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'll join the universal song, SERMON VII. PREACHED OCTOBER 18, 1806. MALACHI III. 16, 17. THEN THEY THAT FEARED THE LORD SPAKE OFTEN ONE IT; Ir 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 knee 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 honour of Jehovah, and the general impiety which were chargeable upon the Jewish nation: and yet it makes honourable mention of characters, whose holy zeal, and active endeavours 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 honour 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 66 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 is, "I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.” It springs not from a sense of guilt, for this fear is cast out by divine love; but it induces love to Jesus, it teaches us to hate evil, it prompts to ready obedience, and it leads to the throne of God, for where he is, there shall also his servants be. 2. These Old Testament believers were noted for their pious meditation upon God. We are told that they "thought upon his name." Ah, how unlike those who have not God in any of their thoughts! how unlike many, must I not say most of us, who suffer our minds to be so employed with earthly things, as to let our God, our Saviour go! These men of God, while some trusted in chariots, and some in horses, remembered the name of the Lord in the multitude of their thoughts within them his comforts delighted their souls; their meditation of him was sweet, they were glad in the Lord, their minds were stayed upon him; the desire of their souls was to him and to the remembrance of his name. And do you know any thing of this? Have you ever enjoyed much of God in the secret silence of the mind? Do you daily, hourly, in your desires and contemplations, rise to the heavenly world? Isaac went out into the fields to meditate; upon whom do your thoughts delight to turn? There is enough in the name of God for contemplation: review what he is in himself, and especially what he has done for you; frequently contemplate that work of redemption, which is to be your wonder for ever and ever: think of Jesus with thoughts of affection and desire: let your minds trace his actions; let the eye of faith behold him in glory pleading your cause; let it penetrate the cloud that separates between him and you; let it realize the happy time when you shall come before him. And if these are your contemplations, the effects of them will appear; the world will behold you as the Israelites beheld Moses, when he came from the mount, with his face shining exceedingly. Your whole deportment will savour of it, and your conversation will be in heaven, from whence you look for the Saviour. 3. These men, of whom the world was not worthy, were remarkable on account of their christian fellowship one with another. 66 They spake often one to another:" and, no doubt, they spake of the best things; they considered one another, to provoke one another to love, |
