Hope: “Be joyful in
hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.”…Romans 12:12
The professed love of Christians to each other should be
sincere, free from deceit, and unmeaning and deceitful compliments. Depending
on Divine grace, they must detest and dread all evil, and love and delight in
whatever is kind and useful. We must not only do that which is good, but we
must cleave to it. All our duty towards one another is summed up in one word,
love. This denotes the love of parents to their children; which is more tender
and natural than any other; unforced, unconstrained.
And love to God and man, with zeal for the gospel, will make
the wise Christian diligent in all his worldly business, and in gaining
superior skill. God must be served with the spirit, under the influences of the
Holy Spirit. He is honored by our hope and trust in him, in especially when we
rejoice that hope. He is served, not only by working for him, but by sitting
still quietly, when he calls us to suffer. Patience for God's sake is true
piety. Those that rejoice in hope are likely to be patient in tribulation.
We should not be cold in the duty of prayer, or soon weary of
it. Not only must there be kindness to friends and brethren, but Christians
must not harbor anger against enemies. It is but mock love, which rests in
words of kindness, while our brethren need real supplies, and it is in our
power to furnish them. Be ready to entertain those who do good: as there is
occasion, we must welcome strangers. Bless, and curse not. It means thorough
good will; not, bless them when at prayer, and curse them at other times; but
bless them always, and curse not at all.
True Christian love will make us take part in the sorrows and
joys of each other. Labor as much as you can to agree in the same spiritual
truths; and when you come short of that, yet agree in affection. Look upon
worldly pomp and dignity with holy contempt. Do not mind it; be not in love
with it. Be reconciled to the place God in his providence puts you in, whatever
it be. Nothing is below us, but sin. We shall never find in our hearts to
condescend to others, while we indulge conceit of ourselves; therefore that
must be mortified.
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