glory of his salvation to God alone The one subject
of thanksgiving amongst the heavenly hosts is the continued subject of his song on earthh ]
Let me, then, urge you all to seek this conversion :
1. It is that by which God is to be glorified on earth —
[To the Jews, God says, " I will be sanctified in you be- fore the heathen." They, when converted to God, will be most distinguished monuments of God's power and grace ; yea, and of his truth and faithfulness also. And such, brethren, are ye to be, at this time : ye are to be " as lights shining in a dark world." And such should be the change visible in you,
c John xv. 19. and xvii. 14. d 1 John i. 3. e John xiv. 22. f 1 John v. 14, 15. s Joh xl, 4. and xlii. 6.
J1 Rev. i. 5, 6.
as persons turned from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that all who behold you may " glorify God in you." Especially let them see, that the mercies vouchsafed to you, so far from puffing you up with pride, are the means of humbling you in the dust before God, and of filling you with the most self-denying love to man
Ye are to be " epistles of Christ, known and read
of all men1:" and so is your light to shine before men, that all who behold you may glorify your Father who is in heavenV]
2. It is that by which alone your souls can be saved —
[There must be in you a separation from the world, from worldly maxims, worldly habits, and worldly company. " All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world ; and is utterly to be renounced ; since, if you love the world, the love of the Father is not in you1." To God, also, must you be brought : so as to " walk before him," and to seek all your happiness in communion with him. You must also, to your latest hour, be abased before him in dust and ashes ; and maintain upon your souls such a sense of his excellency, as must be to you a very foretaste of heaven itself. True, in- deed, all this is not learned at once : but, as a child, at its first coming into the world, possesses all the parts of a man, so must all these things be begun in you, if ever you would approve
yourselves as children of the living God O, seek of
God that grace that shall be sufficient for you ; and know, that, as his future mercies to the Jews will not be obstructed by their past obduracy, so neither shall the descent of his grace on you be prevented by any unworthiness of yours, if only you will cry to God in his Son's name, and " flee to Christ for refuge, as to the hope that is set before you." " Of those who come to God in the name of Christ, not one shall ever be cast out."]
1 2 Cor. iii. 2, 3. k Matt. v. 16. '1 John ii. 15, 16.