As if he had said, forasmuch as ye know ye were made capable of this state of holiness, entered into a society with Christ, and made heirs of his glory, not by any human means, but by such a mysterious instance of love, as infinitely exceeds every thing that can be thought of in this world; since God has redeemed you to himself, and your own happiness, at so great a price, how base and shameful must it be, if you don’t henceforth devote yourselves wholly to the glory of God, and become holy as he who hath called you is holy?
5. Again, the apostle saith, Know ye not, that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, 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. vi. 19, 20.
How poorly therefore, Claudius, have you read the scripture? How little do you know of Christianity, if you can talk of your estate and condition, as a pretence for a freer kind of life?
Are you any more your own, than he that has no estate or dignity in the world? Must mean and little people preserve their bodies as temples of the Holy Ghost, by watching, fasting, and prayer; but may you indulge yours in idleness, in lust, and sensuality, because you have so much rent, or such a title of distinction?
And you must either think thus, or else acknowledge that the holiness of saints, prophets, and apostles, is the holiness that you are to labour after with all diligence and care.
And if you leave it to others, to live in such piety and devotion, in such self-denial, humility, and temperance, as may render them able to glorify God in their body, and in their spirit; you must leave it to them also, to have the benefit of the blood of Christ.
6. Thus much being said to shew, that great devotion is not to be left to any particular sort of people, but to be the common spirit of all Christians; I now proceed to consider the nature of universal love, which is here recommended to be the subject of your devotion at this hour.
By intercession is meant a praying to God, in behalf of our fellow-creatures.
Our blessed Lord hath recommended his love to us, as the pattern of our love to one another. As therefore he is continually making intercession for us all, so ought we to intercede for one another.
A new commandment, saith he, I give unto you, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another.