Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org

employ their services, in preference to all others. How forcible are right
words! What a pity that all the professors of religion were not at all times
faithful to their trust, and consistent in their conduct! How would
infidelity and vice lose their glorying, and the faith and hope of the gospel
everywhere triumph! But alas! how few are clear in this matter! O God,
mend thy church and thy ministers.
The genuine Christian is holy;—and happy, because holy: he not only
lives an innocent life, but he lives a useful life—he labours for the
welfare of society; and the peace of God keeps and rules his heart. He
lives to grow wiser and better, and he misses not his aim. In affliction he
is patient and submissive; in adversity his confidence in God is unshaken;
in death he has no fears, because Christ dwells in his heart by faith: he
overcomes his last enemy, and finally triumphs, Satan himself being beat
down under his feet; and having overcome, he sits down with Christ on
his throne, as he, having overcome, is sat down with the Father upon the
Father's throne. Thus, then, his salvation on earth issues in an eternal
weight of glory.
We may be said to give glory to God when we exhibit in the clearest
light, and in the most impressive manner we can, the various excellences
of our God and Father; and when we do this so that by our example
others are led to esteem, adore, and put their trust in him, we glorify him
by showing forth the glory of his various attributes—telling forth how
effectually he teaches, how powerfully he upholds, how mercifully he
saves, and how kindly he supplies all our wants, succours us in distress,
stands by us in difficulties, defends us in dangers, guides us by his
counsel, and promises at last to receive us into his endless glory.
"Confess your faults one to another." This is a good general direction
to Christians who endeavour to maintain among themselves the
communion of saints. This social confession tends much to humble the
soul, and to make it watchful. We naturally wish that our friends in
general, and our religious friends in particular, should think well of us;
and when we confess to them offences which, without this confession,