are the LORD's." Now, if no pious perfon lives. merely to please himself, we ought not to judge that his averfion from, or attachment to certain meats and days, arifes only from a selfish humour: but, on the contrary, fince his whole life is governed by an honeft regard to the will of God, it is altogether credible that, in his different conduct refpecting meats and days, he acts from the fame principle; for whatever is true of the general, is alfo true of all the particulars contained under it. Suppose a man to be a real Chriftian, you then fuppofe him to be of an upright heart, of a tender confcience, and one who dares not to neglect, nor live in contradiction to known duty. He makes it his main bufinefs to please GOD, and fhall we be implacably difgufted because he does not rather endeavour to please us? GOD forbid. Thus, while our text affords a convincing argument for moderation in judging of other Chriftians, who differ from us in circumftantials, it teaches us what should be the principle and end of our life, and that both negatively and pofitively. We may not live nor die to ourselves, but to the LORD. I. "We may not live to ourfelves." This propofition fuppofes, what is a demonftrable. truth, that we are not the abfolute proprietors, and therefore have not the rightful difpofal of our lives. For fince we could exert no kind of efficiency in bringing ourselves from nothing into existence, we could not poffibly defign ourselves for any end or purpose of our own. Hence it is evident, that, whose property foever we are, we belong not to ourselves; confequently, it is the highest indecency to behave as though we were accountable to none other. As rationally may we claim felf-existence and independence. It will, therefore, be an eternal folecism in action to aim chiefly at our own glory, feek only our own things, or purfue moft eagerly our own pleasures. Right reafon itself peremptorily denies that the dictates of our own minds are our fupreme rule of conduct, or that our own will is our law; much much less may we fubject ourfelves to the government of blind paffions, or indulge to irregular appetites. We are not at liberty, nor have we any authority to employ either the members of our bodies, or powers of our fouls, at pleasure, as if we had originally defigned their use. Hence it will appear criminal, on the one hand, to waste our time, or expend our ftrength in useless exercises; and, on the other, to allow an idle negligence of neceffary bufinefs. Our tongues them→ felves, thofe unruly members, must be patient of reftraint; for it is the language only of haughty rebels to fay, "Our lips are our own, who is Lord over us?" (a) Our very thoughts are to be confined within prescribed limits, and all our rational powers ftatedly exercifed, not in merely curious and amufing researches, but in matters the most useful and important. It alfo follows, that the product of our activity, whatever is acquired by the exertion of these powers, ought not to terminate in ourselves. Are we in purfuit of learning, that ornament of human minds, it fhould not be with a view only to fhine more confpicuous, but that we may ferve our generation to better advantage. Has GOD bleffed " the hand of the dili "gent" with abundant riches? We are not to confider them as the means of gratifying vanity, or " fulfilling the defires of the flesh, and of the mind;" for we muft "honour the LORD with our fubftance."(b) Has GoD clothed any of us with power? This is not a discharge from his fervice, nor a freedom from fubjection to his laws, but a stronger obligation to duty, as it gives us an opportunity of more extenfive usefulness, 66 Finally, fince we were not the authors of our lives, we can have no right to take them away. We have no power to determine, either the time or kind of death, any more than we can ward off, or fufpend its blow when commiffioned to deftroy. Therefore, amidst all the miferies that can make life itself an infupportable burden, and all the glorious profpects that can make (a) Pfalm xii. 4. (6) Prov. iii. 9. us us impatiently pant for diffolution, it must be our determinate purpose, that "all the days of our appointed "time, we will wait till our change come."(c) As thefe particulars, examined by the ftricteft reafon, will all appear to be immediate confequences from felf-evident principles, and must all be confeffed by him, who acknowledges that " he is not his own lord " and mafter;" it will follow as an evident truth, that "the evangelical duty of felf-denial is founded on the "everlasting reafon of things." Reflecting farther on the preceding obfervations, they force upon us the difagreeable conviction, that our whole race has revolted from GOD, and rifen up in rebellion against him. "The world evidently lies in "wickedness;" for the allowed practice of men fupposes principles, which, they themselves being judges, must confefs to be palpably falfe and abfurd. They act as if they believed they were made for themselves, and had no other bufinefs in life but the gratification of their respective humours. One exerts all his powers, and fpends all his time in nothing else but endeavouring to amass heaps of worldly treasure: another, by riotous living, difperfes what had been collected with anxious care and affiduous labour. Some live in malice and envy, whose favourite employ is calumny and wrathful contentions, as if they had been created for no other end but to be the pefts of fociety: others blafpheme the name of GOD, defpife his authority, mock at religion, and ridicule serious perfons and things. One has no other purpose in life but sport and merriment: another eats to gluttony, and drinks to befottedness. Yet all these, and nameless ranks of other daring offenders, would be afhamed in a chriftian country to profefs it as their serious belief, that they were made by a moft wife, holy, and righteous GOD, preferved, bleffed, and loaded with benefits every day, on purpose that they "might "work all these abominations," or, in order to live just as they do. (c) Job, xiv. 14. If, then, it is confeffedly impious and unreasonable to live to ourselves, it neceffarily follows that we are the property of another, for it will ever be "lawful for one to do what he will with his own." And whofe can we be but bis who gave us existence? Or, if ties of gratitude can more powerfully influence ingenuous minds than even those of nature, who can so justly claim us as He," who, as we hope, loved us, and washed us ❝ from our fins in his own blood ?"(d) This leads mẹ to observe, II. That we fhould "live and die to the LORD.” This can admit of no debate; for if our Maker and Redeemer be our rightful owner, then whatever we are, or have, or can do, must be for him. Being his fervants, we must " fhew all good fidelity" in his bufinefs. The talents with which he has entrusted us, more or fewer, or of whatever kind, may not be returned without improvement; for, as is fit and proper, he requires his own with ufury."(e) He is our King, whofe prerogative it is to direct our courfe of action, and propose the end at which we are to aim; to "mete "out the bounds of our habitation," and carve our portion; and it becomes us to give the most ready and cheerful obedience to his commands, and fubmit to all his difpofals. Our living thus to the LORD plainly fuppofes our being fenfible of our entire dependence on him, and that we devote ourselves to his fervice. We must " present "our bodies a living facrifice,"(f) without referve or hefitation; and "avouch the LORD to be our God, to "walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and judgments, and commandments, and to hearken to his "voice."(g) We bind ourselves to him in a firm covenant, not for a limited term of months and years, but for ever and ever, and acquiefce in Him as our chief good. (d) Rev. i. 6. (e) Matt. xxv. 27. The ap The folemnity of fuch an infinitely important tranfaction between the glorious majesty of heaven, and fuch mean creatures as we, who are "but duft and ashes," cannot but strike us with reverential awe. And what will make it yet more humbling is the confideration of our guilt. We not only as Creatures take upon us to speak unto the LORD our Maker, but as Criminals proach to the feat of our offended and moft righteous Judge. Dare we then trifle, and not rather be moft ferious and deliberate? Reflecting that we are in the prefence of the heart-fearching GoD will naturally make us watchful over every thought and motion of our spirits, and engage us to the greatest fincerity in furrendering to him our all. We will give him our hearts themselves; keep nothing back; nor except against any terms he shall please to propofe, but yield at difcretion. On this occafion a consciousness of our having revolted from him, neglected his fervice, purloined his goods, and, in every refpect, behaved moft ungratefully and undutifully, will affect us with the most genuine forrow. Therefore, when repentant we return to him, we fhall, covered with shame, approach with the Prodigal's felfabafing confeffion, "Father! I have finned against "heaven, and in thy fight, and am no more worthy to "be called thy fon."(b) He will "furely hear us be"moaning ourselves, like Ephraim," that we have too long wrought the will of the flesh, and fuffered "other ufurping lords to have dominion over us ;" but now we humbly beg forgiveness, his gracious acceptance of our perfons, and admiffion into his family, fhould it be only on trial," as hired fervants." But though our fins have made us vile, and the view of their odious nature makes us "loathe ourselves in "our own fight," yet a conviction of the free grace and mercy of GOD in CHRIST will comfort and encourage our dejected and diffident hearts. The cords of love will draw us nearer and nearer, until we shall affume an humble " boldness, to enter into the holiest of "all (b) Luke, xv. 18. |