God:s for to love both God and Mammon is impossible. Moreover such an eagerness shews, that we have no just value for our souls: for if we had once learned to appreciate the soul aright, the whole world would appear as nothing in comparison of it. Will any one then justify a conduct that involves in it such consequences? As long as the love of God, and care for our own souls, be our bounden duty, so long must the eager pursuit of an earthly vanity be incompatible with the Christian character.] 3. Why we should not seek any thing merely for ourselves [We are not our own, but God's. He both formed and redeemedy us, that we might glorify his name: and he represents his faithful servants as seeking, not their own things, bu the things of Jesus Christ. Are we then at liberty to rob God of his glory? and to defeat the great end both of our creation and redemption? Besides, our fellow-creatures also have a claim upon us. We are commanded not to "seek every man his own, but every man another's wealth."a Ought we then to deprive them of their right? Doubtless we may without impropriety labour in our respective callings to provide for ourselves and families: but we must take care that, in doing this, we have a view to God's honour, and the general welfare of mankind. Else our labour is mere selfishness, that contracts and hardens our hearts, while it violates every obligation to God and man.] ADDRESS 1. Those who are seeking only the things of this world [What have you gained by all your past exertions? You are pleased, perhaps, with your success, and have your pride gratified: but are you really happier than you were before you possessed your present honours and emoluments? Perhaps we may rather ask, Have you not, together with your means of self-indulgence, multiplied also your vexations and dis appointments? But supposing you to be unusually favoured in these respects, we still ask, What comfort will these things afford you in the hour of death, and the day of judgment? Will they not then at least, whatever they may now do, appear to be lighter than vanity itself? Then in the name of God, "Seek them not," 1 John ii. 15. " Matt. xvi. 26. Phil. iii. 7, 8. Matt. vi. 24. If however you be determined to seek great things, we will change our voice, and say, "Seek them:" yes, seek them: only take care that they be truly great. Be not contented with the poor pitiful things of time and sense: let your ambition rise to the very throne of God, and all the glory of heaven. In pursuit of such things, you cannot aim too high; your eagerness cannot be excessive; your very selfishness becomes a virtue. Other things that you acquire are for yourselves and heirs; these shall be for yourselves alone, and that, for ever and ever.] 2. Those who profess to seek higher and better things [Many a Baruch is to be found in the house of God: even the people who are truly beloved of the Lord, may need reproof for being too much cumbered about earthly things. If then such a character be present, let him consider the text as applied to himself in particular; Seekest thou great things unto thyself? thou, who professest to be dead to the world? thou who pretendest to walk in the steps of Christ? thou who boastest that thou hast God for thy portion? How dishonourable is such conduct! O "remember whence thou art fallen; and repent." Remember what was the root of Demas' apostasy: and know that the same root of bitterness, if nourished in your hearts, will bring forth the same malignant and destructive fruit. The best, the only antidote to this poison is, "the love of Christ shed abroad in your hearts." As a sight of the meridian sun unfits our organs of vision for beholding, for a time, any inferior objects, so will a sight of Christ efface the beauty of all sublunary things; or, to use the language of inspiration, "by the cross of Christ, the world will soon be crucified unto us, and we unto the world."] John xi. 5. with Luke x. 41, 42. d2 Cor. v. 14, 15. 2 Tim. iv. 10. e Gal. vi. 14. CCCCLXIII. THE NEARNESS OF SALVATION A MO TIVE TO DILIGENCE. Rom. xiii. 11. Now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. THE nearness of eternity may well excite us to improve the present hour This is a consideration as proper for believers as for unbelievers By it the Apostle stimulated to activity the Christians at Rome We shall consider I. His exhortation Persons, at their accustomed hour, arise from their beds, come forth to the light, and engage in the duties of their respective callings Now "it is high time" for us, (as the Apostle tells us, and "we know,") 1. To shake off our stupor [The wise virgins, no less than the foolish, slumbered and slept And the most zealous Christians at times are apt to grow remissb But it becomes us all to resist this propensity to the ut most And to redeem every moment of our time for God-] [What glorious prospects has God set before us in his word! Should we not then be surveying them with admiration and joy? Should we be sleeping, when Christ and heaven are open to our view?___ Surely we should be ever standing as on Pisgah's top-] 3. To prosecute our duties [The Christian's work demands the utmost energy of his soul Unless we engage with our whole hearts, we can never discharge the offices of love And are not multitudes around us "perishing for lack of knowledge?" Are not many of the saints also in need of consolation and support? What time then is there for loitering when so much is to be done?-] That the exhortation may have due influence upon us, let us consider a Matt. xxv. 5. Luke ix. 29, 32. b Rev. ii. 2-4. d Deut. iii. 25, 27. e These are particularly referred to. Compare ver. 8, 10. with the text. II. The argument with which it is enforced Every day, and every hour, the believer draws "near er to❞ 1. The termination of his conflicts. [The nearer a racer comes to the goal, the more he stretches forth for the prize And shall not the Christian be animated by the thought, that all his temptations, trials, difficulties are nearly ended? Well may he endure with patience, or exert himself with vigour, when the moment of his eternal rest is nigh at hand-] 2. The period of his probation [God has fixed the precise time for our continuance in his service And when that is arrived, we must give account of our stewardship" Should we not then improve our talents with all diligence?It is in this way alone that we can hope to "give up our account with joy"-] 3. The consummation of his hopes [What does the Christian look for, but a perfect conformity to God's image, and a complete possession of his glory? And perhaps a few days, or hours, may bring him to the enjoyment of it all Blessed thought! who that entertains it, must not glow with ardent desire for the moment of his dissolution? And redouble his exertions to finish the work assigned him?5-] APPLICATION [It is high time also for unbelievers to awake; for "their damnation slumbereth noth If they sleep a little longer, where, oh! where will they awake With what propriety may we address you, as Joshua did the Jews!] f Phil. i. 23. 8 2 Pet. iii. 11, 12. b 2 Pet. ii. 3. i Luke xvi. 23, 24. * Josh. xviii. 3. CCCCLXIV. VIGILANCE PRESCRIBED. Rom. xiii. 12. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. IT is the distinguished privilege of man that he is able to bring to his recollection things that are past, and to anticipate future events, so as to give them a kind of present existence in his mind. This power is of infinite use to him in the concerns of his soul. By means of it he can ascertain his state before God: he has only to compare the records of conscience with the declarations of God's word, and he can foresee the issue of the final judgment; and derive to himself the strongest arguments for vigilance and zeal. In this view the exhortation before us deserves our deepest attention: and to impress it on our minds, we shall I. Confirm the truth of the Apostle's assertion [Our Lord, in reference to the season afforded him for accomplishing his Father's work, calls this present life, day, and the future, night. The Apostle here uses the same metaphors, only reversing the application of them: the present life he designates by the name of "night," and the future, by the appellation of "day." The present life is called "night," because it is a state of intellectual and moral darkness. The ungodly "world are altogether lying in wickedness," and ignorant of all that it concerns them most to know-The regenerate themselves, "see but as in a glass darkly;" and, though they be light as day in comparison of carnal men, yet have they but, as it were, the twinkling of the stars, just sufficient to direct their course, or at most but as the early dawn, in comparison of the meridian light which they will hereafter enjoy. Much of sin also yet remains within them: much they do, which they would not; and leave undone, which they would do: by means of which they too often walk in darkness, instead of enjoying the light of God's countenance. Our future state of existence is called " day," because all, whether godly or ungodly, will behold every thing in its true light; and because the empire of sin will be eternally de stroyed. a John ix. 4. " |