprinting of it upon our minds, that we may be ever mindful of the covenant, and live under the commanding power of it.
We must see to it that there be an agreement between our performances at the Lord’s table, and at other times that we be uniform in our religion, and not guilty of a self-contradiction. What will it profit us, if we pull down with one hand what we build up with the other? And Tuido in our lives what we have done in our devotions? That we may not do so, let us be ruled by these rules: —
1. Our conversation must be such as that we may adorn the profession which in the Lord’s Supper we have made. We have in that ordinance solemnly owned ourselves the disciples and followers of the Lord Jesus; we have done ourselves the honour to subscribe ourselves his humble -servants, and he hath done us the honour to admit us into his family; and now we are concerned to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called; that, our relation to Christ being so much an honour to us, we may never be a dishonour to it. We are said to be taken into covenant with God for this very end, that we may be unto him for “a name, and for a praise, and for a glory,” that we may be witnesses for him, and for the honour of his name among men.
We must therefore be very cautious, that we never say or do any thing to the reproach of the gospel, and Christ’s holy religion, or which may give any occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme. If those that profess to be devout towards God, be unjust and dishonest towards men, this casts reproach upon devotion, as if that would consist with, and countenance immorality. If those who call themselves Christians walk as other Gentiles walk, and do Satan’s drudgery in Christ’s livery, Christianity suffers by it, and religion is wounded in the house of her friends. Injuries are done which cannot be repaired; and those will have a great deal to answer for another day, for whose sakes (he name of God and his doctrine are thus evil spoken of. By our coming to the Lord’s Supper, we distinguish ourselves from those whose profession of Christianity, by their being baptized in infancy, seems to be more their chance than their choice; and, by a voluntary act of our own, we surname ourselves by the name of Israel; now, if after we have thus distinguished ourselves, and so raised the expectations of our neighbours from us, we do that which is unbecoming the character we bear, if we be vain, and carnal, and intemperate, if we be false and unfair, cruel and unmerciful, what will the Egyptians say? They will say, commend us to the children of this world, if these be the children of God; for what do they more than others? Men’s prejudices against religion are hereby confirmed, advantage is given to Satan’s devices, and the generation of the righteous is condemned for the sake of those who are spots in their feasts of charity. Let us therefore always be jealous for the reputation of our profession, and afraid of doing that which may in the least be a blemish to it; and the greater profession we make, the more tender let us be of it, because we have the more eyes upon us, that watch for our halting; when we do irood, we must remember the apostle’s caution, “Let not your good be evil spoken of”
We must also be very studious to do that which will redound to the credit of our profession. It is not enough that we be not a scandal to religion, but we must strive to be an ornament to it, by excelling in virtue, and being forward to every good work. Our light must shine as the face of Moses did, when he came down from the mount; that is, our good works must be such, as that they who see them, may give religion their good word, and thereby “glorify our Father which is in heaven.” “Our conversation must be as becomes the gospel of Jesus Christ,” that they who will not be won by the word, may be won by it to say, “We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you. If there be any virtue, if there be any praise more amiable and lovely than another, let us think on these things.” Are we children? Let us walk as obedient children, well taught, and well managed. lre we soldiers? Let us approve ourselves good soldiers, well trained and well disciplined; so shall we do honour to him that hath called us. If God’s Israel carefully keep and do his statutes, it will be said of them to their honour among the nations, ‘’ Surely they are a wise and understanding people.’” And this will redound to the honour of Christ; for thus wisdom is justified of her children.
2. Our conversation must be such as that we may fulfil the engagements which at the Lord’s Supper we have laid ourselves under. Having at God’s altar sworn that we will keep his righteous judgments, we must conscientiously perform it in all the instances of a holy, righteous, and sober conversation. The vows we have made, express or implicit, must be carefully made good by a constant watchfulness against all sin, and a constant diligence in all duty; because, ‘* better it is not to vow, than to vow and not to pay.”
When we are at any time tempted to sin, or in danger of being surprised into any ill thing, let this be our reply to the tempter, and with this let us quench his fiery darts, “Thy vows are upon me, O God. Did I not say, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue? I did say so, and therefore I will keep my mouth as with a bridle.” Did not I make a covenant with mine eyes? I did; that therefore shall be to me a covering of the eyes, that they may never be either the inlets or outlets of sin. Did I not say, “I will not transgress 1 I did so; and therefore, by the grace of God, I will “abstain from all appearance of evil, and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.” An honest man is as good as his word.
When we begin to grow slothful and careless in our duty, backward to it, and slight it, let this stir up the gift that is in us, and quicken us to every good word and work. “O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord thou art my Lord;” thoo. hast said it with the blood of Christ in thy hand; “he is thy Lord then, and worship thou him.” “When a lion in the way, a lion in the streets,” deters us from any duty, and we cannot plough by reason of cold, nor sow or reap for fear of winds and clouds,” let this help us over the difficulty with a steady resolution — It is what I have promised, and I must perform it; I will not, I dare not be false to my God and my covenant with him: “I have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and, without incurring the guilt of perjury, I cannot go back.”
3. Our conversation must be such, as that we may make some graterul returns fur the favours which we have hcr<; received. The hiw of gratitude is one of the laws of nature; for the ox knows his owner, and the ass his master’s crib; and some have thought that all our gospel-chity may very fitly be comi)rised in that of gratitude in our Redeemer. In the Lord’s Supjjer we see what Christ hath done for us, and we receive what he bestows on us; an-l in consideration of both we must set ourselves, not only to love and praise him, but to walk before him in the land of the living; that though we cannot return him any equivalent for his kindness, yet, by complying with his will, and consulting his honour, we may show that we bear a grateful mind, and would render aain according; to the benellt done unto us.
By wilful sin after a sacrament, we load ourselves with the guilt, not only of treachery but of base ingratitude. It was aggravation of Solomon’s apostacy, that “he turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice.” More than twice, yea, many a time hath God appeared, not only for us in his providences, but to us in his ordinances, manifesting himself in a distinguishing way to us, and not unto the world; now, if we carry ourselves strangely to him who hath been such a friend to us, if we affront him who hath so favoured us, and rebel against him who hath not only spared but ransomed us, we deserve to be stigmatized with a mark of everlasting infamy, as the most ungrateful wretches that ever God’s earth bore, or his sun shone upon. Foolish people and unwise are we, thus to requite the Lord. Let us therefore reason thus with ourselves, when at any time we are tempted to sin. After he hath given us such a deliverance as this, shall we again break his commandments? Shall we spit in the face, and spurn at the bowels of such loving kindness? After we have eaten bread with Christ, shall we go and lift u]) the heel against him? No, God forbid; we will not continue in sin after grace has thus abounded.
By an exact and exemplary conversation, we show ourselves sensible of the mighty obligations we lie under to love him, and live to him who loved us, and died for us; we should, therefore, from a principle of gratitude, always abound in the work of the Lord, and lay out ourselves witlj zeal and cheerfulness in his service; thinking nothing too much to do, too hard to suffer, or too dear to part with, for him that hath done and suffered, and parted with so much for us. Let the iove of Christ constrain us.
4. Our conversation must be such as that we mny preserve the comforts which we have tasted in the Lord’s ISupper. Have we been satisfied with the goodness of God’s house? Let us not receive the grace of God therein in vain, by the forfeiture or neglect of those satisfactions. Fear the Lord and his goodness; that is, fear lest you sin against that goodness, and so sin it away. Have we received Christ Jesus the Lord? Let us hold fast what we have received, that no man take our crown, and the comfort ol it. Hath God here spoken peace to us? Let us then never return to folly, lest we break in upon that peace God hath spoken; it is a jewel too precious to be pawned, as it is by the covetous for the wealth of this world, and by the voluptuous for the pleasures of the flesh. Have we tasted that the Lord is gracious? Let us not put our mouths out of taste to those spiritual and divine pleasures by any carnal delights and gratifications. Hath God made us to hear joy and gladness? Let us not set ourselves out of the hearing of that joyful sound, by listening to the voice of Satan’s charms, charm he ever so wisely.
If we walk loosely and carelessly after a sacrament, we provoke Xjod to hide his face from us, to take from us the cup of consolation, and to put into our hands instead of it the cup of trembling, we cloud our evidences, shake our hopes, and wither our comfort, and undo what we have been doing at this ordinance. That caution, therefore, which the apostle gives to the elect lady and her children, should be ever sounding in our ears, “Look to ourselves, that we lose not the things which we have wrought;” or, as the margin reads it, “the things that we have gained.” Let us not, by our own folly and neglect, lose the benefit of what we have done, and what we have got at the Lord’s table.
Especially, we should take heed lest Satan get an advantage against us, and improve that to our prejudice, which we do not take due care to improve as we ought to our benefit. After the sop, Satan entered into Judas. If the comforts which we think we have received in this ordinance do not make us more watchful, it is well if they do not make us more secure. If they be not a savour of lii’e unto life, by deterring us from sin. there is danger lest they prove a savour of death unto death, by hardening us in sin. It was one of the most impudent words which that adulterous woman spoke, and she spoke a great many, when she allured the young man into her snares: “I have peiice-ofFerings with me this day, I have paid my vows, therefore came I ibrth to meet thee.” I have confessed, and been absolved, and therefore can the better afford to begin upon a new score j I know the worst of it; it is but being confessed and absolved again; but shall we continue in sin, because grace hath abounded, and that grace may abound 1 God forbid; far be it, far be it from us ever to entertain such a thought. Shall we suck poison out of the balm of Gilead, and split our souls upon the rock of salvation I Is Christ the minister of sin? Shall the artihces of our spirtual enemies turn this table into a snare, and that on it, which should be for our welfare, into a trap? Those are l)ut pretended comforts in Christ, that are thus made real supports in sin: “Be not deceived, God is not mocked.” Jlell will be hell indeed to those who thus ‘’trample under loot the blood of the covenant as an unholy thing, and do despite to the Spirit of grace.” Their case is desperate, indeed, that are embolden in sin by their approaches to God.
5. Our conversation must be such as that we may evidence the commun’ion we have had with God in Christ at the Lord’s table. It is not enough to say that we have fellowship with him; the vilest hypocrites j)rGtend to that honour; but, by walking in darkness, they disprove their pretensions, and give themselves the lie. We must therefore show that we have fellowship with him, by walking in the light and as he also walked. By keeping up communion with God in p»rovidences, having our eyes ever towards him, and acknowledging him in all our ways; receiving all our comforts as the gifts of his bounty, and bearing our afflictions as his fatherly chastisements, we evidence that we have had communion with him in ordinances. They that converse much with scholars evidence it by the tongue of the learned; as one may likewise discover by the politeness and rcfinedness a man’s air and mien, that his conversation hath been much with persons of quality: thus they that have communion with the holy God, should make it appear in all holy con* versation, not suffering any corrupt communication to proceed out of their mouth, but abounding in that which is ^^ood, and to the use of edifying, that, by our speech and behaviour it may appear to what country we belong.
When Peter and John acquitted themselves before the council with such a degree of conduct and assurance, as one could not have expected from unlearned and ignorant men, not acquainted with courts, or camps, or academies; it is said, that they who marvelled at it, “took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus.” And from those who had been with Jesus, who had followed him, sat at his feet, and eaten bread with him, very great things jnigiit be expected. In this ordinance we have been with Jesus, we have been seeing his beauty, and tasting his sweetness; and now we should live so, as that all who converse with us may discern it, and by our holy, heavenly converse, may take knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus.
For the second thing proposed, let us instance in some particulars wherein we ought, in a special manner, to approve, ourselves well after this solemnity, that, “as we have received Jesus Christ the Lord, we may so walk in him.”
After we have been admitted into communion with God, and have renewed our covenants with him at his table, it behooves us to be careful in these six things:
1. We must see to it that we be sincerely devout and pious. — It is not enough that we live soberly and righteously, but we must live godly, in this present world, and our sacramental engagements should stir us up to abound therein more and more. After an interview with our friends, by which mutual acquaintance is improved, and mutual affections confirmed, we are more constant and endearing in our correspondence with each other; so we should be with God after this ordinance, more frequent in holy ejaculations, and breathings of soul towards God, intermixed even with common business and conversation; more abundant in reading, meditation, and solemn prayer; more diligent in our attendances on public ordinances, more fixed and enlarged in closet devotions, and more lively and aft’ectionate in our iamiiy worship. Those religious exercises v*’herein we have formerly been remiss ana carcl.ss, easily persuaded to put them by, or put them otf, we should now be more constant to, and more careful in, more ci«jv3 in oar application to them, and more serious in our peribrmaiice of them.
If we have indeed found that it is good for us to draw near to God we will endeavour to keep near him, so near him, as upon every occasion to speak to him, anvj to hear from hini. If this sacrament has been our deiiglit, the word will be our delight, and we will daily converse with it; prayer will be our delight, and we will give ourselves to it, and continue instant in it. They that have been feasted upon the sacrifice of atonement, ought to abound in sacrifices of acknowledgment, the spirirual sacrifices of prayer and praise, and a broken heart, which are acceptable to God through Christ Jesus; and, having in our flock a male, we must ofier that, and not a corrupt thing.
It is the shame of many who are called Christians, and have a name and a place in God’s family, that they are as backward and inditferent in holy duties, as if they were afraid of doing ti)o much for God and their own souls, and as if their chief care were to know just how much will serve to bring them to heaven, that they may do no more. They can be content to go a mile, but they are not willing to go twain. And doth it become those on whom God hath sown so plentifully, to make their returns so sparingly 1 Ought we not rather to enquire what free-will otTerings we may bring to God’s altar? And how we may do more in religion than we have used to do 1 They that have found what a good table God keeps, and how welcome they have been to it, should desire to dwell in his house all the days of their life; and blessed are they that do so, “they will be still praising him.”
2. We must see to it that we be conscientiously just and honest. — We not only contradict our profession, and give ourselves the lie, but we reproach the religion we profess, and give it the lie, if after we have been at this sacrament, we deceive or defraud our brethren in any matter j for this is that which the Lord our God requires of us, that we do justly; that is, that we never do wrong to any, in their body, goods, or good name; and that we c ver study to render to all their due, according to the relation we stand in, and the obligation we lie under to them. That, therefore, which is altogether just (“justice, justice,” as the word is,) ‘• thou shalt follow.” There are many who make no great pretentions to religion, and yet natural conscience, sense of honour, and a regard to the common good, keep them strictly just in all their dealings, and they would scorn to do a base and dishonest thing; and shall not the bonds of this ordinance, added to those inducements, restrain us from every thing that hath but the appearance of fraud and injustice? A Christian, a communicant, and yet a cheat! Yet a man not to be trusted, not to be dealt with, but standing on one’s guard! How can these be reconciled? Will that man be true to his God, whom he hath not seen, that is false to his brother whom he hath seen? Shall he be intrusted with the true riches, that is “not faithful in the unrighteous mammon?”
Let the remembrance of our sacramental vows be always fresh in our minds, to give check to those secret covetings, which are the springs of all fraudulent practices. I have disclaimed the world for a portion; shall I then, for the compassing of a little of its forbidden gain, wrong my brother, to whom I ought to do good, wrong my profession, which I ought to adorn, and wrong ray own conscience, which I ought to keep void of offence? God forbid! I have likewise renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, and proraised not to walk in craftiness; “by the grace of God, I will therefore ever have ray conversation in the world, in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom.” They that are so well skilled in the arts of deceit, as to save themselves from the scandal of it, and to be able to say with Ephraim, though he had the balances of deceit in his hands, “In all my labours, they shall find no iniquity in me that were sin,” yet cannot thereby save themselves from the guilt of it, and the ruin that attends it; for doubtless “the Lord is the avenger of all such.” Those that cheat their neighbours, cannot cheat their God, but will prove in the end, to have cheated themselves into everlasting misery; and” what is man profitted, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul V
S. We must see to it, that we be religiously meek and peaceable. — We must not only come from this ordinance in a calm and quiet frame, but we must always keep ourselves in such a frame. 13y the meekness and gentleness of Christ, (which the apostle mentions as a most powerful charm, let us be w rought upon to be always meek and gentle, as those that have learned of him. The storms of passion that are here laid, must never be suffered to make head again; nor must the enmities that are here slain, ever be revived. Having eaten of this gospel passover, we must all our life long keep the feast, without the “leaven of malice and wickedness.” Having been feasted at wisdom’s table, we must always abide under the conduct and influence of that wisdom, which is “first pure, and then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated.” God was greatly displeased with those that, after they released their bond servants, according to the law, recalled their releases, and brought them into subjection again. And so will he be with those who seem to set aside their quarrels when they come to the sacrament, but, as soon as the pang of their devotion is over, the heat of their passion returns, and they resume their quarrels, and revive all their angry resentments; thereby making it to appear, that they did never truly forgive, and therefore were never forgiven of God.
Let those that have had communion with God in this ordinance, be able to appeal to their relations and domestics, and all they converse with concerning this; and to vouch them for witnesses, that they have mastered their passions, and are grown more mild and quiet in their families than sometimes they have been; and that even when they are most provoked, they know both how to hear reason, and how to speak it. Whatever others do, let us never give occasion to the enemies of the Lord to say, that the seriousness of religion makes men sour and morose, and that zeal in devotion disposeth the mind to peevishness and passion; but let us evidence the contrary, that the grace of God doth indeed make men good nat’ured, and that the pleasures of serious godliness make men truly cheerful and easy to all ubout them. Having been here sealed ‘’ to the day of redemption, let us not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,” that blessed dove; and that we may now “let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-speaking, be put away from ui?, with all malice.”
4. We must see to it, that we be strictly sober and chaste. — Gluttony, and drunkenness, and fleshly lusts, are as great a reproach as can be to those that profess relation to Christ, and the expectation of eternal life. It becomes those that have been feasted at the table of the Lord, and have there tasted the pleasures of the spiritual and divine life, to be dead to all the delights of sense, and to make it appear that they are so, by a holy indifferency to them. Let not the flesh be indulged to the prejudice of the spirit, nor provision made for the fulfilling of the lusts thereof Have we been entertained with the dainties of heaven? Let us not be desirous of the dainties of sense, nor solicitous to have the appetite gratified, and all our enjoyments to the highest degree pleasing. When our Lord had instituted his Supper, and gave this cup of blessing to his diesiples, he added, “I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine.” Now welcome the bitter cup, the vinegar, and the gall; teaching us after a sacrament to sit more loose than before to bodily delights, and to be better reconciled to hardships and disappointments in them. It was the sin and shame of the Israelites in the wilderness, that while they were fed with manna, angel’s food, they lusted, saying, “Who will give us flesh to eat?” And they sin after the similitude of that transgression, who, when they had eaten of the bread of life, and drunk of the water of life, yet continue to be as curious and careful about their meat and drink, as if they knew no better things, and had their happiness bound up in them; as if the kingdom of God were in this sense meat and drink, and a Turkish paradise were their heaven. Surely they that are of this spirit serve not our Lord Christ, but their own bellies.
But if they thus shame themselves who indulge the flesh, though’ their reason remaineth with them; what shall we think of those vrho by their intemperance put themselves quite out of possession of their own souls, unfit themselves for the service of God, and level themselves with the beasts? A Christian, a communicant, and yet a tipler, a drunkard, and a companion with those that run to this excess of riot! This, this is the sin that hath been the scandal and ruin of many who, having begun in the spirit, have thus ended in the flesh; this is that which hath quenched the Spirit, hardened the heart, besotted the head, debauched the conscience, withered the profession, and so hath slain its thousands, and its ten thousands. Against this sin, therefore, the Lord’s prophet must cry aloud, and not spare; of the danger of this, the watchmen are concerned to give warning; and dare those who partake “of the cup of the Lord, drink of the cup of devils?” Can there be so much concord between light and darkness, between Christ and Belial? No, there cannot; these are contrary, the one to the other. If men’s communicating will not break them off liom their drunkenness, their drunkenness must break them off from communicating; for these are spots in our feasts of charity; and, if God be true, “drunkards tiiall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Let me, therefore, with all earnestness, as one that desires to obtain mercy of the Lord to be faithful, warn all that profess religion and relation to Christ, to stand upon their guard against this snare, which hath been fatal to multitudes. As you tender the favour of God, the comforts of the Spirit, the credit of your profession, and the welfare of your own souls here and hereafter, take heed of being entangled in any temptations to sin; shun the society of these evil doers, abstain from all the appearances of this sin; watch and be sober; he “that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, hath made us unto our God kings and priests.” Are we priests? This was the law of the priesthood, and it was a law made upon occasion of the death of Nadab and Abihu, who probably had “erred through wine.” “Do not drink wine or strong drink, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation.” Are we kings? “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; lest they drink and forget the law.” It is not for Christians to drink to excess, and to allow themselves in those riotinss and revellings, which even the sober heathen condemned and abhorred.
Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, and lasciviousness, are likewise lusts of the flesh, and defiling to the soul, which, tbeiefore, all those must carefully avoid that profess to be led by the Spirit; they are abominable things which the Lord hates, and which we also must hate. Are not our bodies temples of the Holy Ghost? Dare we then defile them? A’e they not members of Christ? And shall we make them the members of a harlot? Let those that eat of the holy things, be holy both in body and spirit, and “possess their vessels in sanctification and honour, and not in the lusts of uncle anness.” Let those eyes never be guilty of a wanton look, that have here seen Christ evidently set forth crucified among us; let not lewd, corrupt communication proceed out of that mouth into which God’s covenant hath been taken; let not unclean lascivious thoughts be ever harboured in that heart in which the holy Jesus vouchsafes to dwell. Let those that have eaten of wisdom’s bread, and drunk of the wine that she hath mingled, never hearken to the invitations of the foolish woman, who courts the unwary to stolen waters, and bread eaten in secret, under pretence that they are sweet and pleasant; “for the dead are there, and her guests are in the depths of hell.”
5. We must see to it that we be abundantly charitable and beneficent. — It is not enough that we do no hurt, but if we would order our conversation aright, we must, as we have opportunity, do good to all men, as becomes those to whom God in Christ is good, and doth good, and who profess themselves the disciples and followers of him who went about doing good. Shall we be selfish and seek our own things only, who have here seen how Christ humbled and emptied himself for us? Shall we be sparing of our pains for our brethren’s good, who have here seen Christ among us, as one that serveth, as one that suffereth, and as one who came not to be ministered unto, “but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many?” Shall we be shy of speaking to, or speaking for our poor brethren, who have here seen our Lord Jesus not ashamed to own us, and intercede for us, notwithstanding our poverty and meanness? Shall we be stra’t handed in distributing to the necessities of the saints, who have here found Christ so liberal and open h: n ied in impart ng to us, not only the gospel of God, bui even his own soul? After we have been at this ordinance, we should show how muck we are affected with our receiving there, by being ready and forward “to every good work; because our goodness extendeth not to God, it ought to extend to the saints that are in the earth.” Thus we must be “followers of God as dear children; we must walk in love, as here we see Christ hath loved us, and given himself for us.”
6th, We must see to it that we be more taken off from this world, and more taken up with another world. — A Christian then lives like himself, when he lives above the things that are seen, which are temporal, and looks upon them with a holy contempt, and keeps his eye fixed upon the things that are not seen, which are eternal, looking upon them with a holy concern. We are not of this world, but we are called out of it; we belong to another world, and are designed for it; we must, therefore, ‘* seek the things that are above, and not set our affections on things beneath.”
The thoughts of Christ crticified should wean us from this world, and make us out of love with it. The world knew him not, but hated him; the princes of this world crucified him; but he overcame the world, and we also by faith in him may obtain a victory over it; such a victory over it, as that we may not be entangled with its snares, encumbered with its cares, or disquieted by its sorrows. By frequent meditation on the cross of Christ, “the world will be crucified to us, and we to the world;” that is, the world and we shall grow very indifferent one to another, and no love shall be lost between us.
The thoughts of Christ glorified should raise our hearts to that blessed place where Christ “sitteth on the right hand of God, and from whence we look for the Saviour.” When we commemorate Christ’s entrance within the vail as our forerunner, and have good hopes of following him shortly; when we think of his being in paradise, and of our being with him; how should our affections be carried out towards that joy of our Lord? How studious should we be to do the work of heaven, conform to the laws of heaven, and converse as much as may be with the glorious society there? Having received the adoption of sons, we should improve our dcquaint nee with, and raise our expectations of, the inheritance of sons.