2. Be sure to exercise your general calling in your particular ; your general calling is to be a christian, your particular calling is that way of life to which God hath designed you by your abilities and education for the common good. Now the one falleth into the other. I am to guide myself in my calling by the general duty of a christian, as a minister, magistrate, gentleman, or tradesman, as one fearing and loving God : John xvii. 4, ' I have glorified thee upon earth, I have finished the work thou gavest me to do ; ' Acts xiii. 36, ' David served
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his generation by the will of God.' As an instrument of providence, I must consider how my particular calling will serve my great end : 1 Cor. vii. 21, 22, ' Art thou called, being a servant ? care not for it ; but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman ; likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant ; ' Neh. i. 12, ' The Lord show me favour in the sight of this man ; for I was the king's cup- bearer,' He had improved his place for God.
3. Turn all second-table duties into first-table duties : Heb. xiii. 16, ' But to do good, and to communicate, forget not ; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.' Sacrifice is a first-table duty, yet relieving the poor is called a well-pleasing sacrifice : James i. 27, ' Pure religion {dpTjaKela, worship) and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction.' Whatever we do must be a sacrifice ; then in serving men you serve the Lord Christ. This is to turn common pots into temple pots, and pots into bowls of the altar : Eph. v. 21, * Sub- mitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.' Be con- scientiously careful and tender of your duty to man : Col. iii. 22, ' Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God ; ' ' Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as unto the Lord,' Eph. v. 22 ; out of love to Christ : Eph. vi. 1, 'Children, obey your parents in the Lord.'
4. Go about your earthly business with a heavenly mind : Phil. iii. 20, ' But our conversation is in heaven.' All is a journey thither ; look to the unseen world.
5. Content not yourselves with the natural use of the creature, as brute beasts do, but see God in all. The creature is as a glass and image wherein to read your Creator's goodness, and as helps and means to enable you to his service ; therefore still they must be received with thanksgiving : 1 Tim. iv. 3, ' For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.' Man is to use the inferior creatures for God, not as the lord of them, but as the steward of the Creator, to whom he is accountable for that use ; not to sacrifice them to his own pleasure and will, and to gratify his fleshly mind ; they are neither his, nor for him, but for God ; for he hath not the right of a lord, but a servant.
6. In all your ways acknowledge God, depending upon him for direction and success, and consulting with him, and approving thy heart and life unto him : Prov. iii. 6, ' In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.' Especially duties must be done by virtue of influence from Christ: Phil. ii. 13, 'For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure ; ' Gal. ii. 20, ' I live by the faith of the Son of God.' In our ordinary actions, we must still ask his leave, counsel, and blessing, acknowledging his dominion over us and all that we do ; there we must call in his help, and aim at his glory : 1 Cor. x. 31, ' Whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God ; ' that, doing things by him, we may do them for him.
7. God should be worshipped by every faithful person in his own
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house in as God-like a manner as he was worshipped by the Jews in the temple. A christian must be alike everywhere, at home and abroad : Phil. ii. 12, ' Wherefore, my beloved, as ye always have obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.' So David: Ps. ci. 2, ' I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.' There where we familiarly converse, we should show most of holiness, order- ing all our affairs and actions as may best demonstrate the sincerity of om' hearts.
SERMON UPON JOHN III. 14, 15.
And CIS Moses lijied up the serpent in the ivUderness, even so must the Son of man he lifted up, that lohosoever helieveth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. — John iii. 14, 15.