Intro.

Intro.
“My Beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.”
(Song of Songs 2:10)
Here in this Song of Songs, the wise king Solomon also named Jedidiah being beloved by the Lord puts to writing those expressions of love, delight and affection that the Lord has for His people, and which love and ineffable delight they duly requite. The history of the church is not only a story of conquest and victory and of Christ overcoming the works of the devil, but also of love, romance and the Lord Christ overcoming the obstacles that lie in the way betwixt Him and His people. Ever since man first fell, the Lord Jesus Christ being the eternal Son of God and the brightness of His Father’s glory was pleased and willing to take upon Himself the office of a Mediator and stand in the breach, so that those whom He was pleased to save would not utterly perish. The Song therefore being written by one of these men chosen by God for redemption and being eternally beloved by God is not only an expression of the love which Christ and His people share but also a divinely inspired song of adoration and worship for the great love of Christ which has overcome all obstacles and conquered all foes for the redeeming of His bride and the bringing her to enjoy eternal glory with Him in heaven. Though we are to take great delight in and rejoice in such expressions that manifest to us the great love of Christ, we must always keep in mind Christ’s holy nature, the great evil which He has delivered us from, and the duties which are required of us being chosen and beloved by God Himself. This discourse then is an exhortation to continue in those duties which God requires of those He calls. For truly He has called us with a holy calling, unto sanctification and the mortification of sin. When the Lord speaks, He speaks to the heart, and when we are made able by His Spirit to hear His voice calling us to a life of virtue, we are enabled, and inspired to obey Him from the heart, being captivated in the bands of love. Christ Himself has revealed to us our problem of sin that we might see Him as the only remedy. The works of a Christian is no servile work, but sincere, not according to the drudgeries of the law, ‘do this and live’ but according to the pure tenets of the gospel, ‘Your sins are forgiven, go and sin no more.’ “There is no fear in love”, says the apostle, meaning that our obedience to Christ is accepted as true service when it is not servile or slavish, but willing, and sincere, coming from the heart, and not dependant on outward blessing, self-justification or for the vain applause of men. Christ calls us to a life of obedience to Him, and this obedience must reach to the heart. “I will put my laws into their minds and write them upon their hearts. I will be to them a God and they will be to me a people.” Therefore in the opening words of this verse we are here set to discourse the bride recalls to mind the exhortations and tender commands of her Beloved to flee from the vanities of this world and come into the arms of His heavenly embrace. These words of exhortation are a call to obedience as much as they are an expression of endearment, yea these two are never separate from each other, for he that would be near and dear to God must be at enmity and war with his sins and ever watchful in prayer and religious service. But before we can move an inch toward godliness, we must be touched by Divine grace from above. And so the bride begins with the declaration, “My Beloved spake.”

I. The source of Heavenly Conversation.
“My Beloved Spake”
1. Divine Grace.
What we must first establish is that all progress in sanctification, and all real mortification of sin which is the singular duty of the Christian is properly the work of God. Our wills being stubborn and rebellious at the first had need of infinite power to turn them from the service of idols to the true and living God, and even after conversion, there remains in us fleshly principles that war against the soul. Therefore for our ship to blow safely to the harbor of peace with God, it must be the Spirit that moves us, for it is towards God and away from the world we move, and this blessed privilege is a gift of divine favor. The Spirit says, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:12-13)
Therefore we see here there is a command, and a reason annexed to it.
a. A command.
As God speaks to us by His word, so He commands us by His law. Though the law can do nothing to save us, yet God uses it as a means to sanctify us, and this He does by enabling us by that command. When God said, “Let there be light”, He commanded nothing, and there came forth something good. So when He says to the Christian, “Keep my commandments” there is not only nothing, but stubbornness, weakness, idleness, and many other obstacles. But these carnal principles God is well pleased for His righteousness sake to vanquish and conquer, not by force or cruelty, but by love and authority. God speaks His will by His word, and His people hear and turn to Him in faith. There was no faith in them before, but He creates it in them by His Spirit.
The prophet Zechariah says, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” (Zech. 4:6) And so with a word He creates Holy principles in us that do what He commands. This command, “work out your own salvation” is not an instance of human independence from Him, nor an intimation of any kind of natural ability in us to do good, for the apostle Paul says, “in my flesh dwells nothing good” but it is assuredly a sovereign command to a creature, for as God is our sovereign, and is holy, so He commands each of us to possess our bodies in sanctification and honor.
And so there is also a reason annexed, lest we should think too highly of our contribution.
b. A reason annexed.
The apostle here knowing well how puffed up man is, and how ready he is to take occasion for boasting, removes this principle by proclaiming boldly, that all of the good work in us is properly the work of God, and if we are enabled to do things well pleasing in His sight, we are so enabled by His Spirit to keep His law. All good things come from God. He is the fountain of light, the source of all grace, the sovereign King of the universe, and the Captain of our souls. It is He who works in us the willingness to mortify sin, and walk in His ways, and as little children cast upon their parents for all shelter, care, and sustenance, so are we in the sight of God. We are not able to take so much as a step toward godliness without the winds of the Spirit blowing sweetly upon us. “Without Me you can do nothing. “ (John 15:5) “For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
As Christ has all authority in heaven and on earth, so He possesses a special authority over His people, as they are His by purchase, and as they are willingly His own special possession. What Christ commands we do, and we do it cheerfully and heartily. Christ has done all that is and was necessary for His people’s salvation. He has undergone the rigor of the law. He has fulfilled the righteous requirement thereof. He has borne our sins on His own body, and cast them away forever by His sacrificial death, and He has granted us new life by the power of His resurrection. Moreover He now sits on the right hand of the Father, daily making intercession for us, forgiving our sins, and hearing our prayers. Having therefore purchased the hearts of His people, and wiped away their sins forever, they henceforth live to serve Him, and are well pleased to take up their cross and follow Him, wherever He leads us, knowing that He will do all things well, and for our eternal glorification. These are reasons why we are to obey and love Him. “For it is God who worketh in you.”

II. The Principle of Heavenly Conversation.
1. A sound mind.
When the Lord calls us to Himself by the power of His voice, and the efficacy of His word, He calls us to a life of holiness. But before we apply ourselves to holiness, we must know what it is and where it comes from. For this much is certain, that if we rely on our own works, and imagine there is any good thing in us whereby God is indebted to reward us, we know nothing at all, but are insensible and sottish to spiritual things, and can have no relish for them. John Calvin said, “Christ is not truly acknowledged as a Savior, till, on the one hand, we learn to receive a free pardon of our sins, and know that we are accounted righteous before God, because we are free from guilt; and till, on the other hand, we ask from him the Spirit of righteousness and holiness, having no confidence whatever in our own works or power.” We must acknowledge ourselves to be without holiness and without hope before we can receive anything from the Lord. We must be drained from self before we can be filled with Christ. Now this is the work of the Spirit, and as Christ calls us to a life of Communion and service to Him saying, “Rise up, my love, my fair one”, so He causes us to understand how we are to apply ourselves to it. We must first submit to the word and assent to the precious truths of the gospel before any progress can be made in godliness. “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.” (1 John 5:10) The works that unregenerate men do in order to justify themselves are done out of ignorance as much as self-love, but when our minds are renovated, renewed, and sanctified by the Spirit and made to understand heavenly things, then we will be set on the right course and attain to a heavenly life.
The apostle Paul says to Timothy, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Tim. 1:7) Therefore we ought to keep in mind how essential sound doctrine is, and seek to progress in holiness by the use of sanctified knowledge.
2. A sanctified will.
After being renewed in our minds, and coming to the knowledge of the truth by the work of the Spirit, Christ overcomes the barriers of the will by reason and just argument.
The scripture says,
“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” (Isa. 1:18-20)
When the elect come to the knowledge of the truth, we can do no other than submit to it and apply ourselves to a life of obedience and service.
Seeing that God hath done so much for so unworthy a people even taking upon Himself our own flesh, we are inclined, yea behooved, yea constrained to love Him in return and devote ourselves wholly to the faithful keeping of His commandments, and loving our neighbor also. God overcomes the stubborn will of man by teaching him what he is without God, how unrighteous a villain he is, how wicked in soul and spirit, and thus by showing him that he hath no help but Christ, He draws this soul destitute of all help to Himself, and covers Him with His love. Having been so kindly treated, and mercifully dealt with, it would be the most wicked and perverse unthankfulness to continue in a life of sin and uncleanness, seeing that we have been freed from such a life by the power of Christ’s own resurrection. The law was used to draw us to Christ, and seeing that the law is what God delights in, we are now encouraged and enabled to do those works of charity and service that please Him; not that we add anything to Him, or that He is in need of our works, but to show forth the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light, and for the good of our neighbor.
3. A sincere heart.
Having enlightened our minds, and constrained our will to love and obey Him, Christ also calls us to a life of sincerity. This is the mark of all true saints, that they serve God loyally, and truly, and not from any outward incentive, or from hope of reward, or fear of death, or hatred for those effects of sin that defile the conscience and life, nor from a principle of self-justification, whereby a sinner, hoping to become right by God by the works of the law, cries up free-will, and imagines that if he worketh not, he shall lose his salvation. Nay, if you believe you can lose your salvation, you know nothing of the forgiveness of sins. Shall God forgive us when we strive to do everything contrary to His word? He says, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” But the church is plagued today with men who desire sacrifice never asking for mercy and would hope to make God a debtor to them by their works. This is not Christianity, but madness and confusion. Nay, the Christian obeys from an inward principle of holiness, and having been set free from sin and promised everlasting life by the immutable word of God, he performs all his works with an eye to the glory of God. This is the only work God accepts because it is of His own crafting, His own counsel, His own power, and His own will. If we are not obedient for the same reason we ought to be, it is rather a rebellious obedience, which is no obedience at all, but sin. The prophet says, “Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.” (Is. 1:13)
Therefore we see that when Christ calls us to Himself, He calls us to spiritual enlightenment, and saving knowledge, He calls us to devoted service and obedience to His will, and He calls us to do all our works sincerely, from a heart purified by faith, knowing that since all things are promised to us freely in the gospel, we serve Him for the glory of God and not our own advancement.
So we should seriously consider and examine our hearts to see whether or not we are serving Christ truly, with a heart full of affection for what He has done for us, or if all our works are so that we may be seen and praised by men.

III. The Practice of Heavenly Conversation.
“Rise up my love, my fair one and come away.”
1. Devotion to the Word.
When Christ calls us saying, “Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away” He is calling us to a life of holiness and spiritual devotion. He is calling us away from laziness, spiritual slumber, disobedience, and worldliness, to come, come and rest upon Him for grace, come and follow Him toward eternal life. He says to us in His word, “I am the way.” and “ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Seeing that Christ calls us so tenderly, let us have our ears open and attentive to his voice, and learn to submit to His will in all things. We ought to see first that in calling us to spiritual devotion, Christ is calling us to conformity to His word. He is calling us to know His word, believe His word, desire His word, and obey His word in all things, for this is truly the blessed life. Peter knowing this said to Christ, “To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” When a saint hears Christ speaking in the word, although he may be beset by temptation and doubt, and at times his faith in the word may wax dim, yet having the Spirit’s witness, he knows that these words are true, and he assents to them as true, and therefore walks according to them.
The Spirit says, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” [1 Pet. 2:2-3]
If so you have tasted that God is gracious you cannot but have spiritual desires for the word of God. God has saved you by the promise of His word. This word is our hope, and therefore we cling to it. A Christian is a person who has been called out of darkness, into the marvelous light of Jesus Christ. He has been saved through belief of the truth, and therefore he hungers and thirsts for this truth. To be away from the word will cause his bones to become dry, he will pine away, and mourn until he be returned to this holy ordinance. Therefore let it be your practice not only to read the word of God, but thirst for it, and cling to it, as though you held on for dear life. For these words will lead you and guide you into life eternal.
The reading of the word is not the cause, but the means of our edification, and establishment in the faith. The Spirit of God must go with us, or we will surely read blindly. When a Christian goes about reading, then must the Spirit also go about renewing, and must cause us to understand the meaning, otherwise it will not profit us. What will reading the whole of scripture profit the hypocrite? It will surely profit him nothing at all, because the Spirit is not light for him. Therefore let us be both devoted to the word, and dependant on the Spirit for light and understanding.
2. Prayer.
Secondly, in calling us to a life of holiness, Christ is calling us to a life of prayer, and personal communion with Himself. No sooner had Paul been converted, and united to Christ but behold, he prayeth! This is the strengthening of that bond betwixt us. “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.”
Now it is of a truth that we do not pray strictly to Christ, but ordinarily to the Father, but in praying to the Father, Christ prays with us, and for us, and through His Mediation we share with Him those holy affections which are enflamed by the blessed Spirit. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (Rom. 8:26) Christ teaches us to pray to the Father, and enables us from the heart to desire those things which ought to be desired, even fellowship with Himself, and presents our prayers to the Father in order to be heard, accepted and effected according to his own will. If you pray long for the fulfillment of a promise, and the promise tarry long, do not fear, nor be discouraged, but cast all your cares upon your heavenly Father, knowing that He careth for you, and will order all things according to His perfect wisdom, and for your everlasting blessedness. Therefore let us be steadfast in prayer, and immovable, knowing that our prayers are heard through Christ, and if it be according to His will, God will do it. Christ promises us saying, “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” And, “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” Now there are some things we ought to understand concerning these words. We do not read them carnally, thinking that whatsoever we shall ask of God He will give us, so long as we repeat the words, “in Jesus name.” For this is not to pray in the name of Christ but for our own lust, but inasmuch as those that believe in Him love Him and pray for those things that accompany salvation, so He will do- for truly the name of Jesus means SAVIOR. So what Christ is saying is that when we pray saying, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” and “forgive us our sins” and “deliver us from the evil one” inasmuch as it is not the will of your Father that the least of His saints perish, so God will perform all His might, wisdom and power for the salvation of His people. He will do according to His sovereign will, He will advance His kingdom in the hearts of His people, He will forgive us, He will deliver us from the snares of the devil, and He will glorify His name. The Psalm says, “Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” [Ps. 37:4] This is to say that when the LORD reigns in our affections, we will pray for spiritual things, and God who is the author of all spiritual good will give it to us. He will grant us truth, mercy, love, righteousness, and eternal life because that is our delight, and we are granted all spiritual blessing being united to Christ the Son by faith.
3. Mortification of Sin.
This leads us to the next point which is that when Christ calls us saying, “Rise up!” He is calling us to a life of self-denial and spiritual mortification. This is one of the chief concerns of our prayers and one of the chief designs of the Word of God- even to conform us to a life of obedience and holiness, that we might be dead to the sinful desires of the flesh.
The Spirit calleth us saying, “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry; for which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.” [Col. 3:5-6] The commands of Christ, although they are tenderly made, and suitable to the weakness of our flesh, yet are in no wise approving of our sin. Christ though a tender Savior is a terrifying judge, and will avenge Himself upon all His enemies that defy Him. Living a life contrary to His commandments will incur His wrath and indignation, and even if His own people sin, He will not spare them those temporal judgments that show them his opposition to their sin. He will chastise us if we return to foolishness. He will scourge us that we might not be destroyed with the world. Therefore I say, mortify the deeds of the flesh that Christ be not angry with thee, but rather seek after those things which are above. We are given the Spirit of life that we might be alive to the things of God, and dead to the things of the world. These things are contrary to each other. When we sin, we are spurning the infallible instruction of the Spirit and taking heed to a lie. Likewise when we resist temptation, we are furnishing our souls with that holiness and purity of conscience which the Spirit delights in, and in which soul He is pleased to dwell in. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Cor. 6:19-20)
4. Contempt of the world.
Fourthly, in calling us to a life of holiness and spiritual devotion, Christ is calling us to flee from the ways of the world, and be conformed to His own image. We ought to remember that sin is deceitful, and that all unregenerate men are enemies of the gospel.
They may get along with you for the sake of applause, but given the opportunity, they will bite and devour you being inwardly full of all malice and wickedness. Jesus said to His disciples, “Beware of men, for they will deliver you up to be beaten, and killed. If they have done these things to Me, how much more to you?” We must seek to be conformed to His own image in knowledge, righteousness and holiness, and not be concerned with the fashion of the day. Thomas Shepard said, “How do men labor to be in the fashion! Better to be out of the world than out of the fashion. To be like God is heaven’s fashion, angels’ fashion, and it will be in fashion one day, when the Lord Jesus shall appear; then, if thou hast the superscription and image of the devil, and not the image of God upon thee, God and Christ will never own thee at that day.” The scripture also saith, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” (1 John 2:15-17)
We are not to look for happiness or fulfillment in this life, even from things lawful as work or spouse, but be thankful for all things according as they are gifts, and we are not to rest upon them according as they are things we have in common with the unbelievers.
A saint must think soberly, and give God the glory and praise for all things, knowing that the world was made for the glory of God and not the pleasure of the creature.
Remember that God is our eternal home, and everything in this life ought to be accounted of as worthy only so much as it derives it from God, and is not used for a sinful purpose. Therefore let us hear the call of Christ our Lord, and let us flee from the vanities of this present age. All things in this life are defiled by sin. Let us rather then look for that heavenly kingdom when all things shall be purged with fire, and we will reign with Christ in heaven forever.

V. The end of Heavenly Conversation.
The Song says, “My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;
The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.”
The Song speaks of both a present comfort, and a future inheritance. Through the passion and death of the Lord Jesus Christ, our sins are washed away. “The winter is past, the rain is over and gone.” As the prophet saith, “And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.” The storm of God’s wrath hath ceased, and He has remembered His covenant mercy toward us through the sacrifice of Christ. Moreover by the power and efficacy of His resurrection He has establish for us a new life, and made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, that having abolished death forever, we might live with Him clothed in His own immutable righteousness forever, having neither spot nor stain, nor manner of weakness, but all things perfect in Him for eternity. “The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell.” The apostle John also says, “ And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.” (Rev. 21:3-5)
The prophet Haggai also foretelling of these things saith, “Since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty. I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the Lord. Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid, consider it. Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.” (Hag. 2:16-19) The tabernacle of God now dwells with us. Whereas before we bore no fruit, now we are made new creatures in Christ and blessed with a new heart. From this day forth will the Lord bless us. From the day that the temple of God is established in our very souls, and Christ dwells in us by faith will the Lord bless us, and from the day that we die, and enter into heavenly glory, yea from this day forth will the Lord bless, and only bless us. Those in Christ can never be brought under the curse, but even through poverty, suffering, and death will be brought to enjoy the fruits and blessings of Christ’s redemption, and their works do follow them. The apostle saith, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Cor. 15:58)
Our heavenly conversation leads to a heavenly end. Heaven itself is not the purchase of our works here on earth, but our heavenly works are a proof of our sincerity, and our being partakers of this divine inheritance. God has no need of our works, but inasmuch as by His Spirit He labors within us to produce good fruit, so He will immutably reward us with eternal good for each service we perform for His glory. “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” (Heb. 6:10)
Therefore the hope that we have is heaven itself. We have all the threatenings of wrath to deter us from slothfulness, and all the blessings of heaven to encourage us to holiness.
“Pursue holiness, without which, no man shall see the Lord.”
Let us therefore labor to enter into that rest, looking ever upon Christ the Lord, resting and relying upon Him for grace, and striving to be obedient to Him in all things.
“ The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” (Eph. 1:18-23)

Application.
1. If it must be of God’s good pleasure to work grace in the heart, so let it be our prayer that He so work grace in our heart.
Let us pray saying, “Thy will be done, Lord. Let it be thy will that I am holy and pure.” And so let us fervently, and constantly pray for grace to anoint us from on high, believing God will surely grant all those requests that come from a contrite and broken heart. Those who are desolate have many more children than her with child. Those who cry out to God as the prophet saying, “We have wrought no deliverances in the earth” and “all our righteousness is as filthy rags” shall receive deliverance from God, and shall obtain righteousness from the LORD of hosts. This is to rest in God and to put our faith in the LORD, even to apprehend our own nothingness, and to find everything in the mercy of God. Let us pray always, being dependent upon Him for grace, and let us ask knowing He is gracious and merciful and will give us all things through Christ Jesus our Lord.
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” (James 1:5)

2. Since God has called us to soundness of mind, let us labor to get this soundness, and devote ourselves wholly to the doctrine of the word of God.
When we are called out of darkness we are called to a life of sanctified reason. Believing that God is true, we believe that his word is true, and knowing that God is wise and will in no way deceive us or contradict, we must compare scripture with scripture, and use those verses that speak more clearly to illuminate those that are more difficult. Let us labor for perfect soundness of mind, knowing that this is pleasing to God. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Tim. 1:7) Let us be diligent to study the right material, and learn from those men that speak the truth boldly. Let us take up and read the holy scriptures devotedly. Let us take up Calvin and read his sermons, commentaries, and Institutes. Let us take up the Westminster Confession and catechisms and labor to have these truths stamped and sealed upon our minds that we might not only understand the truth but contend for it, and know when the truth is opposed. Let us remember above all things what made Christ’s death necessary, that is our sin, and let us confess our sin to Him, knowing that if there be any righteousness inherent in us, His death is vain. Keep these truths always in your mind, and meditate constantly on them. To meditate is to work these things out in your mind logically. This is what God gave you your mind for. Therefore let us labor for soundness and full assent to all good and sound doctrine.

3. Since God has sanctified our wills, let us be diligent in the keeping of His commandments and the maintaining of our neighbor’s good name, and welfare.
God has not called us to apathy, nor has he abolished His law. God would no sooner abolish His law, as He would abolish His own righteousness which is essential to His nature. Not only does God have a law, but He enforces it. Those who are disobedient to it He will destroy. Therefore let us labor as saints called to obedience to keep His commandments, knowing that it is for our good, the good of our neighbor and the glory of God. Let us seek occasion to do good to our fellow man, giving ourselves entirely in love to even our enemies, not asking or demanding anything from them, but bearing with their many sins and blasphemies, not revenging ourselves upon them, but taking up the cross, let us show the goodness of God and the glory that is within us. We are surely not to have communion with the wicked, but we are to do everything we can for the advancement of their outward estate. Let us therefore serve God and keep His commandments with all devotion and zeal, knowing that even if we suffer for righteousness sake, He will vindicate us on the last day. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:16)

4. Seeing that Christ has purchased our souls with His own blood and doth call us so tenderly, and meekly to a life of holiness, let us devote ourselves to Him, rising up and leaving behind unbelief, rebellion, laziness, dead works, and worldly lusts, looking to Him for strength.
O, Christian these things are your very life. Do not be slack in your service to God.
He hath called you to serve Him, and not yourself. He hath called you in love, and He hath called you in mercy. Therefore love Him in return, leave behind those vanities that dissuade you from self-denial. Leave behind inordinate thoughts of self, husband, wife, children and give your heart only to God and that which comes from Him. Labor to enter into those heavenly gates, for many will seek to enter and will not be able. Take your eyes off the world, O Christian and set them upon Christ! Look at a bleeding Savior, and let your heart also bleed. Look at a Redeeming Savior, a Loving Savior, a Gracious Savior, a worthy Savior!
Look at Him whom you have pierced with your sins and mourn! Lament that you are not more perfect for Him, and mend! Take your eyes away from vanity, from the dying things of this world, and set your affection on your Savior Jesus Christ, who with great agony, pain, tears, passion and fierce turmoil, and with His own precious blood, hath purchased you for communion with Himself. He hath bought you with and for Himself, O Christian. You are no longer your own, but do belong both body and soul to your faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. Tarry no more in the wilderness of this world, but flee to the heavenly courts of God and set your mind there! Christ is in heaven, and He is your head! Let your mind therefore be with Christ in heaven! He is your hope, He is your strength, and He is your end. He is worthy of all our life, and therefore it is only just that we devote ourselves entirely to Him. Devote yourself to Christ dear Christian, for God is good, and can only command that which is good. Rise up, dear Christian and come away with Christ, leave behind a life of sin, doubt, and fear, and come away with Christ to heavenly glory. For Christ saith both tenderly and effectually, “Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;
The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell.
Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.”