1. From respect to his authority —
[St. Paul says, " We command you, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly15." It was by the authority of Christ that lie issued that command ; and from a respect to that authority was that command to be obeyed. In like man- ner must we have respect to Christ in every thing that we do : for he has said, " Then are ye my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." It must be a matter of indifference to us what man may enjoin, unless it have the sanction of our blessed Lord's authority also. We must always ask ourselves, What does the Lord Jesus Christ require of me ? That I will do, at all events, and under all circumstances. If it be approved of man, I will do it, not so much to please man, as to please the Lord : and if it be disapproved by man, I shall still do it, because it will please my Lord : nor will I be diverted from the path of duty, though the whole world should combine to oppose my progress. My Lord's will being clearly ascertained, I shall need nothing to encourage my exertions, nor will I suffer any thing to obstruct them.]
2. From love to his name —
[We read of " receiving a child in Christ's name" and of " giving a cup of water in his name0:" that must import that we do it from love to Christ. And this should be the one spring of all our actions : " The love of Christ should con- strain usd." It is not necessary that there should be in our minds, on all occasions, a long train of argumentation to call forth this principle : a mother needs not such a process to call forth her love to her infant offspring : if an occasion fall for the exercise of' that principle, it is ready for action at all times, and at a moment's notice. And so should it be with us, towards our Lord Jesus Christ : there should be in us such a deep and abiding sense of our obligations to him, that, in every thing we say, and in every thing we do, we should desire to please him.]
3. In dependence on his grace —
[The Prophet Micah says, " All people will walk every one in the name of his god ; and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever ;" that is, in an entire de- pendence upon him. Now, to whom must we look for direction in all our ways, but to the Lord Jesus Christ, who has engaged, as our Shepherd, to go before use, and who has told us in all things to follow his stepsf?" And on whom
b 2 Thess. iii. 6. c Mark ix. 37, 41. A 2 Cor. v. 14.
e John x. 4. f 1 Pet. ii. 21.