[The " first-fruits" were, by God's own appointment, holy ; so that every one was bound to consecrate them unto him p. In like manner are God's people to be holy, and altogether devoted to his service. They are on no account to imagine themselves at their own disposal : " They are God's ; and must glorify him with their body and their spii'it, which are his'i."
It is not to salvation only that God ordains his people; but to sanctification, as the w^ay to, and the preparation for, the blessedness of heaven'. " He has chosen them out of the
li'orldy"
* Johnxvii. 17. "Eph.vi. 17. ' iThes. i. 5. and ii.l3.
"Isai. iv. 10, 11. °2Cor. X. 4, 5. ° Eph. i. 4.
*" Deut. xviii. 4. •» 1 Cor. vi, Ip. 20. ' 2 Thess. ii. 13.
U'orld^,'* from which " they are to be separated'," as the first-fruits are from the remainder of the harvest Being " a chosen generation, they are to be a pecuUar people"," " zealous of good works*." To this " the word of truth" bears testimony in every part. To think that God should *' beget" any person by his word and Spirit, and leave him at liberty to be a servant of sin and Satan, is a thoughts from which one revolts with utter abhorrence. Thus at least did St. Paul : " Is Christ the Minister of sin ? God forbid >'." " Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid'." " Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound ? God forbid "." " God has not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness :" and, whatever men may say respecting God's "will" in ordaining us to life, or respecting our relation to him as his children, " begotten of him," this is a truth that must never for one moment be questioned, " Without holiness no man shall see the Lord ''."]
See then that you,
1 . Value the ordinances of God — [The word is doubtless to be read with care and dili- gence at home : for, as we have said, it is the food of God's new-born offspring, and the great medium by which he com- municates his blessings to the soul. But it is through the Ministry of that word that God chiefly works. He will bless those who read it in their own houses : but he will bless also, and more abundantly, those who at the same time attend upon the ministration of it by those whom he has sent to speak in his name ; for " he loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob." Let not any think light of the ordi- nances, because the persons who dispense them are weak as other men : for " God has put his treasure into earthen vessels, on purpose that the excellency of the power may the more manifestly appear to be of him." If indeed men look to the instrument, they will meet with nothing but disappointment: but if they will look through the instrument to God, they shall find the " word as quick and powerful"^" as ever, and shall experience it to be " the power of God unto their ever- lasting salvation ''." There is no blessing which God will not
dispense to them by means of it Nor, if only they
mix faith with what they hear^ shall their most enlarged ex- pectations of "profit" ever be disappointed.]
2. Labour
" John XV, 19. '2 Cor. vi. 17. "2 Pet. ii. 9.
" Tit. 11. 14. y Gal. ii. 17. * Rom. vi. 14.
"Rom. vi. 1. *" Heb. xii. 14. * Heb. Iv. 12.
''Rom. i. 10. " Hub. iv. 2.