If we view this aright, we cannot doubt,
II. The return it calls for at our hands — Surely it calls for,
1. Admiration—
[How wonderful is it, that our adorable Redeemer should so condescend to notice what is done to us, and to regard " the touching of us as the touching of the apple of his eye !" It were absolutely incredible, if he had not so minutely and specifically affirmed it ]
2. Affiance —
[Is our Lord and Saviour so interested in our behalf? What can we ever want ? or what is there which we have to
b Matt. xxv. 40. c Heb. x. 28, 29. d Acts ix. 4.
fear? David says, " The Lord is my Shepherd; therefore I shall not wante :" and sure 1 am that we, under the Christian dispensation, are not a whit less privileged than he ]
3. Gratitude — [What shall we not do for Him, who so cares for us? And can we reach him, so to speak, by benefiting his poorer members ? Whatever then I would do for Him, if he were personally present with me, that I will do for his Church and people ; accounting nothing too much to do or suffer, if only I may please him, and honour him ]
Address —
1, Are there here any who have discouraged the
saints ?
[Possibly you may have done it only by sneers and ridi- cule ; but, in whatever way it may have been, remember the warning here given you, and repent of your conduct ere it be too late. If you do not choose to go to heaven yourselves, beware how you aggravate your guilt, by making yourselves accountable also for the souls of others. It will be a fearful thing to have the blood of others required at your hands ]
2. Are there any who have delighted to do them good?
[" Be not weary of well-doing ; for in due season you shall
reap, if you faint not" None are to be excluded from
your benevolent exertions : but " the household of faith" have a peculiar claim f, as the members of Christ's body, and as the very representatives of Christ himself g ]
e Ps. xxiii. 1. t Gal. vi. 10.
s If this were a Charity Sermon, it would be proper here to recom- mend an united attention to the spiritual wants of the poor with the relief of their temporal necessities. See both referred to in the text.