Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB
[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

"HEN the church of Chriff is held up to our

WHI

view, as it frequently is in fcripture, under the notion of a Household, the firft idea that ftrikes our attention, is that of Friendship. How fweet thé harmony that prevails, or ought to prevail, in the family of which God is the father, Chrift the elder brother, the excellent of the earth the children, and angels the fervants! But, this idea difmiffed, that which fucceeds to it is Hofpitality. The doors of this houfe which God hath built, and not man, are thrown open, every stranger that enters meets with a hearty welcome; yea the fervants are fent out into the highways and hedges to compel men to come in *. Such is the benignity of the great Householder, and fuch the generosity that breathes through the gracious invitations

#Luke xiv. 23.

vitations of the gospel! Can it be wondered then, that the first minifters of this gofpel, having delivered their meffage, and perfuaded men to come and partake of this the nobleft entertainment, fhould exhort the haps py guests, in the language of the text, to "ufe hof

pitality one to another, without grudging ?? The apostle Peter had been ofter fed at the table of this divine Mastery the bounty he there partook of had kindled an inextinguishable flame of charity in his Breait, and that flame he ardently wished to commuficate to every bofom that shared the fame bounty with him. May this flame be kindled in each of our hearts!

[ocr errors]

་ཞ་་

"We have difcourfed at large of the Friendship which eight to prevail in Chriftian families, and are naturally led from thence, to recommend the duty of Hofpitality. The connection of the words chofen for this purpose, merits our particular attention: The apoftle had reprobated, in very fevere terms, the kind of hof, pitality, falfely fo called, which obtained among the Pagans their excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries. Of the Chrißians these Pagans were used to speak in the most reproachful manner, because they ran not with them to the fame excefs of riot. But, fays the apoftle, thefe miferable debauchees who laugh at your temperance, fhall thortly give an account of themselves to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. For to this purpose was the gofpel preached to the Gentiles, who were dead in fin, as well as to you; that fuch of them as are recovered from this wretched flate, however judged and raviled like you by their former companions, might

henceforth

henceforth live a truly fpiritual and divine life. So he goes on to remind Christians, that there will quickly be an end to all the vain pleafures and concerns of the prefent dife; Land that therefore they should be foberd and 'watch unto prayer. And above all things, adds he, be careful to maintain fervent love 19, one another, for love will cover a multitude of fins it will induce you to find out the best excufe you can for the fins of others, and will encourage a cheerful hope in your breafts, that through the mercy of God you shall obtain forgiveness for your own numberlefs errors and failings. And thus is the admonition in our text introduced-Use hofpitality one to another without grudg. ingaAs if he had faid, Though we wish to confirm you in your just abhorrence of the intemperate mirth and jollity of wicked men, we do not mean that you should be morofe, gloomy, and felfish. No. Enjoy the good which Providence has bestowed upon you, and be generous and hofpitable to one another.

,│

[ocr errors]

6

Ufe

There is a confiderable difficulty in determining the true fenfe of this paffage. Some have fuppofed, that by them that are dead, the apostle means fuch Chriftians as then fuffered martyrdom in the caufe of religion; and that the fenfe is, the gofpel brought good tidings to them, for it affured them that however their bodies were condemned by men to death, their immortal fpirits should live together with God in heaven." Some render the words thus, To this purpose the gofpel was preached to them that are dead in fin, that they who are according to men in the fell, that is, live a fenfual life, may be condemned; and they who live according to God in the fpirit, that is, a holy life, may live, that is, be finally faved. Some think there is a réfe rence here to Ch. iii. 19. and understand the apoftle to speak of antediluvian fimmers, hereon founding an opinion refpecting the falvation of fome of them.

See Wolf. Cure Philolog. Dod. in loc. c.

Ufe hofpitality, or be ye hofpitable, that is, be re loers of firangers: be well difpofed to them, receive then into your houfes, entertain them there, thew them all the kindnefs in your power. As ftraggers. the apoftle had defcribed thole the addreffes whom this epitle, in the first verfe of the t chapter and that was the proper defcription of the Jews fcattered through the Roman provinces; they were strangers in regard of Judea, their own proper country. But that is not the idea here intended; the original word taken by itfelf means ftrangers in general, thofe who are fuch as not being of our house, or among the n the nume: her of our domeftics. A particular regard, indeed, the apoftle might have to travellers, perfons who came from remote countries, and efpecially thofe who were fent out by the churches to preach the gofpel. But. it is evident his views are extended further, for he adds, "Ufe hofpitality to one another." It is to be reciprocal among Chriftians, fo far as their ability will admit. And it is to be practifed without grudging, without grumbling ; in the moft easy, cheerful, and cordial manner.- Now in order to fet this fubject of Hofpitality in its proper light, we must confider more.. particularly,

FIRST, Of whom it is required:

SECONDLY, To whom it is to be practifed:

THIRDLY, The duty itfelf: and, o

FOURTHLY, Our obligations to it.

FIRST, Let us enquire of whom this duty of hofpitality is required.

To this it is replied that the principle is required of

[ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[ocr errors]

But

all, but the duty itself of thofe only whofe circumftances will admit of it. Hofpitality is a fpecies of charity to which every o one is not competent. the temper from which it proceeds, I mean a humane, benevolent, generous temper; that ought to prevail in every breaft. The oppofite of it, a private, felfish, avaricious difpofition, is moft deteftable. No one in whom it predominates can be a Chriftian: indeed he who is of this character is not worthy of the name of a man. Where there is a propenfity to covetoufnefs, (and in fome there is naturally a ftronger propensity to it than in others), reafon and religion teach that every poffible endeavour fhould be used to overcome it. And if men would but fit down and confider, how contemptible this vice renders them in the eye both of God and man, how effectually it defeats all thofe noble objects of general good which ought to occupy the human mind, what a fure fource it is of anxiety and wretchednefs to him in whofe breast it prevails, and the abfolute uncertainty both of the acquifition and continuance of worldly wealth; if men, I fay, would duly confider thefe things, methinks the tyranny of this accurfed demon in their breafts would be fhook, if not totally fubdued. But it is beyond the power of general reafonings and perfuafions, to extricate the abject flave to this vice from his chains. The grace of God, however, will ennoble the fordid mind, raife the affections from low and groveling purfuits, and convert a base and selfish into an open and generous fpirit. The arguments which the gofpel propofes to this end, are admirably adapted to convince the judgment and move the heart. What man who believes that the Son of God, from pure motives

[blocks in formation]
« AnteriorContinuar »