by Hugh Binning
In Christ there is neither Jew nor Gentile. There all differences of tongues and nations are drowned in this interest of Christ,. (Colossians 3:11) “You have hid those things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them to babes,”. (Luke 10:21) “God has chosen the weak and foolish to confound the mighty and wise,”. (1st Corinthians 1:27) See all these outward privileges buried in the depths and riches of God’s grace and mercy. Aren’t we all called to one high calling? Our common station is to war under Christ’s banner against sin and Satan. Why then do we leave our station, forget our callings, and neglect that employment which concerns us all, and fall at odds with our fellow-soldiers, and bite and devour one another? This gives advantage to our common enemies doesn’t it? While we consume the edge of our zeal and strength of our spirits on one another, they are blunted and weakened towards our deadly enemies.
If our brother seem to us under the covering of many faults, failings, and obstinacy in his errors, and the like, if we can see only spots on his outside, while we judge him by some outward appearance, then, I say, we ought to view him again under another notion and relation, as he stands in Christ’s account, as he is radically and virtually of that seed, which has more real worth in it than all worldly privileges and dignities. View him as he will be, when mortality will be put away. Learn to strip him of all infirmities in your thinking, and imagine him to be clothed with immortality, and glory, and think how you would love him then. If either you remove him of his infirmities, and consider him as wearing now the robe of Christ’s righteousness, and all glorious within, or adorned with immortality and incorruption in which he will be soon; or else, if you place on yourself such infirmities as you see in him, and consider that you aren’t any less subject to failings, and surrounded with infirmities, then you should put on, and keep on, that bond of perfection, charity.
Let’s think about the excellent nature of charity, and how it is interested in, and interwoven with all the royal and divine gifts and privileges of a Christian. All of them are not ashamed of kindred and brotherhood with charity. Isn’t the calling and life of a Christian honorable? Sure to any sensible soul it is above a monarchy; it includes an anointing both to a royal and priestly office, and carries a title to a kingdom incorruptible and undefiled. Well then, charity is the symbol and badge[or evidence] of this profession,.(John 13:35) “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
This common domain work’s language modernized in places by this site.
Mercy Triumphs! 