A Goodly Heritage

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him, that you be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, that the day of Christ is at hand." — 2 Thess. 2:1,2. 1. The manner of proposal is very emotionally stirring, by way of a solemn charge and call upon God as a witness. 2. The matter. An error had crept in among the Thessalonians concerning the speedy and immediate coming of Christ to judgment, while they were yet alive; which error the devil set on foot to subvert their faith and expose the whole Christian doctrine to contempt. First, The manner or calling on God as a witness falleth first under our consideration, in which two things are mentioned: — 1. The coming of Christ. 2. Their gathering together unto him. Calls for heavenly witnesses are charges by those things which have great reverence and respect with us, as most likely to prevail. Now the two...

How much do you prize God's day, the means of grace , opportunities of worship , that are for the inward man ? The Sabbath day is a feast for souls . Now when men are weary of it , it is the most burdensome day of the week : " When will the Sabbath be gone that we may set forth wheat?"(Amos 8:5. ) It is a sign they are carnal , when men count that day the only lost day : as Seneca said of the Jews , they lost the full seventh of their lives , speaking of the Sabbath day ; so carnal men think it is a lost day to them , they look upon the Sabbath as a melancholy interruption of their affairs and business . The Apostle James said of those that are begotten of God , "that they are swift to hear "; Certainly they that have an inward man to maintain , another life than an outward and animal life , must have the supply and will look after the comforts of it . Consider how differently we are concerned with bodily and soul concerns . If the body be but a little diseased...