28 OCTOBER (PREACHED NEW YEAR’S EVENING 1785)
Heavenly minded
‘And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.’ Jeremiah 24:7
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Philippians 3:12–4:1
His service, and the views under which his people engage in it, enables them. They no longer grovel. They are heavenly minded. Like the angels they behold his face and do his will. A dignity and grandeur is impressed upon the actions of common life—because done for him. They are faithful, diligent in all their callings. Devotedness to God inspires them with benevolence to man for his sake. Hence they are delivered from guilt, fear, anxiety, the dominion and hurtful tormenting passions. They live with honour, they die with comfort, and then they ascend to dwell with him whom here they loved, trusted and served. May I not hope you are touched with the high ambition of being the Lord’s? Some young people, I trust, have already chosen this good part; yea, I will hope others see it desirable. To both, permit me to offer a word of advice:
(i) prize and study the Scripture and ordinances
(ii) draw nigh to him by prayer
(iii) be careful of your company
(iv) beware of resisting conscience.
Tremble at the thoughts of rejecting this call. Life is uncertain. If you are not his people here, you will sink at death into the outward darkness, prepared for the devil. Your ruin will be aggravated.
[Newton made himself a note here to ‘add a word to the aged’ also.]
FOR MEDITATION: They shall be my people, and I will be their God. Now can the world promise anything like this? Will it give you comfort? Will it comfort you in trouble? Will it cheer your dying hours? Will its pleasures attend you into an eternal state?
SERMON: JEREMIAH 24:7 [4/4] [FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE]
Milo 