economy of redemption, there is something so benevolent in the design, so infinitely wonderful in the contrivance, so exceedingly adapted to all the circumstances of man as a fallen creature, and all harmonizing with the divine perfections, that even now the believer can exclaim, with the apostle, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ," and he is "determined to know nothing among men save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." Thirdly, His way in renovation is perfect. We readily conclude that it is not finished at once; but then it is perfect as far as it goes. It is perfect in kind and degree, though not perfect in its consummation. But this consummation is as certain as if it were present or had already taken place. The apostle, therefore, says to the Philippians, "He"-that is, God "who hath begun the good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." Lastly, In the dispensations of providence his work is perfect. There is no such thing as chance. What we call chance is nothing less than the appointment and the work of God. But "he worketh all things after the counsel of his own will," and "he doeth all things well." Nov. 30.-If any man serve me, let him follow me. THAT is, let him be in reality what he professes to be. Let him not serve me in word and in tongue only, but also in deed and in truth. Let him "follow me," that as my servant he shall be distinguished by coming after me, by which he will promote my glory, advance my cause, and "adorn the doctrine of God his Saviour in all things." A servant is always to be within his master's call, and in a state of readiness to attend upon his orders; he is chiefly distinguished by devotedness to his master's pleasure. "His servants ye are to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness." Now, to "follow Christ" is to observe his precepts, imbibe his spirit, and to imitate his example. These are indispensable. It is said of the Saviour that "he began both to do and to teach :" he went before his disciples in all that Does he command us to be holy in "He was holy, harmless, separate Does he command us to be humble? he enforced upon them. "He was meek and lowly in heart;" he washed his disciples' feet; he said, "I am among you as one that serveth." Does he command us "to do good and to communicate"? “He went about doing good." He it was that said, "Give alms of such things as ye possess." It was he "who loved us and gave himself for us." Who requires us to be fervent in spirit? It is he who said, "The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up." Who orders us to be patient and forgiving? It is he "who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; who, when he suffered, murmured not, but committed himself to him who judgeth righteously;" he who prayed for his persecutors, saying, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." His example, therefore, was the law and the gospel in a living and an embodied form. It is a body of theology and morality itself, and is recorded for this very purpose; "and he that saith he abideth in the truth ought himself also so to walk even as he walked;" for "as is the heavenly, so are they also that are heavenly," and, "beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, we are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." DEC. 1.—It doth not yet appear what we shall be. 1 John iii. 2. WE have here an intimation of the obscurity that veils the Christian's future destination. And it is well that "it doth not yet appear what we shall be;" for the full disclosure would be too much for our poor faculties now. The full display of them here would render us insensible to many things which have claim upon us. But the full disclosure would be also impossible, if proper; for with regard to the Christian's future condition there is that which no human understanding can now take in. The medium through which we make discoveries, as well as our faculties and powers of mind, are very defective, and will remain so till we hear the voice from heaven saying unto us, "Come and see." It doth not yet appear what we shall be in the intermediate state. The apostle tells us that "absent from the body we shall be present with the Lord." But what do we know of the soul in its unembodied state, and of its retaining its consciousness when freed from material organization? The body and soul now participate in all our sorrows and enjoyments. But what do we know of the feeling of the soul when set free from this?-whether it has any knowledge of or any communication from the material world?—whether the "spirits of the just made perfect" know one another before the resurrection?-for now we know one another by the body, not by the soul. It doth not yet appear what we shall be in the resurrection of the just. What do we know of the difference there will be between our present and our future bodies? It will be the same body, but infinitely superior. "There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body;" but what know we of the qualities of these? What conceptions have we of a spiritual body?-of a body that can render itself visible or invisible, and that can by a wish transport itself from one region to another? What know we of a body that needs no food or sleep, that is incapable of any accident, or disease, or of death? What know we of a body which, instead of being a toil, a burden, or a clog, will even add to the soul's perfection, and enable it to enjoy pleasure and delight more completely than without it? It doth not yet appear what we shall be in social intercourse. Moses and Elias, when they appeared on the mount of transfiguration, spake, and spake of our Saviour's death, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. The Apostle Paul tells us of words he heard when caught up to the third heaven, which were not lawful for a man to utter; and he speaks of the tongues of angels and of men. Do they depend, then, upon the utterance of words as a medium of communication of thought, as it is with us here? Are words arbitrary signs, as they are with us? Or what better mode have they? We know not what latent power awaits us when we shall be born out of this embryo state into another and happier world. It doth not yet appear what we shall be as to employment, nor as to our pleasures; after all the experience of believers, (and they have a much better acquaintance by experience than from all the works thay have ever read, or all the sermons they have ever heard,)—after all they know of its earnests and foretastes,-after all their views and feelings on which they have often said,— "While such a scene of sacred joy 40 DEC. 2.- We know that when HE SHALL APPEAR WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM. 1 John iii. 2. WE are favoured with a partial development of the future glory of the sons of God, and we are enabled to see how far it extends and how much it comprehends. First, The apostle says, with all our ignorance, we know that he shall appear. He is now hid as to his presence and glory; but we read of his being revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, and of his coming to be admired in all them that believe. The appearance of our Lord here spoken of is personal, in distinction from his dispensation. This, we think, is not the appearance some are looking for. We only read in the Scriptures of two personal appearances of the Saviour: one of these is past, the other is future. He has appeared once. He appeared as "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." In the other "he shall appear in his glory," and shall "sit upon the throne of his glory." Before "him shall be gathered all nations." Once, in the end of the world, shall "he appear the second time, without sin, unto salvation." Oh, the solemnity of his appearance! Oh, the glory of that scene! Then infidels will believe, but it will be too late. Then worldlings will see that all their hoardings and treasures are gone forever. Then Christians will see the wisdom of their choice, and will "lift up their heads with joy, knowing that their redemption draweth nigh." And while the kingdoms of the earth wail because of him, and are ashamed and confounded at his appearance, they will be enabled to exclaim, "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him: this is our God; we will rejoice and be glad in his salvation." Secondly, The apostle says, notwithstanding all our ignorance, this we know,-that when he shall appear we shall be like him. Christians will be like their Lord in holiness. This is remarkable when we consider how inherently and universally we have been depraved. What a miracle of grace is here! that we should be transformed into the image of Him who is the "brightness of his Father's glory and the express image of his person." The likeness is here begun. They have the same views and dispositions as their Divine Lord, but neither in their measure or degree. Here they have only the outlines impressed, but then the whole figure will be filled up. The mind will then be freed from all error, from every thing perverse, from Every all vile affections, and from an irregular and carnal bias. Christian will then be as pure as Adam was in Paradise, and as the angels of God; yea, like the Son of God, abiding forever. This likeness will extend to the body. The apostle therefore says, "As we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." By the heavenly, then, he means the heavenly body. Yes, this vile body of our humiliation will be changed, that it may be "fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." It will take in the state, too. There will be likeness to him in this :-"He is our life;" "And when he who is our life shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory." "I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me." And to the conquerors of sin, self, and the world, he says, "I grant you to sit with me on my throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with on his throne." my Father DEC. 3.-These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. Rev. xiv. 4. OUR following the Saviour takes in three things. First, It "My son, give me thine heart." must be free and voluntary. If it be given to him, nothing will be withholden. If this is withholden, nothing else will be acceptable to him, for "He abhors the sacrifice Where not the heart is found." What he requires he infinitely deserves; and therefore, to gain the heart, to make his "people willing in the day of his power," -he opens the eyes of their understanding, he unveils to their view his personal glory, makes them sensible how much they owe to him, and brings them to his cross and says, "Behold my hands and my feet." "Thus he draws them with the cords of love and the bands of a man ;" and they run after him, and find his yoke easy and his burden light. Secondly, Our following him must be impartial. Hence it is said, "They follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth." It is true that their obedience while here is not perfect, but then it is not partial. They say, "Therefore I esteem thy precepts concerning all things to be right, and I hate every false way." They come to him, not to bargain, not to prescribe, |
