As a parent rejoices to see his children prospering in bodily health and worldly circumstances, so a minister is glad to see his people free from sickness and distress. He is thankful too, if he behold an outward reformation among them, and a diligent attendance on ordinances, and the establishment of family prayer, and a decided approbation of the Gospel record. But all this falls very far short of his wishes. He never is satisfied respecting them, until he have a clear evidence that "Christ is formed in them,"
1. As a vital principle in their hearts —
[Whatever they may have, or whatever they may do, they have no spiritual life, till " Christ liveth in themV If " Christ dwell not in their hearts, they are no other than reprobates0." " Christ is the life" of the soul, as much as the soul is the life of the bodyd. He animates all our faculties ; and without him they are as incapable of spiritual exertions as a breathless corpse is of performing the functions of a living body e. " Christ in us is the hope of gloryf;" and all profession of religion, without the in-dwelling of his Spirit in our souls, is only like the motion and re-union of the dry bones, before God has breathed into them a principle of life g.]
2. As a visible character in their lives — [Concerning the quickening of a soul, we can judge only
by its actions. While therefore a minister desires that his people may be really alive to God, he looks for the fruits of righteousness as the proper evidence of their regeneration. He expects to find " Christ formed" in their tempers, their spirit, their whole conduct. He is not contented to behold such virtues as may be found in heathens: he longs to see in them a victory over the world, a supreme delight in God, an unwearied exercise of all holy and heavenly affections. He is satisfied with nothing but an entire " renovation after the Divine image11," and a " walking in all things as Christ walked1."]
But as this change is rarely so satisfactory as might be wished, we proceed to shew,
b Gal. ii. 20. c Eph. iii. 17. 2 Cor. xiii. 5.
d Col. iii. 4. e John xv. 5. f Col. i. 27.
e Ezek. xxxvii. 7—10. h Eph. iv. 24. Col. iii. 10.
1 1 John ii. 6.
2074.] a minister's chief wish for his people. 177
II. When he has reason to stand in doubt of them respecting it —
In every place where the Gospel is faithfully preached, there are some of whom the minister may enjoy a full and confident persuasion of their accept- ance with God. But there will also be some respect- ing whom he must feel many anxious fears. This will be the case, wherever he sees them,
1. Fluctuating in their principles —
[The Galatians had been warped by means of Judaizing teachers, and turned from the simplicity of the Gospel k : and on this account the Apostle " feared he had bestowed upon them labour in vain1." It is much to be regretted, when godly persons are distracted by " matters of doubtful dispu- tation." They always, in a greater or less degree, " suffer loss" by means of it, because their attention is divided, and the energy of their minds, in reference to their more important concerns, is weakened. But when, as in the case of the Gala- tians, their doubts relate to the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, their danger is exceeding great. They shew that they are only " children, when they are tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine™;" and their want of establishment in the faith gives reason to fear lest they should be finally overthrown".]
2. Unsteady in their conduct —
[Such was the state of the Galatians. When the Apostle was with them, they were " zealously affected with good things0:" but now he was absent from them, their love to him, and to the truth itself, had cooled ; and their zeal was turned into a very different channels No wonder then that " he travailed in birth with them again," since they betrayed such fickleness of mind. Thus, wherever we see a zeal that is only occasional, in its exercise, or partial in its operation, we may well " stand in doubt of" such persons. If the ardour of their minds decay, or be called forth chiefly about the non-essentials of religion ; if they are more occupied about church-government than about the government of their own tongues ; and more offended at the miscarriages of their brethren than at the evils of their own hearts ; if they are violent about doctrines, and remiss in practice ; there is but too much reason to groan and