3. That there is a time coming, when the present inequahties of the divine dispensations shall be rec- tified—
[The sight of such lenity exercised towards the two great offenders, and such apparent severity towards this holy man, naturally leads our minds forward to a day of future retri- bution, when rewards and punishments shall be dispensed with impartial justice and unerring wisdom. At present, the saints are "chastened; but it is that they may not be condemned with the world :" whereas the ungodly are in many instances unpunished; but " are reserved unto the day of judgment to be punished ;" being left in the mean time to fill up the mea- sure of their iniquities, and to " treasure up wrath against the day of wrath." Whatever therefore may now appear inexpli- cable to us, let us wait to have it cleared up at that day, when the whole assembled universe shall confess, " True and right- eous are thy judgments. Lord God Almighty 'i."]
From this subject we will take occasion to suggest some useful advice —
1. Guard against conforming to the world —
[This holy prophet was forbidden to eat bread or drink water in that idolatrous land, or even to return by the way that he came into it : and this was to shew the people that he would not have the smallest communion with them, or any acquaint- ance with their ways. The same precise conduct is not enjoined to us, nor indeed would it be practicable; for then, as the Apostle says, " we must needs go out of the world." But the spirit of that conduct must be found in us : we must " not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds." We are commanded to " come out of the world, and be separate, and not to touch the unclean thing:" and the reason of this injunction is assigned to us, namely, that " the believer can no more have communion with the unbeliever than light with darkness, or Christ with Belial." And our Lord constantly characterizes his followers in this way, " They are not of the world, eve7i as I am 7iot of the tvorld." Let us re- member then that we are merely sent here for a little time to fulfil the particular duties assigned us, and that our home and our rest are in a better world.]
2. Be careful whom you select for your acquaint- ance—
[As we are not to select our friends from among the openly profane, so must we be careful whom we confide in even among
•3 Rev. xvi. 7.
341.] abijah's piety rewarded. 385
the religious world. It is not every person that makes a pro- fession of religion who will make a profitable companion. There are many who " have a name to live, and yet are dead;" and many " profess that they know God, but in works deny him." St. John cautions us well on this head: " Brethren, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God ; for many false prophets are gone out into the world "■." Had the good prophet inquired into the character of the old prophet, instead of giving implicit credit to his professions, he would not have fallen. And it is a melancholy fact, that multitudes of simple-hearted and godly Christians are essentially injured by their hypocritical associates^. We would earnestly advise, th refore, all young Christians to be on their guard, and to take those only for their confidential friends, whose lives they have found to correspond with their professions.]
3. Let the word of God be the only rule of your conduct —
[The man of God had not the same evidence for the re- versal of the command, that he had for the command itself: he was wrong therefore in giving such implicit credit to a stranger, whatever his character cr professions might be. And is it not wrong in us to suffer the assertions of men, whatever their general character may be, to supersede the express decla- rations of God himself? Wlao amongst us has not heard a thousand times from human authority, that God does not command this or that ; and that such strictness is not required of us? But we have an infallible standard by which we should try every sentiment that is proposed to us: "To the law, and to the testimony : if men speak not according to this word, there is no light in them." Having " the sure testimony of God, we shall do well to take heed to it," with jealous vigi- lance, undeviating constancy, and unabated firmness.]