horted to follow
in the steps of our blessed Lord. This not only means that we are to
shun evils and bear reproach, but it also means that we are not to
live unto ourselves and for ourselves alone, but unto him and his
people; for "He went about doing good."

John says: "We love him because he first loved us." We, who are here
assembled in his name, can truthfully repeat this language. But how do
we prove to ourselves and the world that we DO love him? It is by
letting our light shine. Men do not light a candle and put it under a
bushel. A city on a hill cannot be hid. Brethren, I hope we have all
made clean "the INSIDE of the cup and the platter;" for this is the
only way in which the outside can be kept clean. A pure life flows out
of a _clean_ heart, and it can come from no other source. We show our
love to the Lord by observing his ordinances: by baptism, by washing
one another's feet, by partaking with each other of the Lord's Supper,
by communing with him in his broken body and shed blood, symbolized by
the bread and wine: next, in "denying ourselves of all ungodliness and
worldly lusts, and living soberly, righteously, and godly in this
present world."

Think on this last text a little bit. "Soberly" means _calmly sincere_;
not moved by fits of excitement. "Righteously" means _doing right_;
right toward God by obedience, and right toward men in our dealings
with them and in our influence upon them. Many a brother has ruined
his power for good by not being _watchful_. He told "jokes." He
delighted in frivolous, trifling things. He put on a square face at
church, to be sure; but a little disappointment would lengthen it
fearfully, and a little fun or glee would broaden it out of all
Christian shape.

For the benefit of such and all, I will define the last but _not
least_ word in the apostle's category--"godly." Brethren, this means
LIKE God; and it includes all the rest, for "God is love." To abide in
God is to live in holy, heavenly love. "Abide in me, and I in you."
Wonderful, wonderful words! This is heaven on earth.

The apostle says: "We have been made to sit together in heavenly
places in Christ Jesus." A beautiful figure. We sit in the sun, or in
sunny places, when the light of the sun falls upon us in that
position. We sit in heaven, or in heavenly places, when the light of
heaven with its love falls full into our souls. I feel like giving
utterance to the emotion of my heart in that sweet old love-son