ÆäÀÌÁö À̹ÌÁö
PDF
ePub

be angry, and they perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him."

3. Our text teaches us all to lift up to Christ the voice of prayer and praise.

For if he be "Lord of all," he ought to be adored, worshipped, and had in reverence by all the creatures he has made. "Let all the angels of God worship him," is the high command of God himself: and whilst the angels are paying him their adoration, shall the proud mortal man refuse to do so? It is not idolatry to worship our Jehovah Jesus, it is only rendering him the homage he deserves, requires, demands, and expects. O Christian, recollect, that in every time of trial you have to look up to him, who "is Lord of all," for support: supplicate then the help of his hand, adore the wonders of his love, praise him for the assistance he has already afforded you, nor ever imagine that you can be too lavish in adoring him who is exalted far above all blessing and praise. As "Lord of all," he is able to answer every petition that is put up to his throne, and will take no excuse for our neglecting to pray to him. His very nature, too, induces him to hear and answer prayer, so that this consideration ought to bring us low at his footstool, to implore of him the blessings of his grace. Had he indeed been but a man like ourselves, he could have no authority to demand our worship; but as he is God over all, blessed for ever, it is at the peril of any one to refuse rendering honor to him.

4. Our subject gives us every reason to believe that all things will terminate in the benefit and glory of the church.

Because the honor of Christ and the interests of his saints are closely connected, and he cannot fail to attend

to the interests of those whom he has purchased with his own blood. Amongst them peace shall be published by Jesus Christ, who "is Lord of all:" it shall be dispensed to one nation as well as to another: he will be a wall of fire round about his saints, and the glory in the midst of them. The power, wisdom, and goodness he possesses, shall all be displayed in the behalf of that ship of which he is the Pilot, and of the family of which he is the Householder. And as he is the Head of the church, and "Lord of all," her walls shall be called "Salvation, and her gates praise:" by his blessing upon her, she shall become the Zion of the Lord, the city of the Holy One of Israel; and "the praise of the whole earth shall she be called." Even the machinations of our enemies shall be overruled for our good, and the divine glory shall be effectually promoted by every individual member of his family: so greatly will he distinguish his faithful servants from an ungodly world, that he will finally receive them to himself, and place them near his throne; where his glory shall be seen, his presence felt, his influence communicated, and his virtues sung, for ever and ever: for "He is Lord of all."

Brethren, what think ye of Christ? Is he all your salvation, and all you desire? or, are you despising and refusing to adore him? Is this Lord of all, your portion, your treasure, and your hope? or, are you yet ignorant of his glory, and destitute of his grace?

There is one passage of Scripture which I would wish might make an impression upon your minds, and then I shall have done; it is this: "No man can call Jesus Lord but by the Holy Ghost." Now the influences of this Spirit are essentially necessary to give Christ a throne in

your heart. Has he testified of Jesus there, and taught

you to say

O that with yonder sacred throng

We at his feet may fall!

We'll join the universal song,

And crown him Lord of all!

312

SERMON VII.

THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE SAINTS.

"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it; and a book of remembrance was written before Him, for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name: and they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him."

MALACHI iii. 16, 17.

IT has often been remarked, and certainly with truth, that in the most abandoned ages of the world, the Lord has had a remnant according to the election of grace; he has preserved a seed to serve him; he has had numbers that have not bowed the knce to Baal. The chapter out of which we have read our text, gives us an account of deplorably wicked times, records the rejection of divine ordinances, the robbery of the honor of Jehovah, and the general impiety which were chargeable upon the Jewish nation and yet it makes honorable mention of characters, whose holy zeal, and active endeavors to revive religion, should stimulate us, who hear things they never heard, and see glories their eyes never beheld, to be doubly concerned for the honor of Him, in whose hand our breath is, and whose are all our ways. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that there are now many

in our

own land, as well as elsewhere, who are cleansed in the blood, sanctified by the Spirit, and passing to the enjoyment of the presence of Jesus Christ; and who, like the faithful worthies, whose pure religion is noticed by Malachi, and approved by Jehovah, fear the Lord, speak often one to another, and think upon his name. Let us consider

I. The excellences of good men which are here celebrated.

II. The approbation of them which God here testifies.

I. The excellences of good men which are here celebrated. And you will observe that they are more particularly distinguished by their holy fear of God; their pious meditation upon him; and their Christian fellowship one with another.

1. The first excellent trait which we behold in their character is their holy fear of God.

They are said to be "they that feared the Lord." And "who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name?" The Divine Being, brethren, claims your reverence, and "blessed are they that fear the Lord, that greatly delight in his commandments." The persons mentioned in our text were like Obadiah, who feared the Lord greatly they were like Abraham, of whom the angel testified after his trial, saying, "I know that thou fearest God." They were like the churches mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, who "walked in the fear of the Lord." They were like Cornelius, who was "a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house."

This divine principle, far from being the produce of the barren soil of nature, must be wrought in us by the power of the Spirit; for one of the promises of the new covenant

« ÀÌÀü°è¼Ó »